Texas city opts for 100% renewable energy

[Star]

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I'm guessing some conservative heads are exploding over the very thought, let alone it actually happening, that an uber-Republican area of an uber-Republican energy-rich state is switching 100%-----switching 100% to green energy. Maybe-----maybe there's hope for the conservative brain...

Texas city opts for 100% renewable energy

Tom Dart in Georgetown, Texas
29 March 2015

News that a Texas city is to be powered by 100% renewable energy sparked surprise in an oil-obsessed, Republican-dominated state where fossil fuels are king and climate change activists were described as “the equivalent of the flat-earthers” by US senator and GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz.

<snip>

When its staff examined their options last year, they discovered something that seemed remarkable, especially in Texas: renewable energy was cheaper than non-renewable. And so last month city officials finalised a deal with SunEdison, a giant multinational solar energy company. It means that by January 2017, all electricity within the city’s service area will come from wind and solar power.

In 2014, the city signed a 20-year agreement with EDF for wind power from a forthcoming project near Amarillo. Taking the renewable elements up to 100%, SunEdison will build plants in west Texas that will provide Georgetown with 150 megawatts of solar power in a deal running from 2016 or 2017 to 2041. With consistent and reliable production the goal, the combination takes into account that wind farms generate most of their energy in the evenings, after the sun has set.

<snip>



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[ABikerSailor]

Yanno.............I live in Amarillo Texas, and I've been listening to the various voices that have been letting their feelings known.

Oil is a finite resource, and it costs a bunch of money to plant an oil pump so that maybe you can extract enough to pay for the pump, as well as generate a bit of money for the person who owns the land.

Solar and wind power aren't finite, and can generate a whole lot of power for a whole lot of time. All you have to do is install the solar panels (and yes, the cows would welcome the shade, especially in the height of summer), or possibly install the wind turbines (which will continually generate power as long as the wind is blowing, which is pretty much all of the time in the TX panhandle, and the only expense other than building them is keeping them operational, which is much less than what it costs for an oil pump).

Oil companies (which have held the monopoly for the past 100 years) are scared.

They know that renewables are going to be cheaper (in fact, in many cases they are), and are going to be easier to maintain.

If Exxon or Mobile, or any other oil company were smart, they would decide to wean themselves off of oil and decide to channel their efforts into renewables.

 

[Mr.Right]

.

I'm guessing some conservative heads are exploding over the very thought, let alone it actually happening, that an uber-Republican area of an uber-Republican energy-rich state is switching 100%-----switching 100% to green energy. Maybe-----maybe there's hope for the conservative brain...

Texas city opts for 100% renewable energy

Tom Dart in Georgetown, Texas
29 March 2015

News that a Texas city is to be powered by 100% renewable energy sparked surprise in an oil-obsessed, Republican-dominated state where fossil fuels are king and climate change activists were described as “the equivalent of the flat-earthers” by US senator and GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz.

<snip>

When its staff examined their options last year, they discovered something that seemed remarkable, especially in Texas: renewable energy was cheaper than non-renewable. And so last month city officials finalised a deal with SunEdison, a giant multinational solar energy company. It means that by January 2017, all electricity within the city’s service area will come from wind and solar power.

In 2014, the city signed a 20-year agreement with EDF for wind power from a forthcoming project near Amarillo. Taking the renewable elements up to 100%, SunEdison will build plants in west Texas that will provide Georgetown with 150 megawatts of solar power in a deal running from 2016 or 2017 to 2041. With consistent and reliable production the goal, the combination takes into account that wind farms generate most of their energy in the evenings, after the sun has set.

<snip>



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its not even possible. wind and solar cannot generate enough energy by themselves. our best bet would be to use nuclear power until fusion becomes available. that would be an infinite resource.

 

[Star]

.

I'm guessing some conservative heads are exploding over the very thought, let alone it actually happening, that an uber-Republican area of an uber-Republican energy-rich state is switching 100%-----switching 100% to green energy. Maybe-----maybe there's hope for the conservative brain...

Texas city opts for 100% renewable energy

Tom Dart in Georgetown, Texas
29 March 2015

News that a Texas city is to be powered by 100% renewable energy sparked surprise in an oil-obsessed, Republican-dominated state where fossil fuels are king and climate change activists were described as “the equivalent of the flat-earthers” by US senator and GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz.

<snip>

When its staff examined their options last year, they discovered something that seemed remarkable, especially in Texas: renewable energy was cheaper than non-renewable. And so last month city officials finalised a deal with SunEdison, a giant multinational solar energy company. It means that by January 2017, all electricity within the city’s service area will come from wind and solar power.

