Austin Energy is turning to the wind to power the city’s future.
Austin City Council members will look at a contract today that increases the amount of renewable energy purchased by Austin Energy to 35 percent from 25 percent.
The planned purchase would be close to $400 million worth of wind energy for the next 25 years.
Austin Energy spokesman Ed Clark said this happening mostly because of good pricing from the producers.
“What we try to do is take advantage of opportunities, and the wind contracts we are taking to council represent very good opportunities,” Clark said. “The pricing is very competitive with any other type of generation available in Texas.”
The wind energy would come from about 100 turbines on the southern Texas coast and will not require Austin Energy to invest any additional money into their maintenance.