Renewable Energy Doesn’t Always Follow the Rules
It seems that everywhere you look in the U.S. you see partisan politics. If Obama did it, it needs to go. If Trump supporters like it, it’s crap. That’s why it’s so nice to find a place where this rule simply doesn’t exist–and especially when that place is so unlikely: the blood-red city of Georgetown, Texas.
Republican mayor Dale Ross (pictured) was elected by a hefty 72% majority (everything’s big in Texas), but he admits that he was acting over the objection of a few when he made a commitment on the city’s behalf to go to 100% renewable energy, which, in West Texas, means a bit of solar and a lot of wind. With that decision, Georgetown, with population 67,000, became the largest city in the United States to be powered entirely by renewable energy, topping the previous champ, Burlington, VT (pop. 42,000).
Yet things that happen in Vermont don’t usually translate well to Texas. What Georgetown has accomplished here flies in the teeth of the notion that sustainability is for socialists and immigrant-lovers.
From The Smithsonian: “You think of climate change and renewable energy, from a political standpoint, on the left-hand side of the spectrum, and what I’ve done is toss all those partisan political thoughts aside,” Ross says. “We’re doing this because it’s good for our citizens. Cheaper electricity is better. Clean energy is better than fossil fuels.”
So, what did those citizens say when they saw that their utility bills didn’t go up, that lots of high-paying jobs were coming on-board–and that their city was contributing to a sustainable future? As you’ll read in the article linked above, everybody’s got a Texas-sized smile.
Craig,
Great!
Hmmm,…except once again your reliance on Facebook snippets have let you down !
Really, perhaps you should consider doing just a little more “in-depth” research than just trawling for “feel good” excerpts from Facebook.
Perhaps you should acquaint yourself with the dynamics and background of the Texas’ electricity market.
Seventeen years ago the Texas electricity market moved from a heavily regulated system to being market based. Most Texan consumers, customers, (except for El Paso and parts of the Panhandle and East Texas) were suddenly able to choose from rival energy suppliers.
Millions of consumers could now shop shoppedlower prices as a result the price of electricity in Texas dropped below the national average.
Exceptions were created, electric cooperatives and municipal utilities can’t choose their electric providers.
Georgetown residents became captives of the Georgetown municipal electric utility, and the Georgetown Utility System became the sole provider of electricity, water, sewer, and garbage services.
Suddenly the situation became very complex. What consumers pay for these services isn’t simply a matter of supply and demand—public policy decisions also factor heavily.
That’s the point where good ‘ol Mayor Ross got a bit creative about his accounting !
Contrary to the public statements by Mayor Ross, Georgetown Solar energy contracts (after costs) rose in excess of $23.1 million ‘over budget’ in 2016 and 2017.
In 2018, Georgetown taxpayers paid $8.6 million more for electricity than predicted by Mayor Ross due to falling electricity prices. (The Mayor had calculated his budgets based on prices at the height of the domestic energy crisis, with no margin for a decrease in the future price the price of coal, gas and oil.
Mayor Ross covered up the budget blow out by reducing expenditure on electricity expenditure for infrastructure and maintenance. He also fiddled the figures of the other utilities to cover the losses.
Hmmmm,…, back in 2016, ‘ol Mayor Ross counted on a raft of generous Obama Federal government incentives and grants to balance his budget. The election of President Trump, tore a hole through his claims.
Mayor Ross’s claim of 100% renewable electricity also became very suspect and dubious. The Smithsonian article prompted Charles McConnell, executive director of the Energy and Environment Initiative at Rice University to undertake a more thorough study.
After a careful appraisal, Dr McConnell told the Austin American-Statesman, , “It’s not kind of misleading, it’s very misleading, and more disturbingly, it’s misleading for political gain.”
Maybe, maybe not…., but then Bill Peacock, the Vice President for Research at the Texas Public Policy Foundation also revealed Georgetown fiddled the 100% renewable claim by;
“…buying more electricity than they could use almost any day of the year.
The city’s policymakers had to buy far more wind and solar energy because those sources are so unreliable. For instance, on days with high electric demand with little wind generation, the city may fall short of power, but, because it’s hooked up to the larger Texas grid, reliable power produced by natural gas, coal or even nuclear plants fill the gap and keep the lights on.
The flip side of 100% renewable claim is that on low demand days with plenty of wind, Georgetown’s contracted wind and solar energy suppliers generate a surplus, selling that power at very low cost into the larger heavily subsidized Texas market ”
Even the former deputy-secretary of the DOE agreed, stating;
“They knew they would have to surreptitiously buy and sell, and that’s not how the system was supposed to work. This sort of behavior is just more evidence of politicians dishonesty scamming the system to portray themselves as a green city at the expense of the American taxpayer. This is a definite abuse of the system.”
Craigg, we can forgive ‘ol Mayor Dale Ross, heck he’s just an exuberant politician, enthusiastically telling his constituents what they want to hear.
But, what’s less forgivable, is clean energy activists, like yourself, who continue eagerly promoting such lies and disingenuous information for political gain.
Maybe that’s too harsh, maybe you’ve just got so lazy and desperate that you no longer bother performing any objective research or analysis. Maybe it’s just easier to print “good news” without questioning the source, safe in the knowledge your faithful fellow travelers won’t question or object?
Oh, say it ain’t so ?! Prove me wrong, refute the facts, I await a devastating reposte (Not just name calling abuse)!
I’m afraid you can’t rely on ‘ol Mr ” 72%'” Dale Ross to assist you. Y’see ‘ol Dale is too buzy ducking for cover and avoiding the media hounds after accusations of threatening, bullying and harassing behavior have emerged from a number of female journalists, including Lorraine Brady, Editor of the local Williamson County Sun.
The Mayor has refused to reveal or provided answers to media(or evan fellow councilors) concerning details of the Georgetown’s 20 and 25 year renewable energy contracts.
He’s even embroiled in a fight with the inquisitive fella’s at Texas State Auditor’s Office, State Energy Conservation Office (Texas Comptroller) and the Office of Energy Management – Texas Facilities Commission.
So, I’m afraid it’s up to you ! (Hmmmm,…maybe he’ll be a good ‘ol boy, and show you the real figures to help you out, Wadda ya reckon ?)
I eagerly await your (and Mayor Ross) devastating riposte.