Know the difference between “Energy Efficiency” and “Energy Conservation” and you will have taken the first step to energy addiction recovery. Plus, you may find joy and happiness.
Last year, energy efficiency guru Amory Lovins wrote this in an email to me and I assume, to many others.
“Fear of specific and avoidable dangers has evolutionary value. Nobody has ancestors who weren’t mindful of saber-toothed tigers. But pervasive dread, currently in fashion and sometimes purposely promoted, is numbing and de-motivating. When I give a talk, sometimes a questioner details the many bad things happening in the world and asks how dare I propose solutions: isn’t resistance futile? The only response I’ve found is to ask, as gently as I can, “Does feeling that way make you more effective?”To be sure, mood does matter. The last three decades of the twentieth century reportedly saw 46,000 new psychological papers on despair and grief, but only 400 on joy and happiness. If psychologists want to help people find joy and happiness, they’re looking in the wrong places. Empathy, humor, and reversing both inner and outer poverty are all vital. But the most solid foundation we know for feeling better about the future is to improve it—tangibly, durably, reproducibly, and scaleably.
This year you can feel better about the world and yourself by learning more about energy efficiency and energy conservation. When you do this the future improves.
There is a lot of hype centered on the terms “energy conservation” and “energy efficiency” and most consumers seem clueless when it comes to knowing the difference and asking the right questions at the right time.
In over twenty years of dealing with electric utility consumers I believe that only about one in nine knows what they are saying when they ask, “which one is more efficient”? They don’t really care which one is more efficient. What they really care about is which one is cheaper.
So the difficult questions become, cheaper for whom and efficient in which way?
The answer for “which one is more efficient" is easy. It’s the solution that uses less energy to produce the same amount of work. This work could be light, heat, refrigeration, air conditioning etc.
The answer for “which one is less expensive” is never easy.
Everyone knows that a cheaper purchase price is often a dead give away for a product that will actually be more expensive over the product’s life of operation. The simple life cycle comparison of a fifty cent incandescent light bulb compared to its more “efficient” product, the three dollar compact fluorescent bulb, can be replicated with even higher costs savings when comparing refrigerators, pumps, water heaters, furnaces, windows, insulation and houses just to name a few.
Each fuel and each appliance has variables that are hard to compare. Certain fuels cost more up front like solar photovoltaic energy. Certain fuels and products traditionally avoid external costs and come in looking cheaper until you factor in the costs for healthcare, environmental degradation, and tax payer subsidies, like coal and nuclear power. The challenge is to define and quantify those external costs. This is hard to do and the producers of these energy products don’t really want you to figure out or factor in, those external costs. Just like the tobacco industry doesn’t want you to factor in the costs of treating lung diseases with the cost of a pack of cigarettes.
Here are the variables that go into the answer for the question, “which one is cheaper?”
What is the cost and efficiency to get the product (useful energy) to your house?
What is the true life cycle cost including operating costs and purchase price of the appliances that use the energy?
What are the operating habits and skills of the people using the appliance?
What is the quality of the building envelope or location in which the appliance is used?
In its simplest definition, energy conservation means those actions that cause you to use less energy. This could be as simple as keeping the thermostat lower and wearing a sweater on a cold day or as silly as trying to read in the dark. Sure you are saving energy and reducing your bill, but you have to suffer to do it. Americans don’t like to suffer. Consequently, most energy conservation programs do little to actually reduce energy use.
Energy Efficiency on the other hand means getting your beer just as cold or our home just as warm with efficient systems or products that use less energy. Like the compact fluorescent light bulb that produces the same light output for less than half the energy use of an incandescent bulb, or the better insulated house that uses less energy to heat the same square footage.
I am not a big fan of Wikipedia because it’s too easy for facts and sources to be questionable. Yet, I often start there for an overview of a topic and then check facts with other websites I consider more reputable or scientific. Their energy efficiency section seems factual and actually helpful. I recommend that you visit and read it all. It will give you some ideas about the possibilities for energy efficient products that can maintain your lifestyle without suffering more than a little higher purchase price. In most cases the life cycle cost of an energy efficient product or system will be cheaper than the “cheaper” product to purchase.
By understanding your options and understanding the language used to talk about energy and energy issues, you can take a big step to your own energy independence, cut your utility bills in the process and find joy and happiness. Wow, this is going to be a great year.
Showing posts with label Alternative Electricity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alternative Electricity. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Hey, don’t be sticking your big sausage in my daughter’s face, buddy
I walked into a grocery store in Bozeman Montana with my daughter several years ago and came face to face with a large man wearing a large cowboy hat. He was standing behind a large table filled with large plates of sausage. Yep, you guessed it – large sausage.
He poked a smoky looking link in my daughter’s face and said, ‘try some of the best sausage in the west”. My daughter responded in an icy monotone, “no thanks, I’m a vegetarian”. The large man tipped his large hat politely and said, “I heard there was a vegetarian in Montana, I’m really glad to meet you ma’am”.
While beef’s for dinner in Montana, coal is still king. I have no idea if, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer is a vegetarian, but I know for sure he likes coal. It’s fine to like coal. I like coal. Without it many of us in the USA would be paying lots more for our electricity today. Over fifty percent of our electricity comes from coal. If you live in the Midwest or West it’s more like sixty percent. Yet, the cost of electricity may not accurately reflect the true cost to the planet as we all now know from listening to the climate change debate.
Yet, as any smoker knows, old habits are hard to break and Governor Schweitzer doesn’t seem to understand the addiction. In a recent Christian Science Monitor article (12/29/08) the Governor said. " ..unless you are willing to live naked in a tree and eat nuts for the next thirty years, coal's going to be part of the portfolio”.
So much for Al Gore’s Repower America with “100% clean electricity within 10 years”.
The wide gap between the Governor’s assertion and Al’s cheerful optimism can’t help but make you feel like turning on the TV to another mind numbing program. What’s the point any way, either Brian or Al is crazy. They both could be crazy, it’s a sure bet that one of them can’t be sane.
Meanwhile thousands, yes thousands of people are living fully clothed in nice homes, eating beef and sausage off the grid. A quick scan of off the grid systems finds thousands of single family homes across the USA with normal people, fully clothed and well feed that have jsut decided to delare thier own energy independance.
Find a Solar professional to get started and we’ll make Governor’s, Ex-senators and electric distribution companies irrelevant.
I know you have heard it from me before, but I am going to keep saying it for the rest of my life; or until the opposing sides in the climate change and energy generation debates stop calling each other names; and get down to the business of agreeing on facts, plans and actions that we can all get behind. If this is the moral equivalent of war as some argue, we have at least got to agree on which enemy we are fighting and stop shooting each other.
We must learn to play nicely in the sand box and quit calling each other names. I think every policy-maker, every politician and every business executive in the world should read, understand and pledge to follow Adam Kahane’s steps for Changing the World by Changing How We Talk and Listen. If we don’t stop downloading, we will continue to waste valuable time and resources shooting at each other and dying from friendly fire. It doesn’t matter what you wear or what you eat, you have got to see the wasteful stupidity in continuing that way.
© 2009 Mark R. Daily
He poked a smoky looking link in my daughter’s face and said, ‘try some of the best sausage in the west”. My daughter responded in an icy monotone, “no thanks, I’m a vegetarian”. The large man tipped his large hat politely and said, “I heard there was a vegetarian in Montana, I’m really glad to meet you ma’am”.
While beef’s for dinner in Montana, coal is still king. I have no idea if, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer is a vegetarian, but I know for sure he likes coal. It’s fine to like coal. I like coal. Without it many of us in the USA would be paying lots more for our electricity today. Over fifty percent of our electricity comes from coal. If you live in the Midwest or West it’s more like sixty percent. Yet, the cost of electricity may not accurately reflect the true cost to the planet as we all now know from listening to the climate change debate.
Yet, as any smoker knows, old habits are hard to break and Governor Schweitzer doesn’t seem to understand the addiction. In a recent Christian Science Monitor article (12/29/08) the Governor said. " ..unless you are willing to live naked in a tree and eat nuts for the next thirty years, coal's going to be part of the portfolio”.
So much for Al Gore’s Repower America with “100% clean electricity within 10 years”.
The wide gap between the Governor’s assertion and Al’s cheerful optimism can’t help but make you feel like turning on the TV to another mind numbing program. What’s the point any way, either Brian or Al is crazy. They both could be crazy, it’s a sure bet that one of them can’t be sane.
Meanwhile thousands, yes thousands of people are living fully clothed in nice homes, eating beef and sausage off the grid. A quick scan of off the grid systems finds thousands of single family homes across the USA with normal people, fully clothed and well feed that have jsut decided to delare thier own energy independance.
Find a Solar professional to get started and we’ll make Governor’s, Ex-senators and electric distribution companies irrelevant.
I know you have heard it from me before, but I am going to keep saying it for the rest of my life; or until the opposing sides in the climate change and energy generation debates stop calling each other names; and get down to the business of agreeing on facts, plans and actions that we can all get behind. If this is the moral equivalent of war as some argue, we have at least got to agree on which enemy we are fighting and stop shooting each other.
We must learn to play nicely in the sand box and quit calling each other names. I think every policy-maker, every politician and every business executive in the world should read, understand and pledge to follow Adam Kahane’s steps for Changing the World by Changing How We Talk and Listen. If we don’t stop downloading, we will continue to waste valuable time and resources shooting at each other and dying from friendly fire. It doesn’t matter what you wear or what you eat, you have got to see the wasteful stupidity in continuing that way.
© 2009 Mark R. Daily
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Slow Economic Times Mean Time to Re-Tool Alternate Energy and Energy Conservation Policies and Regulations
Falling energy demand could soften the incentive to implement energy conservation programs and initiatives across the USA. As fossil fuel prices fall, renewable energy advocates expect declining support for expensive renewable energy projects. Yet, this could be just the right time to develop the national energy policy needed to guide us when demand roars back after economic recovery.
The Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy says, “Total electricity consumption during 2008 is projected to be flat at about 2007 levels, as slight growth in the commercial and industrial sectors is balanced by decline in the residential sector, primarily as a result of milder summer temperatures (U.S. Total Electricity Consumption). Total electricity consumption is expected to decline in 2009 due to the slow growth in new housing construction and reduced demand in the industrial sector.”
Declining prices always mean declining excitement and support for alternate energy programs. We’ve been through this before. Yet despite the slow-down in demand, prices for residential electricity do not appear to be falling. Again according to the Official Energy Statistics from the US Government, “Spot prices for power generation fuels continue to decline from their peak summer levels. Residential electricity prices are expected to rise by 6 percent this year and by 5 percent in 2009 (U.S. Residential Electricity Prices). Still these price increases pale compared to the national average of 10 percent residential rate increases between 2005 and 2006.
This lull is just the right time for policy makers, utilities and consumers to take action; adopt a national energy policy and put into place uniform local energy and distributed generation policies. If we do it now, these regulations will be in place when we all get too busy putting out our own brush fires when the economy gets back into full swing.
Cutting the Red Tape Out features ideas for better uniformity of regulations and permitting for distributed generation equipment. Now is the time to contact your federal, states and local elected representatives to tell them what you want in the way of distributed renewable energy systems. This also the time to tell them to review their regulations pertaining to building, energy efficiency, and alternate energy systems. It won’t matter how great your utility incentives are for wind and solar power if local building codes impose unreasonable and outdated requirements. Or, worse yet, if they have no regulations pertaining to wind towers , photovoltaic systems on roofs etc., advocates for these systems will end up triggering moratoriums on these “new” developments that could take years to unravel.
If you want to save the world and promote alternate energy development, you cannot wait until you’re in the building permit office filling out construction permit forms to find out what the requirements are in your area. If you do, you deserve to spend lots of time, twice as much money and three times the patience getting your project completed.
In May 2000 all of the world's science academies created the Inter-Academy Council to mobilize the best scientists and engineers worldwide to provide high quality advice to international bodies - such as the United Nations and the World Bank - as well as to other institutions. They recognize that barriers to adopting new technologies are not always financial. In their report Barriers to realizing cost-effective energy savings they describe institutional and personal barriers to adopting energy efficient systems including alternate energy systems.
Now is the time to make that call and tell your elected representatives where you stand on renewable energy. It also the time to do your home work and find out what the regulations and policies are in your area to make sure that state and local governments and local utilities are ready to do alternate energy business.
© 2009 Mark R. Daily
The Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy says, “Total electricity consumption during 2008 is projected to be flat at about 2007 levels, as slight growth in the commercial and industrial sectors is balanced by decline in the residential sector, primarily as a result of milder summer temperatures (U.S. Total Electricity Consumption). Total electricity consumption is expected to decline in 2009 due to the slow growth in new housing construction and reduced demand in the industrial sector.”
Declining prices always mean declining excitement and support for alternate energy programs. We’ve been through this before. Yet despite the slow-down in demand, prices for residential electricity do not appear to be falling. Again according to the Official Energy Statistics from the US Government, “Spot prices for power generation fuels continue to decline from their peak summer levels. Residential electricity prices are expected to rise by 6 percent this year and by 5 percent in 2009 (U.S. Residential Electricity Prices). Still these price increases pale compared to the national average of 10 percent residential rate increases between 2005 and 2006.
This lull is just the right time for policy makers, utilities and consumers to take action; adopt a national energy policy and put into place uniform local energy and distributed generation policies. If we do it now, these regulations will be in place when we all get too busy putting out our own brush fires when the economy gets back into full swing.
Cutting the Red Tape Out features ideas for better uniformity of regulations and permitting for distributed generation equipment. Now is the time to contact your federal, states and local elected representatives to tell them what you want in the way of distributed renewable energy systems. This also the time to tell them to review their regulations pertaining to building, energy efficiency, and alternate energy systems. It won’t matter how great your utility incentives are for wind and solar power if local building codes impose unreasonable and outdated requirements. Or, worse yet, if they have no regulations pertaining to wind towers , photovoltaic systems on roofs etc., advocates for these systems will end up triggering moratoriums on these “new” developments that could take years to unravel.
If you want to save the world and promote alternate energy development, you cannot wait until you’re in the building permit office filling out construction permit forms to find out what the requirements are in your area. If you do, you deserve to spend lots of time, twice as much money and three times the patience getting your project completed.
In May 2000 all of the world's science academies created the Inter-Academy Council to mobilize the best scientists and engineers worldwide to provide high quality advice to international bodies - such as the United Nations and the World Bank - as well as to other institutions. They recognize that barriers to adopting new technologies are not always financial. In their report Barriers to realizing cost-effective energy savings they describe institutional and personal barriers to adopting energy efficient systems including alternate energy systems.
Now is the time to make that call and tell your elected representatives where you stand on renewable energy. It also the time to do your home work and find out what the regulations and policies are in your area to make sure that state and local governments and local utilities are ready to do alternate energy business.
© 2009 Mark R. Daily
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Electric Energy Independence is already underway – One house and one business at a time.
Forget the US Government and Obama’s rhetoric. Remember, every presidential candidate has campaigned on Energy Independence for the last thirty years. Forget your local utility. They’ve been doing business the same way for over 60 years.
Several Blogs ago I predicted the demise of the electric distribution industry as we know it. In Death of the Electric Industry I predicted the end of distribution utilities. In Death of the Electric Industry Part II, I explained how I think this is going to happen.
As little bits and pieces come to me that support my prediction, I tend to get a smug little grin on my face. My predictions had to do with residential customers jumping the grid tied ship like rats on a sinking vessel. But, Solar buzz recently announced a small commercial project that leads the way in proving that even industry can make use of solar energy in a mediocre solar climate like Connecticut. Tri-Town Precision Plastics plans to go solar and expects their investment to pay for itself in six years and deliver all of their electric energy needs all year long.
To plan your escape from the grid you only need two things, know-how and cash. Check out these websites to get the know-how. By acting on this information you can trim your energy appetite and get your house ready for energy independence without the expense of a solar system. Then after you’ve saved a bundle off your utility bill (said bundle being prudently stashed in a secure savings account) you are ready to use available incentives in your area to match your cash and build the system. Find my energy saving tips here.
Useful information is all about “Trust”. If you don’t trust the source of the information you are not going to follow their recommendations. Find sources of Know-How that you trust. Here are some that look pretty good to me.
The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) sponsors efficiency tips at getenergyactive.org. Organized in 1933, EEI is the association of U.S. shareholder or investor-owned electric companies. Their members serve 95 percent of the end use customers in the investor-owned part of the industry, and represent approximately 70 percent of the U.S. electric power industry. So you might be justified in being suspicious of their motives. However, all utilities, especially investor-owned utilities are falling all over themselves these days to prove to regulators that their rate increase requests are justified. One way that they do this is to show State Regulatory Commissions that they take energy conservation seriously.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has locked horns with utilities across the nation over air quality issues. These guys are not friends of the electric utility industry. They are supposed to be friends of the environment. ENERGY AND YOU is their site for all kinds of good information on energy conservation.
The benefits of visiting the above two sites are that they aren’t trying to sell any specific products.
Commercial sites might make you leery, but I think Real Goods has a good reputation for getting systems on the ground that work. Be sure to visit their Get Started and Economics & Financing links.
The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the use of solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies in the U.S. Sure they are selling solar equipment and trying to employ solar installation contractors, but these guys can’t last if they lie. Their Solar calculator will take your Monthly kWh and calculate the size of the system you need based on your climate.
Now you are ready to match your utility savings with incentives that can help reduce your out of pocket expenses. This data base at the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency can help you stretch your funds to meet your energy independence goals.
Maybe I’ll be reading about your off grid solar system and smiling one of these days. Don’t get mad at your utility, leave them
© 2008 Mark R. Daily
Several Blogs ago I predicted the demise of the electric distribution industry as we know it. In Death of the Electric Industry I predicted the end of distribution utilities. In Death of the Electric Industry Part II, I explained how I think this is going to happen.
As little bits and pieces come to me that support my prediction, I tend to get a smug little grin on my face. My predictions had to do with residential customers jumping the grid tied ship like rats on a sinking vessel. But, Solar buzz recently announced a small commercial project that leads the way in proving that even industry can make use of solar energy in a mediocre solar climate like Connecticut. Tri-Town Precision Plastics plans to go solar and expects their investment to pay for itself in six years and deliver all of their electric energy needs all year long.
To plan your escape from the grid you only need two things, know-how and cash. Check out these websites to get the know-how. By acting on this information you can trim your energy appetite and get your house ready for energy independence without the expense of a solar system. Then after you’ve saved a bundle off your utility bill (said bundle being prudently stashed in a secure savings account) you are ready to use available incentives in your area to match your cash and build the system. Find my energy saving tips here.
Useful information is all about “Trust”. If you don’t trust the source of the information you are not going to follow their recommendations. Find sources of Know-How that you trust. Here are some that look pretty good to me.
The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) sponsors efficiency tips at getenergyactive.org. Organized in 1933, EEI is the association of U.S. shareholder or investor-owned electric companies. Their members serve 95 percent of the end use customers in the investor-owned part of the industry, and represent approximately 70 percent of the U.S. electric power industry. So you might be justified in being suspicious of their motives. However, all utilities, especially investor-owned utilities are falling all over themselves these days to prove to regulators that their rate increase requests are justified. One way that they do this is to show State Regulatory Commissions that they take energy conservation seriously.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has locked horns with utilities across the nation over air quality issues. These guys are not friends of the electric utility industry. They are supposed to be friends of the environment. ENERGY AND YOU is their site for all kinds of good information on energy conservation.
The benefits of visiting the above two sites are that they aren’t trying to sell any specific products.
Commercial sites might make you leery, but I think Real Goods has a good reputation for getting systems on the ground that work. Be sure to visit their Get Started and Economics & Financing links.
The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the use of solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies in the U.S. Sure they are selling solar equipment and trying to employ solar installation contractors, but these guys can’t last if they lie. Their Solar calculator will take your Monthly kWh and calculate the size of the system you need based on your climate.
Now you are ready to match your utility savings with incentives that can help reduce your out of pocket expenses. This data base at the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency can help you stretch your funds to meet your energy independence goals.
Maybe I’ll be reading about your off grid solar system and smiling one of these days. Don’t get mad at your utility, leave them
© 2008 Mark R. Daily
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Steps to Cut Your Utility Bill
Why spend any more money than necessary on your utility bills? Most people continue doing it because they just can’t get motivated to do anything about energy efficiency or energy conservation. They don’t know where to start or which steps to take to save the most off their utility bills. Many people want to “go solar” or be “off the grid” without really knowing what those terms mean.
We all like the idea of energy independence. The recent election reminds me that there has not been a presidential candidate since before Jim Carter that hasn’t promised “energy independence”. Yet, our dependence on energy grows everyday and only a handful of homes provide “off-grid” energy and 21st century western world comforts at the same time.
Where do you start? Whether you plan to “go solar” or just cut your utility bill, the steps are the same.
Step one; find out what energy you use and why you use it. This is harder than it sounds but not as hard as you might think. By using a combination of your own utility bill’s energy use history, a $40.00 appliance meter and the gas or electric meter on your property, you will be able to figure it out.
The EPA’s Power Profiler can get you started with some basic information. They claim “Power Profiler will:
- Determine your power grid region based on your ZIP code and electric utility
- Compare the fuel mix and air emissions rates of the electricity in your region to the national average
- Determine the air emissions impacts of electricity use in your home or business
“Power Profiler is very easy to use and takes about 5 minutes. To start, all you need is your ZIP code.”
Its true and it seems fairly accurate, although you may not be able to pick the exact power company supplying your home. Still it’s a fun exercise and it’s educational. By clicking on the My Emmisions you will see how your house contributes to the issue of global climate change. You‘ll get the most detailed answer if you can fill in your monthly kWh use from your monthly electric bill. That’s another good reason to keep track of your personal energy impact by reading your bill and writing down the monthly kWh. You can get this data from your local utility too. If you do this, ask for the monthly data for the last three years so you can average out weird weather or unusually visitor impacts – like your brother-in-law leaving the refrigerator door open the whole week he was house sitting.
While you are at this site you should click the other two options as well, “Be More Energy Efficient” and “ Buy Green Power”. These links get you to information that can save you money and help you learn how and why you use energy.
The main step in the “How and Why I use Energy” investigation is to do an “Energy Audit”. Some people don’t get this, but you have to do this. I once worked on a video production that filmed one of my energy audits for a consenting customer and the videographer wrote “Energy Odd It” on the cover. I wish a different term had been coined for this, like “List of Energy Using Crap in your House”, because “Energy Audit” sounds so….. mathematical. Sixth grade math is all you need for this.
If you can’t do sixth grade math try the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Consumers Guide to Home Energy Audits. For some reason they do not include appliance energy use as part of their “Home Energy Audit” so you will have to go to their separate Appliance and Home Electronics section. Do your Audit on a room by room search. This will point to rooms that you will want to focus on to get the most energy savings.
Once you have your List of Energy Using Crap in Your House (LOEUCIYH), assign an energy use unit to it like kWh or CCF for the month. This is the only way to motivate a reduction in your energy use which is the only way you are going to actually save money off your utility bill.
By adding up all of the monthly Energy Use numbers in each room from your LOEUCIYH , you will see patterns of use that you might be able to change. No you are ready to compare your Energy Audit, I mean LOEUCIYH results with your unit price per kWh or CCF to get actual dollars spend on your energy. You really should come within about 5% of your actual bill- don’t forget to subtract tax and minimum monthly charges.
Saving money off your utility and saving the planet are important actions we should all take. Hey, if it was easy, we would have already done it, right? Now you know where to start, so what are you waiting for? You could be saving money.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has". - Margaret Mead
© 2008 Mark R. Daily
We all like the idea of energy independence. The recent election reminds me that there has not been a presidential candidate since before Jim Carter that hasn’t promised “energy independence”. Yet, our dependence on energy grows everyday and only a handful of homes provide “off-grid” energy and 21st century western world comforts at the same time.
Where do you start? Whether you plan to “go solar” or just cut your utility bill, the steps are the same.
Step one; find out what energy you use and why you use it. This is harder than it sounds but not as hard as you might think. By using a combination of your own utility bill’s energy use history, a $40.00 appliance meter and the gas or electric meter on your property, you will be able to figure it out.
The EPA’s Power Profiler can get you started with some basic information. They claim “Power Profiler will:
- Determine your power grid region based on your ZIP code and electric utility
- Compare the fuel mix and air emissions rates of the electricity in your region to the national average
- Determine the air emissions impacts of electricity use in your home or business
“Power Profiler is very easy to use and takes about 5 minutes. To start, all you need is your ZIP code.”
Its true and it seems fairly accurate, although you may not be able to pick the exact power company supplying your home. Still it’s a fun exercise and it’s educational. By clicking on the My Emmisions you will see how your house contributes to the issue of global climate change. You‘ll get the most detailed answer if you can fill in your monthly kWh use from your monthly electric bill. That’s another good reason to keep track of your personal energy impact by reading your bill and writing down the monthly kWh. You can get this data from your local utility too. If you do this, ask for the monthly data for the last three years so you can average out weird weather or unusually visitor impacts – like your brother-in-law leaving the refrigerator door open the whole week he was house sitting.
While you are at this site you should click the other two options as well, “Be More Energy Efficient” and “ Buy Green Power”. These links get you to information that can save you money and help you learn how and why you use energy.
The main step in the “How and Why I use Energy” investigation is to do an “Energy Audit”. Some people don’t get this, but you have to do this. I once worked on a video production that filmed one of my energy audits for a consenting customer and the videographer wrote “Energy Odd It” on the cover. I wish a different term had been coined for this, like “List of Energy Using Crap in your House”, because “Energy Audit” sounds so….. mathematical. Sixth grade math is all you need for this.
If you can’t do sixth grade math try the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Consumers Guide to Home Energy Audits. For some reason they do not include appliance energy use as part of their “Home Energy Audit” so you will have to go to their separate Appliance and Home Electronics section. Do your Audit on a room by room search. This will point to rooms that you will want to focus on to get the most energy savings.
Once you have your List of Energy Using Crap in Your House (LOEUCIYH), assign an energy use unit to it like kWh or CCF for the month. This is the only way to motivate a reduction in your energy use which is the only way you are going to actually save money off your utility bill.
By adding up all of the monthly Energy Use numbers in each room from your LOEUCIYH , you will see patterns of use that you might be able to change. No you are ready to compare your Energy Audit, I mean LOEUCIYH results with your unit price per kWh or CCF to get actual dollars spend on your energy. You really should come within about 5% of your actual bill- don’t forget to subtract tax and minimum monthly charges.
Saving money off your utility and saving the planet are important actions we should all take. Hey, if it was easy, we would have already done it, right? Now you know where to start, so what are you waiting for? You could be saving money.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has". - Margaret Mead
© 2008 Mark R. Daily
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Energy Conservation- A Life Style You Can’t Afford To Ignore
You may not be a gourmet chef but, I’ll bet you have equipment for cooking and eating – you know- plates and pots and skillets and knives. You may not be a professional painter, but even if you are a renter, I imagine you have a paintbrush and some old paint.. You may not be a professional writer or author, but somewhere in your house I could probably find paper and pen or computer and printer. You may not be a specialist in sewage treatment but I’m guessing you have some toilet paper and a bathroom in your place.
So if you believe in saving energy and reducing utility bills, what kind of equipment do you have to help you create energy savings without just freezing in the dark?
You didn’t give up eating, just because you don’t care to cook. You probably paint something once in a while, even if your brush is in bad shape. And, you probably won’t give up going to the bathroom, just because of the…. well you know. So, why haven’t you done anything lately about energy conservation? If the experts are right, money spent cutting utility bills was a better investment than the stock market even before the credit crunch and stock market tumble.
Here is a thought. You don’t work on energy conservation with the same regularity as preparing meals or going to the bathroom because you don’t have the right equipment.
In fact, energy conservation takes equipment that most people don’t know about and that may not be staring you in the face every time you go to the grocery store. It might not even be sold at Wal-Mart (gasp).
The best tool to use for energy conservation is your electric or gas meter. That’s right. You don’t have to go to the store at all. You just have to find it in your yard or attached to the side of your house. You are already paying for it every month on your gas or electric bill, so use it. Go out with a note pad and jot down the reading – gas and electric. Write down the date and time you took the reading and stick that note right by the spot where you usually sit down to pay your utility bills.
