Thursday, May 14, 2009

Cap and Trade - What it is Going to Cost You

Obama's Cap and Trade is a huge tax - I've already stated that. Well, here's some more proof ...

Cap and trade, essentially, is a plan to cap CO2 emissions from power plants. The government levies huge fees on those power plants for their emissions. If the plant can't meet the cap, then it can buy additional cap extensions from other power plants, or from the government.

The government keeps the billions of dollars it will take from power producers. Supposedly, some of that money is redirected into producing renewable energy sources. Some of the money is to be given to consumers, to offset the higher electricity bills they will receive as a result of the power plants taxes going up. Yeah, right ....

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), a non-profit group made up primarily of power producers, has studied this and its impact on Texas. They conclude that in the absolute best case scenario, cap and trade will increase the average Texan's electric bill by $27 a month. Now that's not a one time jump, it's a permanent addition to the monthly bill.

By best case, I mean that other factors, such as the cost of natural gas, remain constant. The figures are hard to pin down. If natural gas, for instance, rises by 35%, then the bill increase doubles to $54 a month.

Renewable energy coming on line will have a negligible affect on these increases. If the maximum amount of wind turbines were brought on line, the highest number of units that can be supported by the Texas power grid, then the monthly bill increase drops to $22 a month.

"I am more concerned about climate change legislation than I am about climate change." -Texas Public Utility Commission Chaiman Barry Smitherman

Cap and Trade has two goals - First, to generate a tax revenue windfall for the Federal government. Second, to make energy so expensive that it will force consumers to use less.

This is Obama's energy plan .....

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