Letters: ‘Wasting’ money on clean energy

Re “New-energy program is questioned,” Oct. 14

One might conclude from the article that nothing of any worth is being accomplished from the billions spent on new-energy projects and that there’s little reason to spend this money other than political patronage.

Climate change is a clear and present danger. When America entered World War II, billions were also “wasted” on failed technologies, but our leaders understood that failure was an inevitable byproduct of finding the innovations that would defeat our enemies.

No one wants to see taxpayers’ money wasted, but two articles on the facing page illustrate the necessity of this program: Rentech, a green energy developer, has become a fertilizer manufacturer instead because the current marketplace doesn’t support its former business model; and the California Energy Commission is warning about energy shortages.

We need alternative energy, and we need it now. And the “free market” system cannot ramp up fast enough.

Marshall Herskovitz

Santa Monica

Knowing that California has spent $15 billion “investing” in green energy over the last decade, I want to ask my investment advisor when I can start spending the profits from the investment. Next month, every California resident should get a cut of the profits.

California will soon spend $2.5 billion per year on energy “efficiency.” And I would have thought that energy “efficiency” would save money.

California is like the shopper who “saves” money buying something he doesn’t need because it is on sale, thinking if you buy enough, you can save a fortune.

David Goodwin

Los Angeles

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