When the next bill comes, look for the meter reading number on the bill. If you can’t find that number, call the toll free number on your bill and ask them where it is. The number on your bill should be larger than the number on your note unless you are into net-metering (see previous blogs if you’re not sure what net-metering is). By counting the total number of billing days shown on your bill and comparing it with the date on your note, you know the number of days between your reading and the end of the month reading from your utility. Gas utilities typically sell their product in units of one hundred Cubic Feet (CCF) or in therms. One therm=100,000 Btu, which is the heat content of about 100 cubic feet of gas. Electric Utilities sell their product in kilo-watt hours (kWh). By comparing the days to the CCF or kWh reading and a little sixth grade math, you can figure the number of CCF of gas or the number of kWh of electricity that you used per day.
You can do that every month if you want to, but try to at least do it in the middle of every season. Make it an appointment, in whatever it is that you make appointments in, so you don’t forget. Just repeat after me, “what gets measured gets managed”.
If any of this is “Greek” to you, visit next week’s Blog for Utility Billing 101. I’ll help you dissect your bill and touch on phantom loads.
Now that you know the big picture, how do you find out what’s making that meter spin? You need a fork. No silly, not like a real fork, a figurative fork. You have a fork to eat with right? Well, you can’t dine on energy savings without the right utensil. You need a meter. I’m not aware of any gas meters for individual appliances that are reasonable to buy, but there are starting to be a host of affordable appliance meters for electric appliances.
With an appliance meter, you can find out how your equipment really performs, sniff out phantom loads, and find small energy hogs that you might be able to butcher (unplug) so you can stop paying for piggies or kilowatt hours you don’t really need.
The holidays are a perfect time to spring for an appliance meter. Get one for yourself with grandma’s thoughtful check, or buy one for the greenie in your house.
If you search for “Power Monitors” or meters on-line, you will find a confusing list of products that are mostly designed for professional utility use. Unless you have specific training and state of the industry protective equipment, these monitors are not for you. There are, however, a couple of safe alternatives for home owners.
I still use my tried and true, P3Kill A Watt model P4400 . The easier to use but slightly more expensive model P4460 also looks useful. At around $30 to $50 dollars, you can almost imagine these as stocking stuffers. With these monitors, you will only be able to check appliances that plug into the wall. I used my P4400 and by standing on my head, (read Paul’s P4400 review) I discovered that buying a new dehumidifier would pay for itself in a couple of years; learned that my old television was a huge phantom load, and; found out that my computer equipment was costing pennies a month.
One of the newer monitors looks promising and lets you check appliances that might be hard to monitor individually, like your dishwasher or air conditioning equipment. The Black and Decker EM 100B Power Monitor straps to your electric meter and with a little data entry based on your own electric bill, you can see what happens when you turn on different pieces of equipment in your house. It works with a wireless transmitter that communicates between the device clamped to your meter and the hand held display that you can carry around to different rooms. When you flip the switch on your equipment and start using electricity, the monitor interprets the change in your meter to give you information that shows what that equipments’ energy use will be. At around $100 you need a serious “greenie” in the house to make this gift appropriate.
Hey, no one said it would be easy. Success as a cook isn’t easy either, but there is nothing like the satisfied feeling you get when you see your utility bill drop. By monitoring your equipment you can choose better management strategies, like turning it down or off, or getting an appliance timer to limit the on time. Good luck saving energy and cutting your utility bills. I hope you will get the right tools to enjoy it. Remember that energy conservation is a life style and like just like the process of going to the bathroom, you really can’t afford to skip it. Who would want to?
© Mark Daily, 2008
So if you believe in saving energy and reducing utility bills, what kind of equipment do you have to help you create energy savings without just freezing in the dark?
You didn’t give up eating, just because you don’t care to cook. You probably paint something once in a while, even if your brush is in bad shape. And, you probably won’t give up going to the bathroom, just because of the…. well you know. So, why haven’t you done anything lately about energy conservation? If the experts are right, money spent cutting utility bills was a better investment than the stock market even before the credit crunch and stock market tumble.
Here is a thought. You don’t work on energy conservation with the same regularity as preparing meals or going to the bathroom because you don’t have the right equipment.
In fact, energy conservation takes equipment that most people don’t know about and that may not be staring you in the face every time you go to the grocery store. It might not even be sold at Wal-Mart (gasp).
The best tool to use for energy conservation is your electric or gas meter. That’s right. You don’t have to go to the store at all. You just have to find it in your yard or attached to the side of your house. You are already paying for it every month on your gas or electric bill, so use it. Go out with a note pad and jot down the reading – gas and electric. Write down the date and time you took the reading and stick that note right by the spot where you usually sit down to pay your utility bills.
When the next bill comes, look for the meter reading number on the bill. If you can’t find that number, call the toll free number on your bill and ask them where it is. The number on your bill should be larger than the number on your note unless you are into net-metering (see previous blogs if you’re not sure what net-metering is). By counting the total number of billing days shown on your bill and comparing it with the date on your note, you know the number of days between your reading and the end of the month reading from your utility. Gas utilities typically sell their product in units of one hundred Cubic Feet (CCF) or in therms. One therm=100,000 Btu, which is the heat content of about 100 cubic feet of gas. Electric Utilities sell their product in kilo-watt hours (kWh). By comparing the days to the CCF or kWh reading and a little sixth grade math, you can figure the number of CCF of gas or the number of kWh of electricity that you used per day.
You can do that every month if you want to, but try to at least do it in the middle of every season. Make it an appointment, in whatever it is that you make appointments in, so you don’t forget. Just repeat after me, “what gets measured gets managed”.
If any of this is “Greek” to you, visit next week’s Blog for Utility Billing 101. I’ll help you dissect your bill and touch on phantom loads.
Now that you know the big picture, how do you find out what’s making that meter spin? You need a fork. No silly, not like a real fork, a figurative fork. You have a fork to eat with right? Well, you can’t dine on energy savings without the right utensil. You need a meter. I’m not aware of any gas meters for individual appliances that are reasonable to buy, but there are starting to be a host of affordable appliance meters for electric appliances.
With an appliance meter, you can find out how your equipment really performs, sniff out phantom loads, and find small energy hogs that you might be able to butcher (unplug) so you can stop paying for piggies or kilowatt hours you don’t really need.
The holidays are a perfect time to spring for an appliance meter. Get one for yourself with grandma’s thoughtful check, or buy one for the greenie in your house.
If you search for “Power Monitors” or meters on-line, you will find a confusing list of products that are mostly designed for professional utility use. Unless you have specific training and state of the industry protective equipment, these monitors are not for you. There are, however, a couple of safe alternatives for home owners.
I still use my tried and true, P3Kill A Watt model P4400 . The easier to use but slightly more expensive model P4460 also looks useful. At around $30 to $50 dollars, you can almost imagine these as stocking stuffers. With these monitors, you will only be able to check appliances that plug into the wall. I used my P4400 and by standing on my head, (read Paul’s P4400 review) I discovered that buying a new dehumidifier would pay for itself in a couple of years; learned that my old television was a huge phantom load, and; found out that my computer equipment was costing pennies a month.
One of the newer monitors looks promising and lets you check appliances that might be hard to monitor individually, like your dishwasher or air conditioning equipment. The Black and Decker EM 100B Power Monitor straps to your electric meter and with a little data entry based on your own electric bill, you can see what happens when you turn on different pieces of equipment in your house. It works with a wireless transmitter that communicates between the device clamped to your meter and the hand held display that you can carry around to different rooms. When you flip the switch on your equipment and start using electricity, the monitor interprets the change in your meter to give you information that shows what that equipments’ energy use will be. At around $100 you need a serious “greenie” in the house to make this gift appropriate.
Hey, no one said it would be easy. Success as a cook isn’t easy either, but there is nothing like the satisfied feeling you get when you see your utility bill drop. By monitoring your equipment you can choose better management strategies, like turning it down or off, or getting an appliance timer to limit the on time. Good luck saving energy and cutting your utility bills. I hope you will get the right tools to enjoy it. Remember that energy conservation is a life style and like just like the process of going to the bathroom, you really can’t afford to skip it. Who would want to?
© Mark Daily, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Let's Make a big Alternate Electricity Generation Plan
In the early 1900’s American architect and urban planner Daniel H. Burnham said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans. Aim high in hope and work. Remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die.”
What’s your Energy Plan? Don’t have one? If you don’t have one why should your local, state or national government have one? Don’t have an energy plan? Why should your electric utility have one? I’ll bet you have an emergency plan for bailing out of your house if it catches on fire. I’ll bet you have a planned route to get to work. Most of us these days have a retirement plan. You probably have some plan for dinner tonight. You have a plan to educate yourself and your children. You may have a plan for what to wear to the office tomorrow. A plan. Hmm.
How would you like it if your local state or national government planned your dinner for you, or your route to work, or your wardrobe? Those of you standing in bread lines after the recent round of employment cut backs may think government planned dinners are a great idea. But let’s take it a step farther. How would you like it if your local government decided that all the people in your neighborhood had to do without electricity every Wednesday? It’s just one day a week for Pete’s sake, what’s the big deal?
Right now stop reading this and walk through your house. Don’t take paper and pen with you but just walk into each room and notice what uses electricity. I have gas heat so I’m all set you might think. Me too, but unless you have a gas powered fan or pump or a gas powered ignition switch, Wednesday means long underwear and winter parka day for both of us.
Ten years ago I did an energy audit for a guy that wanted to really cut his electric bill. My cursory investigation of his billing history showed a very low bill even in subzero high mountain valley January. I was intrigued. How was I going to help this guy save energy, he wasn’t using any. I pulled into the drive-way on the appointed day and as I pulled out my blower door and other equipment this quiet retired school teacher came out of the house wearing a winter parka, gloves with the fingers cut out, a wool watch cap pulled down over his ears, wool pants, insulated boots and a friendly smile. I discovered during my home owner’s interview that he was not dressed for the outdoors. He was dressed the way he always dressed in the winter – inside. He kept thermostats in back rooms at 40 degrees and his main living area thermostats were set at 50 degrees. His other energy saving tips included pulling every other light bulb out of any double bulb fixtures and replacing all remaining bulbs (except one reading lamp) with 25 watt incandescent bulbs. He thought those compact fluorescents were a little pricey. Every drape and curtain that wasn’t in full sun was closed tight. In a perfectly normal American home, I felt like I was creeping through a medieval mountian top monastery instead of a split level ranch house 50 yards off the highway.
Is this what is in store for everyone? Is this what Randy Udall meant when he said, “the challenge in president-elect Obama’s energy plan will be to maintain prosperity”? “We have to be very smart about what kind of investments we make in a new energy supply”. (Dawson, Crested Butte News, November 21, 2008)
Dean Kamen is very smart. The inventor of the Segway and expensive medical equipment, Kamen rules a three acre island off the coast of Connecticut that proclaimed energy independence. He has a plan. It includes the elimination of all incandescent lighting and the installation of wind and solar power.
Samso, Denmark is an island community that’s 40 square miles and a two hour boat ride from the main land. After ten years of community and government collaboration they are closing in on their goal, 100% energy independence. They have a plan. A summary of their plan includes a section on implementation appropriately titled, project design and planning. Their plan included every citizen, and every agency on the island.
“No man is an island, no man is an island…..he’s a peninsula” – Jefferson Airplane
Could your community make an energy plan? Sure it could. But, let’s not make the same mistake we did in the 70’s with our energy planning. OK gas prices are going down and Jim Carter lost the election – problem solved.
Recent headlines blarred, “World Publics Strongly Favor Requiring More Wind and Solar Energy, More Efficiency, Even If It Increases Costs. Most Think It Will Save Money in the Long Run". While some may have cheered the recent findings of the World Public Opinion.org survey I was not impressed. As you read the details of their findings you discover that most people think their government or utility companies should solve the problem.
This problem will never be solved as long as people think the solution is up to someone else.
The solution to meet the growing demands for electricity is not a problem to solve; it’s an ethic to be lived. It should be as much a part of our national ethos as “family values”. In fact it should be a family value. Can you make a difference in all of this? Of course you can. And, you don’t have to freeze in the dark to do it …. at least not yet. Let’s make better choices and better plans about using energy before it comes to that.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has". - Margaret Mead
What’s your Energy Plan? Don’t have one? If you don’t have one why should your local, state or national government have one? Don’t have an energy plan? Why should your electric utility have one? I’ll bet you have an emergency plan for bailing out of your house if it catches on fire. I’ll bet you have a planned route to get to work. Most of us these days have a retirement plan. You probably have some plan for dinner tonight. You have a plan to educate yourself and your children. You may have a plan for what to wear to the office tomorrow. A plan. Hmm.
How would you like it if your local state or national government planned your dinner for you, or your route to work, or your wardrobe? Those of you standing in bread lines after the recent round of employment cut backs may think government planned dinners are a great idea. But let’s take it a step farther. How would you like it if your local government decided that all the people in your neighborhood had to do without electricity every Wednesday? It’s just one day a week for Pete’s sake, what’s the big deal?
Right now stop reading this and walk through your house. Don’t take paper and pen with you but just walk into each room and notice what uses electricity. I have gas heat so I’m all set you might think. Me too, but unless you have a gas powered fan or pump or a gas powered ignition switch, Wednesday means long underwear and winter parka day for both of us.
Ten years ago I did an energy audit for a guy that wanted to really cut his electric bill. My cursory investigation of his billing history showed a very low bill even in subzero high mountain valley January. I was intrigued. How was I going to help this guy save energy, he wasn’t using any. I pulled into the drive-way on the appointed day and as I pulled out my blower door and other equipment this quiet retired school teacher came out of the house wearing a winter parka, gloves with the fingers cut out, a wool watch cap pulled down over his ears, wool pants, insulated boots and a friendly smile. I discovered during my home owner’s interview that he was not dressed for the outdoors. He was dressed the way he always dressed in the winter – inside. He kept thermostats in back rooms at 40 degrees and his main living area thermostats were set at 50 degrees. His other energy saving tips included pulling every other light bulb out of any double bulb fixtures and replacing all remaining bulbs (except one reading lamp) with 25 watt incandescent bulbs. He thought those compact fluorescents were a little pricey. Every drape and curtain that wasn’t in full sun was closed tight. In a perfectly normal American home, I felt like I was creeping through a medieval mountian top monastery instead of a split level ranch house 50 yards off the highway.
