WINDS OF CHANGE
Oklahoma was among tops in the nation for wind energy growth in the past decade, study shows
A report issued this week that tracks the growth of renewable energy during the past decade gives Oklahoma breezy marks in one area it tracked.
According to the report, Renewable son the Rise 2019— A Decade of Progress Toward a Clean Energy Future, growth in the amount of wind- generated energy in Oklahoma during that time only was outpaced by the growth of that resource in Texas.
But Oklahoma also was recognized as being among the top 20 states when it comes to energy efficiency improvements during that time.
Rob Sargent, energy program director at the Environment America Research & Policy Center, one of the entities that generated the report, attributed Oklahoma's ranking in that category to energy efficiency programs offered to customers of the more than 70 entities that sell electricity inside the state.
The report was co-authored by the Frontier Group. It notes how prices for renewable energy have fallen rapidly and are expected to continue to do so.
The report's authors expect those falling costs will foster continued growth of t hose resources in years to come, even while the country's percapita use of energy continues to decline.
The Environment America Research & Policy Center is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting America's air, water and open spaces, while the Frontier Group provides information and ideas to help citizens build a cleaner, healthier, fair er and more democratic America.
In the report's conclusion, its authors encourage cities, states, businesses and the federal government to continue working toward obtaining 100% of needed energy from
clean, renewable sources by setting ambitious goals and by prioritizing energy savings using programs that encourage added efficiencies and conservation.
Findings
The United States, the report stated, produced almost five times as much renewable electricity from the sun and the wind in 2018 as it did in 2009, and it estimates that wind and solar energy provide nearly 10% of the country's electricity.
The country more than tripled the amount of wind power it produced, with the 275,000 gigawatt hours produced in 2018 representing 7.2% of energy on the country's grid.
Texas, which upgraded its grid to support more wind during the decade, led that growth by adding 5 5 , 727 gi gawatt hours of generating capacity. Oklahoma added 24,895 gigawatt hours of capacity, followed byKansas and Iowa.
“That probably isn't news to most Oklahomans,” Sargent said. “The nation's
plains states have incredible wind resources. And it is very cost-effective.”
The report stated solar energy projects supplied enough energy to power more than 9 million average American homes in 2018. The country also saw an 18-fold increase in utilityscale battery storage over the past decade.
As for energy efficiency, the report states that a survey conducted by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimates efficiency programs throughout the U.S. saved more than twice as much energy in 2017 as in 2009.
Meanwhile, sales of electric vehicles also are trending higher, with more than 361,000 sold in the U.S. in 2018.
As for renewable energy costs, a survey conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found the cost of distributed solar power fell by 71% the past decade, while the cost of utility-scale solar projects declined by more than 80%. Another laboratory study predicts costs for wind energy will decline by half between now and 2030, thanks to advances in its technologies to boost power production from individual turbines.
The decline in power consumption, report authors said, was aided the past decade by advanced consumer products, such as LED lighting.
Recommendations
The report recommends policymakers require utilities to ramp up renewable energy generation, work to make clean energy technologies accessible and affordable for consumers and encourage adoption of clean energy at all scales, from small rooftops to large wind and solar farms.
It also calls for policy makers to support development of emerging technologies involving smart grid improvements and the electrification of heating and transportation systems while limiting carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
Sargent and Mark Yates, a vice president with the Advanced Power Alliance, said Wednesday that many Oklahomans aren't on board yet with those recommendations.
One reason, they agreed, is that Oklahoma has a sizeable oil and gas industry that works to extract fossil fuels from the earth for consumption. The other, they noted, is that the price
for electricity in Oklahoma is among the cheapest in the nation.
“In Oklahoma, you don't see a lot of discussions about renewable energy policy ,” Sargent said. “First, there is the cost of the energy, and that is a central part of the debate. But it also is about clean water, clean air, and about being able to go fishing with your grandkids. These are values most Americans share, regardless of where they live.
“There will need to be some leadership to help people understand that making this a priority is important.”
Yates, meanwhile, said Oklahoma should concentrate on finding companies eager to use renewable energy to get them to relocate their operations to Oklahoma.
“Part of our message has to be that we are an energy state that has an abundance of natural gas, an infinite supply of wind and a phenomenal solar resource,” he said. “Moving forward, we know Oklahoma is going to continue to have the resources to supply low cost power. We need to recruit manufacturing and data centers here to use it, and to create additional quality jobs.”