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kristopher
kristopher's Journal
kristopher's Journal
May 11, 2012
Nuclear industry suffers major defeat in Iowa
Posted May. 10, 2012
Despite intense industry lobbying, Iowa Legislature adjourns without passing ill-advised nuclear ‘cost recovery’ bill
Des Moines, Iowa — In a major blow to the nuclear industry, the Iowa Legislature adjourned today without passing a bill that would have paved the way for MidAmerican Energy to charge ratepayers in advance for new nuclear reactor construction. The utility would have been allowed to keep the money even if construction was never completed.
MidAmerican lobbied extensively for the bill but Iowa ratepayer concerns about nuclear power doomed the proposal. A poll sponsored by the Des Moines Register in January found that over three quarters of Iowans were opposed to the measure.
“The failure of this nuclear bill shows that the Iowa Legislature is listening to the people of Iowa and not to the well-financed nuclear power industry or to MidAmerican Energy’s lobbyists” said Friends of the Earth Iowa Nuclear Campaigner Mike Carberry. “Wall Street refuses to fund these nuclear boondoggles and so do the private investors of MidAmerican Energy. Now the Iowa Legislature has stepped up and said no to Iowa ratepayer funding as well. And they have good reasons: nuclear reactors are dirty, dangerous, expensive, and produce highly radioactive waste for which there is no solution. Nuclear reactors are a failed 20th century technology -- we need to convert over to 21st century clean, safe energy options including renewable energy like wind and solar, energy efficiency, and smart grid technologies.”
While the nuclear funding bill passed out of a senate committee on March 13 on a hard fought 8-7 vote, it never garnered enough support to pass the Senate. A similar bill passed in the Iowa House last year but also failed to pass the Senate.
Friends of the Earth worked with local and national groups including the Environmental Law and Policy Center, the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club, Green State Solutions, Iowa PIRG, Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Move to Amend, CREDO Action and Physicians for Social Responsibility in the debate about the cost recovery bill, taking out radio and TV ads, phoning more than 100,000 Iowans, and mobilizing thousands of activists who called and wrote their elected officials.
“This is a victory for all the people of Iowa,” said Damon Moglen, Friends of the Earth’s Climate and Energy Campaign Director. “Iowans and people across the country increasingly recognize that nuclear reactors are not only unsafe but they make no financial sense. Already a national leader in wind power, Iowa is providing a great example of how to move away from the dirty and dangerous energy sources of the past, and applying clean 21st century energy for the future.”
http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2012-05-nuclear-industry-suffers-major-defeat-in-iowa
Nuclear industry suffers major defeat in Iowa
News releaseNuclear industry suffers major defeat in Iowa
Posted May. 10, 2012
Despite intense industry lobbying, Iowa Legislature adjourns without passing ill-advised nuclear ‘cost recovery’ bill
Des Moines, Iowa — In a major blow to the nuclear industry, the Iowa Legislature adjourned today without passing a bill that would have paved the way for MidAmerican Energy to charge ratepayers in advance for new nuclear reactor construction. The utility would have been allowed to keep the money even if construction was never completed.
MidAmerican lobbied extensively for the bill but Iowa ratepayer concerns about nuclear power doomed the proposal. A poll sponsored by the Des Moines Register in January found that over three quarters of Iowans were opposed to the measure.
“The failure of this nuclear bill shows that the Iowa Legislature is listening to the people of Iowa and not to the well-financed nuclear power industry or to MidAmerican Energy’s lobbyists” said Friends of the Earth Iowa Nuclear Campaigner Mike Carberry. “Wall Street refuses to fund these nuclear boondoggles and so do the private investors of MidAmerican Energy. Now the Iowa Legislature has stepped up and said no to Iowa ratepayer funding as well. And they have good reasons: nuclear reactors are dirty, dangerous, expensive, and produce highly radioactive waste for which there is no solution. Nuclear reactors are a failed 20th century technology -- we need to convert over to 21st century clean, safe energy options including renewable energy like wind and solar, energy efficiency, and smart grid technologies.”
While the nuclear funding bill passed out of a senate committee on March 13 on a hard fought 8-7 vote, it never garnered enough support to pass the Senate. A similar bill passed in the Iowa House last year but also failed to pass the Senate.
Friends of the Earth worked with local and national groups including the Environmental Law and Policy Center, the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club, Green State Solutions, Iowa PIRG, Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Move to Amend, CREDO Action and Physicians for Social Responsibility in the debate about the cost recovery bill, taking out radio and TV ads, phoning more than 100,000 Iowans, and mobilizing thousands of activists who called and wrote their elected officials.
“This is a victory for all the people of Iowa,” said Damon Moglen, Friends of the Earth’s Climate and Energy Campaign Director. “Iowans and people across the country increasingly recognize that nuclear reactors are not only unsafe but they make no financial sense. Already a national leader in wind power, Iowa is providing a great example of how to move away from the dirty and dangerous energy sources of the past, and applying clean 21st century energy for the future.”
http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2012-05-nuclear-industry-suffers-major-defeat-in-iowa
May 11, 2012
More at:
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/05/01/474473/bad-headline-mars-good-ny-times-story-debunking-lindzens-discredited-cloud-theory-can-you-do-better/
Forecast: Cloudy, No Brain
The header is from a comment on this article about the final refutation of the climate deniers' lead scientist...
Bad Headline Mars Good NY Times Story Debunking Lindzen’s ‘Discredited’ Cloud Theory. Can You Do Better?
By Joe Romm on May 1, 2012 at 5:58 pm
Your not-so-impossible mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a headline that better reflects the actual content of today’s NY Times article, which redebunks long-debunked disinformer Richard Lindzen.
Headlines are important because research shows that most newspaper readers don’t get much beyond them. And NY Times headlines sweep across the internet through twitter, facebook, news aggregators and search engines. Probably 10 to 50 times as many people see the headlines as read any substantial portion of the story.
So when the New York Times publishes a front-page piece eviscerating Dr. Richard Lindzen and his “discredited” theory — the NYT’s word — that the cloud feedback could somehow save us from catastrophic global warming, it ought to have a better headline than “Clouds’ Effect on Climate Change Is Last Bastion for Dissenters.”
Even worse, the heavily-trafficked front page of the NY Times website has this teaser for the piece:
By Joe Romm on May 1, 2012 at 5:58 pm
Your not-so-impossible mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a headline that better reflects the actual content of today’s NY Times article, which redebunks long-debunked disinformer Richard Lindzen.
Headlines are important because research shows that most newspaper readers don’t get much beyond them. And NY Times headlines sweep across the internet through twitter, facebook, news aggregators and search engines. Probably 10 to 50 times as many people see the headlines as read any substantial portion of the story.
So when the New York Times publishes a front-page piece eviscerating Dr. Richard Lindzen and his “discredited” theory — the NYT’s word — that the cloud feedback could somehow save us from catastrophic global warming, it ought to have a better headline than “Clouds’ Effect on Climate Change Is Last Bastion for Dissenters.”