Is this what is in store for everyone? Is this what Randy Udall meant when he said, “the challenge in president-elect Obama’s energy plan will be to maintain prosperity”? “We have to be very smart about what kind of investments we make in a new energy supply”. (Dawson, Crested Butte News, November 21, 2008)
Dean Kamen is very smart. The inventor of the Segway and expensive medical equipment, Kamen rules a three acre island off the coast of Connecticut that proclaimed energy independence. He has a plan. It includes the elimination of all incandescent lighting and the installation of wind and solar power.
Samso, Denmark is an island community that’s 40 square miles and a two hour boat ride from the main land. After ten years of community and government collaboration they are closing in on their goal, 100% energy independence. They have a plan. A summary of their plan includes a section on implementation appropriately titled, project design and planning. Their plan included every citizen, and every agency on the island.
“No man is an island, no man is an island…..he’s a peninsula” – Jefferson Airplane
Could your community make an energy plan? Sure it could. But, let’s not make the same mistake we did in the 70’s with our energy planning. OK gas prices are going down and Jim Carter lost the election – problem solved.
Recent headlines blarred, “World Publics Strongly Favor Requiring More Wind and Solar Energy, More Efficiency, Even If It Increases Costs. Most Think It Will Save Money in the Long Run". While some may have cheered the recent findings of the World Public Opinion.org survey I was not impressed. As you read the details of their findings you discover that most people think their government or utility companies should solve the problem.
This problem will never be solved as long as people think the solution is up to someone else.
The solution to meet the growing demands for electricity is not a problem to solve; it’s an ethic to be lived. It should be as much a part of our national ethos as “family values”. In fact it should be a family value. Can you make a difference in all of this? Of course you can. And, you don’t have to freeze in the dark to do it …. at least not yet. Let’s make better choices and better plans about using energy before it comes to that.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has". - Margaret Mead
Thursday, October 30, 2008
DO IT! (conserve energy & money) Scenerios of the Revolution (the energy revolution)
The Energy Revolution
This is a new revolution. A revolution that lets you tune in to savings and drop out of your energy dependence. No, it won't be televised. But, you will remember it. So, unlike the saying, "if you can remember the 60's, you weren't there", you, will be there to save the planet.
The challenge of energy conservation is in the minute and boring details of everyday living. As with any chronic bad habit (eg. alcoholism, drug addiction, frivolous energy waste, etc.) the first step to a cure is awareness. Nothing goes quicker to the heart of energy waste awareness than two fairly easy steps. One, keep track of the kilowatt hours you use and two, monitor your house appliances and systems to calculate your energy footprint.
Step One: Keep track of your kWh Use
There are several meaningful ways to do this. This easiest way is to set up a computer spreadsheet with columns for months and rows for years. When you get your electric bill, plug in the total kWh from your bill. In less than a year you will start to see patterns in your energy use that can help you make management decisions about energy use. After one year of record keeping you can compare with previous years. This is a great and easy way to see how your energy conservation actions translate into dollar savings, which is the real point of this effort. In three years of record keeping you’ll gain a great understanding of how your house works and document your energy conservation results.
I know a guy that made a form to keep track of his energy use every day. With morning, coffee in hand, he takes a short walk to his electric meter and records the reading. If you were ever suspicious of your electric utility (“no way did I use that much electricity last month - is this bill an estimate?”) this will help reduce those fears. It will also quickly show the impact of energy management decisions in your house. A whole host of energy wasters can be recognized quickly this way. Leaky hot water faucets, stuck thermostats, underground water pipe leaks and failing electric motors have all been some of the things caught early by doing this. So, the effort can save you future headaches by fixing these problems before they turn into bigger problems.
Step Two: Monitor your Stuff
This sounds like a lot of work but really it’s not too bad and the feeling you get from being in control of your energy consumption destiny is well worth the effort. With your Kill-a-watt meter in hand, take turns plugging in different appliances. This is a real eye opener. Plug in each appliance like refrigerators, freezers, television systems, sound systems, computer systems, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, hair dryers, electric blankets, lamps, anything with a cord that plugs into a regular wall outlet. Keep each appliance plugged in for a week. Note the kWh used at the end of the week, divide by seven and multiply by 365 and you have the cost to run that appliance for a year. If you only use that freezer or humidifier for part of the year, adjust your calculations accordingly.
Here’s how to make this easy. Get a calendar that you can write on and hang it in the kitchen. Get a Kill-o-watt Meter and leave it on your kitchen counter. Just leave it there. Then, the next time you head for the refrigerator, before you open the door, unplug the fridge and plug it back in with the Kill-o-watt meter in place. Leave it for a week. (Mark the day and time you set up the meter on your calendar.)In a week pick a new appliance to monitor. Retrieve your meter after recording the kWh used and time elapsed on the previous appliance. Keep going until you have documented energy use on each plug in appliance in your house.
The main point of doing this is to save the planet of course, but the best part of doing this is to save money. Are you freaking out about the world financial turmoil? Are you trying to find that finance vehicle that is secure, gives great returns for your dollars invested and won’t disappear with the latest dip in the DOW? Energy Conservation is it. Money invested in home improvements geared to saving energy shows returns that far exceed anything you can do on Wall Street. If you want a safe place to stick your investment funds, stick them in energy conservation.
DO IT !
What’s stopping you? I know. Just like the anxiety of picking the right stock in today’s market, you’re afraid to make the wrong energy conservation decision. You don’t want to waste money or plunk down big bucks for small savings.
BUILDITSOLAR.COM shows you where to start. While this website sounds like it’s just geared to solar energy enthusiasts, there is a wealth of information about energy conservation. Not only do they cover great ideas on energy conservation, they offer ways to help you pick projects that give the best bang for the buck.
The combination of taking control of your energy use by monitoring and taking action based on a do-able plan for energy conservation will make you feel better about the economy and the environment all at the same time.
This is a new revolution. A revolution that lets you tune in to savings and drop out of your energy dependence. No, it won't be televised. But, you will remember it. So, unlike the saying, "if you can remember the 60's, you weren't there", you, will be there to save the planet.
The challenge of energy conservation is in the minute and boring details of everyday living. As with any chronic bad habit (eg. alcoholism, drug addiction, frivolous energy waste, etc.) the first step to a cure is awareness. Nothing goes quicker to the heart of energy waste awareness than two fairly easy steps. One, keep track of the kilowatt hours you use and two, monitor your house appliances and systems to calculate your energy footprint.
Step One: Keep track of your kWh Use
There are several meaningful ways to do this. This easiest way is to set up a computer spreadsheet with columns for months and rows for years. When you get your electric bill, plug in the total kWh from your bill. In less than a year you will start to see patterns in your energy use that can help you make management decisions about energy use. After one year of record keeping you can compare with previous years. This is a great and easy way to see how your energy conservation actions translate into dollar savings, which is the real point of this effort. In three years of record keeping you’ll gain a great understanding of how your house works and document your energy conservation results.
I know a guy that made a form to keep track of his energy use every day. With morning, coffee in hand, he takes a short walk to his electric meter and records the reading. If you were ever suspicious of your electric utility (“no way did I use that much electricity last month - is this bill an estimate?”) this will help reduce those fears. It will also quickly show the impact of energy management decisions in your house. A whole host of energy wasters can be recognized quickly this way. Leaky hot water faucets, stuck thermostats, underground water pipe leaks and failing electric motors have all been some of the things caught early by doing this. So, the effort can save you future headaches by fixing these problems before they turn into bigger problems.
Step Two: Monitor your Stuff
This sounds like a lot of work but really it’s not too bad and the feeling you get from being in control of your energy consumption destiny is well worth the effort. With your Kill-a-watt meter in hand, take turns plugging in different appliances. This is a real eye opener. Plug in each appliance like refrigerators, freezers, television systems, sound systems, computer systems, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, hair dryers, electric blankets, lamps, anything with a cord that plugs into a regular wall outlet. Keep each appliance plugged in for a week. Note the kWh used at the end of the week, divide by seven and multiply by 365 and you have the cost to run that appliance for a year. If you only use that freezer or humidifier for part of the year, adjust your calculations accordingly.
Here’s how to make this easy. Get a calendar that you can write on and hang it in the kitchen. Get a Kill-o-watt Meter and leave it on your kitchen counter. Just leave it there. Then, the next time you head for the refrigerator, before you open the door, unplug the fridge and plug it back in with the Kill-o-watt meter in place. Leave it for a week. (Mark the day and time you set up the meter on your calendar.)In a week pick a new appliance to monitor. Retrieve your meter after recording the kWh used and time elapsed on the previous appliance. Keep going until you have documented energy use on each plug in appliance in your house.
The main point of doing this is to save the planet of course, but the best part of doing this is to save money. Are you freaking out about the world financial turmoil? Are you trying to find that finance vehicle that is secure, gives great returns for your dollars invested and won’t disappear with the latest dip in the DOW? Energy Conservation is it. Money invested in home improvements geared to saving energy shows returns that far exceed anything you can do on Wall Street. If you want a safe place to stick your investment funds, stick them in energy conservation.
DO IT !
What’s stopping you? I know. Just like the anxiety of picking the right stock in today’s market, you’re afraid to make the wrong energy conservation decision. You don’t want to waste money or plunk down big bucks for small savings.
BUILDITSOLAR.COM shows you where to start. While this website sounds like it’s just geared to solar energy enthusiasts, there is a wealth of information about energy conservation. Not only do they cover great ideas on energy conservation, they offer ways to help you pick projects that give the best bang for the buck.
The combination of taking control of your energy use by monitoring and taking action based on a do-able plan for energy conservation will make you feel better about the economy and the environment all at the same time.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
I can say that word, “NUCLEAR”
"The true essence of humankind is kindness. There are other qualities which come from education or knowledge, but it is essential, if one wishes to be a genuine human being and impart satisfying meaning to one's existence, to have a good heart."- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama
In the energy debate, clever quips and well placed personal barbs seem to prevail over kindness. I think that is one reason why we haven’t gotten farther along with our energy planning in the USA.
This stumbling block to reasoned discussion is especially vitriolic in the nuclear energy debate where both sides frequently resort to a combination of name calling and bewildering statistics. Doing this makes it hard for the consumer on the street to sort out the facts. It makes most of us reluctant to even enter the debate.
Energy Central is a website that has offered news and commentary on the Electric Utility industry for many years. I believe their aim is to provide as much objective information as possible about this industry and its issues. It’s a great way to hear all sides of the debate on many different utility topics.
One regular contributor, John K. Sutherland, seems to have a pretty good handle on issues relating to Nuclear Energy production in the USA. Sadly, he seems so angry about those opposed to nuclear energy that it is hard to read much of his material. His most recent piece on nuclear energy includes this:
“Nuclear waste, despite the ignorant half-truths and inventions of those who fear it, and despite the fact that we would rather not have it, is one of the best reasons for developing nuclear power relative to any other major reliable source of energy other than hydro. When you add its minimal pollution contributions; its much better safety record than any large energy source; and its improving cost advantages at this time, there should be no contest, yet the emotionally slanted nuclear mythologies keep rearing their heads.”
In his article he includes interesting and helpful numbers that show that nuclear energy wins hands down when it comes to its safety record, waste stream volume reduction and health impacts compared to coal and natural gas. The trouble is, I am usually so pissed off by the time I get to his numbers, I don’t really care if he’s right.
In contrast Amory Lovins has long been an opponent of nuclear energy, until recently Mr. Lovins has tried to gain converts by bludgeoning them with statistics, but a recent piece of his from the Rocky Mountain Institute entitled “Forget Nuclear” does offer a summary that leaves out the laborious numbers and footnote references long enough to let the average person on the street understand a little about what he has been getting at. Yet he too cannot resist that Saturday Night Live jab like, “Jane you ignorant slut” when he concludes his summary opposition with the following comments;
“So why do otherwise well-informed people still consider nuclear power a key element of a sound climate strategy? Not because that belief can withstand analytic scrutiny. Rather, it seems, because of a superficially attractive story, an immensely powerful and effective lobby, a new generation who forgot or never knew why nuclear power failed previously (almost nothing has changed), sympathetic leaders of nearly all main governments, deeply rooted habits and rules that favor giant power plants over distributed solutions and enlarged supply over efficient use, the market winners’ absence from many official databases (which often count only big plants owned by utilities), and lazy reporting by an unduly credulous press.”
It’s really a shame we can’t be more polite to each other when it comes to talking about energy issues. Yet we persist in making sure we spend more time attacking opposing views than trying to understand them.
"Insanity is repeating the same behavior and expecting a different result," said Werner Erhart.
And, in the debate about energy planning for the USA, I think both sides are pretty much insane if they think their approach to this complicated issue is the way to develop a sound energy policy.
© Mark Daily, 2008
In the energy debate, clever quips and well placed personal barbs seem to prevail over kindness. I think that is one reason why we haven’t gotten farther along with our energy planning in the USA.
This stumbling block to reasoned discussion is especially vitriolic in the nuclear energy debate where both sides frequently resort to a combination of name calling and bewildering statistics. Doing this makes it hard for the consumer on the street to sort out the facts. It makes most of us reluctant to even enter the debate.
Energy Central is a website that has offered news and commentary on the Electric Utility industry for many years. I believe their aim is to provide as much objective information as possible about this industry and its issues. It’s a great way to hear all sides of the debate on many different utility topics.
One regular contributor, John K. Sutherland, seems to have a pretty good handle on issues relating to Nuclear Energy production in the USA. Sadly, he seems so angry about those opposed to nuclear energy that it is hard to read much of his material. His most recent piece on nuclear energy includes this:
“Nuclear waste, despite the ignorant half-truths and inventions of those who fear it, and despite the fact that we would rather not have it, is one of the best reasons for developing nuclear power relative to any other major reliable source of energy other than hydro. When you add its minimal pollution contributions; its much better safety record than any large energy source; and its improving cost advantages at this time, there should be no contest, yet the emotionally slanted nuclear mythologies keep rearing their heads.”
In his article he includes interesting and helpful numbers that show that nuclear energy wins hands down when it comes to its safety record, waste stream volume reduction and health impacts compared to coal and natural gas. The trouble is, I am usually so pissed off by the time I get to his numbers, I don’t really care if he’s right.
