What can Madison learn from Austin, Texas? A lot, perhaps, when it comes to producing clean energy.
Austin has been experimenting with a new approach for generating electricity. The city recently unveiled the Pecan Street Project, described as ""a community-wide collaboration to fully reinvent the energy delivery system."" It acts as an incubator for various initiatives that promote conservation and clean energy, such as smart grid technology and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The project brings together various stakeholders: the University of Texas, Austin Energy (the city's energy utility), the Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Environmental Defense Fund, the City of Austin and Austin Energy's customers.
The result may be a totally different way of running public energy utilities. According to E&E News, Austin Energy would offer a flat monthly fee for electricity for an extended amount of time, and the utility could reap rewards by taking measures to increase energy conservation and efficiency through its various projects.
Aside from their energy initiatives, some key differences exist between Austin and Madison. First off, Austin's utility is community-owned: It is partially governed by the Austin City Council, meaning that Austin's progressive residents have a larger-than-average influence in how Austin Energy operates. In contrast, Madison Gas & Electric (MGE) is investor-owned; it has a responsibility to provide investors with a decent rate of return. Austin also has much greater in-state renewable resources than does Madison. Simply put, it's a heck of a lot sunnier and windier down in Texas. Wind and solar currently aren't as economical here in Wisconsin.
Nonetheless, MGE has taken some significant measures toward promoting clean energy. In recognition of its clean energy initiatives, the utility was recently awarded the U.S. Department of Energy's Utility Green Power Program of the Year Award. MGE has put in place an efficient natural gas plant (the West Campus Cogeneration Facility) right here on campus, which simultaneously powers the surrounding area while heating and cooling the UW-Madison campus, and it is also currently switching its Blount Street plant from coal to natural gas. MGE invests in the research and development of cleaner, better technologies too.
Yet the vast majority of Madison's electricity still comes from coal. Coal is abundant and cheap, and without new policies, coal will persist as Wisconsin's cheapest source of electricity in the near future.
Soon, things may change. Legislation has been introduced in the state legislature that would require 25 percent of Wisconsin's electricity to come from renewable resources by 2025. This is an ambitious goal. As of 2008, non-hydro renewables accounted for a mere one percent of Wisconsin's electricity consumption. The state will have to look beyond power plants retrofits and a few extra windmills to a fundamentally new approach to providing electricity.
Following the example of Austin's Pecan Street Project would help. A key component of the Pecan Street Project is strong involvement from University of Texas faculty and students. Well, it just so happens that UW-Madison has a fantastic Energy Analysis & Policy certificate program, combining our engineering, environmental studies, public affairs and urban planning departments. UW is home to several organizations dedicated to energy and utility issues. For instance, the Energy Institute ""promotes collaboration with government and industry leaders to comprehensively address the energy challenge."" Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute strives ""
Nothing could be closer to the Wisconsin Idea. Combining the potential of our university to work on such a project with MGE and Madison residents would facilitate the transformation. In sum, the project would induce an unprecedented level of focused coordination between Madison's campus, community and electric utility.
We already have great energy initiatives here on campus, but we can do more by following Austin's model of multilateral cooperation. Uniting our efforts behind a clean energy incubator project could go a long way to helping Wisconsin meet its energy goals.
Stephen Collins and Danny Spitzberg are pursuing master's degrees in public affairs and environmental studies, respectively. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
