A group representing ratepayers recently presented to the Interim Committee on Energy, Environment and Technology. Representatives of the Energy Integrity Project say a great deal of the discussion on wind as an energy source has been done without the input of stakeholders who represent the ratepayers. The EIP believes that the Idaho Legislature is working with incorrect information when it comes to wind energy.
Last year the legislature looked at a moratorium on wind development backed by the group, who insist this issue is not necessarily as simple as not wanting turbines in their backyards. They say wind energy has been subsidized and promoted without proper research and oversight, that with up to two thirds of the value of a wind project coming from federal programs and tax subsidies including accellerated depreciation, federal cash grants and loan guarantees, the major beneficiaries of wind power are wind power developers. The group notes that Federal subsidies for wind projects have doubled over the last three years, and the total 2010 subsidies for wind energy exceed all other sources combined.
Energy Integrity Project representative Tauna Christensen noted that what they says is a 'green jobs agenda' destroys american jobs, touting a Madrid study and a ABC News investigative report on stimulus funds spending, among other sources.
"Implementing rigorous legislation in an effort to reduce our own nations' emissions is effectively pushing manufacturing intense industry to higher-emitting places like China," Christiansen said, causing more detrimental effect on the climate than maintaining those jobs on american soil. This, she said, damages the US economy and exacerbates greenhouse gas emissions world wide.
Senator Werk cautioned the group to examine the sources of these studies, noting additional information about who was backing these studies has been published.
Representative Cronin asked why the group is comparing jobs in the renewable sector to those in the manufacturing sector, taking issue with the suggestion that creating jobs in one cancel out those that may be created in the other.
Representatives of the group insist, however, that creation of jobs in the renewable sector is taking away from efforts to create manufacturing jobs. Overall, the group representatives said that their efforts were to illustrate that renewables is not a job-creation enterprise.
Senator Anderson noted that since taxpayer money has been spent on job creation in the renewables sector, this question is legitimate: that of how many jobs do we have out there on the wind farms, because we did spend taxpayer money to get there.
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