Renewable energy not for ‘faint of heart,' expert says
Houston Business Journal|Melissa McEver |July 28, 2011
Indeed, the expense involved in developing renewable energy continues to be a concern ...Wind, solar and other alternative forms of energy just aren't yet competitive with traditional power sources and don't generate enough energy compared to the investment involved.
Indeed, the expense involved in developing renewable energy continues to be a concern ...Wind, solar and other alternative forms of energy just aren't yet competitive with traditional power sources and don't generate enough energy compared to the investment involved.
We all know Houston is considered the U.S. energy capital, but how will it fare as renewable energy projects gain traction? That was the question posed at a Summer Salon Series meeting hosted by the Center For Houston's Future this week. The answer, according to an expert panel, is that Houston is poised to do quite well.
Houston has many of the resources needed to excel in renewable energy precisely because of its rich history and expertise in the oil and gas industry, said Dick Williams, president of Shell WindServices. Really, the industry uses the same skills, just in a different way, he said. Energy companies in Houston are very well-suited to develop green-energy projects, he said.
However, investing in renewables isn't for the …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]We all know Houston is considered the U.S. energy capital, but how will it fare as renewable energy projects gain traction? That was the question posed at a Summer Salon Series meeting hosted by the Center For Houston's Future this week. The answer, according to an expert panel, is that Houston is poised to do quite well.
Houston has many of the resources needed to excel in renewable energy precisely because of its rich history and expertise in the oil and gas industry, said Dick Williams, president of Shell WindServices. Really, the industry uses the same skills, just in a different way, he said. Energy companies in Houston are very well-suited to develop green-energy projects, he said.
However, investing in renewables isn't for the "faint of heart," Williams warned. He offered a tidbit that made my jaw drop: each wind turbine that his division builds costs $4 million. Wind farms typically have hundreds of turbines.
Indeed, the expense involved in developing renewable energy continues to be a concern, said Robert Harriss, president and CEO of the Houston Advanced Research Center.
Wind, solar and other alternative forms of energy just aren't yet competitive with traditional power sources and don't generate enough energy compared to the investment involved, he said. He thinks the federal government, which has pushed for green-energy projects to get up and running quickly, should look at the issue more carefully. Many innovative technologies are coming out of universities and companies that could lead to renewable energy that can be stored and produced more cheaply, he said.
As you might expect, Arun Banskota, president of NRG Electric Vehicle Services, hyped the development of electric vehicles and the charging stations being planned for Houston - though only a minute number of electric cars are on the road in the Houston region at this point.