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AUSTIN, Texas, US, December 7, 2005 (Refocus
Weekly)
The capital of the state of Texas has pledged to
become the first city in the United States to enter a national
contest for cities to source half of their electricity from wind,
solar or bioenergy.
“I will accept the challenge that Austin remain the number one
city, the number one utility in the country for renewable sales and
that we, in fact, become the first city in the country to reach the
50% renewable goal,” says mayor Will Wynn. “We accept the challenge,
and we're going to figure out how to get there from here.”
The ‘Energy Freedom Challenge: America's Race to Independence
Through Renewable Energy’ was launched in November as a national
competition to reduce reliance on polluting energy sources. The
challenge will receive funding from the Million Solar Roofs
Initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy, with a goal to
accelerate clean energy technologies at the municipal level.
“The Energy Freedom Challenge will inspire U.S. cities to hasten
their transition from fossil fuel-based power to clean, renewable
energy,” says Jane Pulaski, co-chair of Solar Austin which will
administer the campaign. “What city wouldn't want the coveted title
of ‘Clean Energy Capital of the U.S.’?”
The Union of Concerned Scientists will provide technical support by
establishing a system to track the commitment of each city, and
spokesman Kate Abend says the contest “will reduce harmful global
warming pollution while creating jobs and boosting rural economies.”
Analyses by UCS and the DOE show that increasing reliance on
renewables would reduce the demand for natural gas, resulting in
lower electricity bills. “With consumers facing a costly home
heating season due to soaring natural gas prices, this is the
perfect time to deploy affordable renewable energy alternatives,”
says Tom Smith of Public Citizen.
“The vast majority of Americans wants cleaner air and energy
independence,” adds Joni Gilton of Solar Austin. “This is a race
that challenges us all to recognize that we can create a real
sustainable energy future.”
A recent report prepared by UCS for the state of Texas concluded
that greater use of renewables could produce 36,000 jobs and
billions of dollars for rural economic development in the state
under a 20% national renewable electricity standard. In 1999, Texas
passed a standard to require 2,880 MW by 2009 (3% of the state's
electricity) to come from renewables.
The analysis estimates that a net gain of 36,000 new jobs would be
created, as well as US$10 billion in capital investment and $665
million in property tax revenues for rural communities and school
districts, as well as $1.1 billion in payments to farmers and rural
landowners from producing biomass energy and $225 million in lease
payments to farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners from windfarms.
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