A bill titled in short “Promote Electricity Demand Reduction (SB567)” sponsored by Senator Hartsell (R-Cabarrus) would promote allowing public utilities “real-time control” over your energy usage in order to achieve a measurable reduction in electricity demands for the purpose of assisting public utilities in achieving mandates set forth by the General Assembly in August 2007.
The August 2007 legislation, “Promote Renewable Energy/Baseload Generation (SB3),” requires that, by 2021, 12.5% of retail public utility energy sales in North Carolina be from renewable energy sources (solar, wind, etc), up to a quarter of which can be achieved through encouraging energy consumption reduction by consumers — hence the introduction of SB 567.
SB567 allows public utilities to achieve the required energy portfolio diversification through demand-side control of how much energy you may consume. And while energy usage reductions may keep prices down overall, it will not control per unit energy prices and will result in less comfortable lifestyles. For example, your public utility may want you to run your AC fewer hours on a hot day to conserve energy.
Senator Hartsell apparently sees fit that some other entity should decide how much energy you consume for the purpose of achieving the goals of SB3’s excessive regulation. The broader problem here is the state’s encroachment on the free market in the name of “sustainability” and the “green economy.” We must be aware of the government edging its way into our lives.
I think it’s time we send these idiot legislators home to stay. What are they trying to do to the American people? We have been pretty quiet for too long, but we won’t forever. My guess is the first time we become real uncomfortable we will get very dangerous. There are 300,000,000 Americans. Even if 25% of our people support this green joke of a position, that leaves 225,000,000 pissed off Americans and a couple of thousand politicians we don’t like, tar and feather comes to mind. But my question is “Why is a politician from Concord in favor of this crap”? Does he have personal interest in and financial gain from an interest? My bet is he does. Just as Al Gore stands to gain billions from his interest in companies in line to produce new power meters when we start rationing electricity. We should not forget these people are as corrupt as the Mexican drug lords.