Austin Energy Business Model
Austin Energy utilizes a traditional utility business model based on continually growing sales.
Unfortunately, this approach is intrinsically in conflict with the City’s desire to reduce growth in energy sales through energy efficiency and solar power owned by customers.
And since most power plants owned by Austin burn fossil fuel, growing sales leads to higher pollution and higher carbon emissions.
Austin urgently needs to reform its out-dated business model to work with — rather than against — the City’s climate protection, efficiency and solar goals.
GreenChoice
Austin has long had the most successful voluntary green power sales program among regulated electric utilities in the nation. But with significant changes in the pricing structure — possibly influenced by incompatibilities with Austin Energy’s current business model — GreenChoice is slowing.
PowerSmack played a successful role advocating for lowering the price of GreenChoice Batch 6 in 2009. Extensive background and discussion on Austin’s GreenChoice program is provided here.
Austin Energy Planning
The Generation, Resource and Climate Protection Plan
Financial Planning Action Plan memo
Historical Documents - Austin Energy Planning
1992 – City Council Minutes – Austin changes its energy efficiency funding policy.
1996 – Memo on Utility Changes – Major City effort to increase utility “competitiveness”.
