Chances are, you haven’t heard of RFS, RINs, eRINs, RVOs, or maybe even RNG. I hadn’t. But if you are part of the agricultural and waste-industry interests that promote “biofuels,” you know all about them. They are the means by which fuel generated by corn, wood, waste from a landfill, or other “natural” biomass gets…
Category: Jane Shaw Stroup
The New York Times Gets It—Well, On the Other Hand, Maybe Not
The New York Times has noticed that the current electricity grid is not sufficient for all the wind and solar energy that the Biden administration thinks it should be carrying. Write Nadja Popovich and Brad Plumer: “The climate stakes are high. Last year, Congress approved hundreds of billions of dollars for solar panels, wind turbines,…
‘Reducing CO2 Concentrations In the Atmosphere Is Not An End In Itself’
Economist Donald Boudreaux explains why it’s a mistake to treat reductions of C02 as an overriding goal: “The correct criterion is how well human beings protect their lives and livelihoods given the fact that the production of much of what makes modern life possible involves as a by-product the emission of CO2.”
Monday Links: $20 to Address Climate Change?
Right-to-Repair or Requirement-to-Share?
The State of Minnesota has just enacted a “right-to-repair” law, following New York’s lead in January. Popular with recyclers, the law overcame vigorous industrial opposition. From KSTP-TV: “The legislation, titled the ‘Digital Fair Repair Act,’ means manufacturers are obligated to make parts, tools and repair information available to consumers. “There are several exclusions, including motor…
Inspector General Warns Energy Dept. about “Immense Risks” of Big New Lending Programs
The New York Times recently reported on the Dept. of Energy’s frantic effort to lend $400 billion before the election of 2024. In doing so, the Times article publicized a critical report by the Office of the Inspector General dated November 2022. That report, along with a memo to the energy secretary from Inspector General Teri Donaldson, identified numerous risks that had just been increased by the ballooning plans for loans. These increases (no surprise!) had been authorized by the CHIPS Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the IRA (“Inflation Reduction Act”).