on June 17, 2020

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Virtual Event: Environmental Climate Change, Contagion and Cataclysm

Written by Isaac Orr

Last month, I participated in an event with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy to discuss energy issues in a post COVID world. You can read more about the event below the video. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzMRSMyElAM&feature=youtu.be One would have thought that the worldwide pandemic was more than enough. But the people of Michigan have also just endured a once in 500 year flooding event that destroyed two dams and forced the evacuation of over 11,000 people. Elected officials and environmental groups are telling us that these events mean government must take up ownership of critical infrastructure and massively expand spending on renewable energy and...

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on June 16, 2020

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Debunking the Minnesota “Conservative” Energy Forum’s Talking Points: Renewables Don’t Strengthen Our National Security, They Weaken It

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

Most of the conservatives I know strongly believe in limited a government that is primarily focused on enforcing contracts and maintaining law and order. As a result, many conservatives care deeply about having a strong national security to protect the United States from potential threats. National security is often thought of in terms of military might. In this regard, the United States is unparalleled. However, energy is also an indispensable ingredient to keeping America safe, but unfortunately, the Minnesota "Conservative" Energy Forum's advocacy for more wind and solar power doesn't strengthen America's national security, it weakens it. This article is the fourth in...

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on June 15, 2020

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Debunking the Minnesota “Conservative” Energy Forum’s “Cleaner and Cheaper” Talking Points: How Clean Are Renewables, Really?

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

Last week we discussed why the Minnesota "Conservative" Energy Forum's (MNCEF) claim that wind and solar are "cleaner and cheaper" than traditional energy resources like coal, natural gas, and nuclear power is a fraudulent talking point from an economic perspective. Today, we'll examine why wind and solar aren't the environmentally consequence-free energy sources they're often touted as, and discuss better ways to take care of Minnesota's environment for future generations. This article is the third in a series explaining how the Minnesota Conservative Energy Forum is intentionally misleading Minnesota conservatives on energy issues. Everything Has An Impact on the Environment, Even Wind...

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on June 12, 2020

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Why the Minnesota “Conservative” Energy Forum’s “Cleaner and Cheaper” Slogan is a Fraudulent Talking Point

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

Yesterday, I wrote about how the Minnesota "Conservative" Energy Forum received nearly 86 percent its funding from the liberal Energy Foundation in 2017, the most recent year for which data are available. While this should raise big red flags for Minnesota conservatives, the policies that MNCEF advocates for are ultimately far more important than where they get their funding. Unfortunately, MNCEF uses this money to try and convince conservative Minnesotans that renewable energy sources like wind and solar are "cleaner and cheaper" than traditional energy sources like coal, natural gas, and nuclear power, even though wind and solar are far more...

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on June 11, 2020

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Why Do the Minnesota Conservative Energy Forum and Fresh Energy Still Have the Same Liberal Funders?

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

The “Conservative” Energy Network is a group of organizations that receive vast amounts of money from liberal groups while masquerading as conservative voices on energy policy. These groups deceptively co-opt conservative-sounding language to push for liberal environmentalist policies, and we have one of these phony conservative groups right here in Minnesota, the Minnesota Conservative Energy Forum (MNCEF). Last summer, I wrote an article asking this simple question: Why do the Minnesota "Conservative" Energy Forum (MNCEF) and liberal Fresh Energy have the same liberal funders? This question is still relevant today. This article is the first in a series of posts that will examine MNCEF, their...

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on June 11, 2020

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Why is the Minnesota “Conservative” Energy Forum Intentionally Misleading Conservatives on Energy Issues? A Series

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

From time to time I write about a group called the Minnesota "Conservative" Energy Forum (MNCEF), which attempts to portray themselves as a voice for conservative ideals in energy policy. Honestly, I would love another voice advocating for the removal of subsidies and mandates for all energy sources in Minnesota, and another organization advocating for busting up government-approved monopolies like Xcel Energy and allowing consumers to have the freedom choose their own electricity provider, but unfortunately, MNCEF is not that voice. In reality, MNCEF uses conservative-sounding language to peddle liberal environmental policies, like more renewable energy mandates, to lawmakers who would...

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on June 10, 2020

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Electric Vehicle Costs Fall, But They’re Still Unprofitable

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

Electric vehicles (EVs) have become a major focal point for liberal environmentalist groups and politicians who want to turn Minnesota into a Cold California by mandating California car regulations in our state, and pass legislation like the ECO Act that would force all Minnesota families to pay more for their electricity to subsidize electric vehicles. However, no matter how much the government tries to use a combination of force and subsidies to increase EV adoption in our state, they can't change the fact that most EVs are unprofitable. New research from Lux research shows that despite cost declines for EVs they are...

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on June 08, 2020

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Utility, Co-Op Support of ECO Act is Crony Capitalism, Plain and Simple

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

Over the past few weeks I have written about why the fuel switching provisions of the ECO Act are problematic (here, here, and here), and why conservative legislators should remove them from the bill while maintaining the good provisions within it. This will be important to keep in mind, because the Minnesota State Senate will be hearing the bill this Thursday (last week's hearing was postponed for the George Floyd memorial service). One of the talking points used by advocates of the ECO Act is that the bill has the support of Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs), like Xcel Energy, and the...

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on June 05, 2020

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How the Fires Affected Air Quality in Minneapolis

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

The killing of George Floyd by a former Minneapolis police officer sparked massive, peaceful demonstrations where people aired legitimate grievances about the use of force by officers. It also resulted in riots, looting, and arson. The fires that were set in the wake of the killing destroyed numerous businesses, including many of the businesses I used to frequent when I lived in the Longfellow neighborhood in Minneapolis. They also caused a significant spike in air pollution in the area. A website called PurpleAir shows air monitoring data for several stations throughout the City of Minneapolis. PurpleAir appears to be a company...

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on June 04, 2020

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By Delaying Line 3 Replacement, Again, The Walz Administration is Flagrantly Ignoring “The Science”

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

Governor Walz loves to pretend that scientific evidence is the primary driver for the decisions he makes in St. Paul, but his actions show otherwise. In reality, Walz's mantra of "following the science"is just a thinly-veiled smokescreen for doing whatever he wanted to do anyway to serve his own purposes. Line 3 is a perfect example....

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