Short Circuiting Policy: Interest Groups and the Battle Over Clean Energy and Climate Policy in the American States

by Leah Cardamore Stokes

In 1999, Texas passed a landmark clean energy law, beginning a groundswell of new policies that promised to make the US a world leader in renewable energy. As Leah Stokes shows in Short Circuiting Policy, however, that policy did not lead to momentum in Texas, which failed to implement its solar laws or clean up its electricity system. Examining clean energy laws in Texas, Kansas, Arizona, and Ohio over a thirty-year time frame, Stokes argues that organized combat between advocate and opponent interest groups is central to explaining why states are not on track to address the climate crisis. She tells the political history of our energy institutions, explaining how fossil fuel companies and electric utilities have promoted climate denial and delay. Stokes further explains the limits of policy feedback theory, showing the ways that interest groups drive retrenchment through lobbying, public opinion, political parties and the courts. More than a history of renewable energy policy in modern America, Short Circuiting Policy offers a bold new argument about how the policy process works, and why seeming victories can turn into losses when the opposition has enough resources to roll back laws.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Environment, Climate Change, Sustainability, Economics, Justice

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 18, 2020

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't decide what this book was supposed to be: a political theory PhD thesis? diligent expose on corrupt public utility commissions? rallying cry for climate advocates? By trying to cover all these bases, Stokes pulls off none of them well and even for an energy policy wonk like me this was a slog to finish. Powerful insights into the the strength of the centralized utility model to withstand regulatory reform - a guaranteed customer base enables you to spend millions more than startups to influence elections - were interspersed between more mundane observations, a la: partnering with national groups "working across state lines" (can I drink every time I read that phrase?) strengthens local advocacy efforts. Again, much of why this work falls flat is that it's a PhD thesis edited as if a few changes to phrasing will transform it into a resonant message to a general audience. The Ohio, Arizona, and Kansas cases could have been much more powerful indictments of corrupt utilities written as investigative journalism (Steve Coll is a master of this in his "Private Empire" on Exxon Mobil), enhancing the characters in the drama and leading the reader to conclusions, rather than summarizing all the main points and appropriate conclusions at the start of each chapter, as is appropriate for academic work. Repeated use of made-up jargon -"the fog of enactment" - stands out as awkward and over-formalized for an appeal to a general audience. Obvious bias criticizing opponents and praising proponents of renewable energy for the same influence tactics wouldn't be problematic in an Atlantic article designed to rally the troops for climate reform, but it jars with the objective tone expected of a research paper, or even a political expose. Stokes has done exhaustive research into interest group influence of energy policy, and much of the experiences she catalogues echo my limited experience in that field. But with this book she's missed the opportunity to harness the power of these stories to inspire and mobilize clean energy supporters to work smarter to get the policies passed we need to save our planet... which is disappointing given that's clearly an outcome both Stokes and myself care deeply about.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredibly well-researched, clear, and readable. Stokes details the successes, challenges, and failures of clean energy advocates to enact policies supporting renewable energy. She explains how citizens, political parties, and special interest groups all interact to make policy.

One key theme of this book is the "fog of enactment", the fact that policy makers don't know the full impacts of their policy until after it is enacted. Another is "retrenchment", the scaling back of clean energy policies in response to clean energy opponents such as utilities and fossil fuel companies. Stokes also explains "policy feedback", the process by which those benefiting from a policy become advocates for keeping or strengthening that policy. Throughout the book, there are stories of state policies that saw all three of these effects. This book provides a good balance between documenting what is wrong with our system and explaining what we can do to change things.

This book was thoroughly researched over the course of several years and proofread by dozens of academics and professionals. Every few sentences has a footnote with a source. Where Stokes injects her own opinions, she makes a clear distinction between her opinions and facts. Despite being dense with research, the book is also very engaging and readable; it reads like a novel rather than a textbook. For anyone who wants to know how energy policy works and how to change it, I highly recommend this book.

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is required reading for anyone interested in energy policy. Stokes reveals utilities' prolonged attacks on clean energy policies with devastating clarity. Impeccably (almost impossibly) well-researched, the book provides both an explanation of past roadblocks to combatting emissions in the electricity sector and a roadmap for progress moving forward. Don't be put off by the first chapter, which reads like an academic journal article. The rest of the book (starting with a perfectly condensed history of electricity regulation in the US in chapter 2) has a much more colloquial tone.

