Tuesday, October 13, 2009

UK-Turn

UK-Turn

In The Followers of Texas was explained the misstep of the Goldwater Institute’s policy paper, Opening the Grid: How to Recharge Arizona’s Electricity System for the 21st Century in citing as an example of success Texas’s experience in restructuring and “deregulating” their electricity industry.

The policy paper uses more than Texas as an example to promote its agenda, “Texas, Pennsylvania and Britain have recently restructured their electricity industries to achieve remarkable improvements in both conventional and renewable generation capacity.“

Yesterday, the Financial Times reported that the United Kingdom government’s Committee on Climate Change recommends that the deregulation of the UK energy market should be reversed. The article quotes, "We are questioning whether we have gone too far in deregulating the energy market," said David Kennedy, chief executive of the committee, which advises the government on cutting greenhouse gases. "The strongest way [to achieve lower emissions from utilities] is mandatory investment in low-carbon power." [emphasis mine]

Mandatory investment in clean energy is precisely what the Goldwater Institute opposes. Fortunately, their lawsuit against the Arizona Corporation Commission failed. Unfortunately, The Goldwater Institute has decided to appeal the judge’s ruling.

If the Goldwater Institute instead would invest the money spent on litigation on clean energy generation and energy efficiency it would be a lasting gift to Arizona’s citizens.

2 comments:

  1. As an Arizona resident, I heartily agree. The Goldwater Institute is wasting taxpayer money on this lawsuit and appeal. I hope the citizens of Arizona can countersue to collect legal fees once the appeal is denied.

    Last year, voters installed two new Arizona Corporation Commissioners from the self-proclaimed "Solar Team" and a third who supports the previously voted for Renewable Energy Standard. The will of the people is clear. Get the Goldwater Institute out of the Arizona citizens' business now!

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  2. It is not certain that the Goldwater Institute brings any positive value on this issue, even as a foil. Their thinking is so fundamentally dogmatic that it apparently causes them to misinterpret the entire dynamic. Perhaps they know something that remains obscure to the rest of us? We can only hope that they someday share their special knowledge and dispel the dark cloud that surrounds their actions.

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