Even worse, the heavily-trafficked front page of the NY Times website has this teaser for the piece:
More at:
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/05/01/474473/bad-headline-mars-good-ny-times-story-debunking-lindzens-discredited-cloud-theory-can-you-do-better/
May 11, 2012
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/05/02/474340/make-no-small-plans-turning-on-the-lights-for-14-billion-people/
Make No Small Plans: Turning On The Lights For 1.4 Billion People
Make No Small Plans: Turning On The Lights For 1.4 Billion People
At the recent Fortune Brainstorm Green conference which I attended in Laguna Niguel, California,...
<snip>
But, for me, it was an international theme that really grabbed my attention. While the U.S. is currently mired in pre-election clean-tech bashing and partisan shenanigans, it was a simple, straightforward, high-impact presentation by Michael Elliott, president and CEO of the poverty-alleviation-focused nonprofit ONE (One.org), that turned my head. In a packed room, he asked us to imagine living after dark in one of the many places in the developing world without access to electricity (the daily reality for about 1.4 billion people globally). Then, he literally turned off the lights. No video, no music, nothing…and then he kept talking, and said this is what it would be like living in the tens of thousands of villages, favelas, and other outposts that have no, or limited, electricity.
“So just think for a second,” Elliott said in the blackened hotel conference room, “what you, with all your dreams, your brainpower, those synapses firing off, how your life would have been different if you had to cope with the fact that around six or seven [every] evening your life went dark. And I’ll tell you what, it wouldn’t have been easy.”
With the lights back on, he then outlined a program, spearheaded by the United Nations and supported by business, foundations, governments, and nonprofits like his, that could help to change the equation. The goals of the program, named Sustainable Energy for All, are both simple and aggressive. By 2030:
...
As I think about it more, perhaps the goals aren’t so audacious after all. The mission set forth, while grand, seems achievable. And the call to action is at once both motivational and grounded. We face significant ecological, economic, and social challenges of historic proportions on a global scale, and need to have realistic “stretch” goals. I think Sustainable Energy for All might just be the mantra/meme many of us are looking for.
At the recent Fortune Brainstorm Green conference which I attended in Laguna Niguel, California,...
<snip>
But, for me, it was an international theme that really grabbed my attention. While the U.S. is currently mired in pre-election clean-tech bashing and partisan shenanigans, it was a simple, straightforward, high-impact presentation by Michael Elliott, president and CEO of the poverty-alleviation-focused nonprofit ONE (One.org), that turned my head. In a packed room, he asked us to imagine living after dark in one of the many places in the developing world without access to electricity (the daily reality for about 1.4 billion people globally). Then, he literally turned off the lights. No video, no music, nothing…and then he kept talking, and said this is what it would be like living in the tens of thousands of villages, favelas, and other outposts that have no, or limited, electricity.
“So just think for a second,” Elliott said in the blackened hotel conference room, “what you, with all your dreams, your brainpower, those synapses firing off, how your life would have been different if you had to cope with the fact that around six or seven [every] evening your life went dark. And I’ll tell you what, it wouldn’t have been easy.”
With the lights back on, he then outlined a program, spearheaded by the United Nations and supported by business, foundations, governments, and nonprofits like his, that could help to change the equation. The goals of the program, named Sustainable Energy for All, are both simple and aggressive. By 2030:
- Ensure universal access to modern energy services. (95 percent of the people without access to modern energy live in sub-Saharan Africa or developing Asia.)
-Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. (Investing in energy efficiency is a low-cost method of creating jobs, fostering economic growth, and improving energy security, especially for countries that lack domestic fossil-fuel resources.)
-Double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. (Increase energy from renewable resources—wind, water, the sun, biomass and geothermal — from 15 percent of the global energy mix to 30 percent.
...
As I think about it more, perhaps the goals aren’t so audacious after all. The mission set forth, while grand, seems achievable. And the call to action is at once both motivational and grounded. We face significant ecological, economic, and social challenges of historic proportions on a global scale, and need to have realistic “stretch” goals. I think Sustainable Energy for All might just be the mantra/meme many of us are looking for.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/05/02/474340/make-no-small-plans-turning-on-the-lights-for-14-billion-people/
May 10, 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/09/climate-change-american-tradition-insitute?intcmp=239
From the leaked memo that describes ATI's mission in the larger context of the campaign against renewable energy:
Read more at: http://www.democraticunderground.com/112714465 post 12
American Tradition Institute's fight against 'environmental junk science'
American Tradition Institute's fight against 'environmental junk science'
ATI is one of several groups ramping up an offensive to turn the American public against President Obama's energy policy
Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 9 May 2012 17.49 BST
American Tradition Institute is a relative newcomer to the network of ultra-conservative thinktank and activist groups with a core mission of discrediting climate science and dismantling environmental regulations – including those intended to avoid catastrophic climate change.
But it has grabbed headlines over the last two years by filing law suits demanding access to the entire document and email record of prominent climate scientists, including Michael Mann, James Hansen, and Katharine Hayhoe.
The thinktank claims it is looking for evidence of fraud. But the rash of law suits have been condemned by the main academic teaching body and scientific organisations as an assault on academic freedom. They also accuse ATI of deliberating filing nuisance suits to disrupt important academic research.
Until now, its campaign against wind power has been relegated to the sidelines. But that has been a core mission. ...
It claimed a mission of fighting "radical environmental junk science". But it has been preoccupied with fighting economic measures. It filed a law suit in Colorado last year to overturn a law requiring state power companies to get 30% of the electricity from renewables by 2020. It is also involved in campaigns against renewable standards in Delaware, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, and Ohio....
ATI is one of several groups ramping up an offensive to turn the American public against President Obama's energy policy
Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 9 May 2012 17.49 BST
American Tradition Institute is a relative newcomer to the network of ultra-conservative thinktank and activist groups with a core mission of discrediting climate science and dismantling environmental regulations – including those intended to avoid catastrophic climate change.
But it has grabbed headlines over the last two years by filing law suits demanding access to the entire document and email record of prominent climate scientists, including Michael Mann, James Hansen, and Katharine Hayhoe.
The thinktank claims it is looking for evidence of fraud. But the rash of law suits have been condemned by the main academic teaching body and scientific organisations as an assault on academic freedom. They also accuse ATI of deliberating filing nuisance suits to disrupt important academic research.
Until now, its campaign against wind power has been relegated to the sidelines. But that has been a core mission. ...
It claimed a mission of fighting "radical environmental junk science". But it has been preoccupied with fighting economic measures. It filed a law suit in Colorado last year to overturn a law requiring state power companies to get 30% of the electricity from renewables by 2020. It is also involved in campaigns against renewable standards in Delaware, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, and Ohio....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/09/climate-change-american-tradition-insitute?intcmp=239
From the leaked memo that describes ATI's mission in the larger context of the campaign against renewable energy:
Meme (self-replicating messages)
Response Coordinator
(This will help slow the meme effect of the industry, for instance when a company places a seal showing wind power was used to produce the product, we automatically assign a tax wasting symbol to the product and recommend a boycott on the website. When a company uses wind power as marketing tool, or illustration such as a toy manufacturer showing turbines on the box, we automatically contact them to tell them we will list them on the web as actively participating in disinformation by favorably showing wind turbines)
Legal Department for contract review and guidance on communication efforts, and also taking developers (etc.) to court on various issues to cause media exposure.
