Derek Scissors and Nick Loris of the Heritage Foundation explain in the latest print version of National Review that the idea of emulating Chinese energy policy makes no sense for the United States.
The U.S. is already vastly more energy-efficient, and its efficiency is improving at a faster rate than China?s, despite the latter country?s ?far greater scope for improvement.?
Despite all the money lavished on green energy by China, the Europeans, and the United States, none of the favored alternative-energy sources is becoming any more economically viable, and none would survive without a government crutch. Nobody knows this better than the renewable-energy lobby itself, which is why it constantly clamors for subsidies, special tax credits, and guaranteed market shares. If the technologies were commercially viable, such handouts would be unnecessary. In truth, Americans pay twice for green energy: Not only must their fork over taxes to subsidize dubious projects, they also have to pay bigger bills for the pricier energy those projects produce.
This theme will be familiar to those who have followed Roy Cordato and Daren Bakst?s criticisms of Senate Bill 3, North Carolina?s 2007 renewable-energy mandate.