In contrast Amory Lovins has long been an opponent of nuclear energy, until recently Mr. Lovins has tried to gain converts by bludgeoning them with statistics, but a recent piece of his from the Rocky Mountain Institute entitled “Forget Nuclear” does offer a summary that leaves out the laborious numbers and footnote references long enough to let the average person on the street understand a little about what he has been getting at. Yet he too cannot resist that Saturday Night Live jab like, “Jane you ignorant slut” when he concludes his summary opposition with the following comments;
“So why do otherwise well-informed people still consider nuclear power a key element of a sound climate strategy? Not because that belief can withstand analytic scrutiny. Rather, it seems, because of a superficially attractive story, an immensely powerful and effective lobby, a new generation who forgot or never knew why nuclear power failed previously (almost nothing has changed), sympathetic leaders of nearly all main governments, deeply rooted habits and rules that favor giant power plants over distributed solutions and enlarged supply over efficient use, the market winners’ absence from many official databases (which often count only big plants owned by utilities), and lazy reporting by an unduly credulous press.”
It’s really a shame we can’t be more polite to each other when it comes to talking about energy issues. Yet we persist in making sure we spend more time attacking opposing views than trying to understand them.
"Insanity is repeating the same behavior and expecting a different result," said Werner Erhart.
And, in the debate about energy planning for the USA, I think both sides are pretty much insane if they think their approach to this complicated issue is the way to develop a sound energy policy.
© Mark Daily, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Fight High Utility Bills - IT’S WINTER- AGAIN - ARE YOU READY?
Yep, you know. You should have been thinking about this in August. Who wants to think about winter when you could be basking in the August sun on some nice back country trail, or well placed street furniture? Even in the coldest parts of the nation, it won’t get below zero for another thirty days. You still have plenty of time to winterize your house or business. However, for those of you freaking out about the cool October evenings, you’ll find the following check lists an easy way to button-up the cabin before winter gets serious.
Four Things to Remember Winter
1. Heating degree days per year make a difference in the actions you need to take to prepare for winter. A heating degree is any day that the average daily temperature is below 65 degrees. Anchorage, Alaska has an average of 10,130 heating degree days. Boston, Massachusetts has 5,630 heating degree days. The same house, with the same appliances and equipment, the same number of people and pets – doing the same activities, will have an Anchorage heating bill almost twice as high as a Boston family with the same utility rates. Find your heating degree days here.
2. Moisture Problems occur in dry as well as moist climates if you don’t pay attention to gaps in insulation. When warm moist house air meets cold surfaces, the moisture drops out of the air and condenses on that cold surface. This can cause mold and mildew to form. It reduces the insulation ability of many insulation materials. It can also rot wood.
3. Winter energy bills are higher in the winter even if you’re not there. Studies show more winter energy use in vacant homes because no one is cooking, living, caring for pets, turning on lights or doing things that provide “free” secondary heat.
4. Even in winter, sunshine is your friend. Use it wisely, and get free heat. Many people cancel out the benefits of free sunshine by leaving window coverings closed on sunny days.
The Big Four Energy Bill Sources
Target these four areas to save money off your utility bill. Sure turning off the lights is a good idea, because it’s easy, but even if you grope around in the dark all winter long, you won’t save as much on lighting fixes as you will by insulating heating ducts and sealing cold air cracks.
1) Space Heating Systems (60 to 75 percent of the average home energy load);
2) Domestic water heating (25 to 30 percent of the average home energy load);
3) Kitchen and home Appliances (10 to 15 percent of the average home energy load);
4) Lighting (5 to 7 percent of the average home energy load);
Space Heating Check List- Nine steps to lower energy bills
1) Inspect insulation. Repair crawl space insulation that may have fallen down. Replace attic insulation that may have been moved for summer construction projects. Compare your insulation levels to recommended standards for your climate and consider adding insulation if your home doesn’t meet those standards. Insulate heating ducts or hydronic fluid pipes.
2) Plug the crawl space vents that you opened last spring. Fiberglass batt insulation, lightly stuffed in a small trash bag makes a good vent plug that will fit between the floor joists of your crawl space.
3) Check heat tape and replace if there is any sign of damage. UL listed heat tape should be used and installed strictly according to the manufacturer’s directions. Non- UL listed heat tape should not be used at all. Heat tape is much less expensive to use for freeze protection than a space heater. Each foot of heat tape is usually rated at 3 watts per foot. So, for the operating costs of a 1,000 watt space heater you can run 333 feet of heat tape.
4) Clean dust and dirt from all types of heaters, supply vents and air registers. Also be sure to clean return air vents and baseboard heater fins for both gas and electric baseboard heaters. Replace or clean furnace air filters before starting your furnace for the season and do it again every two months during the heating season.
5) Clear the area around heaters and all forced air duct vents. Combustible material within four inches of electric baseboard heaters is a fire hazard. The more clearance you give your heaters and vents the better the air will circulate and the quicker your rooms will warm up, lowering your heating costs.
6) Close and latch windows. Unlatched windows allow windy days to pull heat from your house. Infiltration from building envelope openings can account for as much as 40% of your heating expense.
7) Clean south facing windows and remove screens. This step improves solar gain by as much as 10%. Why pay for heat when you can get it from the sun for free?
8) Install storm windows and repair any broken glass. Add plastic or glass storm windows to any single pane glass. Doing this cuts your heat loss from windows in half.
9) Check the weather-stripping around exterior doors and windows. Repair damage and fill gaps with additional material.
Domestic Water Heating Check List - Six Steps to longer water heater life and lower energy bills
1) Flush sediments from your water heater at least once a year.
2) Check both thermostat settings if you have an electric water heater. I recommend settings of 120 degrees for both thermostats. Always set both thermostats at the same setting.
3) Add an insulating blanket to your water heater unless your water heater has foam insulation or has factory warnings against adding insulation. Shoot for a total R-Value of R-16 or better. Electric water heaters can be insulated on top for additional heat retention. If your water heater lives in the garage, keep that big garage door closed as much as possible.
4) Check hot water pipes in the crawl space or other un-heated areas. Insulate the first three feet of both the cold and hot water pipes that connect to the tank itself. I’ve insulated all of my hot water pipes. Doing that gets hot water to my shower faster, saving water and water heating expense.
5) Adding a timer to your electric water heater can cut unwanted stand by loses when you are away at work or sleeping. This can cut your water heating costs by one third. You’ll probably have to hire an electrician to do this.
6) Check to see that your shower heads and sink fixtures are low flow fixtures rated at 2-3 gallons per minute (gpm).
Appliance Check List - Four Steps to Controlling Unruly Appliances and saving dollars
1) Specialty Appliances like water bed heaters, electric blankets, Jacuzzi’s, steam showers, and engine block heaters can often use more energy than typical home appliances like refrigerators and washing machines. Make a mental note of the wattage of all of your appliances and get a feel for how long they are on. Watts divided by 1000 equals kilowatts (KW); KW times the “time on” equals kilo-Watt hours which are the units you get billed for. Kilo-Watt Hours times your current electric rate equals the amount that you will pay on your bill for that appliance.
2) Keep all appliances clean. Clean around refrigerator and freezer compressors and backs. Clean appliances use less energy.
3) Appliance timers are especially good for reducing energy use on engine block heaters, stock tank heaters, hot tubs and other specialty appliances that don’t really need to be on 24 hours a day.
4) Food freezes at refrigerator temperatures below 30 degrees. There is no need to keep your freezer colder than that unless you are doing cryogenic experiments. Refrigerator compartments only need to be in the 40 degree range to keep most foods fresh. The setting knobs on all refrigerators and freezers are worthless. Use a thermometer to check out your temperature settings.
Lighting Check List- Five Steps to a Brighter and less expensive winter
1. Cleaning lighting fixtures, reflectors and bulbs gets more light output per unit of energy used.
2. Consider replacing incandescent light bulbs that are on for more than four hours per day with compact fluorescent bulbs.
3. Consider replacing exterior incandescent bulbs with halogen bulbs. They work well at cold temperatures and cut energy use.
4. Replace incandescent holiday lights with LED holiday lights.
5. Remember to turn lights off when you leave the room or get timers and motion detectors to do it for you.
Do you have other ideas that have saved you money on your utility bill? If you have and you can prove it, I’d like to hear about your experience.
© Mark Richard Daily, 2008
Four Things to Remember Winter
1. Heating degree days per year make a difference in the actions you need to take to prepare for winter. A heating degree is any day that the average daily temperature is below 65 degrees. Anchorage, Alaska has an average of 10,130 heating degree days. Boston, Massachusetts has 5,630 heating degree days. The same house, with the same appliances and equipment, the same number of people and pets – doing the same activities, will have an Anchorage heating bill almost twice as high as a Boston family with the same utility rates. Find your heating degree days here.
2. Moisture Problems occur in dry as well as moist climates if you don’t pay attention to gaps in insulation. When warm moist house air meets cold surfaces, the moisture drops out of the air and condenses on that cold surface. This can cause mold and mildew to form. It reduces the insulation ability of many insulation materials. It can also rot wood.
3. Winter energy bills are higher in the winter even if you’re not there. Studies show more winter energy use in vacant homes because no one is cooking, living, caring for pets, turning on lights or doing things that provide “free” secondary heat.
4. Even in winter, sunshine is your friend. Use it wisely, and get free heat. Many people cancel out the benefits of free sunshine by leaving window coverings closed on sunny days.
The Big Four Energy Bill Sources
Target these four areas to save money off your utility bill. Sure turning off the lights is a good idea, because it’s easy, but even if you grope around in the dark all winter long, you won’t save as much on lighting fixes as you will by insulating heating ducts and sealing cold air cracks.
1) Space Heating Systems (60 to 75 percent of the average home energy load);
2) Domestic water heating (25 to 30 percent of the average home energy load);
3) Kitchen and home Appliances (10 to 15 percent of the average home energy load);
4) Lighting (5 to 7 percent of the average home energy load);
Space Heating Check List- Nine steps to lower energy bills
1) Inspect insulation. Repair crawl space insulation that may have fallen down. Replace attic insulation that may have been moved for summer construction projects. Compare your insulation levels to recommended standards for your climate and consider adding insulation if your home doesn’t meet those standards. Insulate heating ducts or hydronic fluid pipes.
2) Plug the crawl space vents that you opened last spring. Fiberglass batt insulation, lightly stuffed in a small trash bag makes a good vent plug that will fit between the floor joists of your crawl space.
3) Check heat tape and replace if there is any sign of damage. UL listed heat tape should be used and installed strictly according to the manufacturer’s directions. Non- UL listed heat tape should not be used at all. Heat tape is much less expensive to use for freeze protection than a space heater. Each foot of heat tape is usually rated at 3 watts per foot. So, for the operating costs of a 1,000 watt space heater you can run 333 feet of heat tape.
4) Clean dust and dirt from all types of heaters, supply vents and air registers. Also be sure to clean return air vents and baseboard heater fins for both gas and electric baseboard heaters. Replace or clean furnace air filters before starting your furnace for the season and do it again every two months during the heating season.
5) Clear the area around heaters and all forced air duct vents. Combustible material within four inches of electric baseboard heaters is a fire hazard. The more clearance you give your heaters and vents the better the air will circulate and the quicker your rooms will warm up, lowering your heating costs.
6) Close and latch windows. Unlatched windows allow windy days to pull heat from your house. Infiltration from building envelope openings can account for as much as 40% of your heating expense.
7) Clean south facing windows and remove screens. This step improves solar gain by as much as 10%. Why pay for heat when you can get it from the sun for free?
8) Install storm windows and repair any broken glass. Add plastic or glass storm windows to any single pane glass. Doing this cuts your heat loss from windows in half.
9) Check the weather-stripping around exterior doors and windows. Repair damage and fill gaps with additional material.
Domestic Water Heating Check List - Six Steps to longer water heater life and lower energy bills
1) Flush sediments from your water heater at least once a year.
2) Check both thermostat settings if you have an electric water heater. I recommend settings of 120 degrees for both thermostats. Always set both thermostats at the same setting.
3) Add an insulating blanket to your water heater unless your water heater has foam insulation or has factory warnings against adding insulation. Shoot for a total R-Value of R-16 or better. Electric water heaters can be insulated on top for additional heat retention. If your water heater lives in the garage, keep that big garage door closed as much as possible.
4) Check hot water pipes in the crawl space or other un-heated areas. Insulate the first three feet of both the cold and hot water pipes that connect to the tank itself. I’ve insulated all of my hot water pipes. Doing that gets hot water to my shower faster, saving water and water heating expense.
5) Adding a timer to your electric water heater can cut unwanted stand by loses when you are away at work or sleeping. This can cut your water heating costs by one third. You’ll probably have to hire an electrician to do this.
6) Check to see that your shower heads and sink fixtures are low flow fixtures rated at 2-3 gallons per minute (gpm).
Appliance Check List - Four Steps to Controlling Unruly Appliances and saving dollars
1) Specialty Appliances like water bed heaters, electric blankets, Jacuzzi’s, steam showers, and engine block heaters can often use more energy than typical home appliances like refrigerators and washing machines. Make a mental note of the wattage of all of your appliances and get a feel for how long they are on. Watts divided by 1000 equals kilowatts (KW); KW times the “time on” equals kilo-Watt hours which are the units you get billed for. Kilo-Watt Hours times your current electric rate equals the amount that you will pay on your bill for that appliance.
2) Keep all appliances clean. Clean around refrigerator and freezer compressors and backs. Clean appliances use less energy.
3) Appliance timers are especially good for reducing energy use on engine block heaters, stock tank heaters, hot tubs and other specialty appliances that don’t really need to be on 24 hours a day.
4) Food freezes at refrigerator temperatures below 30 degrees. There is no need to keep your freezer colder than that unless you are doing cryogenic experiments. Refrigerator compartments only need to be in the 40 degree range to keep most foods fresh. The setting knobs on all refrigerators and freezers are worthless. Use a thermometer to check out your temperature settings.
Lighting Check List- Five Steps to a Brighter and less expensive winter
1. Cleaning lighting fixtures, reflectors and bulbs gets more light output per unit of energy used.
2. Consider replacing incandescent light bulbs that are on for more than four hours per day with compact fluorescent bulbs.
3. Consider replacing exterior incandescent bulbs with halogen bulbs. They work well at cold temperatures and cut energy use.
4. Replace incandescent holiday lights with LED holiday lights.
5. Remember to turn lights off when you leave the room or get timers and motion detectors to do it for you.
Do you have other ideas that have saved you money on your utility bill? If you have and you can prove it, I’d like to hear about your experience.