Maintain a comprehensive collection of court cases on this subject.
Also to provide legal voice for those who have none in this issue.
Develop legal strategies that can be copied in other areas.
Take zoning boards to court to rezone as industrial land to create chilling effect on signing contracts.
Also sue for property value loss to small land holders, and use all legal cases to create media poster child effect.
Sue states regarding RPS.
Sue state utility commission who don't do their job. Etc.
National Organization: Details and Narrative
The minimum national PR campaign goal is to constructively influence national and state wind energy policies. A broader possible goal is to constructively influence national and state energy and environmental policies. The goal will be realized by coordination of a focused message along many channels and with multiple voices. The intent is to target three audiences with consistent messaging to create the change. Public opinion must begin to change in what should appear as a "groundswell" among grass roots.
Response Coordinator
(This will help slow the meme effect of the industry, for instance when a company places a seal showing wind power was used to produce the product, we automatically assign a tax wasting symbol to the product and recommend a boycott on the website. When a company uses wind power as marketing tool, or illustration such as a toy manufacturer showing turbines on the box, we automatically contact them to tell them we will list them on the web as actively participating in disinformation by favorably showing wind turbines)
Legal Department for contract review and guidance on communication efforts, and also taking developers (etc.) to court on various issues to cause media exposure.
Maintain a comprehensive collection of court cases on this subject.
Also to provide legal voice for those who have none in this issue.
Develop legal strategies that can be copied in other areas.
Take zoning boards to court to rezone as industrial land to create chilling effect on signing contracts.
Also sue for property value loss to small land holders, and use all legal cases to create media poster child effect.
Sue states regarding RPS.
Sue state utility commission who don't do their job. Etc.
National Organization: Details and Narrative
The minimum national PR campaign goal is to constructively influence national and state wind energy policies. A broader possible goal is to constructively influence national and state energy and environmental policies. The goal will be realized by coordination of a focused message along many channels and with multiple voices. The intent is to target three audiences with consistent messaging to create the change. Public opinion must begin to change in what should appear as a "groundswell" among grass roots.
Read more at: http://www.democraticunderground.com/112714465 post 12
May 10, 2012
PR Audiences:
Policy/Political
Local-State-Federal
Landowner/Lease Grantor
General Public (including non-rural population)
Tax Payer
Utility Rate Payer
Business Owner
Media
Academics
Students
PR Strategy: Create a national professional Public Relations (PR) campaign to effectively communicate with the selected audiences using targeted messages. Have a consistent, positive, national message. Be FOR something (e.g. Science), not AGAINST something (e.g. wind energy). Be proactive vs reactive.
The minimum national PR campaign goal is to constructively influence national and state wind energy policies. A broader possible goal is to constructively influence national and state energy and environmental policies. Resolve: are our interests just wind energy, or broader?
The goal will be realized by coordination of a focused message along many channels and with multiple voices. The intent is to target the identified audiences with consistent messaging to create positive change. Public opinion must begin to change among citizens at large. Create a grass-roots ground swell from which the clamor for change will reach the elected officials and policy-makers.
The message will be determined from a variety of analysis techniques including inputs from local groups and others who have an interest in spreading the message. The message will be tested for resonance with the audiences, and the dynamic of the audience shall be periodically assessed.
In addition to have the appropriate message, it needs to be communicated optimally. We need to study and apply good communication skills.
Decide whether or not a national organization is advisable as well (Part 2).
A) Cause the targeted audience to change its opinion and action based on the messages.
B) Provide credible counter message to the (wind) industry.
C) Disrupt industry message with countermeasures.
D) Cause subversion in message of industry so that it effectively becomes so bad no one wants to admit in public they are for it (much like wind has done to coal, by turning green to black and clean to dirty).
Ultimate Goal: Change policy direction based on the message.
Some PR Tactics:
Most of this could be done by volunteers without having a formal national organization. Discuss how this would work and who would have what responsibilities.
Consider joining forces w some already established organization where there is substantial commonality and commitment (e.g. ATI, Heartland, IER, CEI, Marshall, Brookings, Cato, Manhattan, AfP, FW, CFACT, ALEC, NA-PAW, etc.).
Provide training to local leaders regarding PR.
Provide local groups support materials, like PowerPoint templates to put on local education seminars, document templates for them to file with their state utility commission, etc.
Have a high-quality professional brochure available as a handout, that summarizes the situation with wind energy (e.g. Rasmussen).
Encourage critical thinking from members and the public.
Develop a list of experts for testimony to government agencies, etc.
Identify key topics (e.g. health) and get volunteers to act as a clearing house for information and posting timely information for activists on a website.
Assign key people to be media interfaces (those who are knowledgeable, can think on their feet, camera friendly, etc.)
Coordinate messages to address local, state and federal levels of lawmakers
Create some catch phrases of wind energy -- e.g. puff power, breeze energy.
Setup a volunteer lobbying effort to reach key lawmakers Identify and connect with like-minded groups such as tax, tea party, true environmentalists, business organizations, property rights advocates, etc.
[Note: This is optional. All of the above PR would be done as well, but having a funded national organization would allow for a more comprehensive PR effort.]
Decide on the purpose of a national organization, and how it would interface with local groups. (E.g. local websites would primarily have info pertaining to the local issues. Education re wind energy would be handled nationally.)
Decide on the structure of a national organization, and where the funds would come from to support it.
Create a "think-tank" subgroup to produce and disseminate white paper reports and scientific quotes and papers that back-up the message.
Timely gathering of information as it appears in media outlets on this subject
Media Outreach & Response (communications) Committee will create and coordinate media contact campaigns.
Use PR Newswire as the wind industry does currently.
Create advertising campaign for radio, TV, and alternative media.
Coordinate with signage, tee-shirts, hats, bumper stickers etc
Employ a well-known spokesman with star credibility. (Find one to volunteer?)
Develop corporate partnerships where the message goes onto bags, signs, tents and other outlets.
Start a "get people talking" campaign. Use controversy to spark ideas.
Youth Outreach will create program for public school coordination as well as college coordination.
This will include community activity and participation with sponsorships for science fairs, school activity etc. with preset parameters that cause students to steer away from wind because they discover it doesn't meet the criteria we set up (poster contest, essays etc).
Setup a dummy business that will go into communities considering wind development, proposing to build 400 foot billboards.
Social Media Outreach director/create coordination for message on web and in Twitter-type outreach, YouTube, etc.
Create counter-intelligence branch (responsible for communicating current industry tactics and strategies as feedback to this organization) A team investigates links to any organization supporting wind in order to expose that support.
Provide alternative solutions for public consumption as well as re-branding of the current wind industry?
Write expose book on the industry, showing government waste, harm to communities and other negative impacts on people and the environment.
Response Coordinator (This will help slow the meme effect of the industry, for instance when a company places a seal showing wind power was used to produce the product, we automatically assign a tax wasting symbol to the product and recommend a boycott on the website.
When a company uses wind power as marketing tool, or illustration such as a toy manufacturer showing turbines on the box, we automatically contact them to tell them we will list them on the web as actively participating in disinformation by favorably showing wind turbines)
Legal Department for contract review and guidance on communication efforts, and also taking developers (etc.) to court on various issues to cause media exposure.
