Robert Bryce explains for National Review Online readers why the claim that America is some sort of “clean energy laggard” is off-base.
Of the myriad claims being made about energy, the one most in need of debunking is this: The U.S. is losing out to countries such as China and Germany when it comes to “clean energy.”
The notional cure for America’s lagging performance, of course, is more governmental intervention in the energy markets. That intervention, and the need for more clean energy — which, of course, largely means more subsidies for wind and solar power — are inextricably tied to discussions about climate change, carbon-dioxide emissions, and the supposed need for America to lead the way to a new energy future.
While the blather continues, here’s the reality: The U.S. is leading the world in reducing carbon-dioxide emissions. By a mile. Maybe two miles. Meanwhile, China continues leading the world in increasing emissions. And China’s 20-mile lead will continue growing. Furthermore, China continues leading the world in the construction of coal-fired power plants and in overall coal consumption. The latter point was ably made recently by Armond Cohen of the Clean Air Task Force, who reported that in 2014 China’s ability to generate electricity with coal increased by more than three times the rate of growth seen in wind and solar combined.