In 2014, the city signed a 20-year agreement with EDF for wind power from a forthcoming project near Amarillo. Taking the renewable elements up to 100%, SunEdison will build plants in west Texas that will provide Georgetown with 150 megawatts of solar power in a deal running from 2016 or 2017 to 2041. With consistent and reliable production the goal, the combination takes into account that wind farms generate most of their energy in the evenings, after the sun has set.

<snip>



.

its not even possible. wind and solar cannot generate enough energy by themselves. our best bet would be to use nuclear power until fusion becomes available. that would be an infinite resource.

Personally, I'm an "all of the above" kinda guy but-----but if you don't think renewables are viable, please explain how one of the most conservative area's, in one of the most oil rich states in the country concluded renewables are their best option?
And-----and why would you say West Texas conservatives/Republicans are on mission impossible?
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[StevenC]

This is great and I hope it works.
Why does the OP think repubs would be against this? This is how things should work. It should be up to the local communities and not the federal government.

 

[Mr.Right]

.

I'm guessing some conservative heads are exploding over the very thought, let alone it actually happening, that an uber-Republican area of an uber-Republican energy-rich state is switching 100%-----switching 100% to green energy. Maybe-----maybe there's hope for the conservative brain...

Texas city opts for 100% renewable energy

Tom Dart in Georgetown, Texas
29 March 2015

News that a Texas city is to be powered by 100% renewable energy sparked surprise in an oil-obsessed, Republican-dominated state where fossil fuels are king and climate change activists were described as “the equivalent of the flat-earthers” by US senator and GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz.

<snip>

When its staff examined their options last year, they discovered something that seemed remarkable, especially in Texas: renewable energy was cheaper than non-renewable. And so last month city officials finalised a deal with SunEdison, a giant multinational solar energy company. It means that by January 2017, all electricity within the city’s service area will come from wind and solar power.

In 2014, the city signed a 20-year agreement with EDF for wind power from a forthcoming project near Amarillo. Taking the renewable elements up to 100%, SunEdison will build plants in west Texas that will provide Georgetown with 150 megawatts of solar power in a deal running from 2016 or 2017 to 2041. With consistent and reliable production the goal, the combination takes into account that wind farms generate most of their energy in the evenings, after the sun has set.

<snip>



.

its not even possible. wind and solar cannot generate enough energy by themselves. our best bet would be to use nuclear power until fusion becomes available. that would be an infinite resource.

Personally, I'm an "all of the above" kinda guy but-----but if you don't think renewables are viable, please explain how one of the most conservative area's, in one of the most oil rich states in the country concluded renewables are their best option?
And-----and why would you say West Texas conservatives/Republicans are on mission impossible?
.

problem is energy density. solar panels and windmills take up a lot of space and the output cannot meet energy demands without taking up a lot of space.

 

[Star]

.

I'm guessing some conservative heads are exploding over the very thought, let alone it actually happening, that an uber-Republican area of an uber-Republican energy-rich state is switching 100%-----switching 100% to green energy. Maybe-----maybe there's hope for the conservative brain...

Texas city opts for 100% renewable energy

Tom Dart in Georgetown, Texas
29 March 2015

News that a Texas city is to be powered by 100% renewable energy sparked surprise in an oil-obsessed, Republican-dominated state where fossil fuels are king and climate change activists were described as “the equivalent of the flat-earthers” by US senator and GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz.

<snip>

When its staff examined their options last year, they discovered something that seemed remarkable, especially in Texas: renewable energy was cheaper than non-renewable. And so last month city officials finalised a deal with SunEdison, a giant multinational solar energy company. It means that by January 2017, all electricity within the city’s service area will come from wind and solar power.

In 2014, the city signed a 20-year agreement with EDF for wind power from a forthcoming project near Amarillo. Taking the renewable elements up to 100%, SunEdison will build plants in west Texas that will provide Georgetown with 150 megawatts of solar power in a deal running from 2016 or 2017 to 2041. With consistent and reliable production the goal, the combination takes into account that wind farms generate most of their energy in the evenings, after the sun has set.

<snip>



.

its not even possible. wind and solar cannot generate enough energy by themselves. our best bet would be to use nuclear power until fusion becomes available. that would be an infinite resource.

Personally, I'm an "all of the above" kinda guy but-----but if you don't think renewables are viable, please explain how one of the most conservative area's, in one of the most oil rich states in the country concluded renewables are their best option?
And-----and why would you say West Texas conservatives/Republicans are on mission impossible?
.

problem is energy density. solar panels and windmills take up a lot of space and the output cannot meet energy demands without taking up a lot of space.

Are you saying Texas doesn't have enough space for renewable energy to work and-----and are you saying conservative/Republican govenrnment is so incompetent they are unable to analyze their own energy needs - please explain your fact-free posts.
.

 

[percysunshine]

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I see Texas is ahead of every blue state in the Union in yet another category.

