Once again, we can see where the political parasites have inserted progressive social policies into utility bills without the hoopla of defending a new energy tax.

It appears that the California Energy Commission's Research Development and Demonstration Division’s mandate to supports public interest energy research, development, and demonstration has gone awry. With the money trickling into supporting climate change which cannot be supported by a realistic look at the science and environmental causes which are more about providing income to researchers and research institutions than they are to supporting energy research for the common good.

Jumping off the PIER (Public Interest Energy Research) …

The California Legislative Analyst’s office has performed an analysis which supports three major findings.

Much of your money has been wasted and produced no results …

• First, in evaluating the current program, we find that the CEC has not demonstrated that there has been a substantial payoff to date from the state’s investment of more than $700 million in ratepayer funds.

We find that the CEC has generally funded projects in line with the broad categories of eligible investments that are set out in statute (such as promoting ‘energy efficiency’ and ‘demand response’ strategies). However, state law establishes several goals for the PIER program, including the creation of
tangible ratepayer benefits. While some particular PIER-sponsored research projects have served these goals, CEC has not demonstrated that the majority of the projects allocated PIER funding
by CEC has produced similar benefits.

We think that the state should continue to receive funding …

• “Second, we find that the legislative and regulatory enactment of several new ambitious energy policy objectives has created an energy landscape that differs greatly from the one that existed in 1996, when the PIER program was created.”

“In order to help address technological barriers which may prevent attainment of these state goals, we find that there is a role for the state to continue to support public interest energy research beyond the 2012 sunset date.”

And even while we acknowledge that we screwed up, we need to go forward with a reformed system …

• “Third, if the Legislature decides that there should be a continuing state role in this area of research, we find that improvements could be made to the implementation of this role, including by tightening funding eligibility parameters and changing the process by which research funding is allocated.”

What they need to do is to remove political cronyism from the funding process and stop handing out money to support progressive causes which do little to benefit the taxpayer and are simply ways to keep progressives employed.

Condemning the Process …

PIER Has Funded a Broad Spectrum of Research—Perhaps Too Broad. A broad array of research has been funded over time under PIER within each of the six allowable investment categories discussed earlier. The PIER-funded research projects we have reviewed generally fit within these allowable categories. However, some projects appear to have only a tenuous connection to the subject of energy.”

“For example, just within the climate change and environment area, PIER has funded research on such varied topics as deforestation in California, groundwater recharge, the potential impact of climate change on bird distribution, and salmon
habitat restoration.”

For those who have read my previous blogs, both bird and salmon research are major progressive initiatives and appear to be designed to cede control over wide swaths of the California economy to the environmentalists. From destroying the production of food in the Sacramento Delta areas to the imposition of gun control through ammunition restrictions, this research has been used to severely impact the activities of law-abiding California citizens by using our own laws and legal process against us.

“Our analysis raises questions as to whether the range of research is so broad and unfocused that it is hindering the potential benefit of the PIER program. Fragmenting the research into so many directions reduces the likelihood, in our view, that this research is being translated into changes in the electricity marketplace that are benefiting consumers or the public at large.”

What the program was designed to do …

“Specifically, statute provides that the general goal of the program is ‘to develop, and help bring to market, energy technologies that provide increased environmental benefits, greater system reliability, and lower system costs, and (emphasis added) that provide tangible benefits to electric utility customers.’”

When have you seen a reduction in your energy bills as a result of this research or any other initiative? The obvious answer is NEVER. And we may never see any decrease in our bills as California ramps up their progressive-designed global warming energy control infrastructure to bankrupt us all.

IS THERE A CONTINUED STATE ROLE FOR ENERGY RESEARCH?

A question asked by the Legislative Analyst’s Office. The answer, again, is NO! Whenever research is politicized, funded and controlled through the political process you find waste, fraud, corruption and results which are pre-ordained to support further progressive social engineering. The independent, non-government-owned power producers are well equipped to take care of themselves and to fund their own research or take part in cooperative energy research where costs are split among the various utility systems on a pro-rata basis.

Am I my neighbor’s subsidy?

There should be no need for a portion of our energy bills to fund subsidies for our neighbors new gas or electric appliances. Or to subsidize the provision of energy to illegal aliens. The utilities are not state-run charities, nor should they be.

The State’s three suggested options …

• Option One—Continue PIER Program Under CEC With a Tighter Focus
• Option Two—Allow IOU (Investor Owned Utilities) Rate Recovery of Public Interest Research
• Option Three—Create a Public-Private Partnership for Electricity Research

All recommendations saying the same thing – keep the government in control of significant funds in order to reward those who pursue a progressive agenda and participate in keeping the progressive’s in office.

Notice that the single option that makes the most sense is missing …

• Option Four – Keep the government out of the process

Nothing was mentioned about grants to other state-run institutions to perform this research. Another way the dishonest legislators continue to fund union-dominated public education institutions and bastions of progressive political promotion.

Bottom Line …

So much of your hard-earned money is diverted to the government in subtle ways that you never see. We can see withholding from our paychecks, we can see income tax, we can see the sales tax on thing we purchase – but then come those hidden taxes on utility bills and levied on corporations which simply pass them on to their customers as a cost of doing business.

Enough is enough. It is time to tame the beast – if not starve it altogether. How many citizens actually consider the fact that the politicians are doing nothing more than keeping themselves in power by buying votes with our money – using our public treasury to pay off the special interests to generate campaign funds and voter support for themselves?

Like I said. Enough is enough. Tell your legislator that you want no more hidden taxes in utility bills. You do not want the government to control research. And most of all, you do not want the government dipping in your pocket without your explicit permission.

This is yet another example of a board, commission or panel which can be expunged from the salary roles of the State of California with little or no impact on the common welfare.

-- steve

Research Links …

Legislative Analyst’s Report

California Energy Commission

California's Outdoor Pets drive far-left public policy agenda ...

Condor Project: Backdoor gun control and/or an attempt to secure additional funding for a failing program? (Updated)

CALIFORNIA CONDORS: SCIENTIFIC STUDY OR FUNDING VEHICLE FOR SCIENTISTS SUPPORTING A GUN CONTROL AGENDA?

THERE COMES A TIME TO TELL THE ENVIRONMENTAL

People for a perfect planet combine to destroy your wealth, your lifestyle, your pleasures and make you into a socialist drone working for the enlightened elites ...

LEFTISTS NO!

Research and Development