A Concept that Could Change the World Is Opposed By…..Nobody?

It’s not every day that we come across a political/economic concept that appeals to the Tea Party, the Progressives/Environmentalists, and everyone in between. Yet, as reported in RenewableEnergyWorld, that’s exactly the phenomenon we’re seeing surrounding the Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, that enables “property owners to put the cost of energy upgrades on a property tax bill and pay it off over several years at a low interest rate.  The repayment is their responsibility at no cost to other taxpayers and can be passed on if the property is sold.”

The key here to its success is that there is no downside for anyone, and  it presents at least some upside for everyone, regardless of their political persuasion. Whether it’s economic development and jobs, or clean air and climate change mitigation, no one seems to have a problem with this.

Texas Governor Rick Perry may be the best single example of PACE’s appeal. Perry signed the state measure that will greenlight PACE for commercial buildings. Yes, this is the Rick Perry, one of the most vociferous climate change deniers who, according to the Washington Post:

• filed a lawsuit against the EPA’s greenhouse gas emissions regulations on behalf of the state

• said that he prays daily for the EPA rules to be reversed

• consistently defended oil and coal interests in Texas

• dubbed the BP oil well blowout an “act of God” and opposing the Obama administration’s efforts to regulate offshore drilling in the wake of the disaster

• fast-tracked environmental permits for a number of coal plants in 2005, cutting in half the normal review period

• did not compete for federal high speed rail funding and has kept state funds focused on roads rather than mass transit

The appeal of PACE seems like something from a cosmos where the planets have mysteriously aligned, but I’m happy to be able to present some good news, regardless of how it happened.