Coal addiction

Today is the beginning of a new administration where equality, honesty, and courage will stop the threats to the nation and mitigate the climate emergency. Here is the true coal story.

The state of Wyoming uses taxpayer “donations” to pay a lobbying group dedicated to keeping the U.S. extracting, burning, and exporting coal. The Energy Policy Network (EPN), a 501-(c) (3) nonprofit corporation has been actively campaigning to keep power plants burning Wyoming coal in nine states, including Arkansas.

In September 2019, Wyoming’s Gov. Mark Gordon gave EPN a $250,000 deal. State officials say EPN has preserved $38.5 million in tax revenue a year by extending the lives of coal plants. “Extending the life of coal is a wise investment for Wyoming, and a wise investment for the globe,” Gordon said.

Coal river

Union Pacific coal trains travel 1,000 miles from the Gillette, Wyoming. Powder River Basin to the SWEPCO Turk power plant three times a week. Turk burns 2.6 million tons of coal each year.

Stopping coal plants

How do we convince Union Pacific, Wyoming, EPN, Koch Industries, and other dark money, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and other members of the U.S. Congress, insurrectionists, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ernest Moniz, and others, to stop burning coal? How much money would it take? What if we hire EPN to stop coal, or create a smarter group to counter EPN?

Distributed generation and storage

The grid provides dirty electricity, with captive ratepayers, eminent domain lawyers, and games utilities love to play.

We need to stop burning fossil fuels and wood pellets for energy. Distributed resilient microgrids with local generation and storage are a superior alternative to the 1900’s power grid.

We don’t need a Smart Grid with $250 Smart Meters. We need smart people, communities, and industries building solar and wind. Small nuclear modules can replace diesel generators for 24/7 service.

The current issue of Arkansas Living has a very scary story about ducks, California power outages, and new net metering rules. The Pacific Gas & Electric utility and the California Independent System Operator, and the premature decommissioning of nuclear plants are the real causes of power outages.

The Biden Administration, Arkansas Public Service Commission, Arkansas solar companies, and rural cooperatives are on our side to stop coal.

APSC Chairman Ted Thomas stopped a nefarious fossil fuel lobby group and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from taking over states’ power to decide how to manage net energy metering.

Solar Access Act

It took six years to create the 2019 Solar Access Act. The act is necessary to have distributed solar, net metering on a 1:1 kWh exchange is required. Without it, we have to burn coal.

Residential solar myths

Myth: solar customers increase the price of electricity. Fact: homemade solar energy has peak-hour value and is of higher quality than coal energy from the grid. Note, the grid power went out as I was writing this! My iPhone and laptop battery saved the day.

Myth: solar customers save on utility bills. Fact: the average $100 monthly utility bill does not justify spending over $15,000 on solar, plus maintenance and repairs. I lease a surge protector from my utility to protect my home.

Myth: solar customers get a free ride on the grid. Fact: the $15 connection fee plus the additional utility fuel and debt interest fees give utilities a low risk, high profit from captive users.

Myth: residential solar customers benefit from the 30 percent federal Investment Tax Credit. Fact, only those with taxable income benefit from declining credits, ending in 2023. The 30 percent import tariffs on solar equipment cancels out the benefit of the tax credit.

Clean energy advantages

The Clarksville Light and Water municipal utility provides clean solar power and fiber optic internet service at low prices. They are a good model for Arkansas.

California population density, wildfires, droughts, and floods are driving Tesla and other top companies to crowd Austin, Texas. Arkansas is a better destination if we can stop the Coal Cartel and promote distributed generation.

Dr. Luis Contreras