Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Please note that opinion pieces (including letters, editorials, and blogs), reflect the viewpoints of their authors; National Wind Watch does not necessarily agree with them in their entirety or endorse them in any way.
Ask other states how that energy policy is working out
Credit: The Indianapolis Star, www.indystar.com 5 January 2011 ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Ask other states how that energy policy is working out In its Jan. 4 editorial (“We can’t stand still on energy”), The Star laments Indiana’s lack of movement on renewable-energy standards and net metering, stating that by failing to follow other states’ leads we are missing out on green jobs.
But other states’ experiences leave it far from self-evident that the few resultant green jobs would be worth the cost. Leave aside the execrable performance of states like California, which is hemorrhaging jobs. Even Texas, which is less prone to take leave of its fiscal senses than some other states, found that its tax breaks for wind farms cost nearly $1.6 million per job, despite federal wind-power subsidies that amount to half again the current spot price of natural gas.
Both net metering and renewable-energy standards are effectively subsidies by ratepayers for favored industries – wind and solar – that cannot compete on their own. Rather than mindlessly cheerleading for Rep. Ryan Dvorak’s net-metering proposal, The Star should be applauding the adults in the legislature who, instead of simply following the herd, actually are attempting to determine for themselves whether such measures are in Hoosiers’ best interest.
Joseph H. Born
Indianapolis
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
Wind Watch relies entirely on User Contributions |
![]() (via Stripe) |
![]() (via Paypal) |
Share: