The Great Renewable Energy Scam: Is There A Change In The Wind?

[kahlilburkens]

I thought we are living in a democratic country? A free country, LIBERTY as they say. Why is this happening now? Everyone is entitled of their own decisions in life and no one can ever dictate them.

People don’t like being forced to purchase things they may not want, which is why over half of us are hoping that the Supreme Court throws out the individual insurance mandate in President Barrack Obama’s health care plan. There’s also a worldwide rebellion brewing against being forced to purchase expensive electricity produced by so-called “renewable” sources, now being exacerbated by the availability of very cheap natural gas from shale formations. But, here in the U.S. there are some 30 different statewide “renewable portfolio standards” (RPSs) that also mandate pricey power, usually under the guise of fighting dreaded global warming.

When are governments going to learn that they ought to butt out of the energy business? RPSs that specify certain technologies are essentially picking winners and losers based more upon political pull than market logic. One needs to look no further than ethanol as a motor fuel, mandated by the feds. Sold as “renewable” and reducing pernicious carbon dioxide emissions, it actually produces more in its life cycle than simply burning an equivalent amount of gasoline. It also—unconscionably—consumes 40% of U.S. corn production, and we are the by far the world’s largest producer of this important basic food.

The popular revulsion against ethanol has succeeded in cutting its massive federal subsidy, of $0.54 per gallon, which ran out on Dec. 31. But that doesn’t stop the federal mandate. Last year it was for roughly 14 billion gallons from corn and it will be nearly 15 billion in 2012. By 2022, up to 20 billion gallons will be required — all from corn — unless there is a breakthrough in so-called “cellulosic” ethanol, which, no matter how much money the government throws at it, hasn’t happened. Indeed, the largest cellulosic plant, Range Fuels, in Camilla, Ga., just went bankrupt. The loss to American taxpayers appears to be about $120 million, or about 25% of a Solyndra.

[KitemanSA]

For that $600M, FLiBe Energy could have gone a very long way to creating a true solution to the energy problems. They are working on Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors (LFTRs), the Leanest, Cleanest, Greenest energy source bar none (except maybe fusion if someone can ever make it work).

[fearlharbor]

In this case maybe it is the right thing to do. Maybe it is for the better, not the scam but the thought of renewing the things that we are used to, most especially the destructive ones. Renewable energy can do good both for our health and for our environment. But if only they’ll implement this in a improved and sincere way.

[KitemanSA]

Ethanol is terribly destructive to the ecology. Food that used to be sent overseas is now being turned into booze. The people overseas are having to fall back on less efficiently home grown foods that are taking over larger and larger tracts of fragile ecosystems. Ethanol from corn is anything but good for the ecology. But it IS good for Archer Danials Midlands' bottom line. And in today's US politics, that is what counts.