Maintain a comprehensive collection of court cases on this subject. Also to provide legal voice for those who have none in this issue.
Develop legal strategies that can be copied in other areas.
Take zoning boards to court to rezone as industrial land to create chilling effect on signing contracts.
Also sue for property value loss to small land holders, and use all legal cases to create media poster child effect.
Sue states regarding RPS.
Sue state utility commission who don't do their job. Etc.
National Organization: Details and Narrative
The minimum national PR campaign goal is to constructively influence national and state wind energy policies. A broader possible goal is to constructively influence national and state energy and environmental policies.
The goal will be realized by coordination of a focused message along many channels and with multiple voices. The intent is to target three audiences with consistent messaging to create the change. Public opinion must begin to change in what should appear as a "groundswell" among grass roots. The message will be determined from a variety of analysis techniques including interviews with local groups and others who have an interest in spreading the message. Those who hold opposing views must also be assessed. The analysis will include scientific polls as well as focus groups to be used on a continuing basis from time to time to direct and focus thecampaign on messages that are useful to the end goal. As perceptions change over time, a barometer must be used to determine those changes and make dynamic adjustments in the message and campaign.
Proposed Structure of a National Organization
A paid, full time director will report to a board on which the director has a voting seat. The director shall have one paid executive assistant. The organization shall rely on a network of volunteer state committee chairpeople who are to coordinate efforts to disseminate the message in the state. The chairperson shall make contacts and maintain them with various adhoc groups throughout the state that would benefit from the coordinated message.
The director shall make use of information gathering technology to stay abreast of developments in the media and industry and then coordinate appropriate messages accordingly.
This technology shall include a subscription to Nexis.
The director shall also develop and maintain contacts and coordinate their actions in regards to the message.
The organization shall maintain 501c3 and PAC status and shall coordinate lobby efforts at the congressional and state levels.
The director will make use of scientific research which is designed to gauge the response to the message and allow for the adjustment of the message from time to time. The same research is also to determine the weaknesses in opposition messages for the purpose of exploiting them to the end goal of the campaign.
National Organization: Details and Narrative
The purpose of a national organization would be to do a better, quicker job at constructively influencing national and state wind energy policies. A broader possible goal might be to constructively influence national and state energy and environmental policies.
The goal will be realized by coordination of a focused message along many channels and with multiple voices. The intent is to target three audiences with consistent messaging to create the change. Public opinion must begin to change in what should appear as a "groundswell" among grass roots. The message will be determined from a variety of analysis techniques including interviews with local groups and others who have an interest in spreading the message. Those who hold opposing views must also be assessed. The analysis will include scientific polls as well as focus groups to be used on a continuing basis from time to time to direct and focus the campaign on messages that are useful to the end goal. As perceptions change over time, a barometer must be used to determine those changes and make dynamic adjustments in the message and campaign.
The amount of time and energy the campaign will consume will necessarily require a minimum of two paid positions with consideration for the addition of other paid positions as the campaign grows and is able to garner more funding. A director will be appointed by a board, on which the director shall make material contributions to the direction the board takes in its approach. The director should have at least one administrative assistant paid to help with work loads. The work load of the director will likely exceed 60 hours per week and more if travel is included. A travel budget should also be planned to allow the director to meet with key persons in the various states where the campaign will become active.
The director position assumes that volunteers are ready and willing to begin serving in various committee positions as soon as possible. The beginning committees can be constituted by a board vote and should include the following for immediate activation:
Media,
Science,
Regional State Coordinators,
Networking,
Political/Lobby,
Group Policy
The group policy committee will decide the key messages and focus and will use data from analysis and research to make its decisions. The decisions from this committee will be used to guide the efforts of the organization in communicating with the prospective audiences. This committee is responsible for analyzing and responding to the dynamics of the audiences over time, and is key to successfully implementing the strategy by identifying the correct arguments and tone for resonance among the audiences.
The media committee is responsible for implementing the message in a variety of media resources including traditional media, new media, social media and networking. This committee will also be responsible for using analysis to determine the most appropriate packaging of the message for the various outlets. It should consider what channels and voices to use in each instance. This committee will have the responsibility of message integrity, that is, the continuity of message. The committee will need resources for message positioning as well as utilizing free message placement techniques.
The science committee will be responsible for assembling a directorate of scientists with the proper credentials to be accepted by main stream media. Those credentials are also important in making the scientific material harder to target and more difficult to tear down by the opposition. This committee will coordinate with the directorate to develop a highly respectable collection of scientific white papers and reports that are consistent in their approach to supporting the messages chosen as most likely to succeed. This committee will provide well respected scientists for media and political symposiums to be conducted to further establish the messages. They will coordinate their efforts with other committees whose duties will include dissemination of the science.
The state and regional coordinators will be volunteers appointed to regional positions to remain in contact with the state leaders in their area. They will ascertain the needs of the state and also local campaigns and be responsible for regularly reporting those needs to the organization so they can be addressed. They will also be responsible for coordinating the flow of information in two directions between the organization and the state. They should hold a monthly meeting where round -robin information sharing assures the flow of information up into the organization. The coordinators will also individually be responsible for reaching out weekly to their state contacts to maintain a current picture of the situation on the ground, and should communicate any urgent state needs directly up to the director who should then coordinate the appropriate response.
The networking committee will be responsible for coordinating the response of networked groups with like-mind on our message. These will include the tea party, anti-tax leagues and utility rate groups as well as government watch-dog, anti-waste groups. This committee will help spread our message to the network groups and then gather feed-back as to their interests and needs for further information from the organization.
Political and lobby committee is the coordinating arm for the message going to elected officials and contact with them in the capacity of lobby efforts. This group ideally will be able to present a ground swell of public opinion in addition to facts that support the message. The lobby efforts will include targeted opposition to current bills that continue the policy this organization opposes. A coordination with the science committee is important to provide facts for lawmakers in a format they can understand easily.
Funding for a National Organization
The organization will need funding and a recommendation of $750,000 for seed and startup is probably a realistic number. Printed materials, mailing, and the creation of a media packet, plus phone and computer links and information services. Travel will be necessary as well. The director should receive a salary of not less than $80,000 per year with an assistant receiving $35,000 per year. The director should have experience in PR and media with the appropriate understanding of marketing techniques. High level of creativity in developing media strategies, with emphasis on writing and communications. This person must think outside the box and be willing to use the latest understanding of PR to counteract the opposing message and strategy across a broad range of audiences.
This is a recommendation to hire a professional fundraiser responsible for coordinating donations to both the 501c3 and Pac.
The fundraising efforts should be separated from the duties of the director so as not to interfere with the day to day activities needed to keep the campaign moving forward.
Example Scenario (for a National Organization)
In this example, the group policy committee has identified that a particular bill providing funding for the opposition has been advanced to committee for a hearing. Policy committee has asked for a coordinated effort to stop the progress of the funding measure.
First, the lobby committee uses their contacts to begin a campaign from the inside against the bill with phone calls and private meetings. They meet with several staffers who suggest that the bill is being supported because it has been moved as green legislation and several committee members are afraid to oppose it on that basis. The lobby committee reports this to media and science for further action.
The media committee decides to use a full page advertisement in the Washington Post as a method of communicating the 'not so green truth' to congress, and at the same time coordinates a special interview and story from a scientific point of view that illustrates the dirty side of the industry. At this same time, the science committee holds a press conference to announce that the industry is using dishonesty and "greenwashing" as a cover for what amounts to corporate welfare.
The message is also repeated in Wash Times, WSJ, Fox and other sources.
State regional coordinators are tapped at this time to provide a letter writing campaign from the grass roots asking the key legislators to back away from the funding measure.
This campaign is also echoed in various directorate groups coordinated from the organization including tea party, anti-tax leagues, etc.
The coordinated effort stretches across multi-channels and multi-voices, and appears to come from as many as a dozen separate sources, but the message is the same and stays on point. The created barrage of voices provides enough cover that the elected officials have a way to vote no because they can clearly see they have support for our position.
CONCLUSION
A more consistent professional PR campaign is an absolute imperative. With well over ahundred US local groups fighting the same issue, it is clearly advisable that these people be on the same page. What sense does it make for each of these groups to be reinventing the wheel, and duplicating efforts?
There are several options as to how this can be implemented, ranging from the informal to the very structured.
The low cost alternative is to continue to rely on volunteers, and not to have a national organization. That can work, to a degree, but there still is a critical need for the numerous local groups across the country to work more closely together. Exactly how that can be best done is what needs to be resolved.
The more high-end approach would insure the widest distribution of the best message -- but will require considerable time effort and funding. A national organization can not be accomplished without full-time people working to coordinate local efforts. Are we prepared to commit to that option at this point?
Establishing a national organization (if that is the chosen route) should be viewed as a long term project. A three year plan should be developed that can offer some time table for expected results. Due to the size of this undertaking, this plan should include a roll-out period where a test of the organization can be made in a single state or region of states first, before going to a national format.
Copy of leaked memo referenced in OP - This is effing incredible!!!
This is a long document available for download with this link:
http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/355257/national-pr-campaign-proposal.txt
I'm just short of throwing up after reading it.
The created barrage of voices provides enough cover that the elected officials have a way to vote no because they can clearly see they have support for our position.
1: NATIONAL PR CAMPAIGN PROPOSAL
Draft from Rich Porter: 4/25/11.
Edited by John Droz: 1/23/12
-- CONFIDENTIAL --
PR Audiences:
Policy/Political
Local-State-Federal
Landowner/Lease Grantor
General Public (including non-rural population)
Tax Payer
Utility Rate Payer
Business Owner
Media
Academics
Students
PR Strategy: Create a national professional Public Relations (PR) campaign to effectively communicate with the selected audiences using targeted messages. Have a consistent, positive, national message. Be FOR something (e.g. Science), not AGAINST something (e.g. wind energy). Be proactive vs reactive.
The minimum national PR campaign goal is to constructively influence national and state wind energy policies. A broader possible goal is to constructively influence national and state energy and environmental policies. Resolve: are our interests just wind energy, or broader?
The goal will be realized by coordination of a focused message along many channels and with multiple voices. The intent is to target the identified audiences with consistent messaging to create positive change. Public opinion must begin to change among citizens at large. Create a grass-roots ground swell from which the clamor for change will reach the elected officials and policy-makers.
The message will be determined from a variety of analysis techniques including inputs from local groups and others who have an interest in spreading the message. The message will be tested for resonance with the audiences, and the dynamic of the audience shall be periodically assessed.
In addition to have the appropriate message, it needs to be communicated optimally. We need to study and apply good communication skills.
Decide whether or not a national organization is advisable as well (Part 2).
Goals of the PR Campaign
A) Cause the targeted audience to change its opinion and action based on the messages.
B) Provide credible counter message to the (wind) industry.
C) Disrupt industry message with countermeasures.
D) Cause subversion in message of industry so that it effectively becomes so bad no one wants to admit in public they are for it (much like wind has done to coal, by turning green to black and clean to dirty).
Ultimate Goal: Change policy direction based on the message.
Some PR Tactics:
Most of this could be done by volunteers without having a formal national organization. Discuss how this would work and who would have what responsibilities.
Consider joining forces w some already established organization where there is substantial commonality and commitment (e.g. ATI, Heartland, IER, CEI, Marshall, Brookings, Cato, Manhattan, AfP, FW, CFACT, ALEC, NA-PAW, etc.).
Provide training to local leaders regarding PR.
Provide local groups support materials, like PowerPoint templates to put on local education seminars, document templates for them to file with their state utility commission, etc.
Have a high-quality professional brochure available as a handout, that summarizes the situation with wind energy (e.g. Rasmussen).
Encourage critical thinking from members and the public.
Develop a list of experts for testimony to government agencies, etc.
Identify key topics (e.g. health) and get volunteers to act as a clearing house for information and posting timely information for activists on a website.
Assign key people to be media interfaces (those who are knowledgeable, can think on their feet, camera friendly, etc.)
Coordinate messages to address local, state and federal levels of lawmakers
Create some catch phrases of wind energy -- e.g. puff power, breeze energy.
Setup a volunteer lobbying effort to reach key lawmakers Identify and connect with like-minded groups such as tax, tea party, true environmentalists, business organizations, property rights advocates, etc.
2: NATIONAL ORGANIZATION PROPOSAL
Some Considerations Regarding a National Organization:
[Note: This is optional. All of the above PR would be done as well, but having a funded national organization would allow for a more comprehensive PR effort.]
Decide on the purpose of a national organization, and how it would interface with local groups. (E.g. local websites would primarily have info pertaining to the local issues. Education re wind energy would be handled nationally.)
Decide on the structure of a national organization, and where the funds would come from to support it.
Create a "think-tank" subgroup to produce and disseminate white paper reports and scientific quotes and papers that back-up the message.
Timely gathering of information as it appears in media outlets on this subject
Media Outreach & Response (communications) Committee will create and coordinate media contact campaigns.
Use PR Newswire as the wind industry does currently.
Create advertising campaign for radio, TV, and alternative media.
Coordinate with signage, tee-shirts, hats, bumper stickers etc
Employ a well-known spokesman with star credibility. (Find one to volunteer?)
Develop corporate partnerships where the message goes onto bags, signs, tents and other outlets.
Start a "get people talking" campaign. Use controversy to spark ideas.
Youth Outreach will create program for public school coordination as well as college coordination.
This will include community activity and participation with sponsorships for science fairs, school activity etc. with preset parameters that cause students to steer away from wind because they discover it doesn't meet the criteria we set up (poster contest, essays etc).
Setup a dummy business that will go into communities considering wind development, proposing to build 400 foot billboards.
Social Media Outreach director/create coordination for message on web and in Twitter-type outreach, YouTube, etc.
Create counter-intelligence branch (responsible for communicating current industry tactics and strategies as feedback to this organization) A team investigates links to any organization supporting wind in order to expose that support.
Provide alternative solutions for public consumption as well as re-branding of the current wind industry?
Write expose book on the industry, showing government waste, harm to communities and other negative impacts on people and the environment.
