• Updated Proposed Plan
• Recommendation & Plan

• Report
• Memo

• Report
• Chairman’s Presentation

• Report

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The Austin Energy public participation process is designed to inform and solicit feedback from the citizens of Austin about future energy needs and challenges. This process invites discussion and feedback on a proposed energy plan that assures reliable supplies of electricity between now and 2020, while at the same time meeting City Council clean energy goals. The public participation process will involve a series of town hall meetings, as well as meetings with specific stakeholder groups. AE will distribute and explain the proposed energy plan. The schedule of the meetings is available here.

AE’s peak demand in fiscal year 2007 was 2,445 MW. In 2008, primarily due to record temperatures, the peak demand was 2,515 MW. Assuming AE conservation goals are met, by 2020, the peak demand is forecast to reach 2,845 MW. That 330 MW of increased demand represents power sufficient for an additional 230,000 homes.

• Establish a CO2 emissions cap and reduction plan
• Achieve carbon-neutral new generation
• Attain 30% renewables by 2020, with 100 MW solar
• Reach an additional 700 MW energy savings by 2020 through
  energy-efficiency and load-shifting programs

• Continue operations of current generation fleet
• Add Renewable and Natural Gas Generation

• Add 200 MW combined cycle natural gas
• Add 100 MW of solar and more rooftop photovoltaics
• Add 600 MW of wind-generated power
• Add 100 MW biomass plant

• Continue aggressive energy efficiency and load-shifting programs
• Cap CO2 at 2007 levels
• Purchase offsets for CO2 emissions that exceed CO2 cap

Austin Energy (AE) is developing an energy plan to meet Austin’s electricity needs for the next decade. The utility has developed a Draft Generation and Carbon Reduction Plan to meet City Council mandates for renewable energy and to reduce carbon emissions, while meeting high reliability standards and keeping our electricity rates low.

Assuming AE achieves its energy efficiency savings goals, we project the need for about 1,000 megawatts (MW) of additional generation by 2020 to power new growth and to meet clean energy goals. This is in addition to meeting the goal of reducing peak demand by 700 MW by that time frame. The City Council has set a goal that 30 percent of the electricity generated by AE in 2020, be delivered from renewable resources, including 100 MW of solar capacity. As part of the Austin Climate Protection Plan, AE is also tasked with capping carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, offsetting existing emissions through the purchase of renewable energy credits or other means and installing new generation that is carbon neutral.

AE has long-term contracts for wind-generated power and a small amount of methane-landfill gas-generated power that together currently provide about 8 percent of the energy needs of the utility. Additional wind energy coming online this year, a proposed 30 MW of solar arrays that would come online in 2010 and the Nacogdoches biomass plant that would come online in 2012, would increase the amount of AE energy delivered from renewables to 18 percent in 2012.

AE is on track to offset 700 MW of peak demand through energy efficiency, Green Building and its load-shifting programs. The effort to offset the 700 MW of peak demand began in 2004. Through 2008, approximately 280 MW of that goal has been achieved. AE recommendations on additional renewable energy to be utilized, non-renewable energy projects and the approach and goals for capping and offsetting carbon emissions will be presented to the City Council following the public participation process.

All resource planning is tied to our ability to provide reliable service to our customers. AE will always ensure that we can provide sufficient power to meet the needs of our community at all times. In addition, our electric system reliability consistently outperforms industry averages.

AE electric rates are among the lowest in Texas. Base electric rates have not increased since 1994. The cost of renewable energy technology is somewhat higher than the costs of traditional generation. However, the cost of constructing traditional generation continues to rise as well as the cost of fuels, such as natural gas and coal.

Austin’s Climate Protection Plan, along with prior decisions by the City Council, creates one of the most aggressive community and utility Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction plans in the nation.

The goal of this process is to receive input from across the community on the types of programs and generation a majority of citizens favor, recognizing the associated costs and benefits. The public participation process will include town hall meetings, presentations, surveys and Web-based interactive resources to inform and solicit input on resource options.