Austin’s Falling Status
Austin aspires to be the “Best Managed” city in the country, but the last 3 years have seen the “green” and “affordability” standing of the community-owned utility, Austin Energy, fall.
Austin Energy, at the beginning of 2008, ranked:
#1 in new Solar installations in Texas
#1 in Voluntary Renewable Energy use in Texas
#1 for lowest “Green” Rate compared to Texas’ competitive market
#1 for lowest “Regular” Electric Rate compared to Texas’ competitive market
Now, based on the most current data available, Austin Energy ranks:
#2 in new Solar installations in Texas (2009 data)
#4 in Voluntary Renewable Energy Use in Texas (2008 data)
#69 for lowest “Green” Rate compared to the 71 offers with 100% renewable content available in the Texas’ competitive market (on Sep. 23, 2010)
#128 for lowest “Regular” Electric Rate compared to 170 offers of less than 100% renewable content available in the Texas competitive market (on Sep. 23, 2010)
Relative to other Texas energy companies, Austin is now doing less with green power and its electric rates are higher.
Texas Leaders – September 23, 2010
The following snapshots rank Texas electric companies on three metrics some customers regard as important: (1) renewable energy use (2) solar use (3) new electric rates.
Renewable Energy Use
TOTAL USE (including required use for Texas RPS renewable energy program)
1. Reliant Energy
2. TXU
3. CPS Energy (San Antonio)
4. FPL Energy/Gexa
5. Green Mountain
VOLUNTARY USE
1. CPS Energy (San Antonio)
2. FPL Energy
3. Green Mountain
4. Austin Energy
5. Reliant Energy
Austin is falling behind on Renewables
Source: based on actual REC retirements for 2008 as reported by ERCOT
Solar Energy Use
SOLAR MEGAWATTS ADDED DURING 2009
1. Oncor Electric Delivery
2. Austin Energy
3. CPS Energy (San Antonio)
4. CenterPoint Energy
5. AEP Texas
Extract from Solar Electric Power Association’s “2009 Utility Solar Rankings” (full report here)
Austin is falling behind on Solar
Source: based on SEPA “2009 Utility Solar Rankings”
New Electric Rates
Retail Electric Rates for New Residential Customers – Electric rate offers in the “competitive” areas of Texas (Dallas, Houston & elsewhere) are numerous (more than 200 offers with widely different terms & conditions) yet have prices that tend to swing up and down. With dramatically lower fuel prices than in the summer of 2008, most energy companies have likewise slashed their retail electric rates for new customers. Here’s the lowest offers available on Sep. 23, 2010. (Customers should be aware that “variable” rates can change abruptly, so customers not intending to watch rates closely and periodically switch providers may be more satisfied with a “fixed” rate.)
CONVENTIONAL RATES
Lowest Price – Variable Rate: Bounce Energy – 7.0 ¢/kWh
Lowest Price - Fixed Rate for at least 6 months: Spark Energy – 8.0 ¢/kWh
Austin Energy = 9.94 ¢/kWh
“GREEN” RATES (100% renewable content)
Lowest Price – Variable Rate: Dynowatt – 8.1 ¢/kWh
Lowest Price - Fixed Rate for at least 6 months: TriEagle – 8.9 ¢/kWh
Austin Energy – 11.99 ¢/kWh
Austin’s competitiveness falling on Electric Rates - On Sep. 23, 2010 there were 241 offers for electric service available to new customers (or those switching providers) being offered by 41 retail electric providers. If Austin Energy’s two electric offerings were to join this list of offers, they would rank #167 (Austin’s conventional rate) and #236 (GreenChoice rate).
Texas New Electric Rates – Downloadable Tables – Contain details on terms and renewable content of 241 competitive offers available on September 23, 2010. More detail on current offers is available at Powertochoose.org.
All Offers
Green Offers Only (100% Renewables Content)
Offers that are NOT 100% Renewable Content)
Source: based on data in Powertochoose.org for new electric offers in the Oncor service territory available on September 23, 2010.