Meme (self-replicating messages)
Response Coordinator (This will help slow the meme effect of the industry, for instance when a company places a seal showing wind power was used to produce the product, we automatically assign a tax wasting symbol to the product and recommend a boycott on the website.
When a company uses wind power as marketing tool, or illustration such as a toy manufacturer showing turbines on the box, we automatically contact them to tell them we will list them on the web as actively participating in disinformation by favorably showing wind turbines)
Legal Department for contract review and guidance on communication efforts, and also taking developers (etc.) to court on various issues to cause media exposure.
Maintain a comprehensive collection of court cases on this subject. Also to provide legal voice for those who have none in this issue.
Develop legal strategies that can be copied in other areas.
Take zoning boards to court to rezone as industrial land to create chilling effect on signing contracts.
Also sue for property value loss to small land holders, and use all legal cases to create media poster child effect.
Sue states regarding RPS.
Sue state utility commission who don't do their job. Etc.
National Organization: Details and Narrative
The minimum national PR campaign goal is to constructively influence national and state wind energy policies. A broader possible goal is to constructively influence national and state energy and environmental policies.
The goal will be realized by coordination of a focused message along many channels and with multiple voices. The intent is to target three audiences with consistent messaging to create the change. Public opinion must begin to change in what should appear as a "groundswell" among grass roots. The message will be determined from a variety of analysis techniques including interviews with local groups and others who have an interest in spreading the message. Those who hold opposing views must also be assessed. The analysis will include scientific polls as well as focus groups to be used on a continuing basis from time to time to direct and focus thecampaign on messages that are useful to the end goal. As perceptions change over time, a barometer must be used to determine those changes and make dynamic adjustments in the message and campaign.
Proposed Structure of a National Organization
A paid, full time director will report to a board on which the director has a voting seat. The director shall have one paid executive assistant. The organization shall rely on a network of volunteer state committee chairpeople who are to coordinate efforts to disseminate the message in the state. The chairperson shall make contacts and maintain them with various adhoc groups throughout the state that would benefit from the coordinated message.
The director shall make use of information gathering technology to stay abreast of developments in the media and industry and then coordinate appropriate messages accordingly.
This technology shall include a subscription to Nexis.
The director shall also develop and maintain contacts and coordinate their actions in regards to the message.
The organization shall maintain 501c3 and PAC status and shall coordinate lobby efforts at the congressional and state levels.
The director will make use of scientific research which is designed to gauge the response to the message and allow for the adjustment of the message from time to time. The same research is also to determine the weaknesses in opposition messages for the purpose of exploiting them to the end goal of the campaign.
National Organization: Details and Narrative
The purpose of a national organization would be to do a better, quicker job at constructively influencing national and state wind energy policies. A broader possible goal might be to constructively influence national and state energy and environmental policies.
The goal will be realized by coordination of a focused message along many channels and with multiple voices. The intent is to target three audiences with consistent messaging to create the change. Public opinion must begin to change in what should appear as a "groundswell" among grass roots. The message will be determined from a variety of analysis techniques including interviews with local groups and others who have an interest in spreading the message. Those who hold opposing views must also be assessed. The analysis will include scientific polls as well as focus groups to be used on a continuing basis from time to time to direct and focus the campaign on messages that are useful to the end goal. As perceptions change over time, a barometer must be used to determine those changes and make dynamic adjustments in the message and campaign.
The amount of time and energy the campaign will consume will necessarily require a minimum of two paid positions with consideration for the addition of other paid positions as the campaign grows and is able to garner more funding. A director will be appointed by a board, on which the director shall make material contributions to the direction the board takes in its approach. The director should have at least one administrative assistant paid to help with work loads. The work load of the director will likely exceed 60 hours per week and more if travel is included. A travel budget should also be planned to allow the director to meet with key persons in the various states where the campaign will become active.
The director position assumes that volunteers are ready and willing to begin serving in various committee positions as soon as possible. The beginning committees can be constituted by a board vote and should include the following for immediate activation:
Media,
Science,
Regional State Coordinators,
Networking,
Political/Lobby,
Group Policy
The group policy committee will decide the key messages and focus and will use data from analysis and research to make its decisions. The decisions from this committee will be used to guide the efforts of the organization in communicating with the prospective audiences. This committee is responsible for analyzing and responding to the dynamics of the audiences over time, and is key to successfully implementing the strategy by identifying the correct arguments and tone for resonance among the audiences.
The media committee is responsible for implementing the message in a variety of media resources including traditional media, new media, social media and networking. This committee will also be responsible for using analysis to determine the most appropriate packaging of the message for the various outlets. It should consider what channels and voices to use in each instance. This committee will have the responsibility of message integrity, that is, the continuity of message. The committee will need resources for message positioning as well as utilizing free message placement techniques.
The science committee will be responsible for assembling a directorate of scientists with the proper credentials to be accepted by main stream media. Those credentials are also important in making the scientific material harder to target and more difficult to tear down by the opposition. This committee will coordinate with the directorate to develop a highly respectable collection of scientific white papers and reports that are consistent in their approach to supporting the messages chosen as most likely to succeed. This committee will provide well respected scientists for media and political symposiums to be conducted to further establish the messages. They will coordinate their efforts with other committees whose duties will include dissemination of the science.
The state and regional coordinators will be volunteers appointed to regional positions to remain in contact with the state leaders in their area. They will ascertain the needs of the state and also local campaigns and be responsible for regularly reporting those needs to the organization so they can be addressed. They will also be responsible for coordinating the flow of information in two directions between the organization and the state. They should hold a monthly meeting where round -robin information sharing assures the flow of information up into the organization. The coordinators will also individually be responsible for reaching out weekly to their state contacts to maintain a current picture of the situation on the ground, and should communicate any urgent state needs directly up to the director who should then coordinate the appropriate response.
The networking committee will be responsible for coordinating the response of networked groups with like-mind on our message. These will include the tea party, anti-tax leagues and utility rate groups as well as government watch-dog, anti-waste groups. This committee will help spread our message to the network groups and then gather feed-back as to their interests and needs for further information from the organization.
Political and lobby committee is the coordinating arm for the message going to elected officials and contact with them in the capacity of lobby efforts. This group ideally will be able to present a ground swell of public opinion in addition to facts that support the message. The lobby efforts will include targeted opposition to current bills that continue the policy this organization opposes. A coordination with the science committee is important to provide facts for lawmakers in a format they can understand easily.
Funding for a National Organization
The organization will need funding and a recommendation of $750,000 for seed and startup is probably a realistic number. Printed materials, mailing, and the creation of a media packet, plus phone and computer links and information services. Travel will be necessary as well. The director should receive a salary of not less than $80,000 per year with an assistant receiving $35,000 per year. The director should have experience in PR and media with the appropriate understanding of marketing techniques. High level of creativity in developing media strategies, with emphasis on writing and communications. This person must think outside the box and be willing to use the latest understanding of PR to counteract the opposing message and strategy across a broad range of audiences.
This is a recommendation to hire a professional fundraiser responsible for coordinating donations to both the 501c3 and Pac.
The fundraising efforts should be separated from the duties of the director so as not to interfere with the day to day activities needed to keep the campaign moving forward.
