Solomon weighs in on energy costs across the country

Energy Costs NationwideProfessor Barry Solomon was recently interviewed for WalletHub’s article on “2015’s Most & Least Energy-Expensive States” that investigated various criteria that impact monthly energy costs across the nation.  They looked at monthly costs for electricity, natural gas, gasoline, and home heating oil to come up with an “Total Energy Cost” for each state.  These costs range from a low of $223 in the District of Columbia to a high of $410 in Connecticut (Michigan came in at #27 at $304).  Because the total monthly cost is a mixture of the four energy source costs, states’ rankings are not in any immediate pattern because, as the author points out, “lower prices don’t always equate with lower costs, as consumption is a key determinant in the total amount of an energy bill.

WalletHub then asked six academic experts, including Prof. Solomon, about various tips to reduce individual energy costs, about tax deductions and low-income credits, and how oil prices effect end-user energy costs.

For insight into the various ways Americans can reduce their dependence on traditional energy sources — and thereby diminish their costs as well — we asked a panel of energy and policy experts to weigh in. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and responses…

Read the full story here and click through the experts’ answers to see Solomon’s views.