Posted on 09/08/2001 1:04:04 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
State authority to work for green power sources
POWER CRISIS By Mike Taugher
The newly formed California Power Authority gave a boost to environmentally friendly energy sources Friday, deciding to begin negotiating with companies to build new solar panels and windmills. The decision had been anticipated, but it was clear Friday that the state government's newest agency plans to give a higher profile to green energy sources. "We're actually ready to take renewables seriously," said Linda Chou, the power authority's spokeswoman. The power authority plans to line up an additional 1,000 megawatts of renewable electricity by next summer. Today, California gets about 12 percent of its electricity, or about 6,000 megawatts, from renewable energy sources, with the bulk of that coming from small hydropower dams and geothermal plants. Only 4 percent of the state's electricity comes from solar, wind and biomass sources. But power authority Chairman S. David Freeman said green energy will be at the front of the line as the state moves to increase its electricity supply. "We are giving renewable energy the first priority for a change," Freeman said. "And the renewable energy communities are taking seriously the role of the power authority to find a way to work in partnership to power California with renewable resources for decades to come." Gov. Gray Davis has set a goal of boosting renewable energy to 17 percent of the state's total electricity load. A spokesman for several green electricity generators welcomed the authority's action, saying statements Friday by the power authority "sound great." "Green energy has been largely ignored," said Jack Raudy, who represents 10 companies that together generate enough electricity for more than 3 million homes. "We fully support what they are saying."
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