Example Scenario (for a National Organization)
In this example, the group policy committee has identified that a particular bill providing funding for the opposition has been advanced to committee for a hearing. Policy committee has asked for a coordinated effort to stop the progress of the funding measure.
First, the lobby committee uses their contacts to begin a campaign from the inside against the bill with phone calls and private meetings. They meet with several staffers who suggest that the bill is being supported because it has been moved as green legislation and several committee members are afraid to oppose it on that basis. The lobby committee reports this to media and science for further action.
The media committee decides to use a full page advertisement in the Washington Post as a method of communicating the 'not so green truth' to congress, and at the same time coordinates a special interview and story from a scientific point of view that illustrates the dirty side of the industry. At this same time, the science committee holds a press conference to announce that the industry is using dishonesty and "greenwashing" as a cover for what amounts to corporate welfare.
The message is also repeated in Wash Times, WSJ, Fox and other sources.
State regional coordinators are tapped at this time to provide a letter writing campaign from the grass roots asking the key legislators to back away from the funding measure.
This campaign is also echoed in various directorate groups coordinated from the organization including tea party, anti-tax leagues, etc.
The coordinated effort stretches across multi-channels and multi-voices, and appears to come from as many as a dozen separate sources, but the message is the same and stays on point. The created barrage of voices provides enough cover that the elected officials have a way to vote no because they can clearly see they have support for our position.
CONCLUSION
A more consistent professional PR campaign is an absolute imperative. With well over ahundred US local groups fighting the same issue, it is clearly advisable that these people be on the same page. What sense does it make for each of these groups to be reinventing the wheel, and duplicating efforts?
There are several options as to how this can be implemented, ranging from the informal to the very structured.
The low cost alternative is to continue to rely on volunteers, and not to have a national organization. That can work, to a degree, but there still is a critical need for the numerous local groups across the country to work more closely together. Exactly how that can be best done is what needs to be resolved.
The more high-end approach would insure the widest distribution of the best message -- but will require considerable time effort and funding. A national organization can not be accomplished without full-time people working to coordinate local efforts. Are we prepared to commit to that option at this point?
Establishing a national organization (if that is the chosen route) should be viewed as a long term project. A three year plan should be developed that can offer some time table for expected results. Due to the size of this undertaking, this plan should include a roll-out period where a test of the organization can be made in a single state or region of states first, before going to a national format.
May 10, 2012
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/05/hollande-victory-signals-shift-in-frances-renewable-energy-policy?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-May9-2012
Hollande Victory Signals Shift in France's Renewable Energy Policy
Hollande Victory Signals Shift in France's Renewable Energy Policy
By Steve Leone, Associate Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
May 8, 2012
New Hampshire, USA — A natural disaster sparked the re-emergence of Japan as a ripe renewable energy market. Now, a political shakeup could have similar effects 6,000 miles away in France.
That’s the initial indication as the world works to gauge the fallout from a massive swing in political direction as Socialist François Hollande unseated Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy for the French presidency. The math is pretty simple on this one. Sarkozy has been a staunch supporter of nuclear power, which is reponsible for more than 75 percent of the country’s electricity. He’s also been mostly against expanding government programs to grow the green economy. President-elect Hollande, meanwhile, is an avid backer of renewable energy and he has stated publicly that he wants to reduce France’s dependence on nuclear power to 50 percent by 2025.
The likely shift in national energy strategy comes as many of the country’s neighbors scale back their commitment to renewables as part of deep cuts in spending. The photovoltaic industries in Germany, Italy and the U.K. are still assessing the impacts of recent cuts in their respective Feed-in tariffs.
France’s reconsideration of its renewables future has an awful lot to do with the recent struggles of Japan. The March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis shifted Japan’s future policy toward solar, wind, biomass and geothermal. It forced the same change in Germany, which like France and Japan, relied heavily on nuclear power. And Italy, which had considered re-committing itself to nuclear energy, shut the door quickly after Fukushima.
Now, France stands alone ...
By Steve Leone, Associate Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
May 8, 2012
New Hampshire, USA — A natural disaster sparked the re-emergence of Japan as a ripe renewable energy market. Now, a political shakeup could have similar effects 6,000 miles away in France.
That’s the initial indication as the world works to gauge the fallout from a massive swing in political direction as Socialist François Hollande unseated Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy for the French presidency. The math is pretty simple on this one. Sarkozy has been a staunch supporter of nuclear power, which is reponsible for more than 75 percent of the country’s electricity. He’s also been mostly against expanding government programs to grow the green economy. President-elect Hollande, meanwhile, is an avid backer of renewable energy and he has stated publicly that he wants to reduce France’s dependence on nuclear power to 50 percent by 2025.
The likely shift in national energy strategy comes as many of the country’s neighbors scale back their commitment to renewables as part of deep cuts in spending. The photovoltaic industries in Germany, Italy and the U.K. are still assessing the impacts of recent cuts in their respective Feed-in tariffs.
France’s reconsideration of its renewables future has an awful lot to do with the recent struggles of Japan. The March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis shifted Japan’s future policy toward solar, wind, biomass and geothermal. It forced the same change in Germany, which like France and Japan, relied heavily on nuclear power. And Italy, which had considered re-committing itself to nuclear energy, shut the door quickly after Fukushima.
Now, France stands alone ...
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/05/hollande-victory-signals-shift-in-frances-renewable-energy-policy?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-May9-2012
May 10, 2012
Yep, definately crab apples.
You are (still) more than welcome to support your "call" with reason and data. As I've posted several times in this thread "You have every right to treasure the beliefs you come to the table with. However when you seek to defend or promote that view with the use of factually inaccurate evidence then it seems natural to me that the evidence is subject to challenge."
I'm glad you understand that "people might be coming from a place that you don't know anything about"; that is what is meant by "values" and "beliefs". And while it may have been a revelation to you, to some of us the diversity of the world is something we are deeply steeped in and very accustomed to dealing with. But we all started somewhere so I hope you understand that personal growth is a process.
However, personal opinion is not something that should be used to hide behind Xemasab, although that is often a strategy used by someone who can't reasonably defend their beliefs. Take the right to marriage discussion going on right now. Those who oppose gay marriage have a set of norms, values and beliefs that they are acting on. In order to defend the validity of their norms and the actual consequences of the choices they make to impose their will on others they must rely on reasonably connecting them to the real world. IMO the reason public opinion is shifting towards favoring the equal right of marriage for all people is that the attempts at defending the values and beliefs behind the norms of the righties are batshit crazy and cannot be logically connected to the real world. They simply cannot present cogent, reasoned argument supported by legitimate data in order to justify the norms they want all of society to live by because they are operating on false beliefs.
Their favorite tactic when they are exposed as having no basis for their positions is to hide behind a supposed "right" to their opinion. To which I say "You have every right to treasure the beliefs you come to the table with. However when you seek to defend or promote that view with the use of factually inaccurate evidence then it seems natural to me that the evidence is subject to challenge."
