Regulatory economics: “It's simple economics”

Abstract

In his State of the Union speech, the president again called for a Clean Energy Standard. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced S. 2146. Compliance is phased in, with 8 percent of the largest utilities needing 24 percent clean energy by 2015 and all utilities needing 84 percent clean energy by 2035. There are no energy source mandates that let “the market… determine the best paths forward.”1 “Clean energy” includes renewables, nuclear, clean coal, and efficient natural gas.