Think This Winter Was Cold? Try It with Only Green Energy

[Geee]

Investors Business Daily:

Here's a thought experiment: What if environmentalists had convinced Boston city officials that fossil fuels were destroying the planet and that renewable energy sources could supply the city's needs both in electricity generation and for powering city vehicles?

 

The past several weeks have seen back-to-back winter snowstorms in New England, as well as much of the Midwest, with plunging temperatures and seven feet of snow already in many parts of Massachusetts. So how would the city fare under a green energy-only policy?

 

The notion that elected officials would impose renewable energy mandates on utilities is not far-fetched — because they've been doing that for years.

 

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, environmentalists and lobbyists have convinced 29 states to adopt "renewable portfolio standards" that require utilities to sell a specific percentage or amount of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power.

 

California requires utilities to produce a third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020, and Maine is supposed to reach 40% by 2017. So the idea of convincing a state, or city, to go 100% renewable energy may not be far off.

 

What would be the impact?

[Cyber_Liberty]

While I don't like the lavish subsidies given to certain crony companies, I do like the development of alternative sources. But what I really despise is the attempt by the greenies to stamp out the use of fossil fuels at the same time, as a means to make the alternative stuff look more attractive.

 

That's like jacking up tariffs or messing with the currency valuation as a means of making local products more attractive. Al that does is drive up the cost of everything, which benefits nobody, not even the guberment.

[RandyM]

Goes beyond the obvious electricity & gas directly used by consumers. Even the water coming to your house is pressured by pumps... electric or gas pumps. And if you're on sewer, the waste is moved/processed by machinery powered by fossil fuels.

 

I used an outhouse when I was a kid and I sure don't want to go back there. So "drill, baby, drill" has special meaning for me.

[Cyber_Liberty]

Goes beyond the obvious electricity & gas directly used by consumers. Even the water coming to your house is pressured by pumps... electric or gas pumps. And if you're on sewer, the waste is moved/processed by machinery powered by fossil fuels.

 

I used an outhouse when I was a kid and I sure don't want to go back there. So "drill, baby, drill" has special meaning for me.

 

I've noticed a trend to using "Composting Toilets." Those "tiny houses" use them. Blech.