Taylor Smith
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On Monday, the City Council’s Committee on Finance voted to approve an ordinance mandating gas stations sell gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol, also called E15. Chicago gas stations already sell E10—gasoline with a composition that’s 10 percent ethanol. Should the City Council and the mayor approve the committee’s recommendation, Chicago would be the first major city to enforce such a requirement.
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Environment/EnergyFeatured
Reducing Ohio’s Renewable-Power Mandate is Progress, Not Regression
by Taylor Smith November 2, 2014Thirty states, including Ohio, have renewable portfolio mandates. These laws require a certain percentage of electricity to be generated from renewable sources, primarily wind and solar power.
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Environment/EnergyFeatured
Reducing Ohio’s Renewable-Power Mandate is Progress, Not Regression
by Taylor Smith October 30, 2014Such is the paradox of government interference in the energy sector: People turn to government to spur innovation, but government is a monopoly, shielded from the market forces that create innovation through competition and consumer choice.
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Environment/EnergyUncategorized
Poor Countries Want Modern Living, and They Want It Fast
by Taylor Smith October 11, 2014More than seven billion people now populate Earth, including six billion who live in developing economies. After having already quadrupled in the past century, the world’s population could reach near 9 billion by 2050, according to projections by the United Nations. Half of that growth will come from Africa, which will increase its percentage of world population from 13 to 20 percent.
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Environment/Energy
Pros and Cons of a Carbon Tax for the Energy Industry
by Taylor Smith May 31, 2014It seems Bringenberg is more interested in having customers serve solar than solar serve its customers.
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Since Gov. Paul LePage vetoed a bill that would have reinstated funding for the state’s solar power rebate program, many critics have claimed Maine is at risk of “falling behind”…
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Environment/Energy
Government Global Warming Mitigation ‘Investments’ Wasted
by Taylor Smith February 3, 2014The United Nations estimates it would cost $30 billion a year to end world hunger. That sounds like a lot, but the world spent more than ten times that amount in 2012 on global warming mitigation, according to a recent Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) study. And the U.N. says the world needs to spend even more on global warming mitigation—much more, in fact.
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Economics
Examining Public Investments in Renewable Energy and Global Warming Mitigation (01-31-14)
by Taylor Smith January 31, 2014The United Nations estimates the cost for ending world hunger to be $30 billion a year. That sounds like a lot, but in comparison, the world spent more than ten…
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Environment/EnergyFeaturedLibertyUncategorized
EPA ‘Public Listening Session’ Turns Into Sierra Club Talking Session
by Taylor Smith November 18, 2013Although the Chicago EPA hearing yielded the typical mix of speakers, this time I noticed they were all wearing Sierra Club “Climate Action Now” shirts.
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EconomicsEnvironment/Energy
Frontiers of Freedom Backs Coalition Supporting Swift Repeal of the Renewable Fuel Standard
by Taylor Smith October 1, 2013The Heartland Institute has recently signed a coalition letter led by the Frontiers of Freedom urging Congress to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard when they consider reforming the law this Fall. The U.S. Environmental…
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Environment/Energy
Michigan Governor Wants to Increase Renewable Energy Mandate
by Taylor Smith June 7, 2013In a recent AP interview, Republican Michigan Governor Rick Snyder says he wants to increase the state’s renewable energy mandate, a 2008 law that requires utilities to get at least 10…
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Environment/Energy
Illinois Legislature Passes Hydraulic Fracturing Regulations by Large Margins
by Taylor Smith June 4, 2013The Illinois Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill placing strict regulations on hydraulic fracturing last week, and now heads to Gov. Quinn’s desk where he has promised to sign it. SB…
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The Minnesota Legislature may have finally agreed on how much solar power the state should be forced to use. According to Minnesota Public Radio, The Minnesota House and Senate have…