What's so "Free Market" about the Republicans failed fossil fueled Energy theories...

Republicans continue to ignore free market forces, and with no voter blowback. 

Major Automakers Promise Total EV Conversion: While I was watching an ad supported CW Channel app rerun of "Superman and Lois," I was stunned by the two competing auto ads, one by GM and the other Ford, that promised a 15 year changeover to all electric vehicles. 

GM’s announcement … to eliminate tailpipe emissions from all its new light-duty vehicles by 2035.  GM’s U-turn seems to be in part because the market has forced its hand. Two giant auto markets — China and California — have committed to 100 percent EV by 2035.

That's how the free market works. 

Utilities Go Green Too: All state utility companies are planning a near complete conversions to free fuel like wind and solar by 2050. 

Again, because it makes sense not to have to ship, store, and control fossil fuel waste, the free market sees wind and solar as an absolute no-brainer: 

All of Wisconsin's investor-owned utilities are aiming to reduce their carbon emissions 80% below 2005 levels by 2050, and are on track to reducing emissions 40% by 2026, according to the PSC's latest draft energy assessment … Along with the companies' carbon reduction goals, Alliant Energy is planning to build out 1,000 MW of solar by 2023. Additional projects from WEC Energy Group and Madison Gas & Electric "will, collectively, make WI one of the largest solar producers east of the Rockies."

Supply Siders don't care about Consumer Driven Markets: Republican ideologues love big oil so much, they will say and do anything. Case in point, the Democratic bill HR 803 protecting public lands in the West. Republican heads exploded. 

Sitting down? Amazingly, Republicans slipped in a mind boggling and embarrassing amendment that actually assumed there would not be "three decades" worth of future innovation and progress:

BLOCKING BIDEN ENERGY ORDERS: The House defeated a Republican bid to prevent HR 803 from becoming law until after President Biden has rescinded executive orders aimed at transforming the U.S. energy economy from one based on fossil fuels to clean energy over the next three decades. A yes vote was to adopt the amendment. Voting yes: Steil, Fitzgerald, Grothman, Tiffany, Gallagher.

Just to be clear; Wisconsin's Republican representatives wanted to impossibly preserve the U.S.'s fossil fuel dependence for the next 30 years. 

Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, Glenn Grothman, and Tom Tiffany were all once in the Wisconsin legislature pushing this same kind of job killing thinking for decades. As blogger James Rowen of Political Environment recently wrote:

Though how ironic would it be if the (EV Foxconn) project created the very type of energy-efficient vehicles which the previous Republican administration had discouraged with a $75 annual registration upcharge - a move that dovetailed with Walker's long and wider attack on renewable energy that undercut solar power development and delayed wind farms.

Energy Industry leaving GOP fossil fuel policies behind...

While my Trumpian friend wallows in the orange god's lies about coal, and how bad clean energy is for our economy, the rest of the world is laughing, albeit uncomfortably:

WaPo: President Trump’s top White House adviser on energy and climate stood before the crowd of some 200 people and tried to burnish the image of coal, the fossil fuel that powered the industrial revolution, and is now a major culprit behind the climate crisis world leaders are meeting here to address.

“We strongly believe that no country should have to sacrifice economic prosperity or energy security in pursuit of environmental sustainability,” said Wells Griffith, Trump’s adviser.

Mocking laughter echoed through the conference room. A woman yelled, “These false solutions are a joke!” 

Energy Industry Proves Trump Republicans very very Wrong: You know you've got a major problem when the industry you think you're defending...is headed in the complete opposite direction. That's right, Republicans now look even dumber* than before with climate denial. Let's count the ways:

1. A report to the Oregon Public Utilities Commission (OPUC) from PacifiCorp confirmed that the bulk of its coal units cost more to run than to close and replace … that despite White House efforts to support coal, consumption is decreasing and the fuel is … data showing early coal plant retirements could bring hundreds of millions of dollars in net benefits to customers." Energy Innovation's Mahajan added. "It also shows the economics are shifting, and any forward-thinking utility will want to minimize coal."

2. Xcel Energy's "Steel for Fuel" strategy: The utility owns and ratebases the wind or solar project just as it would a coal or natural gas unit, but without the fuel price volatility risk" … the strategy are appearing across the country. 
3. Ohio's American Electric Power initiated development of 900 MW of ratebased wind and solar in September and then announced the closure of 1,590 MW of coal.
 
4. Northern Indiana Public Service Company plans to retire 1,800 MW of coal in favor of renewables within ten years. 
5. Unregulated utilities are also seizing the opportunity. Texas' Vistra Energy shuttered 4.2 GW of coal in favor of renewables and natural gas investments in February.  
6. A July study found electric cooperative Tri-State Generation and Transmission could save customers $600 million through 2030 with new renewables, even if it continues running its coal plants.

For added fun, Democracy Now gets the award for the longest and most exhausting pursuit of a question...ever:

 * I've decided ridiculous disproven talking points should be called just that, dumb. We can't keep repeating the same arguments over and over, purposely boring people, by repeating really dumb debate points. 

Walker has no plan for Clean Energy Jobs and Energy Production, saving Wisconsinites on their energy bills.

The latest Marquette Poll saw an oversample of Republican respondents, which depressed many Democratic voters hoping for a "blue wave." Imagine 4 more years of Scott Walker, a guy who's manage to sell his voters on having Wisconsinites fund transportation costs instead of all those out-of-state drivers. That's amazing.

Conservative politics and gerrymandering have managed to force Wisconsinites to accept the inevitable higher cost of their agenda.

Walker's Fossil Fuel Knuckledraggers: We don't produce our own oil, coal, or gas. We're dependent on fossil fuels from other states that make a profit off us, the ratepayers. 

Four more years of Walker will see us falling even further behind other states that have embraced clean energy and a future rich in cheaper solar and wind energy. You won't see Walker's Wisconsin anytime soon in this top ten list of states:

These efforts contributed to the 2.25 million-plus efficiency jobs last year in the United States."

Hell, we're not even mentioned in the article, that's how bad we are at present, with not a whisper of adopting any of the following in any serious way:

• Utility and public benefits programs and policies: 13.5/20 points
• Transportation policies: 4/10 points
• Building energy efficiency policies: 5.5/8 points
• Combined heat and power: 1.5/4 points
• State government initiatives: 4/5 points
• Appliance efficiency standards: 0/3 points
• Total score: 28.5/50 points

Imagine Scott Walker or the Republican legislature thinking long-term and saving us real money...

States spent just under $8 billion on energy efficiency in the utility sector last year, up from $7.6 billion in 2016, and saved nearly 27.3 million megawatt-hours. That's a 7.3 percent increase in electricity savings and could power about 2.5 million homes for a year.

And Republican voters would be happy paying so much more for less reliable, 20th century based energy, while other states plan ahead? Remember, instead of a gas tax, Walker raised registration fees on electric/hybrid cars...:

The report highlighted that Massachusetts launched a plan to set new three-year energy savings targets and approved $220 million to modernize its electric grid. The goal is to improve efficiency and reliability and pave the way for the deployment of smart meters.

California and eight other states rolled out updated plans that encourage people to buy zero-emission vehicles, while Missouri moved to incentivize the rollout of more electric vehicle charging stations. Furthermore, more states are pushing for zero-energy construction, referring to buildings that produce as much power as they use.

Tech Illiterate Scott Walker thinks "Flat Screen TV's" all the rage, ignores Job Creating Alternative Energy

It's been frustrating watching our tech-illiterate governor Scott Walker run from tech-heavy bioscience at the UW, tech-heavy high-speed rail, tech-heavy health care systems, groundbreaking tech-heavy new medical treatments, and tech-heavy climate science.

That's why the Foxconn fiasco was so insane. Suddenly, a tech epiphany hit our clueless governor. That resulted in an overreaction and lots of taxpayer money to bring "tech" for the "first time" into Wisconsin. Who knew?

What, Plan for Modernized Power Grid, Alternative Energy? Imagine Scott Walker and top GOP Republicans working with the Public Service Commission (PSC) to modernize energy and our power grid in Wisconsin...I know, I'd laugh too if it wasn't so sad:

Columbus Business First: After more than a year of planning, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has unveiled its PowerForward report, a roadmap to the modernization of Ohio's power grid. Utilities must undertake modernizations that take into account new technologies, renewable energy, electric vehicles, home interfaces like smart thermostats as well as big-picture security issues like emergent cybersecurity threats.

Not binding, PUCO said the 44-page report will serve as a framework ... heard from experts and stakeholders ... focused on emerging technologies that promise to transform Ohio's energy industry and the regulations needed to manage it.

This is not even on the Walker administrations radar:

The energy industry in Ohio will mean more interaction between consumers and their utilities. "This grid is decades old, and in some cases, centuries old," Chairman Asim Haque said. "We want these investments to be made and deployed cost-effectively."

State Utilities Charge Past Walker: While Walker wants to support coal because it's supposedly "less expensive," our state utility companies are so over coal:

ShepherdExpress: We Energies wants to reduce carbon emissions, preserve fuel diversity and reduce costs to customers. “We’re really focusing on retiring our older, less efficient, coal-fueled units, building advanced technology natural gas units and investing in cost-effective, zero-carbon, renewable generation, like utility-scale solar. Utility-scale solar in the past few years has increased in efficiency, and prices have dropped by 70%, making it a really cost-effective option for our customers. We are very focused right now on utility-scale solar.”

Yet Walker still isn't connecting tech to the wind and sun, you know, unlimited free fuel with no shipping costs via our roads or rail: 

Wisconsin lags other states in solar energy production. According to Peter Murphy of MREA, “Policy truly is the only thing—not technology and not financials—that stands in the way of solar deployment in Wisconsin,” he says. “Two easy policies that Wisconsin could enact, following the states of Minnesota and Illinois, are community solar and third-party financing.”

Milwaukee and surrounding areas would experience a solar boom that would likely include options to help low-to-moderate income families reduce their electric bills. And renters, not just property owners, would be able to access the benefits of solar. There is no good reason why we don’t have these solar-friendly policies here,” Murphy says.

1. Community solar (sometimes referred to as “community solar gardens”) involves a large solar array—a small power plant, in effect—which serves multiple households, businesses and institutions. 
2. Third-party financing is an arrangement in which someone other than the property owner owns the solar array and charges the consumer less than what the utility charges.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - Republican Rural Voters Rake in "Green" Dollars while voting for Anti-Wind/Solar Politicians: 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ #1 and #2 fastest growing jobs in the U.S. are solar panel installers and wind turbine technicians. These jobs are good, solid middle class jobs with annual salaries pushing close to six-figures. Beyond construction, the plants (particularly wind farms, with their many moving parts) offer good jobs in the long term.

Not only do wind and solar power bring jobs, they increase the local tax base for revenue-starved public schools and other districts. For example, Nolan County in Texas has seen its tax base increase almost eight fold to nearly $3 billion dollars since the West Texas wind rush began.

Anti-Green Energy, Anti-Science Republicans costing taxpayers hundreds of Billions, and it's getting worse!!! "Fiscal Conservative" Myth Explodes!

Republicans say they want you keep more of your hard earned money, but their policies are doing just the opposite, resulting in huge costly disasters:

A federal watchdog says climate change is already costing U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars each year, with those costs expected to rise as devastating storms, floods, wildfires and droughts become more frequent in the coming decades.

A Government Accountability Office report released Monday says the federal government has spent about $350 billion over the last decade on disaster assistance programs and losses from flood and crop insurance. That tally does not include the massive toll from this year's wildfires and three major hurricanes, expected to be among the most costly in U.S. history.

The report says there is currently no strategic plan to absorb these recurring costs, which could grow to a budget-busting $35 billion a year by 2050.

President Donald Trump has called climate change a hoax.

Yet we're expected to accept the 2nd grade level right wing argument pictured below, from reckless ideologues who don't think to play it safe by siding with 99 percent of climate scientists. You know, err on the side of caution, just in case:

Although we can't blame climate change for the following story, it's still pretty disturbing:

THE WASHINGTON POST: Flying Insects Are Disappearing at Huge Rates, And We Should All Be Worried. But we can help them survive! Not long ago, a lengthy drive on a hot day wouldn't be complete without scraping bug guts off a windshield. But splattered insects have gone the way of the Chevy Nova - you just don't see them on the road like you used to. Biologists call this the windshield phenomenon. It's a symptom, they say, of a vanishing population. "On warm summer nights you used to see them around streetlights."

Between 1989 and 2016, according to a report published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One, the biomass of flying insects captured in these regions decreased by a seasonal average of 76 percent. "This decline happened in nature reserves, which are meant to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This is very alarming!" What made this research particularly remarkable was the extent of the observed decline. One culprit could be the alteration of the landscape itself, the agriculture that surrounds the preserves. "This suggests a possible role for, for example, fertiliser and pesticide application." 

Unlike Walker's Wisconsin, Michigan Republicans pushed Clean Energy Job Creation!

We know how much Scott Walker and legislative Republicans love coal, and hate rate raising and job killing renewable energy.

Prepared to be shocked; Michigan Republicans apparently know something we don’t, because they have created the Michigan Conservative Energy Forum…I know, crazy huh? Actually, Wisconsin Republicans are the crazy ones, to pass up what Michigan has done; create jobs and industry. Midwestenergy News:

In Michigan, more than 300 businesses are active in the clean-energy sector, creating a supply chain of manufacturing, financing, engineering, designing and installing wind, solar and advanced battery systems, according to a new report from the Chicago-based Environmental Law and Policy Center … found at least 187 businesses in the solar supply chain and at least 133 in wind …. also home to several companies that have transitioned from traditional sectors to advanced energy systems. That diverse industry — ranging from small incubator start-ups to global manufacturers — has “generated billions in economic activity in recent years.”

This is what Walker and the Republicans are blocking in order to preserve our dependence on coal:

The Michigan Conservative Energy Forum, a Republican-led group pushing for more clean energy development in the state, earlier this year pegged total investment at $2.2 billion and supporting 6,000 jobs. The group issued a report in 2014 saying that a renewable portfolio of 20 percent by 2025 would result in a total output of over $6.5 billion, support more than 41,000 job years and create $2.11 billion in employee compensation

And unlike Walker, who doesn’t believe in achieving any future energy savings:

It has supported Gov. Rick Snyder’s goal of 40 percent by 2025 through renewables and energy efficiency.

“Stand with Walker” trolls must have lower expectations...:

Amy Butler, executive director of OU INC, a business incubator at Oakland University in southeast Michigan that specializes in clean-energy startups, agrees there is a direct link between energy policy and economic development. There is not only an environmental case to be made for clean energy, she says, but a business one as well. “Strong energy policy will attract energy solution companies to the state.”

Storm clouds are on the horizon, as some Republicans try to sabotage clean energy jobs and progress by legislation suggested by the state's powerful utilities. We'll see what happens.

Leader of House Republicans said Obama and Liberals created U.S. Water Shortages.

It's breaks my heart that Republican Representatives know so little about average American life.

John Boehner doesn't even know that a lot of us with a decent yard kinda look forward to the time when our lawns go dormant, where believe it or not, the lawn turns brown and we don't have to mow it twice a week.

This amazing out-of-touch disconnect with real middle Americans, won't cut it in 2016. And yes, Boehner is blaming water shortages on Obama and liberal policies:

The Truth about the China/U.S. Climate Agreement!

Forget what you may have heard from Sen. Mitch McConnell, who couldn't wait to tell his first big lie about the green energy agreement between the U.S. and China.

Chris Hayes dug deeper and interviewed John Holdren, the presidents top science adviser, who knew all the details, contradicting everything spilling out of the Republican oil dependent spin machine.

The idea that China would wait 16 years to go green and meet the 20% goal is absurd, as McConnell claimed.

Conservative "Principles" Fail on Green Energy Choices and Freedom to Save Money.

Staunch conservatives are now finding out that their strict belief system is filled with so many embarrassing contradictions that they may have to change something, and as we all know, that’s not going to happen. That would be an admission of failure.

The Walker administration has been clear that alternative energy is not in Wisconsin’s future. The big energy companies know that, and are acting accordingly:

MidwestEnergy: Wisconsin has seen its installation of solar systems drop since 2010, following eight years of modest growth. The key reason behind Wisconsin’s sluggish growth is opposition by its utility sector … Utilities  are pre-positioning themselves to avoid potential future losses from homegrown power, like solar arrays, by seeking fixed rates rather than charging customers for the amount of energy they use. That can discourage conservation, clean energy…

Anti-Green Energy is Anti-Free Market: This is where Matt Neumann, whose father is former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, is stepping in to hopefully change big energies plans with "free market" solutions:

(Neumann is) president of the Wisconsin Solar Energy Industries Association and as the co-owner of a solar installation business … Neumann uses conservative touchstones ... For him, it’s a lack of “liberty” that prevents a property owner from choosing how to power his or her home or business. He said this absence of “energy choice” contradicts Republican tenets ... “We’re very conservative here in Wisconsin. The reality is free market capitalism, the choice to choose how you buy your energy, and how you finance that acquisition, the ability to lower your long-term energy costs — those are all very conservative principles and yet for some reason we’re struggling to adapt.”

And let's not forget the grip ALEC has on our "free market" Republicans, as pictured here.

The threat from big energy is real, and could effect change for decades, which is ridiculous. Check out this anti-choice ploy:

We Energies are also asking regulators to allow it to pay much less for electricity generated by homeowners, who can sell excess power derived from solar panels and other systems to utilities. The company is seeking to decrease the current price of 14 cents per kilowatt-hour to between 3 and 5 cents. Tyler Huebner, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, said if the buyback rate for excess solar power drops from 14 cents to 4 cents, it would price solar systems out of the marketplace. “That’s the concern.”

You want to know just how powerful big energy is to the Republican Party, and who really controls them? The following says it all:

(Neumann) said the “big thing” that Republicans will have to overcome is the utilities’ argument that solar could increase the cost of electricity on those customers who don’t have it. “It’s just plain not true,” Neumann said, noting that solar power cuts cost on utilities and customers by generating power at peak demand periods.

But the utilities seem to have the ear of lawmakers. State Sen. Robert Cowles, a Republican and chairman of the Energy, Consumer Protection and Government Reform Committee, said the idea that solar could shift the cost burden to other people is “pretty compelling.” “I can tell you, the utilities are vehemently against this,” Cowles said of third-party ownership. “I’m not sure how we would get them to ever accept that."

Just to be clear, Cowles is saying the party needs to get permission from big energy to save customers money, give them choices, and reduce pollution. Got it.

Ryan, Duffy and Ribble vote against Energy Efficiency and Water saving Toilets.

From Roll Call, another look at what the U.S. will look like under Republican control.

The Republican-led House of Representatives passed the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

See, Republicans are trying to manage the country by passing laws, like they're always telling us. They're making sure we don’t keep up with other industrialized nations moving forward:

1. Slashes funding for renewable energy programs in the Department of Energy by more than $100 million, while boosting funding for coal and other fossil fuels.
 2. Prevents the Energy Department from using appropriated funds for its climate model development and validation program -- an amendment from Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.). Gosar said his amendment "is not about making a statement on climate change or the validity of climate science," but about "restoring fiscal responsibility and efficiency to federal spending.

Too bad that same efficiency isn't allowed for everyday people like me, who pay a monthly water bill:

Slashes funding for a federal program that provides incentives for swapping low-efficiency toilets for higher-efficiency models. Gosar also offered this amendment, axing what he dubbed the "Cash for Crappers" program.

Real cute and sarcastic, but dumb. After I swapped out my old toilets for new ones (3), I saved between $50 to $60 a month…that’s a month. Gosar sure is “restoring fiscal responsibility and efficiency to spending” alright. 

Voting for this partisan regressive mess? Paul Ryan, Sean Duffy, Reid Ribble. Way to go guys.

Bigger Energy Monopoly touted by Scott Walker.

Another Scott Walker victory?

Whew, just when we thought energy monopolies were going to lose their grip to the growing solar panel industry.

In what is already an unfair energy marketplace, Wisconsinites who don’t have a choice in who they buy energy from are about to see "competition" decline even further.

In a press release touting “superior service” and “competitive pricing,” Wisconsin Energy is about to become the 8th largest natural gas distributor in the country. Doesn't sound competitive to me. Just as disturbing, Wisconsin Energy will now control the big transmission line bully of the state, ATC.

At a time when utility companies are losing money to customers switching to solar panels, this merger sounds like a preemptive move to stop or slow down legislatively any attempt to compensate rate payers for producing their own energy. With monopoly size comes lobbying power.

The following hyperbolic announcement is just so much smoke being blown up our ass:

Wisconsin Energy to acquire Integrys Energy Group for $9.1 billion … creating a leading Midwest electric and gas utility … Larger, more diverse regulated utility company with the financial strength and technical depth to meet customers' future energy needs; creates 8th largest natural gas distribution company in America … to maintain high levels of reliability and improve customer service … the combined company will hold a 60 percent stake in American Transmission Co.

Words like “regulated” and supposed “competitive pricing” are already a part of the messaging campaign:

Gale Klappa, chairman and CEO of Wisconsin Energy said, "We believe this combination provides a unique opportunity to create the premier regulated utility system in the Midwest, with superior service and competitive pricing for years to come.

The merger has yet to be approved.

Big Energy companies like MG&E attack Green Energy, charge more to small customers, Boost their Profits.

Your basic bill from MG&E is going to go up big time, just so you can be their customer, while the energy charge (kilowatt hour) will go down. It’s an amazing counter offensive to save the big energy industry. If only horse and carriage companies had thought of this, they might still be around.

Another words, energy will be cheap whether you get it from MG&E or solar panels on your roof, but your bill will always be really high. That in turn will discourage the growth of green energy. Checkmate. Pretty clever huh?

A few years ago I blogged about how these same big energy companies were having a tantrum over customers saving way too much, which in turn hurt their profits. They were threatening to charge more and penalize those frugal homeowners.

Now they've got an even better plan, and customers have no way to escape getting fleeced by their local monopoly.

Cap Times: Smaller customers of Madison Gas & Electric could see the fixed portion of their monthly bill jump dramatically under a sweeping rate change proposal from the investor-owned utility.

Right now, homeowners and renters pay MGE a set charge of about $10 a month (called a "customer charge" on typical MGE bills) regardless of how much electricity they use. That would increase to $49 by 2016 under a two-year rate plan … For natural gas customers, the monthly fixed charge is proposed to go from $12 to $21 in 2015.

If you save energy, you’re a freeloader to MG&E:

“Under MGE's current rates, lower usage customers are not paying an appropriate share of the fixed costs of service,” (an) MGE’s rate analyst said in testimony to the PSC earlier this month, adding that the fixed charges could rise to $69 in 2017. MGE proposal also includes a lowering of the kilowatt hour (kWh) charge for the amount of electricity used. 

Consumer advocates say the changes will have a chilling effect on customers who have taken steps to cut their electricity use. “Increasing the minimum monthly payment from $10 to nearly $70 is a giant step backwards and runs completely counter to the concept of a ‘community energy company,’ ” says Kira Loehr, acting director of the Citizens Utility Board which is fighting the proposal.

But environmental groups say … will act as a disincentive for customers to purchase energy-efficient appliances or make other improvements. A lowering of electric rates could especially hurt those who have invested in solar power installations based on calculations of how much money they will save over the long term. The bottom line is that bills are going down for big users and going to go up for smaller users,” says Michael Vickerman of Renew Wisconsin, which has done its own analysis of the proposal.

Some states like Arizona are now charging a tariff to those who have installed solar panels on their homes or businesses in an attempt to make up for lost electric sales.

Always remember who's in the back pocket of big energy, and it's not the Democrats.

ALEC tells Freedom Loving Conservatives to love their Dependence on Big Energy, and Penalize Solar "Freeriders."

So freeing yourself from big energy, and becoming more self-sufficient, makes you a “freerider?”

The Fear of Freeloaders: Conservatives hate it when others get something for nothing. That’s the tact ALEC is taking to appeal to the conservative base, in what could only be described as a Salvador Dali like agenda attacking green conscious consumers. It's so counter-intuitive.

Freedom loving tea party voters are now being told by their local energy company monopolies, that they’re not free to create their own energy. Huh? In fact, that company can penalize you for feeding your excess solar or wind energy into their noncompetitive infrastructure. Competition? Outrageous.

This convoluted concept is just confusing enough to for low information voters to default to a simpler message from the corporate lobbyists at ALEC, who by the way, include many of your not-so-hardworking Republican legislators. The Guardian:

ALEC: An alliance of corporations and conservative activists is mobilizing to penalize homeowners who install their own solar panels – casting them as "freeriders" – in a sweeping new offensive against renewable energy, the Guardian has learned.

American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec) will promote legislation with goals ranging from penalizing individual homeowners and weakening state clean energy regulations ... blocking Barack Obama from cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and state governments from promoting the expansion of wind and solar power through regulations known as Renewable Portfolio Standards.

Documents obtained by the Guardian … Alec wanted to lower the rate electricity companies pay homeowners for direct power generation – and maybe even charge homeowners for feeding power into the grid. "As it stands now, those direct generation customers are essentially freeriders on the system. They are not paying for the infrastructure they are using. In effect, all the other non direct generation customers are being penalized," he said.

Jaw dropping enough? Are you a believer yet? Need more convincing? It’s down the rabbit hole for more:

"How are they going to get that electricity from their solar panel to somebody else's house?" he said. "They should be paying to distribute the surplus electricity." In November, Arizona became the first state to charge customers for installing solar panels. The fee, which works out to about $5 a month for the average homeowner, was far lower than that sought by the main electricity company, which was seeking to add up to $100 a month to customers' bills.

Really, Arizona voters would have been good with their energy company charging them $100 for taking free sunlight or wind energy from Mother Nature? That doesn't sound loco to them, a corporate overreach?

Gabe Elsner, director of the Energy and Policy Institute, said "They are trying to eliminate pro-solar policies in the states to protect utility industry profits."  

Renewable Portfolio Standards require electricity companies to source a share of their power from wind, solar, biomass, or other clean energy. In the confidential materials, prepared for the August board meeting, Alec claimed to have made significant inroads against such clean energy policies in 2013. "Approximately 15 states across the country introduced legislation to reform, freeze or repeal their state's renewable mandate," the taskforce reported.

Dumb Ron Johnson's Jihab on the Environment.

Let me see now, if we disagree with Republicans on their lose and dangerous environmental policies, we’re jihadists, right? And jihad relates to terrorism, meaning liberals concerned over clean water and air are terrorists, the enemy.

(Dumb) Ron Johnson coined a new term to describe the push for climate change action: "environmental jihad."

Jihad is a noun meaning to "struggle." But to Johnson, it means flying planes into buildings. These are flying scientific research into the walls of erected by big oil:

environmental jihadists

“The League of Conservation Voters is one of the many attack dog groups used by President Obama, the Democrats and the extreme left to weaken, defeat and silence conservatives," Johnson wrote in the email. "They use TV ads -- filled with smears -- because they work. They are an extreme left group on an environmental jihad."

I guess Dumb Ron Johnson was referring to the following "extremist statement" by the League of Conservation Voters. How dare they disagree:

"The American people are tired of Washington politicians ignoring basic scientific facts and standing in the way of action on climate change. This ad campaign shows that members of Congress won’t be able to sweep their extreme, anti-science voting records under the rug."

Wow, that crazy science stuff is sure left wing lunacy bordering on environmental jihad. 

Johnson’s own “jihad” (his flying planes into buildings version) against a clean environment is based not on science, but a meaningless and almost forgotten conservative talking point; job creation.

Remember that?

Of course changing from the harmful life shortening effects of fossil fuels, to the emerging, clean job creating green energy industry is sheer liberal terrorism. It's clear Johnson’s got the upper hand when he reveals why this is liberal madness (which has nothing to do with his $100,000 of campaign donations):

The Wisconsin Republican once said climate change was caused by "sunspot activity," and likened President Barack Obama's green energy proposals to the policies of the Soviet Union and Cuba.

He really said that. Two perfectly good reasons job creation trounces liberal jihadist fear mongering based on scary science.

Radio's Cancer Stick McKenna folds under the pressure of simple Tweet.

I just thought I would throw in my two cents when I saw another dumb tweet from the cackling, smoke breathing Vicki McKenna, that's all.

Her jumbled mind is off on some "handy-dandy temperature savings calculator" tangent that appears to completely absolves conservatives of ever trying to stop greenhouse gases from warming the planet.

Vicki, like all Republicans, would rather see America follow India and China's lead in polluting our atmosphere. And besides, why create jobs in green energy when the Democrats will just get all the credit, not to mention the added benefit of preventing tens of thousands of premature deaths in our country.

Mckenna, who likes taking her pollution straight and one stick at a time, was good enough to grace me with a response. My god she has a high opinion of herself. A simple tweet to her is like stalking...or just a way to run from the facts. Both. If you're curious, check out the latest Republican rabbit hole on global warming.

Walker's Fossil Fuel Energy Policy will have negative effect on jobs and savings for decades!

To misquote a line from Airplane, "I guess we picked the wrong time to elect Scott Walker."

Walker has decided to go with the old standby, fossil fuels. Stunning:

Cap Times-Mike Ivey: A new report from a California group shows the state continuing to lag behind its Midwest neighbors in development of clean energy, such as wind and solar power. Wisconsin did move up to two places in the index to 19th ... But all states adjacent to Wisconsin ranked better, with Minnesota and Illinois both landing in the top 10.

The Clean Tech Leadership Index also shows Wisconsin trailing in areas like energy-efficient buildings, use of alternative-fuel vehicles and clean energy venture capital.

“It’s too bad,” says Keith Reopelle, energy policy director at Clean Wisconsin. “There are lots of policymakers in positions of power who are missing out on the opportunity to grow the state’s clean energy sector, which is making people in other places a lot of money.”

If moving in the opposite direction is the “right direction” for Walker, than we’re screwed. The following is an amazingly disconnected and backward record of mistakes:

Rates have soared in part because of the costs of building new coal-fired power plants and constructing high-voltage transmission lines to move the electricity, in part, to markets in Illinois and points east. The reliance on fossil fuels in Wisconsin is largely an economic drag since the state has no oil, coal or natural gas reserves of its own. The state spends an estimated $12 billion annually to import fuel to generate electricity and power its vehicles.

In a move that seems to defy logic, the Legislature’s budget committee has directed another $8 million each year away from weatherization programs to a program that helps low-income residents pay their utility bills … the weatherization (is) particularly ironic since the constant drumbeat from the Walker administration and Republicans has been about ending handouts to low-income residents in the state. “You talk about making people more self-sufficient but then you cut a program to help people get their energy bills under control.”

Walker’s first budget in 2011 eliminated the state Office of Energy Independence, which worked to reduce the state's annual energy bill. He also nixed a directive for the state to reduce its gasoline use, stopped a program for hybrid-electric or alternative-fuel state-owned vehicles, and ended a requirement that the state consider energy use in the purchase of new appliances, lighting or heating systems costing under $5,000. Walker also killed plans for using biomass as a fuel at the new UW-Madison power plant.

HUGE Green Energy Story gets little media coverage! Adams-Friendship Solar Plant Amazing Import.

I have to think this story reported on Wisconsin Public Radio wasn't what Republicans wanted to brag about. But it's a game changer for the Adams-Friendship area, and a great corporate partner for the community, businesses and area schools. Besides very local media coverage, why was this ignored?

Look at the floating solar panels in Lake Petenwell:

Is this wild? The only thing missing are water slides.

WPR: The Adams city council and the Adams-Friendship Area School Board voted to let an Australian company (Singapore based) make Adams its American headquarters. Global Environmental Infrastructure Technology Solutions (GEITS) first approached the Adams County board with a plan for a floating power plant to clean up pollution in Lake Petenwell. While the county has yet to move forward, the city of Adams is moving full speed ahead … a $20 million-dollar factory for solar products, and an alternative energy power plant (employ up to 200 people).

I love the Adams City Administrator’s reaction to this:

Bob Ellisor compares this Australian technology invasion to the British music invasion of the 1960s. "The city of Adams is going to be center stage to the Midwest if not the nation for this new innovative technology. This is their introduction into North America, and I've got to say, I think this Australian invasion into America I think is bigger than the Beatles."

Here’s another reason why this is such a big story; community/corporate partnership:

Ellisor say Adams will use GEITS technology to clean up its waste water, and will convert its street lights for solar power. The Australian company has also approached the Adams-Friendship Area School District with a solar energy proposal, according to District Administrator Steve LaVallee. "Put solar panels [on] all our buildings that are in town, which would include our high school, middle school, elementary school, the administration office as well as the bus garage. It's a decision the board is looking at very carefully. It's an exciting opportunity."

No if we can just get Sen. Frank Lasee to determine if there are any low level invisible light rays that might pose a health problem. As for the floating solar panels, they will be on public waters:

Star Times: GEITS plan — building a 500-mega watt floating solar-power plant on Petenwell Lake — is essentially dead in the water. “The DNR is holding us back. It’s that simple,” Adams County conservationist Chris Murphy told residents.

Ed Culhane, a public affairs manager for the West Central DNR district, which includes Adams County, said “The surface waters in Wisconsin are held in trust. Obviously if you create a large structure and put in on the water it takes away usage … (Officials) had been to Madison to speak with officials at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources only days before and received no support. All indicated that the DNR’s reasoning is based on a hesitation to “privatize” Petenwell Lake.

“With every opportunity there is a challenge, of course. The DNR doesn’t want a private company to touch their public algae,” Nellore said. “Private structures cannot go on public water so the floating plant may not go ahead,” he said.

Wisconsin Blocking Solar Roll Out to Protect Old Energy Industry that is now threatening Higher Bills.

What industry thinks they can raise their prices while losing customers? The energy industry, that’s who. Ya gotta like that business model.

It drives me crazy when I see industries threaten higher rates if they’re imperiled by the loss of customers due to progress. The insurance industry is just one group I can think of. 

Many countries have deals worked out between energy producers and their government to subsidies green energy, to lower customer costs, save energy and boost economies. Cheaper energy would shift spending to other products, creating demand. It’s so easy. Yet Wisconsin has blocked progress just so they could keep in place the those old fashioned utility companies. If they tell you they didn't see this coming they would be lying, or bad corporate leaders.

Utilities have seen their customers dwindle for years. Huge manufacturing plants have disappeared, customer switched to energy efficient appliances and lighting, and home solar panels are multiplying. 

So for them to whine about big business going solar from their rooftops, saving energy and money, what are we supposed to do, stop it?

jsonline-Thomas Content: Wisconsin is missing out on a wave of solar power development that's going on around the country. One example: Kohl's Department Stores around the country generate three times as much power as all the solar electricity being generated in Wisconsin today.

What's driving the boom in other states is third-party financing, which allows a company such as SunEdison, a builder of solar power plants, to own the panels on the roof of a Kohl's store. That's not allowed in Wisconsin, but would be under a bill being drafted in Madison by Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison) and Rep. Gary Tauchen (R-Bonduel).

Whine, whine, whine….

According to Bill Skewes, who heads the Wisconsin Utilities Association, the lobbying arm for the utility industry, the biggest concern is that utilities will see cost shifting because they will sell less power to customers who install solar systems.

That’s supposed to make me cry?

The fixed costs of paying for the poles, wires and day-to-day business operations of the utility would then have to be spread across the remaining customers … "The customers who become partial customers because of a distributed generation agreement would be subsidized by the other customers on the utility system," Supporters concede it could result in reduced power sales by utilities. At the same time, they note that utilities see lower sales every time a business takes steps to cut energy waste or replaces an incandescent light bulb with an LED bulb.

I think Dumb Ron Johnson called it "creative destruction."