Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” is often sound enough advice. But when it comes to faulty energy policies that continually fail cost-benefit analysis, the advice is misguided. California is living proof.
As if the Golden State’s energy and electricity prices aren’t high enough from “green” energy policies, Gov. Jerry Brown yesterday signed into law a “greener” energy plan. Reminiscent of climate-control regulations (think Kyoto) that become increasingly more stringent, California is vowing to obtain even more electricity from renewable-energy sources, in spite of the fact that the prior regulations were too onerous.
According to the new law, 33% of the state’s electricity must come from renewable sources like wind, solar, and geothermal energy by the year 2020. Formerly, the number was 20% by the end of 2010, yet the state failed to reach that level.
The Wall Street Journal writes, “California’s three largest investor-owned utilities failed to achieve an earlier state target to garner 20% of their electricity from renewable sources by the end of 2010, hitting 18% instead, according to the California Public Utilities Commission. The utilities avoided penalties because they had made a good faith effort. They entered into contracts to buy a sufficient quantity of green-generated electricity from independent suppliers but the suppliers couldn’t generate enough power.”
The wind turbines and solar panels couldn’t generate enough power? Shocking.
