US consumers rely on 19.63 million barrels of crude oil and 78 trillion British thermal units of natural gas per day for transportation and electrical power generation. A few years ago, those staggering amounts were priced at more than twice today’s level. The lower prices are a result of US fracking and horizontal drilling. Those […]
Storing Electricity
The US has plentiful sources for generating electricity. Unlike parts of Asia and Europe our self-sufficiency does not force us into precarious positions such as needing to import natural gas (as does Ukraine) carried by hostile pipeline operators. Nor do wo we need to rely on transoceanic tankers for liquefied natural gas supply (as do […]
Real Clear Policy: Time to End Electric Vehicle Tax Credits?
Across the country, electric car buyers are benefiting from generous tax subsidies. These include up to $7,500 in federal tax credits and thousands of dollars more in state tax credits, not to mention various initiatives to subsidize home, business, and public recharging stations. However, recent moves in several states to end electric vehicle subsidies and […]
Forbes: Are EV Subsidies Environmentally-Friendly or Welfare for the Rich?
Battery electric vehicles have grown in popularity over the last decade, primarily due to their perceived environmental benefits and tax incentives that steer car buyers away from gas-fueled vehicles. However, empirical evidence suggestions that the array of benefits are far overstated, which means that incentives designed to encourage electric vehicle ownership are having adverse consequences […]
Electric Vehicles: Are the Costs Worth the Benefits?
Battery electric vehicles have grown in popularity over the last decade, primarily due to their tax incentives and perceived environmental benefits that steer car buyers away from gas-fueled vehicles. However, as this ConsumerGram shows, the environmental benefits from using electric vehicles are far overstated, which means that incentives designed to encourage electric vehicle ownership may […]
When You Want Real Progress, Set a Realistic Goal
The miles per gallon (mpg) efficiency for an automobile makers’ cars is gauged against the EPA’s efficiency standards. Different standards apply to each model of car and truck because the vehicle size (wheelbase multiplied by track) establishes the EPA efficiency target, and the standards increase over time at a torrid pace. The Corporate Average Fuel […]
Too Much to Do In the First 100 Days
Freedom Caucus, an affiliation of conservative U.S. Representatives has released a list of regulations and executive orders that merit immediate repeal when Donald Trump becomes President. It did not err by suggesting that federal laws should be repealed by executive order. The list covers 226 rules issued by many departments and agencies. In a list […]
Approaches to Cutting Automobile Emissions
Consumers have benefitted from low crude oil prices for more than a year, but even if gasoline prices remain low, the quest to cut emissions will drive the cost of automobile transportation upwards. Driverless cars will price in the equivalent of a sophisticated robot. The main impetus for fuel economy is the reduction in greenhouse […]
Holland’s Coming Experiment with All-Electric Passenger Cars
Holland’s legislature is working on a law that by 2025 will ban new passenger cars that use gasoline or diesel. This is a predictable stage in the evolution of emissions regulation and Holland is suited for the experiment. It is flat, has high fuel taxes, and a disproportionate share of electric vehicles already. The nine-year […]
An Arrogant, Ragingly Partisan EPA
The EPA claims that both science and economics support its global campaign to force US states into halting carbon dioxide emissions. EPA’s Administrator Gina McCarthy says the EPA’s Clean Power Plan authority calls for an end to debate on climate change and emissions control: “people overwhelmingly consider climate change to be a problem—and they want […]