© Mark Richard Daily, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Take Action to Support Distributed Renewable Energy Generation
So, you want to install a solar photovoltaic system on your roof and join those taking action to reverse climate change. You want to be part of the solution to the growing gap between energy demand and new power plant construction by installing distributed alternate energy generation. You’ve consulted your Special 30th Anniversary Edition of the Real Goods Solar Living Source Book, trimmed your home’s energy demand as much as you can without freezing in the dark and you are ready to order your equipment.
Wait! Have you contacted your local utility?
Almost every utility in the nation has some type of policy or regulation that could impact your ability to generate your own power from your own alternate energy system. Utility policies are a function of State regulations and individual utility company choices. Before you dump that list of PV parts into your checkout basket, contact your utility to make sure you can do what you want to do without being surprised by extra fees, technical restrictions or a hostile utility engineer that doesn’t get what you are trying to do.
The Network for New Energy Choices grades States on net-metering and interconnection laws and gives them an “A” through “F” score on how well they assist consumers with installing alternate energy distributed generation systems. The grades are based on a comparison with recommended regulations featured in the model regulations from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.
Here are the results from the Network for New Energy Choices report.
Net Metering Grades
A IREC Model , New Jersey, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Maryland, California.
B Oregon, Delaware, Iowa, Nevada, Connecticut, Ohio, New Mexico.
C Arkansas, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Maine, Louisiana, Virginia, North Dakota, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Montana, Vermont, Missouri.
D Washington, New York, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Indiana, West Virginia.
F Utah, D.C., Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin.
Interconnection Grades
A IREC Model.
B New Jersey, Arizona.
C California, Ohio, Texas, New York, Colorado, Oregon* , Massachusetts, Georgia, New Mexico* , Vermont, Minnesota.
D Rhode Island, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Arkansas, New Hampshire, Virginia, Iowa, Maryland*, Montana, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Connecticut.
F North Carolina, D.C., Wyoming, Louisiana, Delaware, Hawaii, Utah, Washington, Missouri.
The Network for New Energy Choices offers these definitions to explain the difference between interconnection and net-metering and their report offers more details showing what makes a good regulation.
Interconnection – the technical rules for customers to “plug in” to the grid.
Net Metering – the billing arrangement by which customers realize savings from their systems, here 1-kWh generated by the customer has the exact same value as 1-kWh consumed by the customer.
States scoring an A or B are obviously trying to allow distributed alternate energy generators to start-up in their states. States scoring a C are pretending that they care about distributed alternate energy generators. And, States scoring a D or F obviously aren’t interested in having distributed alternative energy play any roll in meeting their electricity demands. The interesting thing is that states scoring A’s are finding spin-off results that improve their economies, reduce costs for customers, and reap financial benefits for their utilities. States scoring D’s and F’s are telling manufacturing industries, businesses and citizens to forget about making any money in the new economy where green businesses are growing new jobs and creating new business opportunities.
The killer in all of this is that a comparison of the top ten states by non-farm employees working in the manufacturing industry are in many cases, the same states that score the lowest on net-metering and interconnection support.
Rank. State – Net-metering Grade/ Interconnection Grade
1. Indiana - D/D
2. Wisconsin - F/D
3. Arkansas - C/D
4. Iowa - B/D
5. Mississippi- no grade/no grade
6. Alabama – no grade/no grade
7. Michigan - D/D
8. Ohio - B/C
9. Tennesse- no grade/no grade
10.Kentucky- D/no grade
So, the states potentially best equipped to make and supply distributed generation equipment and reap the corresponding economic benefits are shooting themselves in the foot when it comes to alternate energy development.
If you live in a State scoring anything less than a B, it’s time to take action. In less time than it took to read this, you can email your state representatives. Tell them you support distributed alternate energy and you think it’s time that they woke up and supported it too. Tell them you’re tired of being a C student- or worse, and you want to get A’s the next time the Network for New Energy Choices scores your State.
To find more details about your utility or your State and how they treat distributed alternate energy generation, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & efficiency (DSIRE) web site and see how they stack up.
Wait! Have you contacted your local utility?
Almost every utility in the nation has some type of policy or regulation that could impact your ability to generate your own power from your own alternate energy system. Utility policies are a function of State regulations and individual utility company choices. Before you dump that list of PV parts into your checkout basket, contact your utility to make sure you can do what you want to do without being surprised by extra fees, technical restrictions or a hostile utility engineer that doesn’t get what you are trying to do.
The Network for New Energy Choices grades States on net-metering and interconnection laws and gives them an “A” through “F” score on how well they assist consumers with installing alternate energy distributed generation systems. The grades are based on a comparison with recommended regulations featured in the model regulations from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.
Here are the results from the Network for New Energy Choices report.
Net Metering Grades
A IREC Model , New Jersey, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Maryland, California.
B Oregon, Delaware, Iowa, Nevada, Connecticut, Ohio, New Mexico.
C Arkansas, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Maine, Louisiana, Virginia, North Dakota, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Montana, Vermont, Missouri.
D Washington, New York, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Indiana, West Virginia.
F Utah, D.C., Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin.
Interconnection Grades
A IREC Model.
B New Jersey, Arizona.
C California, Ohio, Texas, New York, Colorado, Oregon* , Massachusetts, Georgia, New Mexico* , Vermont, Minnesota.
D Rhode Island, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Arkansas, New Hampshire, Virginia, Iowa, Maryland*, Montana, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Connecticut.
F North Carolina, D.C., Wyoming, Louisiana, Delaware, Hawaii, Utah, Washington, Missouri.
The Network for New Energy Choices offers these definitions to explain the difference between interconnection and net-metering and their report offers more details showing what makes a good regulation.
Interconnection – the technical rules for customers to “plug in” to the grid.
Net Metering – the billing arrangement by which customers realize savings from their systems, here 1-kWh generated by the customer has the exact same value as 1-kWh consumed by the customer.
States scoring an A or B are obviously trying to allow distributed alternate energy generators to start-up in their states. States scoring a C are pretending that they care about distributed alternate energy generators. And, States scoring a D or F obviously aren’t interested in having distributed alternative energy play any roll in meeting their electricity demands. The interesting thing is that states scoring A’s are finding spin-off results that improve their economies, reduce costs for customers, and reap financial benefits for their utilities. States scoring D’s and F’s are telling manufacturing industries, businesses and citizens to forget about making any money in the new economy where green businesses are growing new jobs and creating new business opportunities.
The killer in all of this is that a comparison of the top ten states by non-farm employees working in the manufacturing industry are in many cases, the same states that score the lowest on net-metering and interconnection support.
Rank. State – Net-metering Grade/ Interconnection Grade
1. Indiana - D/D
2. Wisconsin - F/D
3. Arkansas - C/D
4. Iowa - B/D
5. Mississippi- no grade/no grade
6. Alabama – no grade/no grade
7. Michigan - D/D
8. Ohio - B/C
9. Tennesse- no grade/no grade
10.Kentucky- D/no grade
So, the states potentially best equipped to make and supply distributed generation equipment and reap the corresponding economic benefits are shooting themselves in the foot when it comes to alternate energy development.
If you live in a State scoring anything less than a B, it’s time to take action. In less time than it took to read this, you can email your state representatives. Tell them you support distributed alternate energy and you think it’s time that they woke up and supported it too. Tell them you’re tired of being a C student- or worse, and you want to get A’s the next time the Network for New Energy Choices scores your State.
To find more details about your utility or your State and how they treat distributed alternate energy generation, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & efficiency (DSIRE) web site and see how they stack up.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Getting to the Dream- Reliable Distributed Renewable Energy Generation
In order to move the idea of small scale renewable energy forward for the every-day home owner in a way that makes a resource contribution to utilities, three things need to happen.
First there needs to be willing homeowners wanting to install distributed generation equipment like wind, solar or biomass generation on their homes. As part of this concept they also need to be interconnected to the grid to make the output of their generators or excess kWh, available to the grid.
Next there needs to be effective, clear and fair state regulations that define net-metering and interconnection requirements. These regulations must not penalize homeowners who want to be distributed system generators or place unfair burdens on compliance.
And finally there have to be utilities willing to adopt and implement programs for those customers or willing homeowners.
To make small scale renewable energy more than just a pipe dream, communities, utilities, state regulators and the nation need to move forward equally on all three fronts.
Willing Homeowners
So far, few homeowners have elected to install renewable energy equipment on their own. Most residential installations nationwide have taken advantage of state or local utility incentives that help homeowners cover some of the estimated $15,000 -25,000 installation and interconnections expenses.
States leading the way in this area like New Jersey and Colorado are struggling with ways to provide incentives without raising rates for all electric rate payers. In addition to the issue of incentives and rebates, the issue of homeowner education is a big issue. Too many homeowners have unrealistic expectations about the amount of money to be made selling excess power back to utilities even in areas with strong utility support for these systems.
These homeowners not only need to be willing to install the equipment on their homes but they need to be willing to monitor their systems and reassure their local utility that they won’t become a danger to themselves, their neighbors or the electric grid itself. A great source of practical self education information is available at Real Goods . They sell a book called the Solar Living Source Book that really is as they claim “the bible on renewable energy”. You can’t be serious about alternative energy and green power if you don’t have one on your book shelf. I have several versions and each new addition has great tips on getting the rubber to meet the road – so to speak.
Supportive State Regulations
In many states with willing and well educated homeowners you may face a list of regulatory hurdles that are more designed to protect myopic utilities, coal producers and the status quo then they are likely to support the installation of interconnected distributed generation. The two key areas of regulatory support are in net-metering regulations and interconnection requirements.
Onerous insurance or safety disconnect requirements can unnecessarily stifle willing homeowners before they even begin buying equipment. Some states however, like New Jersey, Colorado and Pennsylvania are working out these details in a way that protects public safety, assures utilities of safe interconnection and maintenance practices and supports small scale renewable distributed generation. The Network for New Energy Choices provides up to date analysis and reporting on statewide net-metering and interconnection rules. See their report Freeing the Grid: 2007 Edition.
“As of September 2007, thirty-nine states had adopted statewide programs that established rules for compensating consumers who own grid-tied renewable-energy systems. These programs award owners of small, grid-tied renewables the same savings as one would expect from conserving energy on-site.” – Freeing the Grid; Report No. 02-07 November 2007
Progressive Uilities
Utilities have a long history of making excuses for not supporting net-metering or distributed generation connections to the grid, yet for those utilities that have seen the light, customers are helping to meet the growing need for electricity in a way that actually saves utilities money in reduced infrastructure, improved reliability and deferred generation and transmission improvements . One of the leaders in small system residential solar development is the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). “SMUD offers an incentive of $2.50 per watt, based on system performance (orientation, array, tilt and shade). The incentive will be paid to the approved PV contractor and should be reflected in the contractor's bid to the customer.”
What is the incentive for utilities to support distributed renewable energy generation? In the long run it will be survival, but in the short run its just money and reliability. In my last post I referred to the North American Reliability Corporation’s Long Term Reliability Assessment conclusions. They discuss electric power shortages in as little as two years. No matter which source you consult, everyone agrees that even with major conservation efforts, there will be a shortage of power. By promoting distributed generation, utilities add resources without the expense of generation and transmission.
Without the three pronged dedication of homeowners willing to dig into their own pockets, State regulator’s supporting reasonable enabling legislation and local utility support and cooperation, the green power revolution will choke on unfulfilled expectations. There are positive signs that all three key actors have learned from past mistake and are working toward a more supportive and measured approach to small scale distributed generation.
The recent Coop America Utility Solar Assessment (USA) Study summary says, “For the first time in history, a confluence of forces is coming together — solar technology developments, conventional energy price increases, aging transmission and distribution infrastructure, climate concerns, security issues, and others — that bring the dramatic worldwide growth of solar increasingly to center stage. In this rapidly changing energy landscape, the 10 percent goal is truly within reach.”
Next week I’ll go into more detail about utility company attitudes towards interconnection requirements and net-metering.
Hey. My hit counter says someone is reading this. What do you think ? Post a comment. If you have a question about energy conservation or renewable energy ask me, I'll try to find objective answers.
© Mark Daily, 2008
First there needs to be willing homeowners wanting to install distributed generation equipment like wind, solar or biomass generation on their homes. As part of this concept they also need to be interconnected to the grid to make the output of their generators or excess kWh, available to the grid.
Next there needs to be effective, clear and fair state regulations that define net-metering and interconnection requirements. These regulations must not penalize homeowners who want to be distributed system generators or place unfair burdens on compliance.
And finally there have to be utilities willing to adopt and implement programs for those customers or willing homeowners.
To make small scale renewable energy more than just a pipe dream, communities, utilities, state regulators and the nation need to move forward equally on all three fronts.
Willing Homeowners
So far, few homeowners have elected to install renewable energy equipment on their own. Most residential installations nationwide have taken advantage of state or local utility incentives that help homeowners cover some of the estimated $15,000 -25,000 installation and interconnections expenses.
States leading the way in this area like New Jersey and Colorado are struggling with ways to provide incentives without raising rates for all electric rate payers. In addition to the issue of incentives and rebates, the issue of homeowner education is a big issue. Too many homeowners have unrealistic expectations about the amount of money to be made selling excess power back to utilities even in areas with strong utility support for these systems.
These homeowners not only need to be willing to install the equipment on their homes but they need to be willing to monitor their systems and reassure their local utility that they won’t become a danger to themselves, their neighbors or the electric grid itself. A great source of practical self education information is available at Real Goods . They sell a book called the Solar Living Source Book that really is as they claim “the bible on renewable energy”. You can’t be serious about alternative energy and green power if you don’t have one on your book shelf. I have several versions and each new addition has great tips on getting the rubber to meet the road – so to speak.
Supportive State Regulations
In many states with willing and well educated homeowners you may face a list of regulatory hurdles that are more designed to protect myopic utilities, coal producers and the status quo then they are likely to support the installation of interconnected distributed generation. The two key areas of regulatory support are in net-metering regulations and interconnection requirements.
Onerous insurance or safety disconnect requirements can unnecessarily stifle willing homeowners before they even begin buying equipment. Some states however, like New Jersey, Colorado and Pennsylvania are working out these details in a way that protects public safety, assures utilities of safe interconnection and maintenance practices and supports small scale renewable distributed generation. The Network for New Energy Choices provides up to date analysis and reporting on statewide net-metering and interconnection rules. See their report Freeing the Grid: 2007 Edition.