Don't y'all liberals get tired of the failures of your own state governments? Why do you keep electing morons?

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[g5000]

If Exxon or Mobile, or any other oil company were smart, they would decide to wean themselves off of oil and decide to channel their efforts into renewables.

They are smart. Very. And when the time is right, they will.

Now is not the time.

Why Isn t ExxonMobil in the Renewables Business Breaking Energy - Energy industry news analysis and commentary

 

[OKTexas]

.

I'm guessing some conservative heads are exploding over the very thought, let alone it actually happening, that an uber-Republican area of an uber-Republican energy-rich state is switching 100%-----switching 100% to green energy. Maybe-----maybe there's hope for the conservative brain...

Texas city opts for 100% renewable energy

Tom Dart in Georgetown, Texas
29 March 2015

News that a Texas city is to be powered by 100% renewable energy sparked surprise in an oil-obsessed, Republican-dominated state where fossil fuels are king and climate change activists were described as “the equivalent of the flat-earthers” by US senator and GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz.

<snip>

When its staff examined their options last year, they discovered something that seemed remarkable, especially in Texas: renewable energy was cheaper than non-renewable. And so last month city officials finalised a deal with SunEdison, a giant multinational solar energy company. It means that by January 2017, all electricity within the city’s service area will come from wind and solar power.

In 2014, the city signed a 20-year agreement with EDF for wind power from a forthcoming project near Amarillo. Taking the renewable elements up to 100%, SunEdison will build plants in west Texas that will provide Georgetown with 150 megawatts of solar power in a deal running from 2016 or 2017 to 2041. With consistent and reliable production the goal, the combination takes into account that wind farms generate most of their energy in the evenings, after the sun has set.

<snip>



.

its not even possible. wind and solar cannot generate enough energy by themselves. our best bet would be to use nuclear power until fusion becomes available. that would be an infinite resource.

Personally, I'm an "all of the above" kinda guy but-----but if you don't think renewables are viable, please explain how one of the most conservative area's, in one of the most oil rich states in the country concluded renewables are their best option?
And-----and why would you say West Texas conservatives/Republicans are on mission impossible?
.

problem is energy density. solar panels and windmills take up a lot of space and the output cannot meet energy demands without taking up a lot of space.

Are you saying Texas doesn't have enough space for renewable energy to work and-----and are you saying conservative/Republican govenrnment is so incompetent they are unable to analyze their own energy needs - please explain your fact-free posts.
.

West Texas does, in fact there are already tons of wind farms out there, low populations areas out there could benefit from renewable energy, high population areas, not so much because of the required footprint for both solar and wind generation. The wooded areas of east Texas would be impractical for either. Personally I think smaller nuclear plants that can be cooled with closed circuit geothermal loops to save water will be an eventual necessity.

 

[ABikerSailor]

If Exxon or Mobile, or any other oil company were smart, they would decide to wean themselves off of oil and decide to channel their efforts into renewables.

They are smart. Very. And when the time is right, they will.

Now is not the time.

Why Isn t ExxonMobil in the Renewables Business Breaking Energy - Energy industry news analysis and commentary

Actually, the time is right, right now. We need to stop polluting the environment (which by the way extends around the globe), and we need to move on to renewable energy.

The oil companies won't stop with their products until they run dry.

 

[Dana7360]

.
I see Texas is ahead of every blue state in the Union in yet another category.

Don't y'all liberals get tired of the failures of your own state governments? Why do you keep electing morons?

.

.

Actually you're wrong.

My state gets most of our energy from renewable sources.

We have one coal fired plant left and it's being shutdown. The shutdown started in 2005.

We have one very small nuclear plant in a very remote area of the state that generates energy for the people who live there. It generates around 10% of the energy the sate uses.

The rest is from water, wind and solar.

When that coal fired plant is finished being shutdown we will be completely off fossil fuels for energy and on renewables.

My state has the 3rd lowest electric rates in the nation. Idaho and West Virginia are the only states that have lower rates . One state is 2 tenths of one penny lower than we are. The other is 1 tenth of one penny lower than we are.

My state is one of the Blue Wall states. We're a very liberal state. Our electoral votes haven't gone to a republican in over 30 years. Same with governor. Every major office in my state is held by a democrat with the exception of one. Everyone who represents me on either the state or federal level is a democrat and it's been that way for a very long time.

We started building a wind farm in the 90s. We've been adding windmills every year since. Some parts of my state are considered the Saudi Arabia of wind. In that it blows very hard 24-7 365 days a year.

When that wind farm came on line it generated too much energy for the existing grid to handle. We voted to increase our taxes to build that new grid to handle all the energy those windmills generate.

We have so much excess energy we sell it to neighboring states.