My good friend Ken Malloy has started another policy organization, the Center for the Study of Carbon and Energy Markets (http://www.energymarkets.org). I am probably not as idealistic as Ken, who states, “In order to preserve credibility and independence, the Center does not accept contributions from government sources, or from energy or environmental companies, law firms or consulting firms that represent them, nor trade associations. We seek funding from foundations that support research and educational programs concerning free markets and democratic processes and principles, and by tax deductible contributions from private citizens.”
I am not the free market purist he is either, and I have never been a Reaganite, as he describes himself. However, I do believe in markets if competition can lead to innovation and efficiency, and there are effective and enforced rules of the game established by government and/or private organizations. Most of all, I appreciate his stand against “energy independence,” which anyone who really understands energy markets, knows is nonsense. Humans trade. We have done so for millennia and will continue to do so. While it is prudent to stockpile oil for security purposes, as we do in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, pretending we can produce all the energy we need in the USA if only we follow policies A, B and C (which vary according to the ideology or interest of the speaker), merely distracts us from obtaining and using resources wisely.
May your endeavors bear fruit, Ken. And have fun along the way.
HEK
Tags: center for the study of carbon and energy markets, cscem, energy independence, spr, stretegic petroleum reserve