[Kira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe closer to 3.5 stars (I feel so bad giving anything less than 4) but I learned so much from this book! It is very dense and written like a thesis but it was incredibly well researched and I appreciated the authors willingness to bring in opposing viewpoints and explore them. However, this lens/theory didn’t feel very intersectional and I wished there had been more of a discussion as to why carbon pricing is an environmental justice concern and why maybe it isn’t a good idea to support republicans even if they support climate action and also the environmental/social costs of solar panels? But I did like her analysis of interest groups and policy feedback and all the nitty gritty stuff!

Would recommend to anyone interested in getting a deeper look at energy policy/utilities/energy regulators and the role they all play in the clean energy transition, but don’t expect a gripping page turner!

[Elle Henson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, really neat book, but definitely has similarities to a PhD dissertation. Every other sentence (at least) has a reference- easily more than my master’s thesis. Buckle up and get ready to learn if you’re wanting to read.

I’m sure, as someone in environmental engineering but out of this particular field, a lot of this was too complex to conceptualize. BUT! Here are my key takeaways that no one asked for:

- Lots of updates to the grid system need to be made
- Utilities need to be held accountable for pollution similar to fossil fuel companies
- Private utilities are not unregulated entities, but they are monopolies
- Koch Industries is bad
- Socio-economic benefits have to be obvious to switch to renewables
- Raise the minimum wage- if people were paid a living wage then they would have more money to pay for electricity that does not pollute
- Politics is hard
- The federal government needs to set standards because this whole state-by-state thing is not going to cut it

Big one:
- It absolutely sucks!!! we’re going to have to incentivize ($$$) companies that have continually promoted climate denial to switch to renewables because of their existing infrastructure and governing bodies. However, we need to get the job done regardless, so I view it as this: it will be easier to change these existing structures that aren’t going anywhere than to create a whole new economy in the short timeframe necessary for climate change.

If you read all of this, thanks, and hold your private utilities accountable somehow idk.

[Bryce · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone with a scientific education but no involvement in politics, this was a very educational book on the process policy moves through from legislation to enactment or retractment. It helped open my eyes to the ability for a bill to change over time through amendments and the current interpretation of how it is utilized. I came looking for more of a general history about clean energy policy (which I definitely got a little of in the earlier chapters) and ended up walking away with a more conceptual understanding of how clean energy opponents work against legislation. It reaffirmed to me the issue of corporate lobbying and led me to hope for more laws about transparency in campaign financing going forward.

[Brendan Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Incredibly well researched and highly informative. I learned so much from Leah Stokes. I constantly found myself getting frustrated and upset with how politics, special interest groups and lobbyists railroad meaningful clean energy policies.


“We must change the ending of this story and hold polluters accountable. The fossil fuel era must end”.

[Hazel Thayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks about the on-the-ground battles happening for(and against) climate action in a way that is usually absent from climate policy books — how do these policies that we’re advocating for actually get passed and how can they be undermined? It introduces the slimy ways that clean energy opponents “retrench” policies, or weaken them to the point of uselessness, but in an instructive way showing that it cuts both ways. I feel like I have a much better grasp of how change can actually be effected but I also feel a bit powerless in the face of utility monopolies and fossil fuel companies (and their captured politicians and regulators), but what else is news???

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book describes the conditions and mechanisms through which interest groups are able to short-circuit policy, by undermining policy feedback. It explains how advocates and states can get climate policy back on track, beating opponents’ attempts to delay and obstacle the battle against climate change. The author provides an overview of the evolution of renewable energy policies in the United States, presenting some emblematic case studies such as that of Texas and Kansas.
As an Italian reader, I recommend it to anyone who wants to deepen the US energy policy.

[Brian M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book if you are interested in the topic of clean energy, climate, and policymaking. Stokes is obviously a leading and vocal expert in her field and she covers the history and background of clean energy policy in the United States with lots of great, indicative examples from the past. Stokes dips into all of the necessary information about entrenched special interests and the general corruption in our government that makes large systemic changes hard to implement.

I would recommend this to anyone who is engaged in activism in this space or for anyone interested in a concise history of why the United States has largely failed to implement energy policy. This book serves as a good roadmap for legislation and where political battles are fought.

[Annaliese Sauve · Rating 1 out of 5]

had to read for class. hated it.

[Ben Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this is a great history of the politics of the US energy system! I'm unsure if I felt pessimistic or optimistic by the end of the book.

I didn’t appreciate how many barriers to renewables were put in place over the last few decades. The cost reduction and adoption of renewables are amazing despite the amount of hostile state-level policy out there. How much faster and cheaper would renewable adoption be if these states stuck to their modest RPS goals created in the early 2000s? It's encouraging to know policy wins and economic successes in smaller geographies can greatly affect the price of technology. This made me optimistic!

