We should be celebrating Austin’s best-ever year for local solar deployment (see chart below), but instead, we’re wondering if Austin is about to turn back to fossil fuels. Mayor Watson and Council Member Vela are pushing Austin Energy to put a deposit on overpriced gas-burning peaker power plants without examining better clean energy options.
Gas peaker prices have tripled since 2022 and new units couldn’t be delivered until 2029 or later. Meanwhile, local solar and batteries can be deployed now.
The Austin Energy Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan adopted by the Austin City Council in 2024 recommitted to achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. It established a process – which includes public input and analysis of clean energy alternatives and the impact on meeting the 2035 goal – that Austin Energy and the Austin City Council must follow before purchasing gas peakers.
This process was intended to give clean energy a fair chance to meet Austin Energy’s needs affordably. With Austin Energy base rates already increasing 5% per year, thoughtful decision making seems like an obvious need.
To its credit, Austin Energy has issued an all source request for proposals. We’re optimistic that clean energy entrepreneurs will step up with some great projects.
Jumping ahead of the established process to spend tens of millions of dollars on non-refundable deposits for gas peakers that won’t provide any benefit for many years doesn’t make sense.
Use the form below to send an email now to put the brakes on this bad idea and give clean energy due consideration.
Local solar and batteries bring so many benefits to our community. The environmental benefits are obvious. They also offer affordable price stability in a market that can be volatile. And clean energy companies are an important source of jobs, with the sector growing at a rapid rate in recent years.
Email the Austin City Council to encourage them to build on recent success, not go backward.
Supporting clean energy for Austin,
Solar Austin
Resources:
- Short video clip of Mayor Watson talking at the Nov. 18 Austin City Council Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee meeting about a “plan” for buying gas peaker that is not consistent with the Austin Energy Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan approved by the Austin City Council in December 2024.
- Austin Energy Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan to 2035
- Solar & Battery vs Gas Peaker Financial Calculator
- Austin City-Wide Solar Potential Research from 2009
