11 May Recap on the April Solar Austin Panel Discussion on Major Generation Options for Austin

Once a month I hold out to have dinner wherever Solar Austin is hosting their monthly gathering.  The meal helps to support the event and the variety of  speakers and panel discussions they host is always either intriguing or controversial and helps keep me informed.  Word is beginning to get around about these events … if you’re interested in the future of energy and you haven’t been to one you’re missing out on something special.  

Nuff said here’s a recap on the April Solar Austin Panel Discussion on Major Generation Options for Austin …

The event filled up the top floor of Malverde, a restaurant located in the Second Street District downtown Austin. There was plenty of room to move about and chit-chat but it was definitely a hearty gathering.  The panel consisted of Chris Strand, Energy Efficiency Expert and Founder of Strand Brothers, Heather Otten, Vice President of Development, Invenergy and President, The Wind Coalition and Dr. Michael Webber, University of Texas at Austin and Electric Utility Commission for Pecan Street. 

From Solar Austin here is a little information about the speakers: Chris was instrumental in the creation and development of Austin Energy’s incentive programs for energy efficiency and served on the Zero Energy Home Capable task force and the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure task force.  Heather has been active in the wind industry for almost eleven years and during that time has helped bring over 1,400 megawatts of wind energy projects online in Texas and New Mexico.  Michael is on the Board of Advisors of Scientific American and has authored more than 125 articles, columns, and book chapters.

Mike Sloan introduced the panel of speakers and launched into a series of questions on what the energy mix in Austin should look like in the coming years.  Michael Webber gave an overview of energy sources with the premise that Austin will need a portfolio of numerous energy resources and that not lonely should nuclear be part of that mix – but that it should be a dependable and important part of the mix.  Heather Otten contended that wind not only should be part of the energy portfolio mix but that wind in Texas was strong enough to meet our energy needs but that an energy storage system was needed to help us handle intermittency.  Chris Strand had ideas for energy efficiency saying that curbing our energy usage would be better for our pocketbooks and for the environment.  One thing that Chris said has stuck with me.  Chris said, “Where do you prefer to have your nuclear plant … here on the Earth or out in space?”  It was a very nice plug for solar energy … and memorable.