Tahoe-Truckee region tilts toward 100% clean energy
By Sage Sauerbrey, Moonshine Ink
Commitments to 100 percent clean and renewable electricity are a growing trend across the country, and with good reason. The prices of many renewable resources are dropping to or below those of natural gas and weaning ourselves off the fossil fuel teat has become a matter of global resilience and necessity. The wonderful thing is, today it’s an achievable goal; many different approaches can be taken to reach it based on the state of the market, technological advances, and political definitions.
With the help of hydropower (not technically renewable under California code), Aspen, Colo., went 100 percent in 2015. In Truckee/North Lake Tahoe, roughly one-quarter to more than one-half of local providers’ power mixes are already renewable sources such as wind and solar. To reach 100 percent clean energy, private entities are looking to a solar/battery storage combo to make the jump, while Truckee’s public utility district sees nuclear as a potential means to achieve a carbon-free grid. Residents may also be given the chance to get some skin in the game with an optional “renewable rate,” which is hoped to further increase demand for clean energy. The potential is there, and with smart action the region is in position to make state and country-wide progress timelines for renewable energy look like gross overestimations.