I naively assumed once a policy was passed, it would kick off a positive feedback loop that would lead to a strengthening of the policy. This book taught me this is not true! Retrenchment happens all the time. This makes me nervous for the IRA (and frankly any policy I support). It seems like a big enough bill to really change the political economy of the energy system in the US, but it needs to survive!

I do wish the book gave more advocacy success stories. How do we break the cycle? Are there examples from other sectors of incumbent players losing their power?

This book also got me thinking about how we design an energy system that is more responsive to people's needs and technology changes. How can we design the system so the next time we decide to change our energy system for whatever reason (new technology, new demand, resource constraints) we don't have a giant drawn out battle between interest groups?

[Michael Winfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Dr. Leah Stokes started out as a doctoral dissertation; and it shows in the careful attention to detail and openness to various overlapping domains of knowledge, but not in the writing style, which is sociable and accessible. A perfect example of these complementary qualities is Chapter 3, "An Institutional History of Electricity Politics and Climate Inaction," which is fascinating, informative, and a brisk, lively read.

Dr. Stokes' theory is that 'organized combat' between competing interest groups undermines environmental policies from becoming locked-in and changing subsequent political behavior. Disinformation campaigns and policy rollbacks/retrenchment that are features of this organized combat are partly to blame for our society's slow transition to clean energy.

She takes care to analyze both a positive case of policy feedback (when a policy locks in and influences future political behavior) in, of all places, Texas, where clean energy scored early victories, and then several negative cases of retrenchment/policy rollbacks by anti-clean-energy interest groups (Texas, Kansas, Arizona, Ohio). She concludes with recommendations for clean energy advocates in future conflicts.

It is a very good, very well-researched, and very engaging book. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the politics of climate change, green politics, and/or environmentalism.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent history of the political struggles over climate and low-carbon energy policy in the US. I was initially disappointed that this was not the technical book I needed to understand our national energy system. However, I learned so much history, politics and political science that I just kept reading.

If you find yourself bored by the state by state case studies, just skip to the conclusion where she gives her advice on where to focus the political pressure. It would be nice to have as much money as the Koch disinformation machine and to have limitless volunteers. But, her analysis of where to fight and where to save your energy is spot on IMHO as an observer of the battles in CA and CO.

I'm a physical scientist and new to activism. It would have been nice to have a glossary of political science terms like "regulatory capture." The prose is very readable and much of the details are relegated to footnotes to keep the story-telling crisp. Detail-oriented people will benefit from reading the footnotes.

[Matthew Gallant]

For policy wonks who want to get into the weeds. Useful to see how the sausage gets made though, the public utilities commissions feel like a leverage point for climate activism.

Also utility companies are fucking evil.

[Fraser Kinnear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enormously illuminating but disheartening set of case studies for how government policies fail. Stokes provides some theory in early chapters, but then dives into recent environmental policy failures in Texas, Kansas, Ohio, and Arizona.

The lifecycle of any policy passes through several stages, from initial drafts, to negotiations in the legislature, to implementation, to subsequent revisions. Every step of the process provides opportunities for stakeholders to modify policy, and upwards of 40% of Federal policies change in their first decade. But while Stokes’s focus is on the many ways those policy changes erode the efficacy of environmental protection, there are surely course changes that improve policies? My laymen’s understanding of the Affordable Care Act is that there were lots of modifications we could be making to fix some real issues with the law, but in the past decade the political climate hasn’t allowed for these improvements, since they risk totally scuttering the law if it was re-opened.

Some valuable lessons I took from this book:

Ambiguous language in a law is oftentimes intentional, because legislators appreciate that they don’t have enough information to be comprehensive. And, of course, those with a small government bent would argue that we should not be too prescriptive anyway. Therefore, legislators expect some policies to be decided by the executive branch (the regulators empowered by the legislation).

Several states, including Arizona, thought that the public election of regulators would lead to more independent oversight. In practice in Arizona, the opposite has happened, where the Public Utility Commission (PUC) has been captured by the utility companies it was meant to regulate. This was due to the outsized influence the utilities created through campaign finance. In recent elections, campaign spending by the utility companies on their preferred candidate was over 20x greater than the opponents who favored solar net metering.

