Are Americans being misled about renewable energy—and paying higher electric bills because of it?
That is the central question in this episode of Lean to the Left, featuring David Jenkins, president of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship.
Jenkins is a longtime conservative who believes the political right has drifted far from traditional ideas of stewardship, conservation and fiscal responsibility. In our conversation, he challenges some of the most common claims about solar, wind, fossil fuels and the reliability of the electric grid.
One of the biggest misconceptions, he says, is that renewable energy is inherently unreliable.
Jenkins explains that modern grid systems can shift power between regions depending on where the sun is shining or the wind is blowing. Battery storage now allows utilities to save solar power generated during the day and use it during peak evening demand.
He also points to Texas, where wind and solar helped stabilize the grid during periods of extreme weather.
But the discussion goes well beyond technology.
Jenkins sharply criticizes Trump administration policies that have canceled offshore wind projects while keeping old coal plants operating and said American consumers will pay a steep price as he argues that some coal-generated electricity can cost nearly three times as much as certain renewable sources, leaving consumers to absorb the difference in their utility bills.
Political Shenanigans
We also discuss the role of utility commissions, which are supposed to protect consumers. Jenkins says some regulators have become too close to the utilities they oversee, approving repeated rate increases even while utility companies report strong profits.
Another major theme is misinformation.
Jenkins argues that the fossil-fuel industry has powerful financial incentives to discredit solar, wind and electric vehicles because those technologies threaten the traditional oil-and-gas business model. He says, that industry is financially supporting university professors who will support their dubiousclaims that solar and wind are unreliable and more costly.
That makes this conversation unusual in today’s polarized political climate: a conservative making a forceful economic case for renewable energy.
Jenkins says conservation and conservatism share the same philosophical root—preserving what we have and thinking about the generations that come after us.
And his bottom line is refreshingly simple:
Energy should not be red or blue.
It should be affordable, reliable and sensible.
In this episode:
- Why the “unreliable renewables” argument is outdated
- How battery storage has changed solar and wind power
- Why Texas relies heavily on renewable energy
- How canceled wind projects may hurt consumers
- Why aging coal plants can drive electricity costs higher
- How utility commissions influence your monthly electric bill
- Why fossil-fuel interests fight renewable energy
- The conservative case for conservation and stewardship
David Jenkins’ Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship works on energy, conservation, public lands and wildlife issues. More information is available at ConservativeStewards.org.
Watch the full interview on the Lean to the Left YouTube channel and subscribe for more conversations that challenge political spin and dig into the issues affecting everyday Americans.