[XCSSA] Solar and Green events in SA

[xcssa@xcssa.org]

>
>
> I do... I just don't fully trust (or respect) the folks behind  
> windtricity.
> You're paying MORE $$ to help them build out THEIR infrastructure  
> that THEY
> will get "free power" from to turn around and continue to charge  
> you for...
> What the heck?!
> That's just playing back into their recurring revenue net.
> A net I would like to escape from.  At least a little.. :)

OK Tweeks.  Even the environmental community is somewhat split over  
the worth of Windtricity and other Renewable Energy Credits for  
reasons you describe and others.  Even though I'm now at about 100%  
participation, I still have concerns and plan to be watching to see  
if I feel like my money and good intentions are being abused.  To  
some very limited degree, as a participant I have leverage.   
Renewable Energy Credits are not only promoted by the Bush  
administration DOE, they are endorsed by the Union of Concerned  
Scientists and other organizations and individuals considered "liberal."

CPS does have connections to one (or maybe two now) wind farms.  That  
is for real.  I am paying for KwHr's of wind-generated electricity  
DELIVERED into our San Antonio Grid, not just theoretical or lost in  
West Texas.  CPS has the resources to do that.  If that's not being  
done, they should be sued for false advertising.  Whether those  
electrons actually come to my house, or when I'm using the power, is  
unimportant to me.  I would be only slightly less happy buying REC's  
where the power is delivered somewhere else in the country, as long  
as it's actually being delivered somewhere and replacing fossil fuel  
power.  The effect on global CO2 is the same regardless of whether  
the electricity is delivered to my house or not.

That should mean that they can reduce coal or natural gas burned at  
other plants by a tiny amount, though the dynamics of grid management  
(and the actual utility of wind power, which is intermittant by  
nature) are a subject of some controversy.  I have studied (and  
debated with others) this at some length.  Personally I do believe in  
wind, solar, and geothermal power in combination.  In fact I have a  
vision of how through diversity (lots of different wind locations),  
load management (water pumping and other things can operate when  
there is surplus power only), and energy storage (I'm not sure if CPS  
uses that yet, but there are current and future technologies for it  
on the grid scale) wind can be a big contributor, and in combination  
with other renewables ultimately meet all our energy needs.  By  
participating in Windtricity, I'm giving it a small push.  There's  
not only the kwhr's being delivered today, there's further  
development of the technology so it can be used better in the  
future.  That was also part of the motivation for buying my first and  
now second Prius.  Technology improves better when people are buying it.

I also believe in "social" solutions where we can achieve much more  
working together than by trying to do everything individually.  The  
electricity grid is one example of that, even if it's managed by  
characters you don't entirely like.  As an example, it's far far  
easier for me to reduce my CO2 footprint by buying Windtricity than  
by trying to generate power at my own house.  And I have little  
reason to complain about CPS.  They sell us power at rates much lower  
than most of the country gets.  (My Windtricity only brings my rate  
to about the national average.)  And, in addition to low rates, they  
kick back 17% to the City, which should mean we get better city  
services than we would otherwise get.  (That may help because this is  
a low tax base town with lots of untaxed assets such as military  
bases.)  I think it's great to have a municipal utility, and we  
should never let that go.  It does irk me when CPS starts acting like  
a private corporation.  We own it, not the other way around.  I sign  
my checks "CPS" instead of "CPS Energy" as my one small protest.  So  
far they still cash them.

Charles