Biden’s Green Energy Policies and Rising Electricity Costs
California has the nation’s second-highest electricity prices, with a 127% increase since 2010, despite Governor Gavin Newsom’s claims about clean energy success. The article delves into the complexities of attributing these rising prices to various factors, including political figures and policies. Some argue that the high prices are due to the Trump administration’s cuts to subsidies for wind and solar, while others point to AI’s growing energy demands and inflation. However, the article suggests that these charges lack substantial evidence and instead focus on shifting blame to maintain political influence.
Newsom’s recent trip to Belém, Brazil, for the U.N.’s COP30 climate conference underscores the political maneuvering around green energy. Newsom, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, accused Trump of ‘handing the future to China,’ a claim the article questions as a political tactic rather than a factual assessment. The piece highlights Newsom’s claim that California operates on ‘two-thirds clean energy,’ although this has not translated into lower electricity costs.
The article also examines the broader impact of green energy policies, noting that California’s electricity prices are among the highest in the U.S. The piece criticizes the reliance on subsidized wind and solar, which are inherently unreliable and require expensive backup systems. Jonathan A. Lesser, Ph.D., a senior fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics, points to the high costs of ensuring energy availability when wind and solar are not producing, which significantly contributes to rising electricity prices.
The article further argues that the Biden administration’s push for green energy has destabilized the grid, forcing consumers to bear the brunt of the costs for fortifying unreliable energy sources with reliable gas power and costly batteries. The piece highlights the shift in energy generation mix, with the decline of dispatchable sources like coal, gas, and nuclear, replaced by an increase in intermittent wind and solar. This trend has led to more frequent outages and increased reliance on expensive grid stabilization measures.
The article concludes by advocating for a more balanced approach to energy policy, suggesting that Trump’s proposed reforms, such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, could offer a solution by prioritizing affordable, dispatchable energy sources. The piece emphasizes the need for policies that ensure both reliability and affordability in the energy supply, which is essential for economic growth and stability.