May 9, 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/08/conservative-thinktanks-obama-energy-plans
Right wing stepping up attacks on renewable energy
Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama's clean energy strategy
Confidential memo seen by Guardian calls for climate change sceptics to turn American public against solar and wind power
The proposals suggest setting up 'dummy businesses' to buy anti-wind billboards, and creating a 'counter-intelligence branch' to track the wind energy industry. Photograph: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty
A network of ultra-conservative groups is ramping up an offensive on multiple fronts to turn the American public against wind farms and Barack Obama's energy agenda.
A number of rightwing organisations, including Americans for Prosperity, which is funded by the billionaire Koch brothers, are attacking Obama for his support for solar and wind power. The American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec), which also has financial links to the Kochs, has drafted bills to overturn state laws promoting wind energy.
Now a confidential strategy memo seen by the Guardian advises using "subversion" to build a national movement of wind farm protesters.
...
Among its main recommendations, the proposal calls for a national PR campaign aimed at causing "subversion in message of industry so that it effectively because so bad that no one wants to admit in public they are for it."
It suggests setting ...
Confidential memo seen by Guardian calls for climate change sceptics to turn American public against solar and wind power
The proposals suggest setting up 'dummy businesses' to buy anti-wind billboards, and creating a 'counter-intelligence branch' to track the wind energy industry. Photograph: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty
A network of ultra-conservative groups is ramping up an offensive on multiple fronts to turn the American public against wind farms and Barack Obama's energy agenda.
A number of rightwing organisations, including Americans for Prosperity, which is funded by the billionaire Koch brothers, are attacking Obama for his support for solar and wind power. The American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec), which also has financial links to the Kochs, has drafted bills to overturn state laws promoting wind energy.
Now a confidential strategy memo seen by the Guardian advises using "subversion" to build a national movement of wind farm protesters.
...
Among its main recommendations, the proposal calls for a national PR campaign aimed at causing "subversion in message of industry so that it effectively because so bad that no one wants to admit in public they are for it."
It suggests setting ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/08/conservative-thinktanks-obama-energy-plans
May 9, 2012
Still on your antirenewable crusade, eh?
Because of the merit order effect solar is reducing the overall costs of electricity sold on the auction market by 10% compared to what it would be without solar. That is coming directly out of the profits of the fossil fuel generators.
The daytime reduction is up to 40% but that is mitigated by fossil fuel generators increasing the price of what they charge for nighttime electricity.
This pressure to increase prices reduces the competitive position of fossil fuels. This makes the alternatives even more competitive and will serve to further reduce the market share for fossils - a process that eventually puts them out of business. Most of us think that is a very good thing and that it is a value worth paying for.
The increase in price to the homeowner attributable to this specific aspect of the policy demonstrates an inherent unfairness in the design of the program that favors industry (just what you'd expect from the pronuke/coal conservative govt), not that there is no consumer benefit from solar.
So if the merit order effect isn't what is responsible for the increase you are pointing to in the link, what is?
Simply put it is the success of solar.
They are installing almost 3X the amount of solar that was their goal when the program was established and these prices were set (which is what this OP is about). This necessitated increasing collections in order to pay for the volume of installed capacity. Note carefully that this equipment is in place and generating electricity.
***
Now, I have a question for you. The ratepayers of Georgia, South Carolina and Florida are all being or getting ready to have their electricity prices raised now to pay for nuclear power plants that, if they ever get built at all, will not begin producing electricity until years from now when they would almost certainly be able to buy solar that will produce their power for less than the price of electricity from the not-yet-built nuclear plants.
What are your thoughts on the plight of those unfortunate ratepayers? Polling shows that we are far more willing to pay extra for renewables than for nuclear. You are extremely disturbed by the dastardly imposition of renewable costs on the poor, unfortunate exploited German ratepayer yet apparently have no sympathy for the poor unfortunate exploited victims of the nuclear industry in the US. At least the Germans are getting the facilities and electricity they are paying for.
May 9, 2012
The article also has a good discussion of these charts that are used to illustrate the way solar impacts electricity pricing:
They add a couple of points that are worth noting. They quote a study saying the 25GW of solar in Germany is producing a 40% reduction in daytime pricing but only a 10% overall reduction in electricity costs. It is also resulting in an increase in nighttime electricity costs as fossil producers are forced to raise their prices to make up for lost daytime revenue. Obviously that is not enhancing the competitive position of fossil fuels in relation to new technologies.
As one writer put it, "solar PV is not just licking the cream off the profits of the fossil fuel generators—it is in fact eating their entire cake."
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2012/04/german-solar-juggernaut-continues-despite-tariff-cuts.ars
German solar juggernaut rolls on despite tariff cuts
German solar juggernaut rolls on despite tariff cuts
By James Holloway
...Germany's solar expansion continues apace. To achieve its aim of 52GW of installed PV capacity by 2020 it only needs to install 3GW per year—about half the rate at which it's currently trundling along. Clearly German solar expansion is looking beyond domestic suppliers to provide cheap, efficient equipment—in many cases to China and the US, where manufacturers have more nimbly adapted to efficiency-boosting and price-cutting advances.
It's likely that feed-in tariffs will be abolished outright long before 2020, and the consensus in the German solar industry appears to be that this will make very little difference to progress. As photovoltaic power fast approaches grid parity—i.e. a cost level with that of purchasing from the grid—the idea of financial incentives for solar installations appears increasingly redundant. If the cutting of feed-in tariffs is a strategy to undermine the march of photovoltaic solar power (as has been theorized), it doesn't seem to be working. Rather, the effect seems to be that, by making installers more cost-conscious, the least competitive manufacturers are weeded out. If the upshot of reducing feed-in tariffs is to keep the solar industry honest, how bad is that, really?
By James Holloway
...Germany's solar expansion continues apace. To achieve its aim of 52GW of installed PV capacity by 2020 it only needs to install 3GW per year—about half the rate at which it's currently trundling along. Clearly German solar expansion is looking beyond domestic suppliers to provide cheap, efficient equipment—in many cases to China and the US, where manufacturers have more nimbly adapted to efficiency-boosting and price-cutting advances.
It's likely that feed-in tariffs will be abolished outright long before 2020, and the consensus in the German solar industry appears to be that this will make very little difference to progress. As photovoltaic power fast approaches grid parity—i.e. a cost level with that of purchasing from the grid—the idea of financial incentives for solar installations appears increasingly redundant. If the cutting of feed-in tariffs is a strategy to undermine the march of photovoltaic solar power (as has been theorized), it doesn't seem to be working. Rather, the effect seems to be that, by making installers more cost-conscious, the least competitive manufacturers are weeded out. If the upshot of reducing feed-in tariffs is to keep the solar industry honest, how bad is that, really?
The article also has a good discussion of these charts that are used to illustrate the way solar impacts electricity pricing:
They add a couple of points that are worth noting. They quote a study saying the 25GW of solar in Germany is producing a 40% reduction in daytime pricing but only a 10% overall reduction in electricity costs. It is also resulting in an increase in nighttime electricity costs as fossil producers are forced to raise their prices to make up for lost daytime revenue. Obviously that is not enhancing the competitive position of fossil fuels in relation to new technologies.
As one writer put it, "solar PV is not just licking the cream off the profits of the fossil fuel generators—it is in fact eating their entire cake."
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2012/04/german-solar-juggernaut-continues-despite-tariff-cuts.ars
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