Last updated on: 4/4/2011 | Author: ProCon.org

Robert J. Michaels, PhD Biography

Title:
Senior Fellow at the Institute for Energy Research
Position:
Con to the question "Can Alternative Energy Effectively Replace Fossil Fuels?"
Reasoning:

“Renewables (excluding hydroelectric dams) produce less than 3% of U.S. electricity, much of which is hardly clean. About two-thirds comes from burning scrap vegetation (‘biomass’) and garbage, which produce the same pollutants and carbon as coal. The real job is to produce fewer of them, rather than changing fuels from fossilized to non-fossilized vegetation.”

“Renewables Aren’t the Answer,” USA Today, Oct. 20, 2008
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
    Experts
Individuals with PhDs, or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to alternative energy or fossil fuel issues. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to alternative energy or fossil fuel issues.
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Senior Fellow, Institute for Energy Research
  • Co-Editor, Contemporary Economic Policy, 1999-present
  • Special Consultant, Econ One Research and Consulting, Inc., 1999-present
  • Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute, 1995-present
  • Professor of Economics, California State University at Fullerton, 1978-present
  • Columnist, “Power Moves,” New Power Executive
  • Daniel P. Hann Distinguished Fellow in Economics and Regulation, California State University at Fullerton
  • Has testified before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, California Public Utilities Commission, and the US House of Representatives
  • Senior Advisor, Hagler Bailly Consulting, 1996-1998
  • Consultant in Economics and Finance, JurEcon, Inc., 1992-1996
  • Lecturer, Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Southern California, 1993
  • Lecturer in Economics, Claremont Graduate School, 1992
  • Co-editor, Contemporary Policy Issues, 1983-1988
Education:
  • PhD, Economics. University of California, Los Angeles, 1972
  • AB, Economics, University of Chicago, 1965
Other:
  • Named Outstanding Professor in the College of Business and Economics by Contemporary Economic Policy
Quoted in:
  1. Will Alternative Energy Development Increase US Energy Independence and Security?