Solar Love
  • Rooftop Solar
    • Energy Storage
  • Solar Panels
  • Policy
  • Research
    • Science
    • Market Research
    • Solar Perceptions & Polls

Solar Love

  • Rooftop Solar
    • Energy Storage
  • Solar Panels
  • Policy
  • Research
    • Science
    • Market Research
    • Solar Perceptions & Polls
Other Renewable EnergyPVSolar Policy

10th Circuit Court Rules Against Coal Advocates

by Steve Hanley July 16, 2015
written by Steve Hanley July 16, 2015
10th Circuit Court Rules Against Coal Advocates

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against the Energy and Environment Legal Institute, formerly called the American Tradition Institute — a nonprofit that advocates a “free-market approach” to environmentalism. That means it represents, and is funded by, powerful interests who stand to lose billions if renewable energy is allowed to flourish. These are people who are perfectly willing to have billions of people dispossessed by rising sea levels, beset by a lack of clean drinking water, and sickened by air pollution just as long as their clients continue to make money by burning fossil fuels. Their parents must be very proud.

The top ten cities for solar power all promote policies that encourage rooftop solar.Back in 2011, E & E Legal brought suit against the state of Colorado to block a clean energy standard that requires utilities to get 30% of the electricity they sell to Colorado customers from renewable sources. The group argued that standard violated the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution.

Wait. What? Yup; you see their clients make electricity by burning coal. Colorado used to get some of its power from those coal burning plants. Restricting the amount of coal-fired electricity coming into the state will decrease its clients’ profits and, gosh, how can it be legal for a government standard to take money out of corporate coffers? That has to be unconstitutional, right?

Fortunately, US Circuit Judge Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the opinion for the three-judge panel, went to law school and actually paid attention in his constitutional law class. He wrote, “To be sure, fossil fuel producers like [E&E Legal]’s member will be hurt. But as far as we know, all fossil fuel producers in the area served by the grid will be hurt equally and all renewable energy producers in the area will be helped equally. If there’s any disproportionate adverse effect felt by out-of-state producers or any disproportionate advantage enjoyed by in-state producers, it hasn’t been explained to this court.”

He also found the plaintiffs’ contention that the clean energy standard might raise the cost of electricity for Colorado residents to be laughable. He noted voters had given the initiative “overwhelming support.” He wrote, “That’s a cost they are apparently happy to bear.”

According to Think Progress, Colorado is a national leader in clean energy, due in part to the state’s ambitious renewable energy standard. It is home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the federal government’s primary research facility for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“Today is a good day for renewable energy in Colorado and our efforts to clean our air and combat climate change,” says Carrie Curtiss, deputy director of Conservation Colorado. “It is time for the climate deniers and dirty energy lobby to end their frivolous lawsuits and recognize that clean, renewable energy is here to stay.”

Amen to that.

10th Circuit Court of Appealsclimate denierscoal lobbyColoradoColorado clean power initiativeColorado Renewable Energy Standardlegal policyrenewable energy standards
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterest
Steve Hanley

writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island. You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.

previous post
Bringing Solar Lights To Off-Grid Areas In Africa
next post
Utility-Scale Solar More Cost Effective Than Rooftop Solar, Report Finds

You may also like

India’s NTPC Offers Solar Project Management Services To...

June 9, 2019

Neighborhood Power Installing 10 Megawatt Solar Bifacial+Tracker Project...

November 20, 2018

EDF Renewables Commissions 110 Megawatts Of Solar In...

October 30, 2018

Maui Switches On Another 2.87 Megawatts Of Solar...

October 8, 2018

Capital Dynamics Acquires 121 Megawatt Springbok 3 Solar...

September 27, 2018

EnSync Energy Sells CAL FIRE Solar PPA Project...

August 20, 2018

India Plans 20 Gigawatt Solar Tender To Circumvent...

May 16, 2018

California Solar Mandate Bumps Solar Forecast By 14%...

May 14, 2018

India, WTO Members Spar Over Safeguard Duties On...

May 10, 2018

India Sees Highest-Ever Quarterly Solar Addition

April 30, 2018

Follow Me

Facebook

Recent Posts

  • Meet PVCase: A 3D Solar Design Software That Every PV Designer Should Consider

    June 12, 2019
  • Mitsui To Partner With Indian Company For Distributed Solar Projects

    June 10, 2019
  • India’s NTPC Offers Solar Project Management Services To ISA Members

    June 9, 2019
  • Equinor & Scatec Solar Complete 162 Megawatt Brazilian Solar Plant

    November 29, 2018
  • Gamesa Awarded 400 Megawatt Solar Project In Egypt

    November 29, 2018
  • Facebook

@2019 - All Right Reserved solarlove.org


Back To Top