A Free-Market Energy Blog

Cronyism vs. Kids: High School Solar in Georgia ($7.5+ million for $3.5 million)

By Benita Dodd -- March 17, 2015

“The $3.7 million system is projected to reduce power bills by $3.5 million over the 25-year lease agreement. Unfortunately, as PSC Commissioner Stan Wise pointed out, ‘By the end of the agreement, Dublin taxpayers will actually pay $7.5 million in SPLOST sales taxes for debt service, and this does not include other costs such as operations and maintenance and insurance.’”

Solyndra was a visible black eye for the Obama administration in 2011, when the solar panel manufacturer went bankrupt after taking in more than $500 million from taxpayers and private investors. Closer to home, the silence is deafening: Few even know of the failure of Mage Solar, a company that set up shop in Middle Georgia with great fanfare in 2011.

What started out as a Georgia Public Policy Foundation commentary (by me) to mark Sunshine Week (March 15-21), and the two-year anniversary of Dublin High School’s award-winning solar array, led to a trail of lofty projections, broken promises, unpaid bills, questionable math, and taxpayers left on the hook.…

Continue Reading

Senator Sullivan to Obama: Approve Keystone XL (maiden speech from new AK senator)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 16, 2015

“We built the 1,700 mile Alaska-Canadian Highway (ALCAN highway) through some of the world’s most rugged terrain in less than a year. We built the Empire State Building in 410 days; the Pentagon, we built it in 16 months. Mr. President, there is NO reason that Keystone should have been studied for six years.”

Mr. President, today I stand in support of the Keystone Pipeline Project.

As an Alaskan, I feel it’s important to talk about this bill and the importance of American energy infrastructure. I live in a state with one of the world’s largest pipelines. In 1973, after bitter debate, similar to the debate about Keystone, Congress passed a bill that led to the construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline system– what we in Alaska call TAPS.

It almost didn’t happen.…

Continue Reading

Barack Goes Berserk on Climate ‘Deniers’ (gold stars for fed alarmists?)

By James Rust -- March 13, 2015

Organizing For Action (OFA) is a non-profit and community organizing project formed after President Obama’s 2012 re-election to promote his agenda.  On March 5, 2015, OFA sent out a letter under President Obama’s signature reporting certain elected officials were climate change deniers with the following statement:

 “You’re part of an important team with OFA, with a mission of holding climate change deniers’ feet to the fire.“

I am hoping when President Obama says “holding climate deniers’ feet to the fire” he is not referring to methods of Islamic State (ISIS) in which a person’s feet would be doused with gasoline and then ignited.

The letter contained a link to offending elected officials in all 50 states. For Georgia, for example, there was Governor Deal, Senator Perdue, and 6 Congressmen. Easy methods for communicating discontent with officials are provided.…

Continue Reading

The Climate Empire Gets Nasty (‘crony science’ for funding, power)

By -- March 12, 2015
Continue Reading

Vogtle: Nuclear Renaissance Gone Bad (Georgia Power’s rent-seeking nightmare)

By Jim Clarkson -- March 11, 2015
Continue Reading

Crisisology: The Climate/Everything Nexus

By -- March 10, 2015
Continue Reading

AWED Energy & Environmental Newsletter: March 9, 2015

By -- March 9, 2015
Continue Reading

Cheap Oil Gets Rid of Subsidized Oil in Developing Nations

By Josiah Neeley -- March 6, 2015
Continue Reading

Stifling Climate Research & Opinion: Another Desparado Mistake

By James Rust -- March 5, 2015
Continue Reading

Offshore East Coast Wind: Federal Effort, Market Resistance

By -- March 4, 2015
Continue Reading