The country's largest municipally owned utility aims to make San Antonio a hub for clean energy and innovation, and has unveiled two new initiatives to help achieve that goal.
One would increase, potentially even double, CPS Energy's existing capacity to generate and store solar power. The other would allow large commercial companies to buy clean power from alternative sources, pending City Council approval.
The utility has committed to making cleaner, renewable energy 20% of its generation resources by the end of this year; to making 65% of its generation low or no carbon resources; and to reducing power plant emissions by tens of thousands of tons per year.
CPS' clean energy plan was somewhat revamped in response to pushback from environmentalists who say the utility is not transitioning fast enough to meet its stated goals.
What will these changes mean for San Antonio residents and businesses? How does CPS plan to achieve its vision for cleaner, more efficient energy while keeping costs affordable for consumers?
How else is CPS working to build a "new energy economy"? What role does energy play in San Antonio's efforts to transition into being a "smart city"?
Guest: Paula Gold-Williams, president and CEO of CPS Energy
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*This interview was recorded on Thursday, August 20.
