In May 2018, students at the Winona Senior High School deliberated on the challenges and opportunities presented for the future of Winona County’s energy system.
Students heard from presenters on the following topics relating to the energy system: solar energy, energy efficiency, utility operation, and wind energy.
The following are challenges, opportunities, and important information from the presentations and student deliberation:
Solar Energy
Key information:
- In 2015, utility-scale solar produced 0.57% of electricity generated in the U.S.
- The installed price of solar energy has decreased signficantly, and will lower in part due to demand for solar energy
- Solar energy represents 1.3% of overall energy generation nationally
- Solar panels are partially made from precious metals
- The capacity for solar panel installation is large and they are versatile in where they can be placed
Challenges:
- Economics of solar panels:
- Solar panel maintenance can be time consuming
- Current production costs per kWh are higher than some other sources
- Opportunity costs of installation
- Intermittent generation:
- Peak energy use and highest points of energy production do not align, especially if the energy isn’t being distributed back to the grid
- Because energy generated from solar panels is dependent on the sun, it can make other sources, which can be generated as needed, more appealing
- Solar storage is still in development
- Solar energy depends on a number of variables, like seasons, cloud cover, day/night, location of panels in relation to sun, and being covered by snow
Opportunities:
- Potential for increased generation of solar energy:
- Storage capacity continues to increase, which helps to address the intermittent generation challenge
- The potential for solar energy can be found nearly everywhere and in every community
- Costs for solar generation continue to lower
- Solar energy is better for the environment than some other resources
- Burning coal creates CO2 emissions and is bad for the ozone
- Solar energy is better for the environment, reduces less waste, and minimizes greenhouse gases created by energy generation
- As a resource it is renewable and doesn’t depend on extraction
- Solar energy limits externalities, like pollution
Energy Efficiency
Key information:
- The least expensive way to use energy is to not use it
- 18% of our energy use comes from energy efficiency
- The workforce for energy efficiency improvements is underdeveloped
- Building an efficient home is 10% less expensive than not building it to be efficient
- Residential energy efficiency building standards are being raised
- Some federal programs support efficient homes
- Windows are sources of energy inefficiency in buildings
- Programmable thermostats can save energy
- Home Energy Squads/energy audits are a useful way to improve energy efficiency and understand different households’ efficiency
- Behavior changes impact efficiency
Challenges:
- The public is not well educated on the impact energy efficiency has in our energy system
- People often are unaware about environmental issues and what role they can play in addressing them through energy efficiency. If they were, there would be less demand for energy.
- People often resistant to, or fearful of, changing their habits and lifestyle around energy use.
- Some people may not believe that the cost of energy efficiency improvements is worth it.
- Not everyone has access to high-quality education relating to energy efficiency.
Opportunities:
- Focus on efficiency provide cost-savings and reduce impacts on the environment
- Efficiency investment in building construction up-front will save people money overall
- Demand for energy efficient homes creates opportunities for improvements and increased investment in in efficiency
- Energy efficiency supports the environment by reducing the need for other types of energy generation
- Emphasis on energy efficiency can create positive economic impacts
- Demand for energy efficient homes creates opportunities for improvement and increased investment in in efficiency
- Expanded focus on training can fill vacant positions and boost this sector of the workforce
Utility operation
Key information:
- By 2030, Xcel Energy’s sources aim to be 85% carbon-free and 60% renewable
- Xcel Energy shut down some coal & nuclear plants
- Legislation relating to Yucca Mountain’s nuclear waste storage is in progress
- Transportation is a large portion of energy use in the United States
- Xcel Energy offers programs for customers interested in using energy differently to save money
- Utilities have begun to offer programs for customers who prefer different resource mixes
- Investing in energy storage may reduce costs associated with the electric grid
Challenges:
- Utilities are breaking from traditional utility models in order to boost profits amid flat demand
- Utilities are working to balance the mix of resources (coal, wind, solar, etc.) in an evolving industry
- Investor-owned utilities have to consider profits differently than some other utility structures, while also investing in technology and efficiency improvements
Opportunities:
- Xcel Energy can continue to increase use of renewable energy
- Generation and storage are paired in the future of utility-scale renewable energy
- Xcel Energy’s embrace of renewables reduces harm to the environment from the energy system
- Continued investment in renewable energy can lower costs
- Local energy generation can improve the economic position of Winona
- Local generation can provide energy stability
- Jobs relating to local energy generation are often stable, rewarding, and provide families with financial stability, which in turn can support the community and local business
Wind energy
Key information:
- Wind is the most efficient type of energy
- Wind turbines harm very few birds, contrary to popular belief
- Wind turbines can move (turn) to get the best wind
- Wind turbines can be turned on/off from anywhere (via computer)
- The industry is seen as a growing industry with a high profit projection
- The cost of wind energy is predicted to go down (the highest cost is the initial installation, the wind itself is free)
- Farmers can make $15,000-$18,000/year for wind power
Challenges:
- Siting for wind turbines
- It can take years to properly site a wind turbine, which includes testing the wind in an area to allow for a wind turbine to be placed, which contributes to the high cost of installation
- For installation of wind turbines, the process requires: wind on the sited location, transmission capacity, community support, environmental approval, and a developer
- Wind energy is only viable/reliable in certain areas (a large expanse of land), and eminent domain (if all but one landowner agrees during the bargaining process, the company can take the land anyway) applies
- Ongoing expenses associated with wind turbines
- Transitional costs to move to new energy
- Training costs for workers
- Our current system can’t transmit the wind energy over long distances
- With current technology, energy storage from excess wind cannot store a significant amount
Opportunities:
- Further deployment in wind energy as a source for sustainable, cheap, and clean energy
- In comparison with coal-burning plants, wind is highly competitive
- Other sources of energy generation have higher environmental impacts
- Impacts of wind turbine installation on communities, including economic
- Locally viable source of renewable energy can give community members opportunities to participate in working towards the increase of renewable energy
- Jobs in wind turbine are increasing and often pay well
- Wind energy jobs can decrease local unemployment rate
- Wind turbine installation offers opportunities for economic development for rural areas
