Make PUB Obsolete
Why all the fuss about PUB rates, impact fees, developers vs. ratepayers??? Why not propose something that could unite the city, transcend the pettyness and create real wealth for the community? Why not take advantage of the WIND that blows by our city everyday, 365/24/7?
Instead of spending $40 million on stock in a coal-fired plant in Oklahoma (and more in the future), why not propose a city bond to build a "Wind Farm" here in our area (on the way to the Island or by ITECC/old mall) that would be owned and operated by the city?
This wind farm, powered by 300 foot tall windmills, could provide multi-megawatts of free, renewable energy to most of the city for the rest of our lives. Imagine BISD, the CITY, the UTB, all with free energy. We could sell the extra energy, and/or use the savings to hire a staff of professional engineers, teacher raises, new schools, etc.
Here's a recent story in the Herald about this:
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/articles/wind_76162___article.html/texas_birds.html
And read about Texas renewable energy here: http://www.infinitepower.org/projects.htm
We need to REALLY INNOVATE ideas, direction, and leadership, because there is so little creativity at city hall.
2 comments:
I read the Herald article and I think it provides enough reason to be cautious. Solar energy, on the other hand, is something PUB should definitely look into. I know the technology is not as effecient as we need it to be but we should began to normalize the practice so that as the technology improves, we are just upgrading, and not introducing. I also read the Solar Energy link on the other link, and I was glad to see that there is a program to introduce solar engery to students. I didn't quite understood if it was just a little bit for the students to have hands on experience or if it was enough to make a significant difference in consumpition. For sometime now I've been thinking that we need to start with the schools. The city, GBIC,BEDC, and BISD need to pitch in for an annual budget to install solar panels to roofs in as many schools as possible every year. Even if it doesn't cancel out all the energy a school uses, it should be able to contribute significantly. During summer, when most schools are closed, the energy can be directed back to PUB. Also, we need to began to install solar panels in public facilities, such as city buildings and parks to set the example. At the very least city leaders need to began a public conversation about alternative energy.
In China, almost all in home hot water is done by rooftop solar heating. We can get far more useful energy from the heat of the sun than from the energenic photons in the spectrum that power photovoltaic cells. How about we just manufacture those here? Saves energy, envio-friendly, creates jobs. Oh, I forgot! There is no way for sticky fingers to get a piece of the action. Guess it won't fly.
"Of course I know. It is my business to know." The Merovingian
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