Executive Summary Renewable energy generators are driving other, more reliable sources of energy out of the Texas electricity market. The reason is straightforward. Renewable generators often undercut the prices of their competitors by selling electricity below their costs, and even their marginal costs, to gain market share. In many ways, this behavior matches one of…
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Dull Hearts, Loving Thy Neighbor, and the PCA
Christians Under Assault Unlike the rest of his teammates, San Francisco Giant pitcher Sam Coonrod did not kneel during Major League Baseball’s season opening tribute to Black Lives Matter, or perhaps to black lives matter. Coonrod has been vilified by many, including NBC Sports writer Monte Poole. While Poole says Coonrod “did nothing wrong,” he…
Wind and Solar Subsidies Increase Texas Electricity Costs
Key Points Texas wholesale electricity prices jumped 13% in 2019, compared to drops from 15% to 30% in other markets Retail electric prices in Texas increased by 6.8% last year, more than the 1.3% increase in U.S. retail prices Renewable energy subsides in Texas last year cost $2.4 billion, and have totaled $19.4 billion since…
The Liberty Cafe 15: Friends and Foes
A lot of people in the evangelical church are trying to hold fast to Biblical wisdom while many others around them slip and slide into worldly wisdom. On this episode of the Liberty Café, we discuss how to lovingly deal with those who are on our side even when it seems like they are not….
Tax Abatements for Solar Farms Ignite Controversy in Central Texas
Reprinted from the Far West Texas News A group of Bell County residents and landowners are organizing against any more tax abatements associated with proposed solar farms. “Land is getting eaten up by the thousands of acres per day with urbanization and now we’re getting eaten up with solar panels,” said Robert Fleming, founder of…
The High Cost of Renewable Energy
Executive Summary Federal, state, and local subsidies for renewable energy are undermining the reliability of the Texas electricity market. And Texans are paying a high price for the privilege of a less reliable market. Since 2006, wind and solar generators in Texas have received about $19.4 billion from taxpayers and consumers. It is estimated they…
Putting an End to Texas’ $4.3 Billion Electricity Tax
This was originally published in the Dallas Morning News. With the arrival of July, Texans know to be ready for 100-plus degree weather for the next couple of months as widespread extreme heat is expected this summer. It might surprise them, though, to know that the prices they pay for electricity might rise even faster…
Warfare in Grant Park
by John Hinderaker (Powerline) Last night Communist and Anarchist rioters attacked the statue of Christopher Columbus in Grant Park, Chicago. Police tried to guard the statue, and a pitched battle ensued, with 18 police officers injured and a dozen rioters–nowhere near enough–arrested. The rioters gained temporary ascendancy over the police, got control over the statue…
Spanish Renewable Giant Iberdrola Enters the Texas Market with a Thud
One of the telltale signs of how broken the Texas electricity market is the number of corporations with multi-billion dollar market caps coming here in pursuit of billions of dollars of renewable energy subsidies. Enter Iberdrola: July 08, 2020 – Iberdrola Texas today announced its entrance into the Texas marketplace, offering customers a more affordable,…
A Study of Judges: The Upward Spiral of Salvation
As we leave the book of Joshua, in many ways all looks well. Israel had conquered much of the Promised Land. Israel had rest in the land. When Joshua had confronted the people of Israel about what they would do after he was gone, they had declared, “We also will serve the LORD, for he…