Georgetown, a small town in Texas has set an ambitious target of achieving 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.
The town with a population of around 50,000, has decided to stop using fossil fuels by 2017.
From 2016 onwards, Georgetown will purchase power from a 150 MW solar farm that is being constructed by SunEdison in the locality.
This when combined with some wind power purchase deals will take care of the entire electricity needs of the town.
The town wants to draw maximum benefits of Texas’s consistently high temperatures throughout the day and the region’s winds by nights.
The region bordering New Mexico is one of the prime solar resource sites in the US. Besides, the state is considered as America’s largest wind power producer.
In addition, the region is sunny as well as gusty, making it a perfect corridor for renewable energy.
These sources alone will be enough to keep a steady flow of electricity through out.
By achieving this target, Georgetown will be the first of many cities in Texas that will turn to renewables for electricity.
Here renewables are the fastest growing form of electricity as solar has seen its panel prices fall by more than 63 percent since 2010 and wind posting similar cost declines.
In many Texas cities the electricity market is deregulated, meaning that customers choose from a dizzying variety of providers and plans.
Moreover, due to the limited quantity and long time for regeneration, coal is increasingly becoming a prized commodity.
In addition, Georgetown, as well as Texas, has always faced a challenge with water conservation. As per recent studies, 56 percent of Texas is now abnormally dry.
Earlier this month, Costa Rica proved the power and potential of renewable energy sources by keeping away from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity.
Sabeena Wahid
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