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From the comments of this post: Thomas Williams — Wind and sunlight are free, however the equipment and infrastructure to capture that free energy is very expensive. But don't you feel better that you are using free energy instead of that natural gas and nuclear stuff? Isn't that feeling worth a little more to you? Jerm Smith — Someone years and years ago explained it best - It’s not that we use less electricity with ‘more efficient’ appliances - we find more uses FOR that electricity. Bruce Hammons — Battery Chargers ! Smart Appliances with clocks . Think about all the things left plugged in . All of using to tiniest bit of power 24/7. It adds up ! That and the green money for these many many Green projects has to come from somewhere and someone ! David Baker-Austin — It was a scam from the beginning but people bought into the lie. The government controls those prices BTW as energy companies are privately managed but pricing is government approved. Solar and Wind were just new ways for people in the government to get some kickbacks while making the installing companies money. Brian Sharkey — Yes! Energy companies are having to step up the production of green energy. Instead of taking the money for this from their enormous profits they raise your rates. Then use their profits to buy back their own stock inflating the value of that stock. They also spend millions on candidates that back them, and TV and Radio ads that make themselves look better in the eyes of the public. But most of all I like Liz McGee's comment! Sam Evans — A group I meet with every Tuesday invited an OG&E spokesperson to our meeting to discuss the smart meters. During that conversation, we learned that both solar and wind generation were substantially more expensive than coal and natural gas. That's partially why our bills are higher. At that time (several years ago) the total cost of the power plant and fuel was about 4 cents per kWh for coal, 7 cents for natural gas, 14 cents for solar, and 22 cents for wind.