In the newest edition of news that was somehow missed, Democratic Representative Bernie Buescher voted in favor of a house bill requiring "cooperative electric associations and municipal utilities" to spend 2% of their revenue towards renewable energy programs every year.
HB08-1107, which was passed with a 33-32 vote, will likely prove to be burdensome to smaller energy companies who are struggling to improve their infrastructure to compensate for increased demand.
Never fear, though! Governor Ritter's newly created Energy Office is here to help. For a management fee, energy companies can 'hire' the Office to administer the required programs.
Sounds like a nice and tidy way to increase government revenue to the Guv's office, let him give the utilities money to his not so jolly green giant supporters.
This must be what they mean when someone is "really giving you the business".
In related unhappy Green Hornet business- this guy-FRED PITTENGER of Simplicity Solar was angrily buzzing about my column on the above topic today. He has this hilariously illogical passage:
"I would suggest something entirely different. By implementing this program and investing $500,000 in conservation over the next two years, Grand Valley Power can begin reducing the need to its planned expansion in infrastructure by 20 to 30 percent, indefinitely."
This is just the kind of analysis we worry about.
