Democracies, Republics, and TABOR
Contrary to popular mythology, none of the Founders drew a sharp distinction between a democracy and a republic.
Energy and Land Use: A Sober Look at the Space Needed to Power the Future
Much of the conversation surrounding energy policy in Colorado these days has to do primarily with the emissions currently being produced and ways to continue reducing said emissions. The arguments over the role of various energy sources in getting to a decarbonized future are familiar at this point. But there has been comparatively little discussion […]
Money and power in Colorado
How the state’s largest monopoly utilities have benefited financially in former Governor Bill Ritter’s New Energy Economy. By Brit Naas Executive Summary The last ten years of Colorado energy policy can be defined as the decade of what former Democrat Governor Bill Ritter dubbed the “New Energy Economy,” (NEE) a fundamental transformation of how the state […]
Colorado’s electricity rates continue to rise
By Grant Mandigora Executive Summary In 2001, Colorado electricity consumers enjoyed some of the lowest electric rates in the country. The 15 years since haven’t been so kind to ratepayers. For more than a decade, elected officials, PUC commissioners, industry and advocates have told Colorado ratepayers that they could transform the state’s electricity generation away […]
Xcel paying power producers to take excess electricity?
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I’ve documented that Xcel Energy has excess electricity generation capacity. I just didn’t realize how much. According to a source close to an electricity wholesaler and generator, “Right now they can buy power cheaper than they can make it. A week or two ago Excel [sic] was paying us $18 a MW to buy power from […]
The absurdity of Demand Side Management and social engineering electricity use
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“For every dollar spent, consumers save $1.77,” say supporters of so-called Demand Side Management (DSM) programs. Want to really save ratepayers money? How about not incentivizing utility monopolies to spend the dollar in the first place and just let ratepayers save 77 cents or more through lower electric rates? Here is the gist of DSM: […]
Are Industrial Wind Farms Harmful?
Two issues surround whether industrial wind is the healthy alternative energy source some claim it to be. Both issues involve noise created from the constant turning of industrial blades: there is an obvious audible sound and a more subtle infrasound. These sound issues, audible sound and infrasound, are known to cause sleep disturbances and other […]
Lack of Sound Impact Study Brings NextEra’s Zoning Permit Into Question
By Kohl Watson with contributor Amy Cooke Is the Golden-View Wind Farm in Calhan, Colorado out of compliance with state law and county requirements? Since the industrial blades began spinning in 2015, residents have made 23 calls regarding noise levels from the industrial wind farm. Despite the numerous calls, which the El Paso County Sheriff’s […]
Energy Policy Center testimony on HB17-1116
Mr. Chairman, members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Michael Sandoval. I am the senior energy policy analyst for the Independence Institute, a state-based, free market think tank, headquartered in Denver. The Independence Institute is opposed to HB17-1116 not in intent, but in process. We do think […]
Three bad House bills gives Senate GOP opportunity to stand up for ratepayers
For the better part of a decade, Colorado energy policy has been a textbook case of state government selected winners and losers. Ratepayers and working families, at the mercy of Democrat controlled legislature and executive branch, have held the losing hand. While special interest environmental left groups such as Conservation Colorado, the Sierra Club, WildEarth […]
Extending Demand Side Management is irresponsible by ratepayers
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Riddle me this. Based on the following clues, can you guess the product/service, the company, and the program? It’s an out-of-state private monopoly that enjoys most favored corporation status under the Gold Dome. The favored monopoly has more supply/capacity than its customers use and anticipates this to be the case in the near future. The […]
HB17-1116 is legislative atonement for driving Coloradans into energy poverty
Put down the crayon and back away from the budget. That is Denver Post columnist Megan Schrader’s parental advice to the Independence Institute in a nutshell. It would take too long to deconstruct all that is wrong with Ms. Schrader’s editorial on our proposed ballot title “Fix Our Damn Roads,” but as head of our energy […]
