Denton Aims to Become Second ‘all Renewable' City in Texas by 2020

Denton is set to become the second city in Texas to use 100 percent renewable energy.Denton’s City Council voted 6-1 on Feb. 6 to approve an amendment to the Renewable Denton Plan which institutes the new goal with a target year of 2020. The plan’s original goal was to use 70 percent renewable energy by then.The city’s utility company, Denton Municipal Electric, has determined that solar power is the city's best option for renewable energy, followed by coastal wind and then other wind energy. The city currently purchases 44 percent renewable energy.Mayor Pro Tem Sara Bagheri cast the single opposing vote. Bagheri said she was opposed to the plan because of its inclusion of the Denton Energy Center, a natural-gas power plant near the Denton Enterprise Airport.Bagheri said the DEC would worsen Denton’s already polluted air, which state environmental ranked as the worst in the state for the 2014-16 period.  Continue reading...