Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

TexasTowelie

(115,254 posts)
Fri Feb 16, 2018, 10:37 PM Feb 2018

To win, GOP changes rules

A hallmark of the modern Republican Party is: If you can’t beat ‘em, change the rules… and then beat ‘em.

Coal is not the energy of the future. But the Kentucky GOP appears determined to keep it on life support as long as possible. Last week, that Grand Ol’ Practice of rule changing was on prominent display by House Republicans as they added two Republicans and one coal-country Democrat to a committee to ensure passage of an anti-solar energy bill.

The GOP-sponsored bill would cut the rate that solar panel users are compensated when they provide energy to the electric grid, drastically changing the financial viability of the solar industry in Kentucky. At the very least, it’s a disincentive to growing solar power.

One can debate the merits of the bill, but what’s worse is how Republicans blithely changed the rules to make sure the bill passed.

Read more: https://www.leoweekly.com/2018/02/win-gop-changes-rules/

3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
To win, GOP changes rules (Original Post) TexasTowelie Feb 2018 OP
Or, if you can't beat them , CHEAT Ferrets are Cool Feb 2018 #1
back to the dark ages with them. repubs will have them living in caves soon enough nt msongs Feb 2018 #2
Too many state commissions have been negatively influenced to allow very ... SWBTATTReg Feb 2018 #3

SWBTATTReg

(23,556 posts)
3. Too many state commissions have been negatively influenced to allow very ...
Sat Feb 17, 2018, 12:15 AM
Feb 2018

minimal payback rates on solar power to the grid (when unused by home owner/business owner), and not just in Kentucky.

Work-around? None presently very affordable since installing own distribution facilities is very expensive, and, leasing distribution facilities from the power company to major consumer of energy consumers is probably too.

What's really funny about this is that they (the GOP who rigged the 'rules') didn't help the fossil fuel power industry at all in Kentucky. You'll still have companies and/or home owners still putting in solar where advantageous to do so, and thus, they'll reduce their fossil-fueled energy bills anyways, and don't care about reselling surplus energy.

Or, simply sell the solar energy generated at the low rates mandated by these idiot pricing requirements, to a valid energy company within each state, transport the energy across state lines, where's it is regulated by the Feds (at probably better rates), and reship the rebranded solar energy to its originating point, and offer at same rates as usual energy sources (coal plants, atomic energy plants, etc. (sources of power are all merged into 1 feed, so no distinction is made between the different types of generated energy, energy is energy, no matter where it comes from)).

Just speculating here.

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Kentucky»To win, GOP changes rules