Study Finds State Renewable Standards Costly, But Critics Query Methods

A new “working paper” co-authored by a former Obama administration climate adviser estimates that the per-ton costs of greenhouse gas cuts under state renewable electricity mandates exceed the social cost of carbon (SCC), a critique that could bolster general pushback against such programs or aid calls for alternatives such as a carbon tax or “clean” energy standards. Even so, the April 21 paper , released by the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute (EPIC), is already drawing criticism that it...