SUN CITY WANTS SOLAR

Texas already leads the US in wind energy development and is now, apparently, ready to turn its attention to its even greater solar resources. Having been in the oil industry, the folks in Texas know what it means to develop resources.

Panelists call on state to harness solar energy
Zahira Torres, August 19, 2007 (El Paso Times)

WHO
Russel Smith, executive director, Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association; County Judge Anthony Cobos (Organizer); Christopher Davey, vp, EnviroMission Ltd; Kirk Uhler, vp, Solar Power Inc.

El Paso is the hot red tip at the far western corner of the state. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
El Paso’s nickname is “Sun City.” Panelists at its “Solar Summit” advocated the city’s development of solar energy.

WHEN
The Solar Summit was August 18.

WHERE
El Paso, Texas

WHY
- University of Texas at El Paso assisted Judge Cobos with organizing the event.
- Representatives from the Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association, the Texas General Land Office and business leaders agreed the city should promote solar energy. Many demanded to know why Texas had not followed states like California and New Jersey in providing incentives. Without incentives, some contended, development should proceed on a smaller scale.
- Davey, Uhler and others demonstrated solar energy products and talked about it as a business matter.

Texas knows opportunity. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Smith: "It would be much better to produce our energy from non-polluting sources than from polluting sources…There are no incentives (in Texas) and there is not likely to be, in the near term, an equivalent to the state incentives of California and the approach they are taking.."
- Joanne and Bill Cook, citizen/audience: "I want to be more informed about what was being considered in terms of solar energy…I want to be able to make a more intelligent decision if anything ever comes up as a voting issue."