Austin's clean energy program costing more, selling less (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/07/12/0712greenchoice.html - broken link)
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For the past decade, Austin's ambition to become the world's clean-energy capital has been best exemplified by one effort: GreenChoice, a program that sells electricity generated entirely from renewable sources such as wind.
Now the nationally renowned program is struggling to find buyers — the latest allotment is 99 percent unsold after seven months on the market — and Austin Energy is looking for ways to bring down the rising costs.
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Rising costs? How can this be?
It now costs almost three times more than the standard electricity rate.
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The reason is that GreenChoice prices have risen more than fivefold since the program started. GreenChoice now would add about $58 a month to the electricity bill of an average home.
Steel, concrete, copper and labor have all gotten more expensive, in turn making wind-farm construction more costly.
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What do you think it will cost to make those goods with Cap&Trade in place?
In addition, they have not been able to keep up with demand - why would that be?
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The best part about GreenChoice was its voluntary nature. Austin Energy gave its consumers a choice between traditional and alternative energy sources, and the market has delivered its verdict. If Barack Obama’s cap-and-trade scheme passes Congress, those choices will no longer be voluntary, and the costs of energy will “skyrocket” in a similar manner.
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