Didier Drogba
New member
...the wind power sector"? Or are there only a few other states for which a 5-year wind study would show comparable untapped wind tunnels?
And isn't it a bit risky to invest heavily in a sector the profitability of which still relies on an annual act of Congress to pass tax incentives for the utilities that use wind power - that in effect subsidize the wind power industry?
Don't get me wrong, I support wind power and I think that Congress should pass a multi-year tax incentive, and that after 5-10 years one won't be necessary for the industry to be profitable. But isn't it a bit simplistic to assume that "because Texas can do it, any state can do it?"
Peter I generally agree with your opposition to subsidies. Particularly with respect to "energy efficiency" and "conservation" - if it requires a subsidy then by definition it uses more resources than it saves.
However, I consider maximizing energy independence to be a matter of defense. Yes we're effectively energy independent with respect to electricity already (we depend on Canada for natural gas which is used to generate power), but we should develop all feasible domestic power sources. Also, in theory wind power only temporarily requires a subsidy. I know that's been promised many times in the past and the subsidies end up still being there decades later, however I used to do a little wind power project finance and I think that in this case the subsidies might not be needed a decade from now.
And isn't it a bit risky to invest heavily in a sector the profitability of which still relies on an annual act of Congress to pass tax incentives for the utilities that use wind power - that in effect subsidize the wind power industry?
Don't get me wrong, I support wind power and I think that Congress should pass a multi-year tax incentive, and that after 5-10 years one won't be necessary for the industry to be profitable. But isn't it a bit simplistic to assume that "because Texas can do it, any state can do it?"
Peter I generally agree with your opposition to subsidies. Particularly with respect to "energy efficiency" and "conservation" - if it requires a subsidy then by definition it uses more resources than it saves.
However, I consider maximizing energy independence to be a matter of defense. Yes we're effectively energy independent with respect to electricity already (we depend on Canada for natural gas which is used to generate power), but we should develop all feasible domestic power sources. Also, in theory wind power only temporarily requires a subsidy. I know that's been promised many times in the past and the subsidies end up still being there decades later, however I used to do a little wind power project finance and I think that in this case the subsidies might not be needed a decade from now.