“As of September 2007, thirty-nine states had adopted statewide programs that established rules for compensating consumers who own grid-tied renewable-energy systems. These programs award owners of small, grid-tied renewables the same savings as one would expect from conserving energy on-site.” – Freeing the Grid; Report No. 02-07 November 2007
Progressive Uilities
Utilities have a long history of making excuses for not supporting net-metering or distributed generation connections to the grid, yet for those utilities that have seen the light, customers are helping to meet the growing need for electricity in a way that actually saves utilities money in reduced infrastructure, improved reliability and deferred generation and transmission improvements . One of the leaders in small system residential solar development is the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). “SMUD offers an incentive of $2.50 per watt, based on system performance (orientation, array, tilt and shade). The incentive will be paid to the approved PV contractor and should be reflected in the contractor's bid to the customer.”
What is the incentive for utilities to support distributed renewable energy generation? In the long run it will be survival, but in the short run its just money and reliability. In my last post I referred to the North American Reliability Corporation’s Long Term Reliability Assessment conclusions. They discuss electric power shortages in as little as two years. No matter which source you consult, everyone agrees that even with major conservation efforts, there will be a shortage of power. By promoting distributed generation, utilities add resources without the expense of generation and transmission.
Without the three pronged dedication of homeowners willing to dig into their own pockets, State regulator’s supporting reasonable enabling legislation and local utility support and cooperation, the green power revolution will choke on unfulfilled expectations. There are positive signs that all three key actors have learned from past mistake and are working toward a more supportive and measured approach to small scale distributed generation.
The recent Coop America Utility Solar Assessment (USA) Study summary says, “For the first time in history, a confluence of forces is coming together — solar technology developments, conventional energy price increases, aging transmission and distribution infrastructure, climate concerns, security issues, and others — that bring the dramatic worldwide growth of solar increasingly to center stage. In this rapidly changing energy landscape, the 10 percent goal is truly within reach.”
Next week I’ll go into more detail about utility company attitudes towards interconnection requirements and net-metering.
Hey. My hit counter says someone is reading this. What do you think ? Post a comment. If you have a question about energy conservation or renewable energy ask me, I'll try to find objective answers.
© Mark Daily, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Electric Rates- Consumers Must Wade Through the Hype and Speak Up
Writing about energy issues isn’t easy. There are a host of dueling experts that love to aggressively champion their ideas. Some even have secret motives tied to parts of the energy industry. Are these objective writers? It’s hard to say frankly. I once had a person reading my material wonder aloud “which side are you on”? That really is the whole point of my writing. I don’t want to be on a “side” unless it is the side of getting the most accurate and honest information out to the most number of people.
As general consumers I believe we still have a rather naive view of electric energy and electric energy issues. Many people still hold the idea that there are these robber baron capitalists that are cranking out copious amount of “dirty” electricity trying to make the most money for the least investment possible. Of course, this is the American way some would argue.”What’s wrong with that? ”, some might say; Nothing, actually. That may well be the goal of most utility companies and their investors. Yet each state has its own utility commission that reviews utility rate increases and keeps a lid on potential abuses from the private sector. Municipal Utilities have tax payers that theoretically are keeping an eye on things and can vote the scoundrels out if rates climb beyond reasonable expense recovery and, member owned public power districts and member owned rural electric cooperatives also have the “membership vote” regulation in play.
So, if these regulating functions are doing their jobs no one should be paying more than absolutely necessary for electricity and no utility company should be getting windfall profits from the sale of electricity. And, I think that this has largely been the case with the California mess and Enron being the main exceptions to the rule. Fingers pointing in so many directions on those debacles that everyone got a little of the blame there.
In fact with those exceptions, regulators have been doing their jobs so well that in many states prices per kilowatt hour had actually gone down in the 90’s as a result of deals made between regulators and utilities over electric utility de-regulation. Unfortunately increasing fuel costs for all utilities have cancelled out the anticipated price reductions and left many companies in the red begging for rate increases in recent years. Our memories are short when it comes to electricity prices, so the feelings consumers have today are strictly based on recent and nation-wide rate increases and any residual positive perception from the rate decreases of the 90’s has long evaporated in the angry and heated response over the most recent bill.
So, what’s a consumer to do? The main thing a consumer can do is get familiar with their electric bill. How much are you paying per kilowatt hour? What is your monthly kWh use? How much does your monthly use fluctuate with the seasons? What appliances do you have that contribute the most to your electric bill? These questions all go to the heart of the concept – “if it’s not being measured, it’s not being managed”, and if you aren’t trying to manage your electric bill, then you deserve whatever bill you get. And, whatever bill you get is your fault, not your utility’s.
The next best thing you can do is let your elected representative know that you are tired of them spending so much time worrying about what’s going on in public bathrooms and private bedrooms and get back to the job we elected them to do, which is to research, propose and adopt legislation that encourages us all to take a long range view of energy issues.
As general consumers I believe we still have a rather naive view of electric energy and electric energy issues. Many people still hold the idea that there are these robber baron capitalists that are cranking out copious amount of “dirty” electricity trying to make the most money for the least investment possible. Of course, this is the American way some would argue.”What’s wrong with that? ”, some might say; Nothing, actually. That may well be the goal of most utility companies and their investors. Yet each state has its own utility commission that reviews utility rate increases and keeps a lid on potential abuses from the private sector. Municipal Utilities have tax payers that theoretically are keeping an eye on things and can vote the scoundrels out if rates climb beyond reasonable expense recovery and, member owned public power districts and member owned rural electric cooperatives also have the “membership vote” regulation in play.
So, if these regulating functions are doing their jobs no one should be paying more than absolutely necessary for electricity and no utility company should be getting windfall profits from the sale of electricity. And, I think that this has largely been the case with the California mess and Enron being the main exceptions to the rule. Fingers pointing in so many directions on those debacles that everyone got a little of the blame there.
In fact with those exceptions, regulators have been doing their jobs so well that in many states prices per kilowatt hour had actually gone down in the 90’s as a result of deals made between regulators and utilities over electric utility de-regulation. Unfortunately increasing fuel costs for all utilities have cancelled out the anticipated price reductions and left many companies in the red begging for rate increases in recent years. Our memories are short when it comes to electricity prices, so the feelings consumers have today are strictly based on recent and nation-wide rate increases and any residual positive perception from the rate decreases of the 90’s has long evaporated in the angry and heated response over the most recent bill.
So, what’s a consumer to do? The main thing a consumer can do is get familiar with their electric bill. How much are you paying per kilowatt hour? What is your monthly kWh use? How much does your monthly use fluctuate with the seasons? What appliances do you have that contribute the most to your electric bill? These questions all go to the heart of the concept – “if it’s not being measured, it’s not being managed”, and if you aren’t trying to manage your electric bill, then you deserve whatever bill you get. And, whatever bill you get is your fault, not your utility’s.
The next best thing you can do is let your elected representative know that you are tired of them spending so much time worrying about what’s going on in public bathrooms and private bedrooms and get back to the job we elected them to do, which is to research, propose and adopt legislation that encourages us all to take a long range view of energy issues.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Alternate Energy Advocates need to Get Real
Electricity is today, by almost any standard, a requirement for modern life.
A nation-wide system of unrelated companies makes electricity, a product that cannot be seen, stored or stockpiled and gets it delivered to every corner of the nation through a series of wires connected by thousands of different companies, 24 hours a day for 365 days a year.
This product reaches the customer at the exact moment that the customer wants it- even when the customer doesn’t know they want it. If too much electricity is delivered, things start melting. If too little electricity is delivered, things start melting. This is not like gas for your car. There is no gauge showing a low tank so you can head to the filling station. This is a product that most homeowners only think about when it isn’t there or when the price goes up.
The back bone of the electric power generation system consists of thousands of power plants spread across the country. Most are located strategically near urban load centers or sources of fuel. Usually, sources of fuel, like coal or wind or hydro power, are nowhere near urban load centers.
Base-load fossil fuel is stockpiled allowing power plants to schedule power production to meet anticipated loads. When power plant schedulers get it right, nobody notices. When they get it wrong, rolling brown-outs or black-outs inspire months of government investigation and reams of customer hate mail focused on those utilities that left them in the dark or melted their ice cream. Wholesale power suppliers pay various contract penalties for being short on generation delivery if they under produce or waste electricity and ratepayer’s money if they produce more than is needed.
Because of the ability to schedule these base-load fossil fuel systems, they are called “dispatch-able”. Schedulers dispatch power at varying levels targeted every thirty minutes to meet your electricity demands. They do it based on formulas that consider historic loads, predicted weather conditions and anticipated load growth. Wind and solar energy are not “dispatch-able”.
Based load power plants have an excellent track record of meeting the nation’s needs. As a whole, they achieve an astounding 80% production output that combines with back-up power generation and regional inter-connections to provide electricity at your house almost 100 percent of the time.
Renewable power production facilities have a track record of 25% output. As renewables become more plentiful and spread over wider geographic areas, this “production” factor will improve. Increased reliability through diversity has long been a goal of renewable energy advocates. The Rocky Mountain Institute is one group supporting this concept. Their recent research in the July 2008 issue of their Solution Journal describes how that might come about.
Utilities, have historically appeared to drag their feet about including wind and solar power into their generation portfolio. This is not because they dislike clean power, but because they feel like a 25 % production track record does not meet the needs of their customers. From their perspective, every kilowatt of wind or solar power generation must be backed up with equal base load generation to cover the 75% of the time renewable resources fail to deliver power. In a business dedicated to reliable power at the least cost, the expense of supporting renewable energy means building redundant base-load coverage.
Until customers get “real” about alternate energy expectations there will always be conflict between customer expectations and utility’s ability to deliver.
A nation-wide system of unrelated companies makes electricity, a product that cannot be seen, stored or stockpiled and gets it delivered to every corner of the nation through a series of wires connected by thousands of different companies, 24 hours a day for 365 days a year.
This product reaches the customer at the exact moment that the customer wants it- even when the customer doesn’t know they want it. If too much electricity is delivered, things start melting. If too little electricity is delivered, things start melting. This is not like gas for your car. There is no gauge showing a low tank so you can head to the filling station. This is a product that most homeowners only think about when it isn’t there or when the price goes up.
The back bone of the electric power generation system consists of thousands of power plants spread across the country. Most are located strategically near urban load centers or sources of fuel. Usually, sources of fuel, like coal or wind or hydro power, are nowhere near urban load centers.
Base-load fossil fuel is stockpiled allowing power plants to schedule power production to meet anticipated loads. When power plant schedulers get it right, nobody notices. When they get it wrong, rolling brown-outs or black-outs inspire months of government investigation and reams of customer hate mail focused on those utilities that left them in the dark or melted their ice cream. Wholesale power suppliers pay various contract penalties for being short on generation delivery if they under produce or waste electricity and ratepayer’s money if they produce more than is needed.
Because of the ability to schedule these base-load fossil fuel systems, they are called “dispatch-able”. Schedulers dispatch power at varying levels targeted every thirty minutes to meet your electricity demands. They do it based on formulas that consider historic loads, predicted weather conditions and anticipated load growth. Wind and solar energy are not “dispatch-able”.
Based load power plants have an excellent track record of meeting the nation’s needs. As a whole, they achieve an astounding 80% production output that combines with back-up power generation and regional inter-connections to provide electricity at your house almost 100 percent of the time.
Renewable power production facilities have a track record of 25% output. As renewables become more plentiful and spread over wider geographic areas, this “production” factor will improve. Increased reliability through diversity has long been a goal of renewable energy advocates. The Rocky Mountain Institute is one group supporting this concept. Their recent research in the July 2008 issue of their Solution Journal describes how that might come about.
Utilities, have historically appeared to drag their feet about including wind and solar power into their generation portfolio. This is not because they dislike clean power, but because they feel like a 25 % production track record does not meet the needs of their customers. From their perspective, every kilowatt of wind or solar power generation must be backed up with equal base load generation to cover the 75% of the time renewable resources fail to deliver power. In a business dedicated to reliable power at the least cost, the expense of supporting renewable energy means building redundant base-load coverage.
Until customers get “real” about alternate energy expectations there will always be conflict between customer expectations and utility’s ability to deliver.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Make the Global Climate Change Debate Irrelevant
If you are having trouble sleeping, one cure that works for me on those rare occasions is reading dueling opinions about climate change. Try this one from Energy Pulse . It’s a real dozy, not because of the various and conflicting opinions and not because of the demeaning and sarcastic tone of several of the authors.
The discussion is a dozy because most of us really don’t see how we can make sense out of the debate. How many scientists does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just two, but I can’t figure out how they get in there. If higher math skills were the only requirement for solving the world’s problems, I suspect solutions would be in place. There are lots of really smart people in this world. What’s missing is a reasoned and universally agreeable way to talk about these issues.
So, I’ll stop making jokes and offer this prayer for a better world; a world where people that disagree can work together on agreeable facts that make a foundation for future discussions. We should be long past the point of arguing about what makes up green house gases. We should be over the discussion about whether climate change is a natural or manmade phenomenon. Just as we can all agree that two times two equals four there must be a definitive answer to the question, “what causes destructive impacts to our atmosphere”? Just as we can all agree that zero times anything is still zero, there must be an answer about the causes of these impacts that isn’t clouded by suspicious industry related sources.
Refusing to take any action to reduce climate change whether it is real or not is like refusing to buy home owner’s insurance because you don’t know how hot the fire will be if your house burns down. Come on, if we can’t figure out the science and explain it so the public can understand it, the least we can do is buy some insurance.
The only social change that has ever been successful came about from individuals taking individual actions in open environment of honest debate and factual argument. Let’s get back to that.
Most of us are too busy trying to keep up with jobs and family to care about this debate, but all of us care about the financial health of our families. Who doesn’t like to live better for less? If I have extra time or money, I am going to spend it on better appliances, windows, doors, more insulation, and other systems that will help me keep more of the money I earn, rather than giving it to businesses and corporations that use profits to argue about the facts. The beauty of this is that it could make scientific debate about climate change irrelevant while it saves me money all at the same time.
In the next few months, almost every family is going to get a small windfall or tax rebate money. You can do what George asks and spend it on disposable items that will end up in some landfill. You can do what many fear - put it in savings. Or, you can put it to work by improving some part of the building envelope where you live or work. When you do this, you get to keep more of the money you earn in the future.
