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Home / Washington Business - September/October 2006 / President's Message: Euphoria may not be blowing in the wind |
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President's Message: Euphoria may not be blowing in the wind |
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Written On: September/October 2006 |
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Written By: by Don C. Brunell - AWB President |
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No question about it, electricity generated by giant wind turbines perched along eastern Washington ridge lines add to our power supply. In fact, if all the new projects on the drawing board are approved, permitted, and remain economically viable, our wind generating capacity could peak at around 4,000 megawatts — about two-thirds the electrical output of the Grand Coulee Dam.
The euphoria over wind power is understandable. Twenty years ago it was experimental; now it’s a booming industry, thanks in part to new technology and government subsidies.
Rather than let the market dictate energy options, backers of Initiative 937 want to impose a renewable energy mandate. I-937 would require that, by 2020, 15 percent of the electricity sold in Washington by utilities must be from wind, tides, solar and selected biomass projects.
Ironically, although I-937 is dubbed "the renewable energy initiative," it excludes our state’s most affordable and successful form of renewable energy. Hydropower from 31 dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers provides more than two-thirds of our state’s electricity. But unlike renewable energy mandates in other states, I-937 doesn’t count hydropower as renewable energy.
The mysterious absence of hydropower is a deal breaker for ratepayers. If clean, affordable hydropower is not counted, families, employers and major industries will feel the pinch in their pocketbooks.
The absence of hydropower in I-937 will also make it more difficult for utilities to attain the 15 percent requirement. Utilities that fail to comply with the mandate will face stiff fines, which will ultimately be passed on to us in the form of higher electric bills.
Despite these facts — or perhaps because this information is not well known — public opinion polls show initial support for the measure. But before voters mark their ballots in November, they must ask three basic questions.
First, will the I-937 mandates provide enough electricity? The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects a 50 percent increase in energy demand by 2030 even with strong conservation programs in all sectors of our economy. The largest increase will be in the commercial sector as service industries continue to drive economic growth.
However, at the same time our demand for electricity is growing, our generating capacity is diminishing. Federal experts predict we will lose 65 gigawatts of capacity through the retirement of older coal-fired, oil, natural gas and steam-powered generators.
Because of that, we will need 347 gigawatts of new capacity by 2030. Half of the new power will come from new cleaner coal plants and safe nuclear facilities. Only 8 percent is expected to come from renewable energy.
The problem is renewable energy depends upon the wind, tidal currents and sunshine. It is less dependable. On the other hand, hydro, coal, nuclear and natural gas turbine generators can be scheduled when the power is needed and produce large quantities of electricity quickly. That is especially important during severe cold snaps or stifling heat waves.
And there’s another problem: Visual impact. Wind power is the most likely source of renewable energy included in I-937. If Washington’s wind capacity is fully tapped, thousands of giant towers will punctuate ridges near the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and along I-90 in central Washington.
Second, will electric bills jump beyond the budgets of families, business and industries? Some power companies in our region estimate costs to build wind turbines jumped as much as 70 percent in the last couple of years. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council pegged the price of wind power at $42 per megawatt hour a couple of years ago. Now it is $53 and could climb to $100 or more.
Finally, jobs are at stake. Just as the drought of 2000-01 severely restricted hydroelectric production and decimated our region’s aluminum industry, lack of dependable power and higher electricity costs will endanger jobs in industries that pay family wages with good benefits.
The current euphoria over renewable energy could turn to despair unless we keep our energy options open and build a variety of safe and environmentally sound power projects.
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