Email
PrintThe answer is blowing in the wind?
A fresh look at green developments, news and issues facing Tulsa.
I don’t think it’s too much of a generalization to say that most of us want to make the right choices when it comes to sustainability and living as “green” as we can.
We may not always have the means to do so or the discipline to do it all the time, but I don’t doubt the willingness of our friends and neighbors to do the right thing, environmentally speaking.
That being said, I still feel that there is a huge gap between the people who would like to live this way and the ones who actually can. Why? It’s not cheap.
So when I heard that AEP-PSO was considering a program offering customers (us) a chance to opt into using wind-generated power, I thought it sounded great.
These are the chances average citizens need to be able to continue their lifestyle and still make a difference. We all pay an electric bill, right? If all we had to do was make an “X” in a box that would switch us to wind, I have to think that we would do it. But here’s the rub: The wind costs more.
“A certain segment of our customer base simply wants to be as green as possible and are willing to pay extra,” says Stan Whiteford, a communications manager for PSO.
And he’s exactly right. But the part of that sentence that troubles me is the “certain segment” part. Until we can make these options more accessible for people from every income level, the change will remain small and mostly a vanity project.
So how much will it cost?
“Our proposal would allow customers to purchase ‘blocks’ of renewable energy — where one block equals 100 kilowatt-hours — up to 2,000 kWh per month (or 20 blocks),” Whiteford says. “Each block is priced at $2.85.”
The cost isn’t what anyone would call extravagant. That’s not my issue with the proposal. The problem is that in an economy such as this, everything that isn’t essential is an extravagance.
Wind-generated power has been in the news a lot since the recession began in late 2007. We’ve all seen T. Boone Pickens’ commercials advocating change. And it’s a strong and powerful message.
Wind is certainly a renewable resource. Lord knows we have our fair share here in Tulsa. Our geography might even be an economic advantage when wind becomes more widespread as an energy alternative.
I’m sure people in Chicago are pulling for this changeover. But, seriously, we could be leading the way on this.
I have to give AEP-PSO credit for taking the first step. It would be easy for the company to rest on its laurels and wait for others to take the lead.
According to Whiteford, AEP-PSO currently has “590.6 megawatts of wind energy under long-term contract, which is approximately 12 percent of our total generating capacity.” The remaining 88 percent is being produced by coal and natural gas. This proposed program, and the opt-in that may soon be available to customers, is a way to close that gap.
I don’t think it’s a criticism to say that the general public needs to be led into change. We needed laws to make sure we all put on seatbelts. When trashcans line the sidewalks, people are less likely to litter. If you give us the tools and opportunities, we’ll get there.
It took me a long time to transition into taking my own bags to the grocery store. And sometimes I still forget. But I try. Fortunately, Whole Foods still has bags for the days when I’m a bit forgetful. And not only does it not cost me any extra to bring my own bags, but I actually save money on my purchase as well.
This new option that is being proposed by AEP-PSO is called the Green Energy Choice program. But unless we can find a way to do these necessary things without making the average working people spend more of their hard-earned money, the real choice will only be between the haves and the have-nots. And that’s no choice at all.