Perhaps even more depressing about the Arizona story was the second part of the story. After being reconstituted as a group favorable to energy utility companies, the PUC faced protests from Arizonans during their public sessions reviewing a solar net metering retrenchment they were about to push through. The protests grabbed headlines and applied more public scrutiny, but the PUC was able to still eviscerate Arizona’s solar market thanks to the complexity of the policy they ended up passing. As Stokes remarked, “It is difficult to hold a regulatory body accountable when its elected members do not even believe that the public can understand its decisions”.

Other states provide similar hijinks. For example, Ohio neutered its burgeoning wind energy market by passing a budget bill rider that increased the necessary distance between wind energy projects and property lines. The right parties who would defend the wind energy interests even noticed the rider, but the resulting tripling of the distance required resulted in almost no planned wind farms being legal, and the largest project went from 152 turbines to 12.

Stokes has some ideas for how to solve these issues. For drafting, she advocates for policies that can reinforce themselves through path dependence. For maintenance and preventing retrenchment, she advocates for intervener compensation programs. California pioneered these in the early 1980’s, and have seen a lot of success. The way this would work is utility customers would pay a small premium (effectively, a tax) that falls into a fund that awards groups who successfully intervene on bad policies. I take this to basically mean utility customers are paying a small tax for someone to lobby in their interest.

[David Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is an academic look at the politics surrounding renewable policies and the way in which incumbency and monopoly grant utilities immense power that can then be used to whittle away at the slightest whiff of policies that might undermine their business. This is obviously a thesis turned into a book, but I think it works tremendously well, if you are interested in the subject matter.

I found the case studies immensely fascinating. Some fights I remembered snippets of, but these are individual sections that I think are more likely to be interesting to non-wonks, as the story of power and the exercise of it in the political domain transcends energy politics, and the case studies walk through clearly the fights as they occurred. While these certainly could have been gussied up to be more compelling, and sometimes they suffer being sourced from academia, Stokes lays bare the brazenness with which the private sector throws around its political weight, using a number of different points of leverage. I really appreciated how each case study explores a different type of fight, and you can see both points of overlap and points of uniqueness with equal clarity, which makes each chapter stand alone and not feel duplicative.

In addition to the case studies, I appreciated the "intro to utility regulation" simply for laying out its origins, as we take for granted the way the system is set up today without considering how the power sector could have developed. I also thought the "fog of enactment" and thesis (behind the thesis) sound and compelling and a different way for me, personally, to think about how to view policy actions.

The main issue in the book is simply its origin as a thesis -- the intro and conclusion chapters felt to me too much of an academic flair, and I think some of the repetition of specific phrases is jarring (not just the "fog of enactment," but also "path dependence," whose meaning in political science is completely inconsistent with its meaning in the hard sciences, which I personally found confusing). I do also question some of the advice to advocates as things that have been tried in a number of cases -- like, some of it just wreaks of the "you should do messaging better" nonsense around politics and media that is so frustrating and ignores the massive imbalance in communicative power that exists. But, overall my complaint with those chapters is less the content and more just that they are too long. But, such is the challenge of turning a thesis into a book.

I'd highly recommend this to policy folks for the case studies, energy or otherwise, and I did think the main argument was sound and interesting, so even though the book is a bit academic, there's a lot to chew on regardless of whether or not you're specifically interested in energy policy.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Read for Earth Month 2024)

“Short Circuiting Policy” was a very relevant read for me as I work in energy policy and offshore wind development. The world is in a critical stage in mitigating the climate crisis, the biggest way of which to do so is decarbonizing societies and energy systems. But progress has been slow as short sighted and greedy fossil fuel interests have hampered climate work and the clean energy transition. Leah Cardamore Stokes uses the book to examine how several decades worth of work by both clean energy advocates and opponents has led to the current state of clean energy in the United States.

For the most part there wasn’t anything too surprising in Short Circuiting Policy, fossil fuel interests are deeply entrenched in state houses and public utility commissions (PUCs) and get to use their wealth and influence to hold back clean energy policies or “retrench” those that become law. There were some surprises, like how in the 1990s/2000s wind energy had great success in a deep red state like Texas (unlike solar). In general Stokes did a good job explaining how “fog of enactment”, namely policymakers/advocates/opponents won’t know the full ramifications of early adoption of any policy (energy or otherwise) when they are enacted, something that allowed wind to succeed in Texas at first. Stokes analysis does make it clear that once opponents understood those ramifications/saw clean energy succeed, they were better able to organize in subsequent states.

