Focusing on solar could alleviate problem
Here we go again: Drought hits and Seattle City Light rates increase [“Warm weather downside: drought worries,” page one, March 3]. Like it or not, dams work great — but only when it rains. Seattle City Light is held hostage by thermal power [that causes droughts] when it does not rain.
Solution: Try solar energy. By conserving natural gas with an aggressive solar greenhouse, solar window and solar hot-water program, you conserve natural gas for cogeneration. Natural-gas cogeneration is a heating and cooling system that also makes electricity. For example, a laundromat can make hot water or a grocery store can make air conditioning while making electricity.
Solar energy works well in droughts. Cogeneration on commercial buildings could displace all the hydropower lost. To finance this, Seattle should take a serious look at purchasing the gas utility from Puget Sound Energy. By integrating natural gas with solar operations as part of Seattle City Light, this would put an end to this cycle of higher rate increases during droughts.
— Martin Nix, Seattle