I had the pleasure of attending “The Future of Vermont’s Energy” forum at Green Mountain College on Tuesday Nov. 17th. The panelists represented different segments of the energy chain (i.e. renewable sales, nuclear production and utility power services) and energy resources. Two audience members posed questions to the panelists regarding the evident size discrepancies in current power sources in Vermont. One panelist responded that it’s not economically viable for small scale wind yet and the permitting process for hydro power is the same for a 10kw generator as it is for a 100mw generator. These reasons and others most likely address why our energy situation has come to be today. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a sustainable long term approach.
John Blittersdorf, owner of CV Solar and Wind compared the production of energy to that of balancing a financial budget. A generic company has to balance a budget similar to how a utility company has to balance their supply and demand. If this is an accurate analogy, it leads me to compare our current economic situation to where our energy future could go. With 2/3rds of Vermont’s energy supplied from only two sources, it begs the questions “Are short term prices the main concern for Vermonters?” and “Are these companies too big to fail?” Feel free to conjure up the multitude of appropriately comparable problems that could be applied. Now, any energy novice would be aware that Vermont’s energy needs are minuscule compared to our neighbor states. But, when preparing for Vermont’s future we must exercise foresight that prevents the oligopoly of power, profits and resources. This thought process simply leads to subjective interpretations of what diversified energy resources means. But it increases questioning of large projects, hesitation of foreign investors, and reliance on communities for supporting ones neighbor. These are essential considerations for the structural integrity of any economy.
