A Free-Market Energy Blog

Post-Election, Post-Cap-and-Trade: Obama Clings to an Anti-CO2 Agenda

By Chip Knappenberger -- November 9, 2010

On the day following the elections, President Obama urged policymakers not to forget about climate change. While he ideally would like to get help from the Congress in enacting legislation aimed at curtailing greenhouse gas emissions, he seems willing to let EPA do the heavy lifting in the absence of Congressional action. He is also looking to the states that the United States citizenry does not want to have done collectively.

In his post-election press conference last Wednesday, November 3, 2010, the president gave some clues about what his future aspirations are for a climate/energy policy. It was most obvious in his response to a question put to him by the Wall Street Journal’s Laura Meckler, and indicates that his Dream Green Team playbook is still alive and well.

Question:

Thank you, Mr.

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Wind Energy is Ancient (the infant industry argument for subsidies does not apply)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- November 8, 2010

 The use of wind power is as old as history.”

– Erich Zimmermann, World Resources and Industries (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1951), p. 62.

The day after the election, the New York Times cutely titled an editorial, “New Energy Outfoxes Old in California.” The Houston Chronicle dutifully reprinted it.

Problem is, what the Left sees as new energy is really ancient, and what is seen as old is really new. Coal, oil, and gas are several hundred years old; renewable energies are as old as human time. Solar and wind and falling water and burning plants–renewables all–are caveman energies.

This textbook from 1838 (is this old enough for you, New York Times?) explained the problem with wind, a problem that is at the center of the debate 172 years later.…

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EPA’s Regs for Rigs – Fuel Economy Fetish Goes Diesel

By -- November 5, 2010

Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a proposed rule to establish first-ever greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and fuel economy standards for “heavy duty” (HD) motor vehicles.

The proposed standards, which phase in during model-years 2014–2018, apply to three types of HD vehicles: (1) “combination tractors” (semi-trucks), (2) large pickups and vans, and (3) “vocational trucks” (a wide-ranging assortment of trucks and buses).  The agencies estimate that the technologies needed to comply with the proposed standards will cost $7.7 billion but that the rule will generate $27 billion or $41 billion in net benefits (depending on whether future benefits are discounted at 7% or 3%).

Here’s the curious thing that jumps out at you from the getgo. Although the ostensible objective of the rule is to reduce GHG emissions and oil imports, the overwhelming share of the claimed benefits (fuel savings for truckers) has nothing to do with either climate change or energy security.…

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Real Clean Coal: Japan’s Unit #2 Isogo Plant

By Robert Peltier -- November 4, 2010
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Tom Pyle (IER) on the Election Results and Energy Policy (beware of ‘all of the above’ Republicans)

By -- November 3, 2010
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“The Future of Economic Freedom” (A corporate call to principled action)

By -- November 2, 2010
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Halloween Hangover: Ehrlich, Holdren, Hansen Unretracted

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- November 1, 2010
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Peeling Away the Onion of Denmark Wind (Part IV – CO2 Emissions)

By Kent Hawkins -- October 29, 2010
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Peeling Away the Onion of Denmark Wind (Part III – Wind Electricity Used in Denmark)

By Kent Hawkins -- October 28, 2010
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Peeling Away the Onion of Denmark Wind (Part II – Details of Exports and Imports)

By Kent Hawkins -- October 27, 2010
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