Environmental activists – you know, the ones who pressed for SB3 (the mandated renewables bill of 2007) – are whining because Duke Power is introducing higher fees (rates) due to "Save-a-Watt" — a demand-side propaganda tool designed to get people to use curly-cue light bulbs.
You see, programs like Save-a-Watt satisfy the SB3 mandate requirements. Likewise, Progress Energy has just been approved for a rate increase of 16+ percent. Now the very environmentalists who brought you these rate increases a la subsidies of useless renewable boondoggles, are complaining about the very rate increases a third-grader could have told you were coming.
The next time one of these environmental statists (such as environment North Carolina)(watermelons) comes to your door begging for activist cash, hand them your energy bill and demand an explanation. Tell them, they owe you money.
(Update: Apparently, NC PIRG was against SB3 all along, so I have removed the link to their site and the reference to their quote in the paper. We should give them credit on this one, while opposing the rest of their policies, such as light rail advocacy. Environment North Carolina, who came to my door bragging about their support of SB3, still gets to be called a watermelon group, however.)
-Max Borders
Max,
NC PIRG was actually one of the only organizations speaking out against the costs to consumers of SB3.
They were on the right side of the issue on this one.
I can’t stand the compact fluorescent bulbs. They are way too cool appearing, which makes things ugly and blue/green. I like light that has more of the 600-700K spectrum.
I agree, Dana. I feel like I’m going to have a seizure and/or a headache when I’m under fluorescent bulbs.
Max Borders:
Your are a blocker.
Solar Photovoltaic has made huge advances in the last year bringing down costs per Kw/h we each use. This is both, because of competition and a similar effect of Moore’s Law that is affecting consumer cost. Yeah, capitalism’s demand and and supply curve. Make it cheaper and you will sell more mousetraps, or widgets.