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…
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…
Last session, the Minnesota legislature considered passing legislation called Clean Energy First (CEF). This bill, as the name suggests, would mandate utility companies in Minnesota to prioritize renewable and carbon-free energy…
During the Democrat debate between Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice-President Joe Biden on Sunday, March 15, 2020, Vice-President Biden stated that he would allow “no new fracking.” However,…
Xcel exec testifies that customers pay triple the cost of solar energy.
I have a lot of policy disagreements with Xcel Energy, but I firmly believe it is important to give credit when credit is due. The video below is from last…
Yesterday, I wrote about The Good aspects of the Minnesota State Senate’s Clean Energy First bill. Today I’ll talk about The Bad aspects, and tomorrow I’ll suggest ways to amend…
Isaac Orr challenges Rep. Long to debate.
Last night, I drove down to Rochester to testify at a hearing on the Minnesota Senate’s Clean Energy First bill. As you will see in my testimony, this proposed legislation…
This weekend, Mike Hughlett of the Star Tribune wrote an excellent article entitled “Minnesota’s Days of Cheaper Electricity Seem Numbered,” which details how Minnesota electricity prices have increased substantially in…
Center of the American Experiment’s energy policy expert Isaac Orr has challenged Rep. Jamie Long to participate in a public debate on the impact of renewable energy mandates on Minnesota. Internal documents…
The following article was written by me, and it originally appeared in the Duluth News Tribune. Xcel Energy recently made headlines by announcing it wished to close down its coal-fired…
As reported by the Pioneer Press, DFL legislator Jamie Long resigned from his job as an Energy Research Project Specialist at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment after…
Last week I had an opinion editorial in the St. Paul Pioneer Press discussing how Minnesota’s foray into wind and solar has led to higher electricity costs for no measurable…
This article originally appeared in today’s Pioneer Press. The version below is the same text, but with graphics added. Xcel Energy recently unveiled its plan to prematurely retire its coal…
Fresh Energy often claims wind is the cheapest source of electricity in Minnesota, but they rely on cherry-picked data to make their case.
100 percent of Minnesota's existing coal plants generate electricity at a lower cost than new wind, even using BNEF's assumptions- which are likely unrealistic. Looks like claims that Minnesota can…
My piece in the Duluth News Tribune detailing how a 50 percent renewable energy mandate would harm the mining industry has generated quite the controversy, with at least three counterpoints…
Renewable energy advocates often quote the cost of power purchase agreements (PPA) between wind and solar developers and utilities as evidence that wind and solar are the cheapest sources of…
On April 20th, the Star Tribune ran a story entitled "Technology, Cost Could Hamper Efforts for 100 Percent Carbon-Free Grid in Minnesota by 2050." It was good to see the…
With President Trump visiting Minnesota today, there is no better time to emphasize the fact that Minnesota would save $87.7 billion dollars through 2050 by continuing to burn clean, beautiful…
It is clear that the Citizens Utility Board is either unwilling or unable to advocate for the policies that will actually reduce costs for consumers. Center of the American Experiment…
Gov. Walz’s 100 percent carbon free energy proposal is a government-mandated wealth transfer from Minnesota families to the monopoly utilities that helped write the legislation. This is crony capitalism at…
If we want to compare the cost of different power sources, it is necessary to also consider the value they offer to the grid. If energy sources like wind and…