March 9, 2017 1:21 PM
Texas city one of first to be powered solely by wind and solar energy By Tom Uhler
uhler@star-telegram.com
GEORGETOWN, Texas —
Who would have thought that Georgetown in conservative red state Texas would be one of the first cities in America to be powered entirely by renewable energy?
It’s true, according to this report on NPR.
But it’s all about
the Benjamins, Georgetown Mayor Dale Ross told NPR.
“It’s our love of green — green rectangles and green energy,” he said, the rectangles signifying dollars. “First and foremost it was a business decision.”
There was never any talk of global warming or climate change during the city’s deliberations in 2012 about its power source going forward.
“I don’t think they’re ever going to accuse Georgetown of being the next Berkeley,” Ross told NPR’s Ari Shapiro.
The city realized that there was enough wind and solar power available, that it was fairly predictable and that the prices wouldn’t fluctuate as much as oil and gas prices.
Texas
has led the nation in wind energy for the past decade while under then-Gov. Rick Perry, now the nation’s energy secretary.
But Perry didn’t promote the industry because he was any kind of tree-hugger. As Texas Tribune reporter and former Star-Telegram Austin bureau chief Jay Root told NPR: “I don't think anyone would call Rick Perry an environmentalist, including Rick Perry. ... But the guy knows how to sniff out a dollar. Here's a guy from West Texas who saw that you can make money off of the wind blowing. Like, that's a no brainer."
Tom Kiernan, chief executive of the American Wind Energy Association, told the Star-Telegram last month that the outlook for wind energy under the Trump administration looks promising
, largely because it doesn’t cost much, adds jobs and is already being used by major companies such as GM in Arlington, Facebook, which is building a data center in north Fort Worth, Apple, Google, Amazon, Netflix and others.
Read more here:
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article137457553.html#storylink=cpyAgelbert NOTE: This is, on the surface, good news. However, if Tom Kiernan thinks Trump gives a hoot about commons sense energy math, he is in for a lot of disappointment. Trump is PRO-DIRTY ENERGY. WHY? Because THEY bought and paid for him!
I have written, as have many others for nearly a decade, that
Renewable Energy,
when all the costs of burning fossil fuels (See: social Cost of Carbon - S.C.C.) are figured in,
ALWAYS HAS BEEN cheaper than fossil fuels. But NOW, with the mass production of wind and solar having lowered the costs so much that they can even beat fossil fuels
despite the massive welfare queen "subsidies" they continue to be handed 24/7 by our corrupted government, Trump has to
ATTACK Renewables with a frontal attack.
That
attack requires
two main heinous profit over people and planet steps:
1) Removing all pollution restrictions on the polluters in a desperate attempt to shore up fossil fuel industry bottom lines.
2) Place all sorts costly hurdles like onerous "zoning" restrictions on Renewable Energy infrastructure: e.g. "aesthetic" taxes, "fire hazard" dangers along with "required inspections" (for very high fees, of course), etc. all to make life VERY difficult for those who want Renewable Energy in their homes.
Fossil fuels CANNOT compete on a level energy AND cost playing field with Renewables. The Texans have figured that out. Good for them.
But that won't stop
Trump from trying to
shove fossil fuels down American throats.
I hope the Texans (and all other Americans,
including the Trumpers who were fooled into voting for him) give Trump's welfare queen polices for the fossil fuel burning polluters the rejection they deserve.