Regional: Common sense needed in energy

By DON CHRISTIANSEN | Monday, April 14, 2008 10:15 PM PDT ∞

Oftentimes in the civic arena, a vocal, well-financed minority can drown out the silent majority. Using spaced repetition of information (also known as, Marketing 101 and brainwashing) well-funded and well-connected multinational corporations are able to spend big money to meet their desired goals.

It is ironic that often ratepayers and taxpayers fund projects that are counter to their best interests.

Take the Sunrise Powerlink, Sempra and San Diego Gas & Electric's $1.5 billion proposed transmission line to bring (allegedly renewable) energy from Imperial to San Diego County. Keep in mind that the $1.5 billion is just for the 150-mile line with 150-foot towers that would mar the landscape and disrupt the wildlife of Anza Borrego State Park and other unique areas.

The proposed renewable energy power sources include the Stirling Engine, which has been around a long time, but has yet to prove that it will scale up to this size project.

Not to worry, there is a potential back up plan. It turns out that Sempra owns a fossil fuel power plant with surplus generating capacity just across the Mexican border from the proposed eastern terminus of the Sunrise Powerlink. That plant can be fueled by imported liquefied natural gas brought into Ensenada.

There are six alternative plans to bring San Diego renewable energy, however, they do not have ratepayer money available to pay for a public relations campaign. Some have real grassroots support. One of particular interest is the Sierra Club's Smart Energy Alternative plan to use sunshine for solar electric power generation on our rooftops and build solar electric carports over our parking lots.

There are many advantages to ratepayers and other citizens for using the Smart Energy model. Among them are creation of local "green" jobs and improved reliability and transmission efficiency, since many smaller local solar energy sources will be more reliable than a single transmission line losing power over 150 miles. The proposed Sunrise Powerlink route was burned by the Witch Creek fire last fall.

"Homegrown" solar eliminates the perceived need to tear up Anza Borrego and other unique areas. If California's AB1920 passes, businesses and homeowners would be able to sell ---- rather than just break even ---- any surplus solar electric to their utility provider.

Last week Southern California Edison announced "plans to install 250 megawatts worth of solar panels on commercial rooftops, generating enough electricity to power 162,000 homes." It has made the business decision to proceed with distributed generation. Sempra/SDG&E could do the same.

There is no common sense reason to build a 150-mile transmission line across the desert; however there is an economic reason. Simply follow the money and see who profits and who pays.

Don Christiansen lives in Carlsbad.