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I'm all for alternative energy, but if the only chance of it becoming cost competitive with coal is to artificially jack up the price of the current system thro
by aswanson 19y ago
I'm all for alternative energy, but if the only chance of it becoming cost competitive with coal is to artificially jack up the price of the current system through caps, I doubt Congress will pass it through. Even if they do, once it shows up in the consumers bills, there will be hell to pay.
The best approach is to increase the efficiency through science and let the technology naturally be adopted like every other innovation that wins in the marketplace. I'm still for the cap, but if that is the linchpin for adoption to take hold widespread, something must be wrong with the product.
- Alex3917 19y agoThe point of a cap is that it places a legally binding limit on the total amount of CO2 that can be released into the atmosphere. Alternative energy achieving price parity with coal is just the natural result of internalizing the negative externality of our currently broken system.
- aswanson 19y agoMy point was more along the reactive lines to a price increase of energy. Regardless of the positive environmental result, which I applaud, if middle America sees it's utility bill increase by a significant percentage, whoever has their name attached to the legislation that caused it is at serious risk of being voted out. Note also that an increase in the price of energy causes prices across the board for every manufactured item to increase. Classic inflation, 1970s style. This is not the best economic environment to cause inflation in.
- deleted 19y ago[deleted]