Outside the Beltway: Austin Electricity Consumers Paying More for Renewable Energy
Nicolas Loris /
Our latest post takes us to Austin, Texas. Consumers are suffering from higher electricity prices, stemming from a renewable energy push that allows consumers to opt into plans to buy their electricity from renewable energy. The problem is, people aren’t buying it anymore, because it’s too expensive. The obvious solution? Spread the costs to all consumers. A recent article in the American-Statesman elaborates:
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. (more…)