Facts, not fantasies

Burlington Free Press, June 4,2003
The Public Service Board can shed some light on one of the most contentious issues in Vermont -- whether the state should go full-bore on renewable energy.

The 2003 Legislature approved a measure asking the board to investigate whether the state should require utilities to produce a specific amount of electrical power from renewable energy sources, primarily wind and solar.

Supported by Gov. Jim Douglas, the bill also includes a "green pricing" program allowing customers to buy electricity from renewable supplies and pay any costs that are higher than power from traditional sources. Green Mountain Power Corp. and some other utilities already offer such a plan.

The "renewable portfolio standard" has been kicking around for several years. Modeled after similar programs in Massachusetts and other states, the concept would mandate that Vermont utilities generate a gradually increasing percentage of their electricity from renewables.

The idea has been vigorously opposed by many businesses, notably IBM, because of fears that it would increase utility costs in Vermont , which are already among the highest in the nation.

In a compromise between House and Senate, the Legislature agreed to have the Public Service Board study the portfolio approach to see if it makes sense for Vermont .

Vermont currently gets the bulk of its power from two sources, the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant and Hydro Quebec. Vermont Yankee is scheduled for decommissioning within the next 15 years, though its life could be extended. The Hydro Quebec contracts expire in the next decade or so.

The question is whether renewables offer an economically and environmentally sound alternative for Vermont . On both counts, renewables -- at this point in time -- look problematic.

According to the National Center for Policy Analysis, wind and solar power are expensive, even with government subsidies. New solar capacity, for example, is three times the cost of new gas-generated electricity. New wind power costs up to 100 percent more than gas-generated electricity.

Those figures suggest that Vermont might look to the abundant natural gas fields off Nova Scotia for some of its future energy needs.

Moreover, wind and solar power pose significant environmental concerns. Both forms require large tracts of land and detract from the scenic values of the area. Massachusetts is currently embroiled in controversy over placing a wind station off the Atlantic Coast , with some environmental groups citing aesthetic factors. Similar complaints have been lodged against locating wind farms in Vermont .

As a practical matter, wind and solar, because they are dependent on weather, are unreliable and require extensive back-ups of more traditional power sources, an expensive duplication.

Perhaps the drawbacks facing renewables can be mitigated in Vermont . Perhaps the financial numbers will work for wind and solar power and potential environmental pitfalls overcome.

But the Public Service Board must be clear-headed and bottom-line focused in its analysis of renewable energy. When it comes to lighting and heating Vermont homes and businesses, visionary thinking must give way to cold, hard facts. The last thing Vermont needs is higher energy costs.