Prop 23 Update: Governor Brown, "we can get to 40" renewables

Russ Steele

Sac Bee Capital Alert has the story: Jerry Brown to sign renewable energy bill Tuesday

Gov. Jerry Brown said this afternoon that he will sign legislation Tuesday requiring public and private utilities to obtain 33 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020.

"Obviously I'm going to sign the bill," the Democratic governor told reporters in Los Alamitos. "I believe we can get to 40 percent, and I think we should."

What is it that the Democrats do not understand about the failure of renewable energy? All across Europe governments have tried to go the renewable route and failed, and now they are returning fossile fuels, especially after the nuclear accident in Japan.

In Germany the electric rates are moving higher, almost to the upper edge of what is socially acceptable and tolerable for business according to an Energy Commissioner. Increasing energy prices have doubled since 1998, and levies on renewable energy have increased by 70 percent this year alone, The renewable levies are expected to increase even more in coming years.  As a result, there is a "gradual process of  de-industrialization” creeping across Germany.  Large power customers in energy-intensive industries such as steel, copper, aluminum or chemistry have been complaining for a year about the high taxes and green charges on electricity, and they are expected to go even higher.  As enegy costs increase, these Germany core industries are become less and less competitive in global markets.

All across Europe countries are scalling back solar instalations that require huge susides to operate. In the Czech Republic last year 1.7 gigawatts of panels were installed. After tariffs were cut installs dropped to 400 megawatts this year. In Spain, installations fell to 69 megawatts in 2009 from 2.8 gigawatts in 2008 after incentives were reduced. In the UK planned solar farms dropped from eight to three, as the government is expected to scrap a green policy which would have allowed individuals to take a stake in the low-carbon economy.  EU governements are running out of money to invest in solar incentives and are pulling the plug.

Given Europes misserable experience with wind and solar, one has to ask why is California plunging ahead by mandating even more renewable enegy? What makes the legislature and the governor think that California can do it better, when other socialist governments have failed?