“RGGI proponents want us to believe that the program is delivering on a global environmental promise, but the reality is the nine-state cap and trade system is a colossal failure of resource allocation that should be repealed to leave more efficient market forces.”
“During the Ohio debate, safety repeatedly took a backseat to economic opportunity. However, the problem for the wind industry is that safety is increasingly an issue as the incidence of turbine failure appears to be accelerating.”
[Editor Note: A new feature at MasterResource will periodically review important wind-related news in the US and around the world. For proponents of fuel-neutral, let-the-market-decide energy policy, as well as those opposing industrial wind turbines for environmental reasons, the news is increasingly positive. It should be highlighted and shared to motivate grassroots energy activists.…
…“Analysts are saying that China’s EV market is highly dependent on government policies and subsidies. That was supported by Nielsen, a market research company, who said that among potential EV buyers, the highest motivating factor is the free license plates the government hands out, followed by the state subsidies. They pointed out that without the government subsidy, an ordinary EV would be just as costly as a luxury vehicle.”
“‘Buyers are basically paying for a power battery, as the battery in an electric car is so expensive that it makes up about half of the production cost.’ The problem this creates is the rapid deterioration in the used-car value of EVs as their batteries wear out. Mr. Zhang stated, ‘The electric car value diminishes much more speedily than a gasoline car after years of use, since the battery will be exhausted’.”
“What happened in Denmark was similar to the experience in Georgia, where the state’s legislature voted to end its nation-high EV incentive program of $5,000 per vehicle, and to add a tax to EVs to account for road wear and tear. After the incentive was eliminated effective July 1, 2015, car dealers couldn’t give EVs away.”
“It appears from all the EV data we have examined worldwide that no country has crossed that gap from early movers/EV advocates to mass market appeal. It is all about battery costs, range anxiety, and subsidies. Until there are significant technological breakthroughs, government subsidies cannot be abandoned.”
Norway is approaching its next election on September 11, 2017, when the 169 members of the legislative body, the Storting, will be chosen for new four-year terms. One of the issues at play in the election campaign is the cost of the country’s generous electric vehicle (EV) subsidy program, which has been a central tenet of the government’s efforts to shift its transportation sector from fossil fuels to electricity.…