Energy and Climate Policy: Theory and Politics

Top 5 Green-Energy Facts

1. The greenest energy is conservation, and it's still cheapest -- cars top the list.
2. Corn ethanol is not green, and cellulosic ethanol is not here yet.
3. Solar energy is our best hope, but it's not here yet, so let's spend on reasearch not on roof-tops. (Awesome solar)
4. Wind is stil much cheaper than solar -- but some of what is being built is very wasteful.
5. Thorium reactors deserve a look -- were they nixed by the military?

Top 5 Fossil Facts

1. "Drill baby drill" benfits China, Europe and Japan as much as the U.S. And, we keep the polution.
2. When OPEC raises the price of oil, Exxon makes billions — been that way for 35 years. Whose side are they on?
3. Carbon sequestration has been happening at full scale for 15 years, and it's cheaper than offshore wind.
4. Gasoline prices are set almost entirely by the world oil market and Bachman can't do a thing about it.
5. Peak oil / gas / coal is not going to happen untill we're toast.

Carbonomics: Energy and Climate Policy

A strong global climate policy would slash our cost of foreign oil. Environmentalists, pay attention!

1. The most effective climate policy by 50 times was OPEC's 1974-85 price spike.
2. Kyoto failed because international cap and trade is a game that leads to fighting not cooperation. There's a far better game.
3. An untax is better than cap and tax. 
4. By wasting other people's money environmentalists shoot themselve in the foot. Shop wisely for carbon abatement.

News: Domestic Weekly Summary