Excellent article on a difficult-to-understand principle.
Renewable-energy credits might be better than nothing, since they have helped some with the proliferation of wind and solar. But a pollution tax on fossil fuel is far better in so many ways.
First, our goal is not “to install solar.” The goal is to stop burning massive amounts of coal, oil, and natural gas. Solar is one way to do it. So is conservation, and so are other renewable options.
If we gradually and predictably make fossil fuel unaffordable, we will all find the best alternatives. No confusion about “who gets credit for it.”
Electricity from coal or natural gas will become too expensive, so we'll stop using it - problem solved. A difficult problem, but solved once we have to.
Same with driving our beloved cars. Cheap gas has caused us to go back to buying low-miles-per-gallon vehicles again, and our gasoline usage is shooting up. Surprise. The federal miles-per-gallon mandates have never had any significant impact on what we drive. Gasoline price - and only gasoline price - affects what we drive.