Green
energy sources discussed at Focusing Cache
BAD ENERGY NEWS: Kilowatt
costs are only going to rise, Jason Berry tells the
audience Thursday afternoon in the Eccles Conference
Center. / Photo by Tyler Larson
By C. Jake Williams
February 1, 2008 | LOGAN--Clean energy comes at a
price. That's not meant in the thousands-of-baby-harp-seals-die
context; we're talking about the straight-forward price
that lightens your wallet.
USU hosted several discussion panels as part of its
Focusing Cache event Thursday, including an Energy and
Water lineup. The discussion was moderated by Jim Evans
from the USU department of geology and featured experts
on nuclear, solar, wind and geothermal power. Money
was a constant theme during the talks.
"Typically a solar system has a cost of about 18-24
cents per kilowatt," said Warren Farnsworth, President
of the Utah Solar Energy Association. Utah Geological
Survey's Jason Berry suggested that Cache citizens are
currently paying approximately 6-7 cents per kilowatt
for carbon-based power.
Two of the more vocal experts Thursday were Vanessa
Pierce, who spoke about nuclear energy, and Carl Austin,
a geothermal expert employed by Idaho-based Idatherm.
Pierce presented a lengthy PowerPoint on what building
a nuclear power plant entails and is not optimistic
that nuclear energy is right for Cache. Austin, on the
other hand, believes geothermal energy is a viable option
for the valley. Austin noted that each energy source
has its advantages and disadvantages.
There is no consensus on which renewable energy source
is best for Cache Valley, but future financial pressures
on its citizens are likely to fuel the debate.
"Energy is going to become more expensive, that's
the bottom line. We are all going to pay more for it,"
said Berry. "Don't shoot the messenger."
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