06 Feb Austin Energy Stealth Hearings: We Want To Hear From You (kind of)

Austin Energy has scheduled three brief public hearings for the new Generation Plan that which will define Austin’s energy resources for the next decade.

They are wedded to fossil fuels:  running the Fayette coal plant till 2025 and adding a brand new 800 MW naturalfrackinggas plant as a cash cow. Solar is cut in half from what City Council demanded. Renewable energy goals are characterized in the plan as being ‘supported’ by these massive fossil fuel plans rather than being the aggressive technologies that will replace them.

Joep Meijer of Climate Buddies looks at the Generation Plan this way:  “All these scenarios assume that everything stays the same for the next 40 years, that is not realistic. The ERCOT market will have 25% wind in a few years from now, up from 10% today.

The price of renewables is coming down every year and is almost at grid parity which will be disruptive for any utility that has a huge investment in a few big assets that you are stuck with for 40 years – the problem we have now with Fayette will be the same for the proposed gas plant for the next 40 years – and it will be outpriced for sure in that time frame.

It is a bet against the renewable energy revolution. It is a bet against any carbon and climate legislation. All that does not sound very realistic to me.”

It is a bet against the climate.

Here is where you can make a difference. Get involved. Call, write, email, tweet to every member of City Council, City Manager Ott, Austin Energy’s management. Be heard.

Speak out at the Austin Energy Generation Plan public hearings. I know they’re scheduled at difficult times for workers – and set up as exclusive RSVP events – but don’t be stopped. Here is how to participate in the meetings, from Austin Energy’s website:

“As part of the generation update, Austin Energy is conducting stakeholder input meetings to engage key customers and members of the community. The objective of these meetings is to gather community input that will help us prioritize the resource scenarios we should assess as we update our plan for achieving the Council’s goals.

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014 – 10 a.m. to noon

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014 – 6 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 – 1 to 3 p.m.

All sessions will take place in the first floor assembly room at Austin Energy Headquarters, Town Lake Center, 721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, Texas 78704.

Please RSVP to the meeting you plan to attend, as space is limited. Reply to: genplan2014@austinenergy.com”

You the issues. Pick the one you can speak to with your own story, your own passion:

No more coal!

No new naturalfrackinggas!

No to new greenhouse gases?

Yes to wind, solar, conservation, demand management, water cooled AC, weatherization, smart grid. Yes to a livable future.

Yes to the earth's climate!

Austin can lead again – we’ve done it before.

BE THERE, BE VISIBLE, BE VOCAL, BE HEARD