Fossil Interests Attack Clean Energy Politics: State-By-State Map

The Energy and Policy Institute recently gave renewable energy advocates some valuable election tips in a “follow the money” state-by-state look at anti-renewable groups. Among other efforts, EPI released Attacks on Renewable Energy Policy by Fossil Fuel Interests 2013–2014, with the energy politics infomap featured above.

The report tears the masks off front groups like ALEC, Heartland, and the National Center for Policy Analysis. The authors carefully document how and where fossil fuel advocates like Charles and David Koch are laying down big money to slow or reverse the momentum of renewable energy, and thus play politics with destructive climate change.

From the report: “Fossil fuel and utility interests, concerned about the rise of cheap clean energy, are financing attacks on pro–clean energy policies, in an effort to delay the growth of a market competitor.”

For an article on solarenergy.net last month, Scott Thill interviewed EPI executive director Gabe Eisner about the progress — or lack thereof — of energy anachronisms in clean energy politics:

“There are numerous examples of how the Kochs and their allies in the fossil fuel industry have failed, because of political and economic forces supporting clean energy. Kansas is a great example, where bipartisan support stopped an onslaught by the Kochs, their front groups, and their lobbyists.”

The micropolitics revealed in the EPI report pinpoint the locals who are on the Kochs’ payroll. Come election time, this information should boost the chances of voting them out of office. Too, says Thill, it should be useful to those who are retargeting investment and retirement portfolios and other business away from traditional energy producers toward renewable energy companies like SolarCity, SunPower, and First Solar.

With this information, Eisner says, “Citizens can engage their legislators, decision makers, business leaders, and others to support pro–clean energy policies.”