A Free-Market Energy Blog

Carter on Smaller Government: Words for Trump

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- January 11, 2025

In his February 1977 address, President Carter stated:

I also said many times during the Campaign that we must reform and reorganize the Federal Government.

I have often used the phrase “competent and compassionate” to describe what our Government should be. When the Government must perform a function, it should do it efficiently. Wherever free competition would do a better job of serving the public, the Government should stay out. Ordinary people should be able to understand how our Government works and to get satisfactory answers to questions.

Our confused and wasteful system that took so long to grow will take a long time to change. The place to start is at the top—in the White House.

I am reducing the size of the White House staff by nearly one third, and have asked the members of the Cabinet to do the same at the top staff level.

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Alaska Energy Shenanigans: Eklutna Dam and the RPS (Part II: Political Highjack)

By -- January 10, 2025

Ed. Note: With yesterday’s background, Part II examines the politicization of one of Alaska’s major hydroelectric projects to reveal ulterior motives from “stakeholders” and elected officials.

“Once an RPS becomes law, the boards will be able to point to the new law in effect requiring them to adopt unreliable and expensive sources and be held harmless once things start to spiral out of control, up to and including rolling brownouts and blackouts.”

“Pumped energy storage is only necessary as a mitigating backup to the planned 100% unreliable not-so renewables. The Renewable Portfolio Standard will mandate a government-subsidized solar, wind and transmission build-out by grifters and profiteers. Wind and solar power producers should be made to pay for all infrastructure that makes them as reliable as a gas turbine.”

For environmental groups and their political carriers, the question is how to expand wind and solar power in the state, the very resources that are dilute, intermittent, fragile, expensive, and taxpayer-dependent.…

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Alaska Energy Shenanigans: Eklutna Dam and the RPS (Part I: Background)

By -- January 9, 2025

Ed. note: Alaskans are waking up to a sneak attack on electric affordability and reliability by agenda-driven special interests and their pliable politicians. The latest incident concerns the state’s third largest hydro project, which has become a Trojan Horse for Green New Deal programs. “Cronyism, abuse and manipulation of our critical energy infrastructure is the result of ‘stakeholder inclusion’,” as energy expert Kassie Andrews writes in this two-part post.

At 40 MW capacity, the Eklutna Hydro Dam Project generates 5–6 percent of the total electricity for the Railbelt.  Eklutna provides the most significant share of renewable energy, 44 percent of Matanuska Electric Association (MEA)’s renewable portfolio and 25 percent of Anchorage area-service-provider Chugach’s renewable portfolio. 

With capital depreciation and small operating costs, Eklutna is the lowest-cost electricity source for Southcentral Alaska. …

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Negative Pricing in California (surplus solar at work)

By Kennedy Maize -- January 8, 2025
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Illinois Electricity: Subsidies, Mandates, Inflation

By -- January 7, 2025
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Energy & Environmental Review: January 6, 2025

By -- January 6, 2025
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HEATED/Atkin: Retrenchment, Burnout, Questioning

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- January 2, 2025
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Happy New Year from MasterResource

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- December 31, 2024
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Stop Out-the-Door Grants and Loans, DOE!

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- December 30, 2024
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MasterResource Turns 17

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- December 26, 2024
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