New England states renewable energy push blasted as too costly by free-market advocates [Video]

Conservative think tanks in New England are taking aim at state energy policies that promote zero-carbon energy to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

“The Staggering Costs of New England’s Green Energy Policies,” a report released Tuesday by the Denver-based organization Always On Energy Research, and signed onto by free-market advocacy groups in New England, says ratepayers’ bills will double, to $4,610 by 2050, as a result of state policies, or “mandates,” to promote green energy.

Decarbonization plans calling for construction of offshore and onshore wind, solar arrays, battery storage and transmission projects will cost hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 26 years, the report says. The authors of the study say their analysis does not include a calculation of cost savings in New Hampshire for continued use of natural gas.

Environmental advocates blasted the report, calling it inaccurate and misleading. The Acadia Center, a climate and clean energy advocacy group, said the report“overlooks enormous …