(Pictured: David T. Stevenson, CRI Policy Director)
Center For Energy & Environmental Policy
- Electric generators in Delaware must buy allowances to emit carbon dioxide from a multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). After a decade the program hasn’t worked to reduce emissions globally. It has contributed to higher electric rates. Those higher rates hurt the poor the most, and has chased energy intensive manufacturing facilities and electric generating out of state. CRI is promoting a multi-pronged strategy to end participation in RGGI by Delaware and other states.
- Delaware forces electric utilities to buy an annually increasing amount of renewable energy credits from power sources such as fuel cells, wind, and solar. After a decade of effort, less than 2 percent of our in-state power production comes from renewable sources, but Delmarva Power customers have been committed to about $750 million in premium payments. A promise to freeze the annual increases if cost on electric bills exceeds 3 percent was broken in 2012, and now adds about 15 percent. CRI has succeeded in enforcing the regulation, but will now be fighting legislation to eliminate the cost cap. We are also encouraging rule changes that would allow more installations of large scale solar projects that are now competitively priced and require no government regulation, or subsidies.
- CRI is fighting efforts by Delmarva Power to enter the electric vehicle charging market with a guaranteed 9.75% profit margin with the cost, and risks transferred to their electric customers.
- CRI is also fighting refrigerant industry efforts to shield their new products from competition by banning existing products through EPA regulations, and international treaties. The new products cost ten times more than existing products, and a treaty would obligate the U.S. to pay $1.3 billion to the wasteful United Nations.
Reliable, low cost electric power is critical to maintaining economic growth and our quality of life. Life expectancy has doubled, and the economy has grown eight-fold since 1900 with both directly linked to the growth of the electric industry. The effect is being replicated in developing ...
Read MoreIn 2014, for the first time, Delaware met all Air Quality Standards for every measured pollutant. That is an “A” in my book! Yet the American Lung Association (ALA) just released a report giving Delaware an “F” grade for air quality. How could that be? Start by fol...
Read MoreThe EPA altered regulations to switch to a new class of refrigerants that supposedly reduces global warming. The reality is by 2100 the change will reduce forecasted temperature by 0.001 degree C, but will cost billions, add up to $70 to every new automobile, and increase flammability. R...
Read MorePDF Doc
As the surcharge for the 30 megawatt Bloom Project with Delmarva Power kicks in at over three times the expected cost to consumers questions persist about how this project got through the system. It is really a story of how rule...
Read MoreProducts made in the EVRAZ Claymont, Delaware, steel mill are less profitable than two other manufacturing facilities in Portland, Oregon, and Regina, Saskatchewan. As prices and volume slipped from foreign competition it was an obvious choice to close the Claymont facility. W...
Read MorePDF Doc
*as first published in the News Journal Dec. 16, 2013 Upwind power plants are not causing significant pollution in Delaware or in other mid-Atlantic and Northeast states as is commonly believed. For the first time, Delaware will meet all air-quality standards this year. It is time to ce...
Read MoreOriginally published December 8, 2015, at delawareonline.com and December 9 in The News Journal. The Indian River Power Plant in Millsboro is in the cross hairs for closure. NRG Corporation invested $360 million in air pollution control technology a few years ago and it is now tie...
Read MorePDF Doc
The primary purpose of the Caesar Rodney Institute is to improve Delaware’s economy through state policy reform. We expect this effort to lead to more and better jobs. For some of our citizens, work is not a possibility and they need assistance to get by. Recently we helped create a new ...
Read More