OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Omaha Public Power District is proposing more aggressive environmental goals to get electricity from renewable sources and natural gas.
The electric utility’s board may vote next week on a new set of goals that would accelerate its shift away from coal to other power sources, the Omaha World-Herald reported . The utility is considering a policy change that would reduce the amount of carbon released while producing each megawatt of electricity for ratepayers.
The change could increase the pace at which OPPD adopts wind and solar power projects with private providers, said Craig Moody, a utility board member who supports the proposed approach to environmental stewardship.
The move would break from the utility’s approach since 2015, which focused on generating a certain percentage of local electricity from renewable sources.
The risk comes to ratepayers if natural gas prices increase, said Tim Gay, a board member who opposes aggressive environmental goals.
Spikes in gas prices could force utility officials to choose between the environmental policy and keeping rates affordable, he said.
The proposal offers a new way for utility officials to consider and calculate improvements in energy use and energy efficiency, boosting investments in efforts to conserve power.
The draft policy calls for a 20 percent reduction in “carbon intensity” levels from 2010 to 2030. Choosing 2010 instead of 2017 for the baseline year for progress would require more carbon reductions. In 2010, the utility still operated Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station, a carbon-free source of energy that has since shuttered.
Carbon intensity is calculated by dividing the carbon emitted in generating electricity by the total amount of electricity generated.
University of Nebraska professor Dave Aiken said focusing on carbon intensity as the utility’s next environmental guidepost would give more options and flexibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
___
Information from: Omaha World-Herald, http://www.omaha.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.