First, you are wrong if you think that Federal subsidizing is not coming from tax payer dollars. Perhaps you think that only Texans aren't paying for this?
Mr. Perry has also strongly backed a $5 billion project to build transmission lines to ferry power from remote West Texas to big cities. “He has been a stalwart in defense of wind energy in this state — no question about it,” said Paul Sadler, executive director of the Wind Coalition. An extra charge of up to $5 per month on Texans’ electric bills will pay for construction of the lines.
I have been a strong opponent of America's dependence on foreign oil. I've worked for the Cool Water Coal Gasification project in CA during the 80's under Reagan. I know people in CA who worked with the solar projects in CA
But Mr. Perry’s backing for renewables has limits. Solar power advocates have been frustrated by his failure to support a requirement for nonwind renewables, which both the Legislature and the Public Utility Commission (whose commissioners Mr. Perry appoints) have considered but not acted on. Asked why Mr. Perry supported one requirement but not another, Mr. Miner said that the earlier policy “created a system to incent the development of the most economic renewable generation, which for our state was wind.” He added, “If you mandate a specific technology, you run the risk of getting stuck with high costs, and such mandates have failed to pass the Legislature in the past.”
kgalbraith@texastribune.org >/i>p<>
When I do a search of the most states with the most sunshine, I get AZ, CA, NV, NM and TX in that order. Why did Perry exclude solar from his alternative energy position? a previous policy? Is he the current Governor or not? Did he not get enough "incentive" from donors to pursue it?
I do not think that. All federal dollars are tax payer dollars. I mean that windmills are not the problem, subsidies are the problem, regardless if they are for windmills, ethanol, or any other.
Why did Perry exclude solar from his alternative energy position?
My point was, this was not an energy source selected by Texas or Gov Perry. We (Texas) are not subsidizing the wind with a state level program. We are adding Transmission lines to strengthen the grid and bring power from West Texas towards the East where most of our load is located. It will carry electrons made from wind, solar or natural gas generators in the Permian Basin, depending on what gets built.
I agree that Solar, if economical, would be useful for us. The high solar output days match our high air condition load times.