Yesterday, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research (TCPR) released an update in the now infamous research of a year ago on Al Gore's personal energy use.

Astoundingly, his energy use went up after spending more money than many of us could imagine on such a thing to add solar panels to his mansion, along with a fancy schmancy geo thermal heating system, GWB style.

An excerpt:

Since taking steps to make his home more environmentally-friendly last June, Gore devours an average of 17,768 kWh per month –1,638 kWh more energy per month than before the renovations – at a cost of $16,533. By comparison, the average American household consumes 11,040 kWh in an entire year, according to the Energy Information Administration.

This year, Al Gore's Spokes Person actually responded to the data release with the following summarized statement from our local paper:

But Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider scoffs at the claim. The Gores' utility bills have gone down 40 percent since the green retrofit, she said, thanks largely to their new geothermal heating and cooling system, which cut their natural gas bills by 90 percent.

But look carefully at the above statement - it does not answer the question about electricity. Their gas bills must have gone down from the geothermal heating system, but the solar panels have done nothing to reduce their electricity.

How do I know? Well, the spreadsheet summary is right here. (Compare June 2007, pre-renovation, to June 2008, post-renovation. Not only is there no decrease, the electricity use INCREASED.)

Any Tennessee resident can request their own copies for this data if they want to verify it, but I can see no reason why the Nashville Scene would lie.

Gore's spokeswoman on the other hand, while she is technically not lying, is misleading the conversation (and I suppose doing her job well.) She in fact distracts us from the much more important question:

What is all this electricity, combined with all the electricity generated via the solar panels, being used for?

Anyone have any ideas?