Studies

Blockbuster Study: Working-Class Bears Burden of Cap-and-Trade Cap and Trade

New analysis reveals cap-and-trade would provide windfall profits to politically connected firms, redistribute wealth

Who Benefits From Free Emission Allowances? (PDF 358 KB)
WASHINGTON – With Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) expected to reveal a draft of the Senate’s climate bill this week, free-market think tank Institute for Energy Research (IER) released a new analysis today outlining how cap-and-trade would precipitate a financial windfall for well-connected special…

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  • Published // September 29, 2009
  • Author // admin
  • Comments // comments icon 4

Facts on Energy: Solar Electricity Issues Solar

Statistics

In 2008, solar represented 0.09 percent of all energy consumed in the U.S. [1] and 0.02 percent of all electricity generated in the U.S.[2]

In 2008, solar generating capacity in the U.S. totaled 514 megawatts and generated 843 million kilowatt hours.[3] Solar turbines generated only a percentage of their theoretical maximum output due to their intermittency (the sun does not always shine).
In 2006, photovoltaic cell and module shipments…

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  • Published // June 11, 2009
  • Author // admin
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The Facts About Air Quality and Coal-Fired Power Plants Blog Coal

PDF (869 KB)
Coal-fired electricity generation is far cleaner today than ever before. The popular misconception that our air quality is getting worse is wrong, as shown by EPA’s air quality data. Modern coal plants, and those retrofitted with modern technologies to reduce pollution, are a success story and are currently providing about 50% of our electricity. Undoubtedly, pollution emissions from coal-fired power plants will continue to fall as technology…

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  • Published // June 1, 2009
  • Author // admin
  • Comments // comments icon 3