Regulator asks why Ariz. wind power is not tapped

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0321biz-whynowind0323-ON.html

Regulator asks why Ariz. wind power is not tapped

Ryan Randazzo
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 21, 2008 07:31 PM

An Arizona energy regulator is frustrated that Arizona Public Service Co. is passing up in-state wind-energy for power from New Mexico and Utah. But utility officials responded that they simply buy from the best producers.

The state's largest utility buys 90 megawatts of energy from the Aragonne Mesa Wind Project near Santa Rosa, N.M., and officials have informed Corporation Commissioner Kris Mayes of plans to buy more renewable energy from out of state, including from a Utah geothermal-power plant.

"I am concerned that such out-of-state purchases hinder the development of renewable energy here in Arizona, and potentially deprive our state of much needed economic development," Mayes said in a letter to APS, echoing concerns she raised at a regulatory meeting last week.

Wind energy is less expensive than solar power, assuming a breezy enough location can be found near transmission lines. Scientific studies paid for by APS show that Arizona has commercially viable wind pockets, which Mayes said makes it more puzzling that the state doesn't have any operating wind projects. APS officials said they could not yet comment publicly on the Utah contract.

...

[diane in sf]

1. Arizona has just been behind the curve for some reason, maybe too many Repuglicans.

Repugs own oil and coal stocks and don't believe in global warming. But the population has been shifting more liberal, especially with influx from California.

[NNadir]

2. Really? Which Democratic State gets the majority of it's power from non-hydro renewable?

Can't name any?

Why am I not surprised?

[jpak]

5. Maine gets 25% of its power from biomass 25% from hydro

42 MW of wind power went on-line last year and 189 MW more will be on-line by 2009.

..and >500 MW are in development...

http://www.nrcm.org/wind_projects_in_maine.asp#partridge

Maine is Blue...

(...and Green)

[kestrel91316]

3. Ignore the troll. It's active again today.

[Systematic Chaos]

4. Damn those incontrovertible facts and statistics!

They're presented in a less than Pollyana-up-my-butt fashion, so they must be ignored!
BLAH BLAH BLAH THAT'S ALL I'M HEARING! WATCH ME DO THE HAPPY DANCE!!!
And so on, and so on, and scooby-dooby-dooby.
While we wait for solar power to save everyone with $60k to blow after subsidies, while the planet dies.
Would you like a side of sulfur dioxide to go with that case of R-CIS?

:banghead:

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. Now... that's what I call "gentle"

Do you find you sway many people's minds by insulting them?