Institute for Energy Research

Center for American Progress Calls for U.S. to Be First Among Lemmings

The Center for American Progress has released a new study [.pdf] to much fanfare from the usual suspects. The study’s title says it all: “Out of the Running? How Germany, Spain, and China Are Seizing the Energy Opportunity and Why the United States Risks Getting Left Behind.”

Expensive Solar Power Continues to Be Built in the U.S.: Why?

Electric utilities are constructing expensive and inefficient solar plants because of subsidies and mandates from federal and state governments. The subsidies are not free–they come from the American taxpayer. And once the subsidies expire, consumers will pay higher electricity rates. So, either as taxpayers or as consumers, the American public is paying for these facilities. Ultimately, this means that the American economy is paying premium prices for a basic product essential for economic growth and competitiveness—electricity.

NREL Shows 20 Percent Wind by 2024 Is Possible, but it Ignores the Economics of Competing Technologi

The NREL study considered four scenarios, three at the 20 percent level of wind generation, and one at the 30 percent level, the scenarios being differentiated by the number of onshore versus offshore wind turbines that would be built. The 20 percent scenario requires about 225,000 megawatts of additional wind capacity and the 30 percent scenario about 335,000 megawatts. That’s 9 to 13 times greater than the wind capacity that existed at the end of 2008. And it would require that 16,000 to 24,000 megawatts to be constructed each and every year. By comparison, the largest amount of wind capacity actually constructed in a year was slightly less than 10,000 megawatts, in 2009. [ii] Because wind generation is intermittent, the capacity of the new wind units needs to be above the target generation level. The offshore component would represent 0 to 28 percent of the required generating capacity, depending on the scenario. Offshore units are more expensive to build than the onshore units, but fewer transmission upgrades may be needed.

As the Energy Dept. Cozies up with “Big Wind”, and US Taxpayers Bankroll “Green Jobs” in China

The so-called $787 billion "stimulus" package is creating some "green jobs" -- this we're certain. Unfortunately, though, many of these taxpayer-supported jobs are not in the United States. In fact, a billion hard-earned (and borrowed) U.S. tax dollars are being directed to create jobs in China, of all places. Some stimulus, huh?

Obama Admin. Caught Red-Handed Working with Big Wind Energy Lobbyists, Misleading America People

“It is almost impossible to know who is the government and who the lobbyists. They have merged into one single animal with different faces.” – Dr. Gabriel Calzada, Spanish economics professor and researcher BACKGROUND: Last March, Spanish economics professor Gabriel Calzada published an academic analysis that showed for every green job created in Spain, 2.2 jobs were lost as an opportunity cost. This finding contradicted the Obama Administration’s claim that massive subsidies for wind and solar energy would create jobs.

The President’s Bogus Green Economics

The Obama Administration's recently released "Economic Report of the President" devoted an entire chapter to "Transforming the Energy Sector and Addressing Climate Change" [.pdf]. Whenever the government promises to transform an entire sector of the economy, we know to watch out. Upon a simple reading it is obvious that the president's fancy economic rhetoric doesn't justify the $60 billion in "stimulus" funds and the proposed new mandates on the private sector. Even the report's own analysis shows that the likely damages from climate change are comparable to the economic damages of more government regulation.

15,000 or 575 Miles?

As energy secretary Steven Chu continues his trip through the Middle East to "discuss a range of energy issues, including energy security," we ask: What else could have been accomplished by a quick trip to Canada, the U.S.'s largest energy importer and exporter?

Obama Administration is Counting on Green Jobs to Stimulate the Economy

The Obama administration is dragging its feet regarding oil drilling in areas previously under moratoria. Because of high gasoline prices during the summer of 2008, the Bush administration reversed the Executive Order prohibiting offshore drilling in areas under moratoria, and Congress let the ban against such drilling expire. The Bush administration then set its Department of Interior to fast-track such drilling, by speeding up the process that allows the areas to be leased.