Short Circuiting Policy is ultimately an academic book meant for energy policy workers/nerds and wasn’t the most casual/easy read. It could be dry at times (even for someone involved in PUC and clean energy work). But even so I still gained some new understanding of how the country got to its current phase of the clean energy transition. This book was written before the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act so there has been plenty more progress on decarbonizing the grid (even if there’s so much remaining to do). These laws may have passed because of the fog of enactment and may see similar retrenchment but as Stokes underscores, advocates have learned a lot from these early state case studies and that could make it harder for the opposition to undo the progress made, especially as wind and solar energy prices continue to fall.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is deep piece of policy research, fully sourced, while at the same time not hiding it's goal: fight the institutions (utilities and corrupt politics) that are a primary source of the research to advance climate action. This dichotomy was difficult to pull off, awkward at times, but all in all it worked.

Stokes places interest groups, advocates and opponents, at the center of a theory around energy policy change. This is due to the highly technical and issue-specific nature of energy policy, which also has an enormous impact on how money flows. It's a convincing argument, exhibited through a series of state case studies. While overwrought at times, centering the "fog of enactment" (or period of time after policy passage where rules are ambiguous) resonated.

The book has a number of examples of how governments use two policy levers, in many different ways, when it comes to boosting clean energy: altering relative prices or quantities of clean energy. Monopolistic electric utilities, armed with guaranteed taxpayer funds they can throw at politicians and advocacy groups, often have the upper edge during policy development and during the fog, all to win by stalling. Once utilities have sunk debt and equity into plants, they will do everything they can to keep them open, or have customers fully foot the bill for their bad decisions. This is carbon lock-in and it's a powerful force against progress.

Short Circuiting Policy reinforces, in my mind, the importance of federal energy policy to reach the speed and scale needed to fight the climate crisis. Yes, state by state combat has and will lead to some big wins, so they are fights worth fighting. But powerful entrenched interests mean we need a baseline of action across all 50 states to have a chance at decarbonization. It's the same with oil and gas. Chapter 3, "An institutional history of electricity politics and climate inaction", provides valuable historical context.

In sum, if energy and climate policy is your thing, then read this book. And if you're short on time, maybe just read one or two state case studies.

[Oren Mizrahi · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I read Stokes' thesis, not this book, though given that the chapter outline seems nearly identical, I figured the content was similar. I opted for the thesis in an effort to read something more technical and to avoid the potential that the book would be watered down by the publisher.

The thesis was simple, with an obvious punchline: interest companies on both sides of energy policy are pulling in different directions, often times regardless of the state or political party in charge. Many of the details Stokes includes are very interesting and betray the interplay between politicians, utilities, and the public. The dynamics here are not simple at all and it's elucidating to learn about them.

Stokes' prescriptions at the end are helpful, many specifically addressing lessons learned during the course of her research. Others, like reducing income inequality, are less helpful and seem like a catch-all for progressive reforms. I also doubt that income inequality would encourage people to spend more on their energy, especially when Stokes spends much of the thesis defending the position that energy policy and pricing structures are highly non-visible to the public.

Overall, the thesis forced me to think about these structures, decentralization, and how we might build a better future. It's hopeful to imagine that this issue crosses partisan boundaries in non-obvious ways; perhaps this is an occasion for partnerships across the aisle.

[Valerie Landis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating research on the power interest groups hold over clean energy and climate policy in the U.S. Stokes does not shy away from examining all levels of influence opponents to clean energy have toward transitioning to renewable and clean energy sources. She makes a compelling argument for the reason we have failed to see substantive policy feedback and path dependence in clean energy laws across the United States. My one reservation is Stokes' pessimism toward utilities; it appears that she fails to realize the different incentives utilities and fossil fuel companies have in continuing their reliance on fossil fuels. Fossil fuel companies are a fundamental enemy to clean energy policies, while utilities are simply contingent enemies to clean energy policy. As Stokes begins to hint toward in the conclusion, we must win over the utilities from the fossil fuel companies, and make them realize the huge economic opportunity that lies in the electrification of the transportation sector and other sectors of the economy. A dramatic change in energy sources can bring about a significant opportunity to expand their market and profits.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to see the author, Leah Cardamore Stokes, make a presentation on Clean Energy and the need for Climate policy, and was very impressed with her depth of knowledge of the subject and her ability to present the ins and outs of clean energy and climate policies. Speaking to a general audience, she was clear and articulate, informative, and interesting - everything I was hoping for when reading this book.

However, and unfortunately for me, this book seemed more academic, more directed to political scientists and people involved with setting policies, writing standards, and creating legislation on public policy matters. Clean energy policies in several U.S. States are used in the latter chapters of the book to demonstrate which policies tend to work, and reasons why others failed to fulfill their intended purpose. But it seemed more like a text book for political science undergrads than a general interest book for general audiences interested in clean energy matters.

