Opinion: Vermont sets unrealistic goals

On Tuesday, Feb. 21, the Vermont Department of Public Service announced that the Green Mountain State won't meet its goal of getting 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2017.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120308/OPINION02/703089981

Published March 8, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
Vermont sets unrealistic goals

On Tuesday, Feb. 21, the Vermont Department of Public Service announced that the Green Mountain State won’t meet its goal of getting 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2017. Furthermore, they announced that they’re withdrawing their support for setting a new goal of 30 percent renewable power by 2025.

Lack of progress in reaching these short-term goals indicates that the long-term goal, having 90 percent renewables by 2050, is on the fast track to failure. This goal was the crux of the recently published Vermont state energy plan, and it is failing because it was ill-planned and unrealistic. One has to wonder what other aspects of the plan are on the same track.

In comments regarding the issue, Rep. Tony Klein said, “You have to balance ambition and what’s doable.” Clearly, the DPS did not consider that when they drafted the plan. Ninety percent renewables was ambitious, but certainly not realistic. Also, the plan’s critics had been voicing that concern for months, before the plan had been finalized.

The Vermont energy plan did not include the reliable, 24/7 base-load electricity provided by Vermont Yankee. The supply gap that will be left when Vermont utilities cease to purchase energy from Vermont Yankee this month cannot be filled with wind and solar. Maybe Tony Klein’s realization will open the eyes of those who believed that Vermont Yankee could be replaced with a line of windmills and solar panels.

WILLIAM H. SCHULZE

North Springfield