Alternative Energy Should Be the People's Choice

The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry has recent white paper about House Bill 80; a bill that seeks to increase Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard. The Chamber notes:

HB 80 will result in higher electricity prices.

It is estimated it will add $9-$12 billion in utility costs in the next 10 years, according to industry analysis.

If people want to pay more to support alternative energy, if should be their choice.

Thanks to electric choice and competition, Pennsylvanians have the opportunity to select an electricity provider that uses 100% alternative energy. State legislators should not force all consumers to pay for these expensive alternative resources. In fact, in Colorado, where electricity bills have increased due to the state’s alternative energy mandates, a grassroots citizens group is seeking to allow electricity consumers to lowers their utility bills by opting out of more expensive renewable energy through a ballot initiative.

Lawmakers should look at the real facts before making any decision.

Advocates use a study by Black and Veatch to show how passing this bill would create thousands of jobs — however they conveniently ignore that the report’s authors admit they made assumptions in their calculations that are “very likely to change in the future”, which would change the findings of their results.
A more accurate comparison is to examine European countries that heavily subsidize and mandate alternative energy and are now paying for it through a net loss in jobs and higher utility bills.