The Transformation of America's Energy Economy

[SHRED]

In a ground-breaking move, voters in Boulder, Colorado, approved an initiative to end their relationship with Xcel Energy, a utility with $10.7 billion in revenues, thus clearing the way for the city to form its own municipal utility that would lower rates and make greater use of renewable energy.

Proponents of change, not only in Boulder but around the country, have argued that public control creates three vital benefits. First, decisions are made not by distant corporate managers whose first priority is to generate returns for absentee shareholders or to pay enormous salaries for executives, but by managers who are accountable to the community. Second, because of this, municipal utilities can focus on important local goals, such as investing in renewable energy, efficiency, and other factors that increase community resilience. And finally, the rates of municipal utilities are traditionally lower than their counterparts, and they channel any financial surplus — also known as profit — back into the community.

As the price of solar energy steadily comes down — and as oil continues to rise — the transformation of America’s energy economy is under way. The two critical questions for those who want to see America shift to a new economy that is just and sustainable for people and planet, is whether the technological shift from a centralized fossil fuel grid will be matched by a smaller shift from centralized large-scale corporations to democratic control. If this happens, with cities like Boulder leading the way, the energy, the dollars, and the decisions about the future will move into the hands of local communities, which would free more Americans to take the transformative steps we both want and need.

http://truth-out.org/news/item/20564-the-transformation-of-americas-energy-economy

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And here's my response to the article:

Not only a move away from the centralized fossil fuel energy model but we need to get beyond the largely privatized and centralized "green" energy models also like the wind farms in Ocotillo, CA for instance that are a blight on the landscape as they support the centralized corporate profit model. Rooftop solar and 100% community (public) owned energy production is what I see as the only true economic and green energy solution that will benefit "we the people".

[kristopher]

1. Wind farms are a blight on the landscape?

I wonder if you realize that far more people see them as being aesthetically pleasing than see them as unattractive?

Far more.

It is also a simple fact that unless you want to preserve the centralize system you are railing against (and it is a good thing to rail against imo) you need a realistic, viable alternative and windfarms are a significant part of the package. When it's said they will form the backbone of any distributed renewable energy system it means they are going to be the bulk producers of electricity in a future system.

You say you want 100% community owned production? That too is a laudable goal but unless you are able to figure out a way of making that happening in the real world, you'll need to understand and acknowledge that it is less expensive when we build larger scale projects (wind and solar) than individual projects.

Every building that consumes electricity should be as self sufficient as possible, but that will still leave a shortfall as we meet all of our non-residential energy needs. That means we will be tapping into not only solar but also on and off shore wind, several types of hydro, several types of geothermal, biofuels, and biomass. There is no reason though that most of that can't happen within the vicinity of the end-users home. Remember that when you say "local" to most people they largely envision a political unit like a town, but when you speak of local in terms of energy you are talking more like "local fruits" or local vegetables - things that don't have to be transported very far.

Here is what the CEO of one of the nations largest energy companies sees coming:

NRG CEO: Power grid will soon be 'last resort'
By Ethan Howland Dec. 11, 2013 |

Dive Brief:
- In a few years, most power will come from distributed sources and the centralized power grid will become a "last resort," according to David Crane, NRG Energy's president and CEO.

- Utility power sales have entered an “inexorable decline,” the "massive excess capacity" needed to meet peak demand "will become unnecessary" and the need for new power plants and transmission infrastructure "will be eliminated," Crane posits.

- Crane says three trends will lead consumers to stop buying power from utilities: cheap rooftop solar, automated conservation and extreme weather.

- But Crane sees a possible compromise between utilities and their customers on solar. Utilities should buy back excess supply that coincides with peak use, instead of offering average power supply costs, Crane said. Solar customers should pay for grid use at night or on cloudy days.

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/nrg-ceo-power-grid-will-soon-be-last-resort/204998/

[SHRED]

2. If you have ever seen Ocotillo before the windmills...

... and how it is now there is absolutely no way anyone could say the view there is better now.

Can we exhaust rooftop solar first BEFORE we build these alleged "green" alternative centralized and privatized projects?

[FogerRox]

4. So you dont wish to see wind turbines... OK fine, 15 to 20 miles offshore

you wont see them, all 17,000 planned for the east coast - its called the Atlantic Wind Connection. From Virginia Beach, Virginia to New Jersey.

[SHRED]

5. Not my point...side issue

The article I posted is the point.

[kristopher]

6. "Can we exhaust rooftop solar first BEFORE we..."

No, we can't. I'm sorry you don't like to look at wind farms, but that is a complete non-issue to a significant majority of people as shown by the extremely high acceptance rates among polling of people living within site of windfarms.

I presume you acknowledge the need to move away from fossil fuels. Proceeding from there, what you are suggesting simply won't work to accomplish that goal. Wind is an essential resource because of its quantity and low cost, as well as its temporal and geographic distribution.

[Stevepol]

3. This is a great OLD idea. Hope it catches on EVERYWHERE.