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Heartland Institute Senior Fellow James Taylor on the government’s push for renewable energy.
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Green energy needs are costing consumers some serious screen of one group says it has a way to bring some relief the heartland institute.
Has written model legislation that would and the required use of renewable energy in 29 states all in the name cutting costs.
The main news -- chronicle legislation joins me now James Taylor senior fellow for environmental cost policy what heartland institute.
Welcome to the show.
You say that the standards requiring utilities to get a portion of their electricity from renewable power is actually worse than attacks is that quantitative.
The valuation or had he comes about.
What right -- when we pay taxes we end up sending our money into government and there's at least a chance.
It will get something back in return from government -- we have renewable power -- what happens is we end up paying more for our electricity.
Because it cost more money to produce electricity from solar power wind power etc.
But we're getting nothing extra back we're simply getting the same electricity back that we were getting before so we're paying a lot more money weren't publishing ourselves for the same electricity.
And have for much less price.
Although we had some people on the show they would say getting cleaner environments better -- the ozone CO2 emissions on a.
There's no such yeah there's no such thing as an entirely benign and energy source.
For example for wind power sure you have fewer emissions gesture don't have any emissions but what you do do -- you kill 440000.
Birds each and every year that's according to the federal government.
Including many endangered species of migratory species.
Now they are of course reducing emissions but our missions have declined by 70%.
Since 1980s so.
Our -- is pretty darn clean right now getting cleaner all the time all we're doing is trading one form of energy are.
And it's hard for another big what stocks that you drill down on your report is -- that drives me absolutely bananas and it's -- you go to the department of energy's website and they compare the cost per kilowatt hour.
A generating electricity to come up with some pretty interest in numbers and energy so they're supposed to be neutral on this sort of -- And they say the cost of producing solar energy is fifteen cents per kilowatt hour call.
Is nine point eight cents per kilowatt hour I really don't think the prices are actually back close they also say exciting we're showing on the screen right now.
That current wind production.
Nine point six cents per kilowatt hour so we the is cheaper than -- my friend what is wrong with their mouth.
Well that's not sure at all if we strip away the subsidies if we strip away the tax preferences if we look at the level lies cost of production.
We see that wind power and sole power.
Our solar power substantially more -- coal and natural gas.
On top of that EI EA they assume some ridiculous figure where wind power will be 33% capacity factor.
Meaning it can produce.
Electricity 33% of the time but in the real world it only happens about 23% of the time.
So what you're looking -- the real world this wind power is about 75%.
To a 100% more expensive than conventional energy.
And -- -- -- much more expensive than that three to five times more expensive than conventional energy.
See you're teaming up -- Republicans say it S senator James it in half feet weren't president right and you -- -- gonna go to -- it -- you guys are gonna go to Capitol Hill.
And -- -- and trying get this done.
What do you what -- -- Well I think it's had eventually the American people what many see the truth when -- sound figures they're going to understand that we're gonna see some difference truth always wins out and the truth this.
We're right now -- -- -- just listen I wish it did I advocate with you I wish the truth one.
But he -- it -- mean there are there these subsidies or some deeply embedded these industries are so deeply in bed with the government.
There -- so many people out there that believed that green energy is the of survey -- love the environment and they don't mind paying more I.
I take awhile but but let me give you an example earlier and earlier this year.
I was meeting with legislators from various states.
And when I presented this piece of our legislation to repeal renewable power -- I didn't have to do much selling at all in fact it was the folks in the industry the wind power folks a solar power folks some of the -- chili's and that utilities themselves.
There were fighting it but the legislators themselves.
In states that have these renewable power mandates on the books are raring to go -- -- take a little bit of time to develop the political momentum but it'll -- trust me.
All right my appreciate your optimism James Taylor keep us posted okay.
Thank you very much time now for today's.
