Congressman Coffman addresses "Rare Earths"
Congressman Mike Coffman (R-Colorado) announced today that he created a Congressional caucus to address the growing problem of China’s control over rare earth elements and “re-establishing domestic supply chain” of the must-have minerals. In a press release, Coffman explained: With the establishment of this caucus, I am confident we will be able to build awareness […]
Too much supply means dark days for solar panel manufacturers
Another solar panel manufacturer is laying off employees because current global supply of solar panels far exceeds demand. Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) is temporarily suspending production of “Uni-Solar,” a thin filmed solar laminate, and furloughing 140 workers according to a report in the Detroit News. The two Uni-Solar production plants are located in a “tax-free […]
Maine Gov takes aim at renewable energy standard
Apparently Maine, not California (followed closely by Colorado), has the highest renewable energy standard in the country, and Governor Paul LePage wants to get rid of it. According to Gov. LePage, the 44 percent renewable energy requirement puts Maine at an economic disadvantage because it drives up the cost of energy in his state. Maine […]
Goldman Sachs CO subsidiary gets $90.6 million taxpayer loan guarantee
In the shadow of the Solyndra bankruptcy scandal, the embattled Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program announced on September 9, a $90.6 million loan guarantee to Cogentrix Energy of Alamosa for a solar energy project. A Cogentrix press release reported: The loan guarantee will support the Alamosa Solar Generating Project, a 30 megawatt (MW) […]
Government Weatherization: an exercise in Soviet style efficiency
It rained taxpayer cash on “weatherization,” a series of energy efficiency initiatives – “such as residential weatherization and state capitol retrofits – to renewable energy projects” and federal grants intended to reduce carbon emissions and create “green” jobs. The nationwide initiatives enjoyed massive expansion courtesy of President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), […]
Weatherization: Bring in Sealant Team 6
This is a hilarious take on the “green economy” from Jon Stewart.
Bad news for EU could be bad news for CO
Bad news for residents of the European Union and possibly Colorado. EU consumers and businesses face more than twenty years of rising electric costs as the region tries to meet its renewable energy goals according to a leaked report. The the working title of the draft report “Energy Roadmap to 2050” examines how the EU […]
Solar Power: economically and environmentally unsound
This column appeared originally in Townhall Finance. Solar energy is neither economically nor environmentally sound By Amy Oliver Cooke and Michael Sandoval We live in the state that is ground zero for absurd energy policy, also known as the New Energy Economy. In a recent Denver Post house editorial, Colorado’s self-described “newspaper of record” was […]
Solar industry: we still need taxpayers' cash
A new report from the Solar Foundation, a non-profit solar industry advocate, claims the solar industry is a bright spot in an others dreary economy. According to the report titled “National Solar Jobs Census 2011: A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce” the U.S. now boasts 100,237 solar workers “defined as those workers who spend […]
$8 million jobs blowin' in the wind
A new study of enterprise zones in Illinois reveals that each “wind job cost taxpayers $8 million” according to a press release from Illinois Wind Watch. A review of reports obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show: that wind farms create very few local jobs. Of the 15 wind farms reported on the IWEA website, […]
Florida's 'fuel mix' a warning to Colorado
Florida has higher electric rates than those of neighboring states because of its reliance on natural gas to generate electric power according to a study released in September. In a September 27, 2011, press release the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) said it requested the study from the Public Utility Research Center (PURC) located at the […]
NREL's Bob Noun ties to Congressman Perlmutter
With this headline — “Golden’s NREL to shed more than 10 percent of workforce” — Golden’s National Renewable Energy Lab made national news on Monday. I’ve been skeptical of NREL spokesman Bob Noun’s “blame Congress” and “Washington gridlock” sob story over a possible 1.5 percent reduction in funding, considering NREL has enjoyed a 63.4 percent increase […]