Energy secretary jet-sets to the Middle East

We ask: Could as much, if not more, have been accomplished by walking 15 blocks to the Interior Dept.?

Rare Earth Elements are Vulnerable to Supply Disruptions

Some people argue that we must reduce our use of oil because some oil is produced by dictators and countries with interests contrary to the United States. They argue we need to switch to different technology such as hybrids and renewables to reduce power these dictators could exert on the United States.[a]

Energy’s Large Share of the Economy Requires Caution in Determining Policies That Affect It

Two of the biggest issues in national politics over the past few years have been health care policy and energy policy. The reason is simple—health care policy impacts us in very personal ways. When we get sick or injured, we want to get better at a reasonable price. Energy use is equally as personal.

President Obama’s Nuclear Sleight of Hand: More Taxpayer Giveaways; No Place for the Waste

IER president: “As is the case with the rest of this Administration’s energy proposals, there is a complete and daunting lack of consistency on the issue of nuclear waste and nuclear loan guarantees.”

Drill Gate: Obama Administration Ignores American People, Enacts De-Facto Ban on New Offshore Energy

One of the most disappointing aspects of the Obama Administration’s domestic policy has been the way it has dealt with domestic energy production – in particular new offshore energy production.

Stimulus Funds for “Clean” Energy Spur Economic Growth— in Europe, and Asia

A little more than three months ago, IER reported that stimulus funds for green energy projects were heading offshore, along with U.S. manufacturing.

Obama Admin Delays Atlantic OCS Development until at Least 2014, Will Congress Force Interior’

Washington, DC – Following up on the Interior Department’s recent announcement that lease terms in the Gulf will be dramatically shortened, a letter from the agency made public today suggests that Sec. Salazar is well on his way to ensuring that no offshore energy exploration can take place in the Atlantic until at least 2014 – even as it works furiously to “fast track” permits and leases important to the wind and solar industry.

No Energy Left Behind: To Make Wind and Solar Pass “Market Test,” Change the Test

In recent statements both President Obama and Senator Lindsey Graham have harped on the theme that giving subsidies to so-called “clean” energy while taxing fossil-based fuels at the same time are part of a “market-based” solution to the nation’s challenges. Besides the Orwellian idea that government intervention is market-based, Obama and Graham’s remarks underscore just how remarkably inefficient “clean” energy sources are. In order to compete, these “clean” energy sources not only need a handout from the government, they also require that the Government kick their competitors in the face. And sometimes that’s not even enough.

BUDGET: Obama Raises Taxes on Efficient Energy to Give Subsidies to Inefficient Energy

The Obama Administration today released its proposed FY 2011 budget. Not surprisingly, it contained $36.5 billion in new taxes over ten years on the oil and gas industries, while heaping new billions in taxpayer support for politically-favored energies. Such policies are never a good idea, but they are particularly destructive in the midst of a severe recession. Levying new taxes on efficient energy, and new subsidies for inefficient energy, is a recipe for higher prices and fewer jobs.

Fact Check: How will Obama Pay for Fed. GHG Reduction Initiative?

Washington, DC -- Earlier this morning, President Obama promised that over the next 10 years, the federal government will reduce its carbon emissions by 28 percent -- and issued an executive order to make it so. "Actions taken under this Executive Order," the White House declared today, "will spur clean energy investments that create new private-sector jobs, drive long-term savings, build local market capacity, and foster innovation and entrepreneurship in clean energy industries ..."

Mr. President, Don’t Forget About America’s Job-Creating Energy Resources

IER President: “Americans need jobs and America needs fuel to drive economic growth and prosperity. Increasing domestic energy production is a common sense solution embraced by a clear majority of Americans”

Whither the Wind

IER Prez: Picking winners and losers in the market—the cornerstone of this Administration’s energy agenda—is the quickest path to increasing our dependence on imported energy and driving costs up even further.”