In Europe, especially in Germany, it has become very popular ordering “clean energy”, e.g. electrical energy that was created without using coal, oil, gas or nuclear power but using wind, solar or water energy instead.
Yesterday, I switched to clean energy, it will cost me about 10$ more per month for a household of 3 people, but I will probably more than compensate for that using some simple methods to save energy.
Do you have that choice in the USA?
Would you buy clean energy if it costs you 10$ or 20$ more per month?
2 Responses
No we don’t. Utilities are natural monopolies in the US and the rate they charge is government regulated to rip off the American people the most they can without causing a riot.
California deregulated for a brief period of time allowing people to pick and choose their energ source/supplier etc. It turned into a complete disaster. People’s bills went from $100/mo to over a thousand. As a result the power purchase system was switched back to the utilities.
California is making a goal of having 20% of their power come from green sources (nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, geo).
I have heard rumors that the European accounting for power is somewhat of a shell game. For example a nation may brag that it is 40% wind. That is great but what happens when the wind suddenly stops? It is now 40% deficient. The neighboring country has to make up the 40% difference. That means they have to have more units in reserve. Now who do they use for reserve? The French nuclear plants. So one country brags that it is 40% wind but it is actually getting backup from its neighbors who are then getting back up from the nukes and coal plants. I am all for reliable 24/7 green power like geothermal and hydro. And I believe there is a place for unreliable green like solar and wind. But I think there has to be a limit put on unreliable sources because it becomes a shell game otherwise. For every unreliable MW there has to be a reliable MW in backup.