The New York Times gets it right: The time has come for Congress to rethink ethanol, an alternative fuel that has lately fallen from favor. Specifically, it is time to end an outdated tax break for corn ethanol and to call a timeout in the fivefold increase in ethanol production mandated in the 2007 energy…
Category: Energy
McCain Joins Ethanol Rebellion
John McCain has joined with 23 other Senate Republicans to call for ethanol production mandates to be eased in light of rising grain prices. McCain did not vote on the 2007 energy bill that contains President Bush’s new bio-fuel requirements. Food prices have increased substantially worldwide and CNN reports that riots have occurred in Egypt,…
Using Oil Reserves to Lower Gas Prices
Texas Congressman Chet Edwards (D) wants to use the U.S.’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower prices at the gas pump. Needless to say, I think this is a bad idea, for reasons I list below. He says the increased supply would help halt rising gas prices which are predicted to hit $4 per gallon by…
The Market Works
Many of the same people who champion fuel-efficient, (relatively) environmentally-friendly automobiles are at the front lines calling for the government to "do something" about high gasoline prices. For these people, the news that higher gas prices are driving an unmistakable shift to the very cars they’d like us to drive must present a bit of…
In Favor of Keeping Gas Tax
Federal gas taxes help support America’s transportation system, one in which roadways all over the nation are being repaired and upgraded after a period of significant neglect. It’s unpleasant to pay the $0.18 extra per gallon, yet there are worse things. Thomas Friedman has this to say about the unholy alliance of McCain & Clinton…
Gas, Corn, and Consequences
Gasoline prices are at all-time highs here in Texas, including a whopping $3.46 in Houston, home of many oil-related businesses and refineries. Many parts of the U.S. are experiencing even higher prices, to say nothing of Europe, et al, so I expect little sympathy from most readers. So what’s a government to do? Meddle, of…
Manufacturing Green Jobs
Hillary Clinton has talked about what making the Green Corps a central part of her environmental initiatives. The idea, of course, is to reduce America’s dependency on foreign oil and reduce pollutant emissions, and thereby reverse or lessen climate change, by relying on wind, solar, and bio-fuels as sources of energy. Sounds great. Too bad…
Houston Energy Summit Part II
Americans usually hear that energy-producing natural resources are in scarce supply. With regard to the current technological, regulatory, and economic context that is true. However, when industry experts discuss energy sources of the future they focus on which known resources to develop instead of whether they can find and produce more energy. One important question…
Houston Energy Summit, part 1
Energy industry leaders gathered in Houston yesterday to discuss the state of energy in the United States and the discussion immediately turned to economics. With regard to energy there is, according to John Hofmeister, CEO of Shell Oil, a fundamental law of human society that cannot be denied: the Law of Suppy and Demand. Gas…
Hillary Rocks in Houston
Facing a do-or-die primary in Texas, Hillary Clinton delivered a great speech at the Houston Presidential Energy Summit tonight. I was there and thought she did a terrific job even though the audience was probably smaller than she’d hoped to see in the 4th largest city in America. From the 4th row, Hillary – who…