[spaceship.one · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her 2020 book Short Circuiting Policy, Dr. Leah C. Stokes details the inner workings of climate policy in the US from her perspective as a political scientist. Armed with thorough research and sharp analysis, she exposes how utilities have stifled clean energy advancement and promoted climate denial. The book is easily digestible, and remarkably concise for the amount of information represented.

I believe that this book exposes the underbelly of climate policy in America. It takes the mask off what we see as our normal political process and paints a stark picture of why and how climate policies fail. In so doing, Dr. Stokes gives us an insight into the ways we can indeed advance clean energy and climate policy in America. I view this as essential reading for everyone who is interested in government action on climate change and clean energy. By understanding what we are up against, we become more effective advocates and increase our chances of winning real change.

- Barnabas Gwaza, SpaceshipOne intern

[Mahamid Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A detailed expośe of the way electric utilities have tried to thrwart policy changes that would accelerate renewable deployment in Ohio, Texas, Kansas and Arizona.

This book is as much a political analysis of the structure of state-level politics in the US than an analysis of energy policy per se. The nature of the state/federated nexus and the scope with which utilities could 'capture' politicians and regulators through donations, campaign funding, public messaging and the courts is extensive.

Theorising the policy battles over renewable energy in terms such as fog of enactment, policy retrenchment, path dependence and policy expansion provides a useful framework to analyse clean energy policy developments in the states analysed.

Overall a unique contribution to the political science of energy policy, focusing on the U.S., this book definitely has learnings for political scientists analysing energy policy developments in other regions as well.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not likely many people will read this book all the way but it has so much to offer. Extensive research and well articulated interplay between policy, the public, lobbyists, companies and the next stages of implementation and policy retrenchment. The discussion on these items can stand alone as useful beyond the energy policy area. Key takeaways include the argument that utility companies receive government funds and at the same time contribute to representatives’ campaigns. The same representatives vote on whether the companies will receive subsidies. “Distressed companies ensuring profits regardless of the cost to the climate”. “$60M into lobbying to get a return for $1 billion” getting a bailout bill passed. At times arguments and solutions are provided without enough support but overall the author did a great job of backing up the assertions with research.

[Ryan T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately had to return this one to the lib before I was done with it but what I did read was really impactful. Definitely academic (inline citations) but readable. Main takeaways:
- how close the US was to having Renewable Portfolio Standards
- how close we were to having a much faster renewables rollout
- how and why renewables were far more popular across the entire country in the 2000s than they are now
- why texas doesn't have much wind (utilities and weird laws)
- net metering should be protected (not new belief but reinforced)
- utility priorities are not aligned with what we need today

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive documentation of the systematic obstruction for renewable energy installations (mostly about solar, but also some wind covered) on a state-by-state basis. In some cases, there were deliberate efforts by utilities to ignore, modify or get rid of provisions put in by state governments. Other cases were direct (financial) influence for politicians to influence voting or to allow appointments of people with clear conflicts of interest to key regulatory positions. States covered include Texas, Kansas, Arizona, Ohio, California and Florida. This book is worth keeping as a reference.

[Ginny Ip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is a bit hard to review. On the one hand, the book is incredibly well-researched and supported. Stokes drives home the message that interest groups and lobbyists are to blame for our sluggish progress towards decarbonising the energy system. On the other hand, her writing quite nearly bored me to tears. Even as someone who is well-versed in dry academic writing and familiar with the US energy system, I found myself rereading sentences over and over again because they were so incredibly dense and repetitive. I also found several major typos along the way. Yikes.

[Shannon Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, but as other reviewers have noted, it feels like a dissertation, not a nonfiction book. For those familiar with the ABT (And…But…Therefore) format of storytelling, there are many instances where the writing is exhausting because it goes And…And…And for pages at a time. The information is interesting and well-contextualized, but the strongest writing is in the conclusion when it faces obligatory concision. TLDR: Cool information is overshadowed by mediocre storytelling.

[David Prager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent detailed analysis and description of how opponents of transition to clean energy - electric utilities, coal, oil, gas companies - resist and sabotage policy meant to promote that transition. They strive to protect their investments in existing infrastructure and their profits without regard to the devastating consequences for our climate. Describes the conflicts between these opponents and clean energy advocates who are generally out-organized and out-spent. Includes recommendations for advocates to improve their success rate with state and federal legislatures and regulators.