“In my period at Cato (1990–present), “Renewable Energy: Not Cheap, Not ‘Green’“, is probably our most important Policy Analysis in the energy/environment area. Bradley’s thorough review and analysis (60 pages, 325 footnotes) was a real pushback against the viability of ‘green’ energy in theory and practice.”

– Jerry Taylor, Senior Fellow and Director, Natural Resource Studies, Cato Institute, 2012

On the fifteenth [25th] anniversary of “Renewable Energy: Not Cheap, Not ‘Green’” (yesterday’s post), I recall, with pride, a lot of hard work that went into supplying the author with information about California’s wind and solar experience.

At the time I was working in the belly of the beast, the California Energy Commission (CEC) in Sacramento. The Commission was a major proponent of all things renewable, almost to the point of fanaticism.…

“The propensity of government intervention to have unintended consequences and expand from its own shortcomings has taken over a vital U.S. industry. It is time for fundamental free-market, classical-liberal reform with electricity.”

For some time, I have questioned the work of electricity specialist Lynne Kiesling in regard to classical liberalism, market process economics, and Public Choice theory. She dons the mantle of all three traditions; I believe her approach is the opposite.

There are hidden assumptions and views that she does not want to talk about: climate alarmism; forced energy transformation. (Why?) And down under, her premise is that a “market failure” exists with electricity that necessitates government intervention. And with this intervention, she has fallen into a central planning approach that begs for a classical liberal autopsy and policy reversal.…

“So when the next summer heat wave arrives along with all the negative spin stories demonizing CO₂ as its cause, I hope you will remember this post and the numerous scientific studies proving rising CO₂ levels helps plants better withstand and recover from temperature-induced stresses. And when you do remember this, please share it with others!”

It’s summer time once again in the Northern Hemisphere. And like every summer, expect the occasional heat wave to set off a fury of news stories hyping the claim that today’s heat waves are caused or made worse by anthropogenic global warming.

Of course there is no clear evidence to support such assertions (sorry, climate model projections are not evidence!). Yet, the warmer temperatures that have finally reached the cold part of the country in which I live got me thinking about my next post exploring the many biological benefits of rising atmospheric CO₂.…

“We need the countries that have spare production capacity to tell the world they will be ready to bring more oil to the market. Saudi Arabia has proven that they are a responsible exporter. And I would be hopeful that they will once again show their constructive role in these difficult days.” (Fatih Birol, below)

The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has joined with the head of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in urging global oil producers to produce more crude oil immediately to avoid more pain at the pump and elsewhere. Fatih Birol–previously anti-oil–has issued an energy crisis “red alert” not unlike a similar plea by Secretary Jennifer Granholm earlier this year.

She said:

We are on a war footing—an emergency—and we have to responsibly increase short-term [oil and gas] supply where we can right now to stabilize the market and to minimize harm to American families….