Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
In Minnesota, the legislature has just passed the strongest renewable energy mandate in the U.S.  It requires that 25% of the state's electric power must be produced by wind and other renewables by 2025.  It also requires that Excel Energy, the state's largest utility company, derive 30% of the energy it produces from renewables by 2020.What is fascinating is the total disconnect between the sponsors of this legislation and any expectation of additional cost to meet these mandates.  I have read letters to the editor written by some of the sponsors that claim there will not be added cost.  On the contrary, they contend that their enlightened green mandates will actually lower energy costs and provide new jobs and other forms of prosperity besides.Representative David Hann disagrees.  When the bill was being discussed, he asked the proponents to provide an estimate of the CO2 reduction that would result.  They could not provide an estimate.  He also asked what the impact would be on the ratepayers and was told the energy companies are still working on that answer.  The Department of Commerce, however, did estimate that the CO2 reduction resulting from the mandate might not exceed 2%, and they estimate that the mandate will add considerable cost to businesses and consumers in the form of higher rates.  Hann also points out that the mandate will require 2,000 miles of new transmission lines at a cost of six to nine billion dollars.Meanwhile, the authors of the bill proclaim in their letter to the editor that:  "In passing the standard, we reclaimed Minnesota's status as the nation's renewable energy leader.  The mandate will bring new jobs to our state.  Utility companies will innovate and build a renewable energy infrastructure to meet the standard.  It will save us money.  Ultimately, the renewable energy standard is a step in building a better world for future generations."So you can see the two sides to this debate.  I think it will be very exciting when the energy companies finally do work out the answer to the question of impact on the ratepayers, and the public learns the cold hard truth.   Here are two links to the details: <a href="http://www.globalwarming101.com/content/view/506/88889016/">http://www.globalwarming101.com/content/view/506/88889016/</a>  <a href="http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47530">http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47530</a>
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag