A GRAB BAG OF THINGS

A GRAB BAG OF THINGS

BY STEVEN HAYWARD IN ENERGY POLICY, FEMINISM

I’m on the road today and tomorrow doing some archival research for a book project, so postings will be light. But here are a couple of placeholders in the meantime:

• I’m working on several energy and climate items, but for the moment it is worth noting that the indispensable Energy Information Administration (EIA) has produced an independent assessment of the EPA’s so-called “Clean Power Plan” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to stop global warming climate change . . . actually it won’t stop anything. I haven’t gotten through the whole thing yet as it is quite long and complicated, and includes multiple possible scenarios for compliance with the EPA’s diktats. But suffice it to say the EIA isn’t impressed. You can download a PDF of the EIA report here.

Keep in mind that when the EPA released the plan last year, they all but promised “if you like your utility rates, you can keep your utility rates.” As I say, I’ll have more to say after I’ve gotten through it more fully, but the EIA projects deadweight losses to the economy from the plan, as shown in this figure:

Stephen Eule comments on the U.S Chamber of Commerce energy blog (which you should bookmark and follow if you’re an energy geek):

No matter how one slices and dices the data, EIA‘s analysis leaves little room for doubt that EPA’s Clean Power Plan flops badly as a climate policy, even on the administration’s own terms and using the administration’s own methods, data, and exaggerated SCC.

Maybe creating a huge new bureaucracy to implement carbon dioxide regulations that would highjack well-established state authority, disrupt the entire U.S. electricity sector, jeopardize the reliability of the electric grid, raise electricity costs on struggling families, and yield an estimated net loss in wealth of $899 billion to $1.16 trillion is appealing to EPA. But for the rest of the country, it’s a decidedly bad deal.

See more at: http://www.energyxxi.org/eia-analysis-shows-epas-carbon-regulations-all-economic-pain-no-climate-gain

 http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/06/a-grab-bag-of-things.php