Who knew a “free” source of energy could be so expensive?

Arizona Beware! Tales from Texas tell of trouble! From the blog Planet Gore on National Review Online:

"Robust wind power expansion is expected, as Texas’ Senate Bill 20 (2005) mandated 5,880 MW of renewable energy by 2015 and set a 10,000-MW target for 2025. (There was a similar bill sponsored this year in Arizona.)

To this end, $700 million went into new wind Texas farms in January, thanks in part to government subsidies. In addition to generous federal assistance — namely a 2 cents/kWh production tax credit and five-year, double-declining balance accelerated depreciation for wind-generating equipment — the state of Texas entices wind developers with

1. a franchise tax exemption to manufacturers, sellers, or installers of wind devices;
2. a corporate deduction from the state’s franchise tax for renewable energy sources;
3. and a 100-percent property tax exemption on the appraised value of an on-site wind power generating device.

But even with these federal and state subsidies, electricity from wind is more expensive per kilowatt-hour than that generated by fossil fuels."