Wind Power’s PTC: Chapter 14 (13th extension)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- January 21, 2021 6 Comments

“The PTC is the single most expensive energy subsidy in the federal tax code and is estimated to cost taxpayers about $40 billion from 2018 to 2027.” (IER, January 5, 2021)

“Special government favor to business–crony capitalism–can turn losers into winners. And the loser lobby can claim progress and even inevitability as if they really won. This is the postmodernism of energy policy today in regard to the two politically correct renewables: wind and (on-grid) solar.”

It does not end. What is not competitive and government dependent just continues that way. This is not only because the market picks winners and leaves the losers for politics. It is also because the market-driven, non-subsidized technology improves over time.

Recently, wind power federal Production Tax Credit received its 13th extension. Reported IER:

The U.S.

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The Green New Deal: The ‘Farting Cow’ Fiasco Turns One

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 5, 2020 9 Comments

“The Green New Deal is a massive investment program, not an expenditure. The question isn’t how will we pay for it, but what is the cost of inaction, and what will we do with our new shared prosperity created by the investments in the Green New Deal.”

“The Green New Deal sets a goal to get to net-zero, rather than zero emissions, at the end of this 10-year plan because we aren’t sure that we will be able to fully get rid of, for example, emissions from farting cows or air travel before then.”

It was an embarrassment–and, to my knowledge, the most ill-conceived energy proposal in the history of the United States by a wing of a major political party since the oil-industry nationalization proposals of the shortage 1970s (yes, Bernie was part of that).…

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Trump on the American Energy Revolution (9th Annual Shale Insight Conference, Pittsburgh)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- October 29, 2019 1 Comment

“Energy was just the first step in so many other ways. But without energy, it all doesn’t happen.”

“… we’re at a very, very good point environmentally right now.”

“Anti-energy zealots are blinded by ideology. Democrats want to ban shale energy, but shale energy has reduced America’s carbon emissions by 527 million metric tons per year. So what are they doing? A much better record than the European Union, which is always telling us how to do it. We should be telling them how to do it, based on our economy.”

“And congratulations to all of you, our great energy people, for what you’ve been able to accomplish, especially in the last three years…. [T]he path to that future starts right here in shale country, with all of you — the proud patriots of Pennsylvania and Ohio and West Virginia.”

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“Green New Deal FAQ” (the infamous AOC post for posterity)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 10, 2019 15 Comments

“The Green New Deal is a massive investment program, not an expenditure. The question isn’t how will we pay for it, but what is the cost of inaction, and what will we do with our new shared prosperity created by the investments in the Green New Deal.”

“The Green New Deal sets a goal to get to net-zero, rather than zero emissions, at the end of this 10-year plan because we aren’t sure that we will be able to fully get rid of, for example, emissions from farting cows or air travel before then.”

It was an embarrassment–and to my knowledge, the most ill-conceived energy proposal in the history of the United States by a major political party since the oil-industry nationalization proposals of the shortage 1970s.

The Green New Deal FAQ was published on the website of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) on February 5, 2019, only to be taken down after an outcry over its proposed elimination of air travel and cow flatulence within ten years (quotation above).…

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Carter’s “Malaise Speech” of 1979 (remembering the crisis of interventionism)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 6, 2019 4 Comments Continue Reading

Wind PTC: Excessive Benefit Demands Repeal

By -- October 30, 2017 8 Comments Continue Reading

Climate Policy as ‘Bribery’: James Hansen’s Latest (gov’t failure in the quest to correct ‘market failure’)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- November 1, 2016 1 Comment Continue Reading

Arlon Tussing: Remembering a Giant of Energy Analysis (energy economist & consultant par excellence)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- October 11, 2016 No Comments Continue Reading

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve Reconsidered (Part V)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- July 31, 2015 No Comments Continue Reading

Carbon Taxation: Remembering When Ken Green (AEI) Went from Aye to Nay

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 13, 2015 6 Comments Continue Reading