renewable energy

The News & Observer recently ran an op-ed from Froma Harrop arguing that renewable energy has become competitive with traditional energy resources. It’s a bold claim. For several decades…

House Bill 589, “Competitive Energy Solutions for NC,” would be a major restructuring of energy policy in North Carolina. Here is a brief look into select aspects of the…

Despite no obvious geographical distinctions from the other U.S. states that would explain it, North Carolina is awash in solar energy facilities, more so than every other state except California.

The Market Forces Behind North Carolina’s Falling Emissions. New research shows that improvements are market-oriented, not government-driven

RALEIGH — Natural gas beats solar and wind as a low-cost energy source, with better environmental impacts, more efficiency, and better reliability. Those conclusions stand out in a new John…

When the Raleigh News and Observer highlighted a change in state law that allows the state treasurer to shift some employees to salaries based on market forces, the newspaper sought…

North Carolina’s public education establishment has offered an ambivalent response — at best — to the growth of school choice since conservatives took control of the General Assembly in 2011…

A report circulated among lawmakers by the NC Sustainable Energy Association argues that renewables are not the source of rising electricity bills in the state. However, the report's problems are myriad. State leaders should cut through the noise of tailored industry reports and seek a thorough, comprehensive study of North Carolina energy policy, bearing in mind that ratepayers' chief interest is least-cost, reliable power at the flip of the switch.

Over the last several years there have been a great many claims about energy subsidies for both renewables and traditional sources like coal and oil. The analysis hasn't, but should, focus on net subsidies, which includes both subsidies and penalties. The important question is - how are coercive policies distorting supply and demand relative to a free market?

Over the past decade the “demand side management” (DSM) model of public policy has crept into the state of North Carolina’s approach to regulation. Advocates of DSM are clear in making explicit their goals of social engineering and the rearrangement of lifestyles. The language in their guiding documents are replete with references to “behavior modification” and “restraining and restricting” certain activities or lifestyle choices. DSM is inconsistent with a free society, where the role of government is to respond to constituent demands, not manage and control them.