Choking, Propping, Hammering, and Crippling Michigan to Success!

Last year the Michigan legislature passed a radical energy package that was designed to, among other things, force the two major electricity producers in this state to provide their customers with electricity that is at least ten percent generated through clean or renewable energy sources by 2015.

I say force because it was a very tough sell.

DTE and Consumer's Energy, as a result of their selfless generosity, were granted virtual monopolies in the areas they serve and as an added bonus, this time to consumers, the law allowed these benevolent utility behemoths to pass along rate increases to cover the costs of the more expensive alternate electricity. And you thought selling Michael Moore a Deep Fried Pastry of the Month Club membership was easy.

The reasoning behind this government intrusion into the business-consumer relationship was two fold. First, supportive bureaucrats felt the passage of such a bill would help Michigan in its quest to become a state at the forefront of the alternate energy industry, you know, much like raising our cigarette taxes to ridiculous heights has turned us into a major tobacco producer. Secondly, environmental advocates believe that the passage of the bill will help to shrink the state's carbon footprint thereby saving both the polar bears and Nancy Pelosi's salt marsh harvest mouse while (hopefully) not harming our own state's cherry and tomato crops.

The fact that competition between utility companies in the state had provided Michigan consumers with reduced electricity prices over the last few years was of little consequence to legislators in desperate need of playing puppeteer with our pocketbooks. In fact, cheaper electricity promotes electricity usage and that is unacceptable to the disciples of those blessed to jet around the world to UN conferences studying the harms of America's appetite for flat screen televisions.

Thankfully, in the aftermath of this legislation we are being allowed to catch our breath. At least now that the bill has passed, as woeful as it is, we can relax a while before another consortium of nitwits congregates to stick it to the rest of us again on energy.

Oops.

DETROIT – A coalition of Detroit legislators, business leaders and clean energy advocates today announced a plan to catapult Michigan forward in alternative energy and make the state a magnet for clean, renewable energy jobs. The plan builds on legislation passed last year and further positions Michigan to meet growing demand for clean energy workers by offering powerful incentives for renewable energy development and manufacturing, energy efficiency and alternative energy production.

"We have to show alternative energy job providers that Michigan is serious about doing business in this rapidly growing industry," State Representative Fred Durhal Jr. (D-Detroit) said. "This plan will help make Michigan a leader in alternative energy and get our residents back on the job."

The legislation will position Michigan as a leader in producing alternative energy, as well as manufacturing energy-efficient products and components for renewable energy systems. The plan will:

• Create powerful incentives for alternative energy companies to come to Michigan by requiring that 30 percent of our electricity come from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy by 2025. This plan builds on legislation passed last year requiring that 10 percent of Michigan's electricity come from clean, renewable sources by 2015.
• Require utilities to work with their customers to decrease electricity usage so utilities sell 2 percent less energy each year.
• Revise building codes to increase energy efficiency.
• Encourage residents and businesses to become alternative energy entrepreneurs by allowing them to sell excess energy they create via renewable sources like solar panels or wind turbines.

I thought this was what the last bill was for!

Why don't we just get it all out of the way right now and demand 50% in the year 2025? Better yet, lets bump that up to 55% and the year 2020. These numbers are little more than a number-out-of-a-hat guess and the combination of 30 and 2025 had a nice ring to it. I suppose I should be thrilled they didn't suggest 32 percent by 2018.

The collection of interventionists we have in Lansing these days rivals that of any other time in our history. They are discontent to let individuals live in peace and prosper or to let businesses do what they do best, operate in a chosen market profitably while producing jobs.

No, they have a better idea. By choking the state of cheap energy, propping up an artificial industry with taxpayer dollars, hammering away at the state's residents with higher energy costs, and crippling the construction industry they know they can get this thing solved.

What could possibly go wrong with that?

cross posted at Right Michigan