Section 1603 Grant Extension: Just Say No (Good money after bad–is the end near?)

By Lisa Linowes -- December 5, 2011

There’s desperation on the Hill by the taxpayer parasites. The wind industry is once again pressing Congress for a last minute extension of the Section 1603 subsidy.

And why not? ‘Tis the season for giving, and the approach of “Ask and ye shall receive” has worked pretty well for the industry so far, especially with a contingent of members happy to be led around by any entity cloaking itself in ‘green’. Who better to do the leading than the American Wind Energy Association (‘AWEA’), the trade group increasingly dominated by wind turbine manufacturers — most of whom are headquartered in Europe and Asia.

Any reasonable assessment of the 1603 grant program would be lost entirely on this crowd but there are facts that make any discussion of an extension foolhardy.

High Cost: The treasury reports it’s already distributed $9.6 billion in cash grants during the period from 2009 to October 31, 2011.…

Remembering 'Green' Enron (Part II: Corporate Social Responsibility)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- December 2, 2011

[Ed. note: This week marks the 10th anniversary of Enron’s bankruptcy filing (December 2, 2001). Enron’s view of energy sustainability drives the Obama Administration today. Yesterday, this series looked at Enron’s Kyoto moment.]

In the fall of 2001, Ken Lay set the tone for what would be Enron’s last Environmental, Health, and Safety Management Conference:

We believe that incorporating environmental and social considerations into the way we manage risk, govern our projects, and develop products and services will help us maintain our competitive advantage. As we move forward, we will leverage our intellectual capital and innovative capabilities to promote sustainable business practices around the world.

At this meeting, Enron’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) task force listed its “Accomplishments to Date,” which were:

Secured board oversight of social/environmental performance
Expressed support for Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Completed corporate responsibility task force
Developed and pilot-tested human rights audit
Developed security and human rights guidelines
Established formal partnerships with WBCSD [World Business Council on Sustainable Development], IBLF [International Business Leaders Forum], and CI [Conservation International]
Identified language to strengthen code of ethics
Providing project support—Calypso, Transredes, Dabhol and Cuiabá
Responding to stakeholder concerns on an ongoing basis

The goals for 2002 included:

Formally adopt CERES Principles
Complete indigenous peoples’ policy
Specify social/environmental expectations in formal relationships with vendors and contractors
Review results of stakeholder survey and develop strategy to address outcome
Create awareness of social/environmental trends among [Enron’s] origination and investment groups
Add corporate responsibility performance attribute to PRC [Performance Review Committee] process
Present task force recommendations to Dr.

Remembering ‘Green’ Enron (Part I: The Kyoto Moment)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- December 1, 2011

[Ed. note: This week marks the 10th anniversary of Enron’s bankruptcy filing (December 2, 2001). Enron’s view of energy sustainability drives the Obama Administration’s “green ‘dream’ team” today, so such a look back at Enron’s crony capitalism is merited.]

Beginning in the late 1980s, global warming became a bread-and-butter issue for Ken Lay, Enron’s leader and up-and-coming industry visionary. Enron in the 1990s became a full-fledged “green” company, practicing “energy sustainability” with its investments in solar power, wind power, energy-efficiency services, and environmental services.

No U.S.-based company sounded the tocsin over climate change more than Enron. What John Browne did as head of the international energy major BP, Ken Lay did in the United States, working with interest groups and political leaders to push the energy industry and public toward carbon dioxide (CO₂) regulation.…