One person at a time; one house at a time, one energy saving project at a time. The money and time you invest today will save you money tomorrow. Just think what your life would be like today if you had spent another 10% on better windows, or better doors or more insulation ten years ago. Today your family would be spending less for energy to run your homes and businesses. It’s better than the value of compounding interest and you get to feel its warmth and see its benefits every month in lower utility bills.
The discussion is a dozy because most of us really don’t see how we can make sense out of the debate. How many scientists does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just two, but I can’t figure out how they get in there. If higher math skills were the only requirement for solving the world’s problems, I suspect solutions would be in place. There are lots of really smart people in this world. What’s missing is a reasoned and universally agreeable way to talk about these issues.
So, I’ll stop making jokes and offer this prayer for a better world; a world where people that disagree can work together on agreeable facts that make a foundation for future discussions. We should be long past the point of arguing about what makes up green house gases. We should be over the discussion about whether climate change is a natural or manmade phenomenon. Just as we can all agree that two times two equals four there must be a definitive answer to the question, “what causes destructive impacts to our atmosphere”? Just as we can all agree that zero times anything is still zero, there must be an answer about the causes of these impacts that isn’t clouded by suspicious industry related sources.
Refusing to take any action to reduce climate change whether it is real or not is like refusing to buy home owner’s insurance because you don’t know how hot the fire will be if your house burns down. Come on, if we can’t figure out the science and explain it so the public can understand it, the least we can do is buy some insurance.
The only social change that has ever been successful came about from individuals taking individual actions in open environment of honest debate and factual argument. Let’s get back to that.
Most of us are too busy trying to keep up with jobs and family to care about this debate, but all of us care about the financial health of our families. Who doesn’t like to live better for less? If I have extra time or money, I am going to spend it on better appliances, windows, doors, more insulation, and other systems that will help me keep more of the money I earn, rather than giving it to businesses and corporations that use profits to argue about the facts. The beauty of this is that it could make scientific debate about climate change irrelevant while it saves me money all at the same time.
In the next few months, almost every family is going to get a small windfall or tax rebate money. You can do what George asks and spend it on disposable items that will end up in some landfill. You can do what many fear - put it in savings. Or, you can put it to work by improving some part of the building envelope where you live or work. When you do this, you get to keep more of the money you earn in the future.
One person at a time; one house at a time, one energy saving project at a time. The money and time you invest today will save you money tomorrow. Just think what your life would be like today if you had spent another 10% on better windows, or better doors or more insulation ten years ago. Today your family would be spending less for energy to run your homes and businesses. It’s better than the value of compounding interest and you get to feel its warmth and see its benefits every month in lower utility bills.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Why Utility Executives Hate Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards
Did you ever wonder why Renewable Energy provides less than ten percent of this nation’s electric energy? What the heck is an RPS and why should you take action to support them? And, finally if RPS’s are such a good idea, why do many utility executives hate them?
Defining Renewable Portfolio Standards
Renewable Portfolio Standards are not exactly on everyone’s mind these days. A Google search of RPS is just as likely to turn up sites about Rock – Paper – Scissors. Some insist that RPS is a game, but for states moving ahead with renewable energy industries, Renewable Portfolio Standards, sometimes called Renewable Electricity Standards, can be just the extra push that renewables need to become a big player in the electric energy generation game.
“A renewable portfolio standard is a state policy that requires electricity providers to obtain a minimum percentage of their power from renewable energy resources by a certain date. Currently there are 24 states plus the District of Columbia that have RPS policies in place. Together these states account for more than half of the electricity sales in the United States.
Four other states, Illinois, Missouri, Virginia, and Vermont, have nonbinding goals for adoption of renewable energy instead of an RPS.
Three states, Missouri, Virginia, and Vermont, have set voluntary goals for adopting renewable energy instead of portfolio standards with binding targets.”
Source: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
Today renewable energy makes up less than 10% of the generation mix anywhere in the nation. And, 8% of that is from conventional large hydroelectric dam facilities. Wind generation even with its recent strong growth amounts to less than 1% of the generation mix and solar comes in at 0.04% of the generation resource in 2005.
Non-renewable resources mostly fossil fuel related, still account for 89.9% of the electricity generated in the USA.
Utility Executives Hate Renewable Portfolio Standards
So, why do some utility executives appose Renewable Portfolio Standards? It’s simple. No one likes it when someone else tells them what to do, especially when that someone else is outside the industry and expertise of that industry. Utility executives feel that the public is ill-informed about the true costs of electric energy generation. Utility executives with electrical engineering background especially feel that the public has arrived at their “pro-renewable” stance based on incomplete or faulty information. “If you knew what I know….,” you can hear them saying.
Frankly, I think that these executives are right. You don’t have to review too many of my previous blogs to find examples of misguided renewable cheerleaders getting carried away with a few acts or ignoring the facts all together. One mission of this blog is to correct that lack of information. The Union of Concerned Scientists must feel the same way because their FAQ does a pretty nice job of answering those happy hour questions about renewable energy.
Despite gains made in renewable energy production and in spite of the fact that the “fuel” for wind and solar energy is free, the fact still remains that all renewable energy resources cost more to get into the grid than non-renewable energy.
The Bottom Line for Renewable Energy
So, here is the real reason utility executives hate RPS. It raises rates and these guys have never ever gotten one phone call from any of their consumers yelling at them for having rates that were too low. Oh no my friends. I know from personal experience being the main person fielding angry customer complaints that I never, ever in fifteen years of dealing with angry customers – had a customer angry with me because rates were too low; quite the opposite in fact. And, since utility executives are trying to deliver electricity at the best rates possible, no one wants to be forced into RPS regulations mandating higher rates. Or, worse yet mandating rate freezes while requiring RPS targets, similar to what the retail deregulation experience did in many states.
A recent study by American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy of the financial impacts of RPS adoption shows that over all energy costs would go down but the cost savings do not happen right away and this study shows that electricity rates by themselves go up as a result of RPS implementation.
Renewable Energy Management
Renewable Energy tends to be a small scale disbursed generation resource. This requires more coordination for dispatching electricity to the load or demand centers that need the juice. Having a host of renewable energy resource generators to coordinate instead of one huge coal fired power plant gives utility executives nightmares. While there can be positive aspects to a more widely distributed generation resource, there is also the real possibility that making the system more complicated will lead to more system failures, brown-outs and black outs from mistakes made in the dispatch process.
What Can You Do to help Push Renewable Energy Electricity Generation and RPS forward?
So, how do we get around this opposition and get state legislators to adopt renewable portfolio standards?
There are three things that you must do to save the world.
First, know what you are talking about. Get the facts. Find out what alternate energy can really do. Parroting phrases like, “the State of Nevada has enough solar energy to power the entire US economy” is counter-productive. This may be a true statement, but unless you support extensive transmission line construction, no one cares what happens in Nevada.
Second, become a vocal, but polite voice advocating renewable energy development through the adoption of Renewable Energy or Renewable Electricity Portfolio Standards. Write to state and national elected officials and your utility executives and tell them that you support higher rates as long as those increases go toward the addition of renewable energy resources in their generation portfolios.
Finally the absolute most important thing that you can do to help renewable energy become a bigger percentage of the electricity generation mix is stop using electricity stupidly. This is more than just turning the lights off. Residential lighting in the US accounts for only about five percent of the entire electric energy demand. So even if you use headlamps all the time you haven’t done much to reduce energy use. Energy conservation means doing the same work smarter, by buying the most energy efficient appliances; hunting down and eliminating phantom electric loads in your house; making sure your home has the best insulation levels and high quality windows possible. Utility executives are not generating electricity because it’s a lot of fun. They are generating electricity because you are asking for it. Read some previous postings to find out more about energy conservation.
My next Blog will explain why utility executives think environmentalists are a pain in the ass.
©Mark Richard Daily
Defining Renewable Portfolio Standards
Renewable Portfolio Standards are not exactly on everyone’s mind these days. A Google search of RPS is just as likely to turn up sites about Rock – Paper – Scissors. Some insist that RPS is a game, but for states moving ahead with renewable energy industries, Renewable Portfolio Standards, sometimes called Renewable Electricity Standards, can be just the extra push that renewables need to become a big player in the electric energy generation game.
“A renewable portfolio standard is a state policy that requires electricity providers to obtain a minimum percentage of their power from renewable energy resources by a certain date. Currently there are 24 states plus the District of Columbia that have RPS policies in place. Together these states account for more than half of the electricity sales in the United States.
Four other states, Illinois, Missouri, Virginia, and Vermont, have nonbinding goals for adoption of renewable energy instead of an RPS.
Three states, Missouri, Virginia, and Vermont, have set voluntary goals for adopting renewable energy instead of portfolio standards with binding targets.”
Source: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
Today renewable energy makes up less than 10% of the generation mix anywhere in the nation. And, 8% of that is from conventional large hydroelectric dam facilities. Wind generation even with its recent strong growth amounts to less than 1% of the generation mix and solar comes in at 0.04% of the generation resource in 2005.
Non-renewable resources mostly fossil fuel related, still account for 89.9% of the electricity generated in the USA.
Utility Executives Hate Renewable Portfolio Standards
So, why do some utility executives appose Renewable Portfolio Standards? It’s simple. No one likes it when someone else tells them what to do, especially when that someone else is outside the industry and expertise of that industry. Utility executives feel that the public is ill-informed about the true costs of electric energy generation. Utility executives with electrical engineering background especially feel that the public has arrived at their “pro-renewable” stance based on incomplete or faulty information. “If you knew what I know….,” you can hear them saying.
Frankly, I think that these executives are right. You don’t have to review too many of my previous blogs to find examples of misguided renewable cheerleaders getting carried away with a few acts or ignoring the facts all together. One mission of this blog is to correct that lack of information. The Union of Concerned Scientists must feel the same way because their FAQ does a pretty nice job of answering those happy hour questions about renewable energy.
Despite gains made in renewable energy production and in spite of the fact that the “fuel” for wind and solar energy is free, the fact still remains that all renewable energy resources cost more to get into the grid than non-renewable energy.
The Bottom Line for Renewable Energy
So, here is the real reason utility executives hate RPS. It raises rates and these guys have never ever gotten one phone call from any of their consumers yelling at them for having rates that were too low. Oh no my friends. I know from personal experience being the main person fielding angry customer complaints that I never, ever in fifteen years of dealing with angry customers – had a customer angry with me because rates were too low; quite the opposite in fact. And, since utility executives are trying to deliver electricity at the best rates possible, no one wants to be forced into RPS regulations mandating higher rates. Or, worse yet mandating rate freezes while requiring RPS targets, similar to what the retail deregulation experience did in many states.
A recent study by American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy of the financial impacts of RPS adoption shows that over all energy costs would go down but the cost savings do not happen right away and this study shows that electricity rates by themselves go up as a result of RPS implementation.
Renewable Energy Management
Renewable Energy tends to be a small scale disbursed generation resource. This requires more coordination for dispatching electricity to the load or demand centers that need the juice. Having a host of renewable energy resource generators to coordinate instead of one huge coal fired power plant gives utility executives nightmares. While there can be positive aspects to a more widely distributed generation resource, there is also the real possibility that making the system more complicated will lead to more system failures, brown-outs and black outs from mistakes made in the dispatch process.
What Can You Do to help Push Renewable Energy Electricity Generation and RPS forward?
So, how do we get around this opposition and get state legislators to adopt renewable portfolio standards?
There are three things that you must do to save the world.
First, know what you are talking about. Get the facts. Find out what alternate energy can really do. Parroting phrases like, “the State of Nevada has enough solar energy to power the entire US economy” is counter-productive. This may be a true statement, but unless you support extensive transmission line construction, no one cares what happens in Nevada.
Second, become a vocal, but polite voice advocating renewable energy development through the adoption of Renewable Energy or Renewable Electricity Portfolio Standards. Write to state and national elected officials and your utility executives and tell them that you support higher rates as long as those increases go toward the addition of renewable energy resources in their generation portfolios.
Finally the absolute most important thing that you can do to help renewable energy become a bigger percentage of the electricity generation mix is stop using electricity stupidly. This is more than just turning the lights off. Residential lighting in the US accounts for only about five percent of the entire electric energy demand. So even if you use headlamps all the time you haven’t done much to reduce energy use. Energy conservation means doing the same work smarter, by buying the most energy efficient appliances; hunting down and eliminating phantom electric loads in your house; making sure your home has the best insulation levels and high quality windows possible. Utility executives are not generating electricity because it’s a lot of fun. They are generating electricity because you are asking for it. Read some previous postings to find out more about energy conservation.
My next Blog will explain why utility executives think environmentalists are a pain in the ass.
©Mark Richard Daily
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Why Electric Utility Executives Hate Net-Metering
Net- Metering is a specific utility term used to describe the way utilities may allow small home generators to feed electricity back onto their electric distribution wire grids.
The DSIRE database, (Data base of State Incentives for Renewable & Efficiency) lists each state’s renewable programs. They define net- metering like this:
“Net Metering Rules For those consumers who have their own electricity generating units, net metering allows for the flow of electricity both to and from the customer through a single, bi-directional meter. With net metering, during times when the customer's generation exceeds his or her use, electricity from the customer to the utility offsets electricity consumed at another time. In effect, the customer is using the excess generation to offset electricity that would have been purchased at the retail rate. Under most state rules, residential, commercial, and industrial customers are eligible for net metering, but some states restrict eligibility to particular customer classes.”
This is a widely accepted definition but gets confused by some utility programs that don’t really offer net-metering. Instead they offer wholesale or avoided cost metering. This often requires two meters installed at the customer’s expense. One meter records the kWh flowing into their house from the utility grid and the other meter records the flow of electricity from the home’s power generation sources like a PV array or small wind turbine. The market drives the cost of electricity just like it does other commodities and the price we all pay on our electric bill reflects market value as well as actual costs for delivery. In the case of small alternate energy generators, utilities typically pay a wholesale rate for any energy that they buy directly.
One myth that is often used to oppose net-metering is the myth that meters go forward more accurately than they go backwards. Eletromechanical meters have no physical reason to run any differently more or less accurately no matter which way the current is going. Yet, this is the reason that many utilities require two meters. Two meters doubles your minimum monthly service charge and throws an un-necessary obstacle into the net-metering road.
Utilities that offer true net-metering, allow one meter that goes both directions. With this arrangement, consumer’s gain by having any energy that they generate going back to cancel the incoming kWh hours.
Once the meter hits zero on the register the price changes. Now you are making a net contribution to the grid instead of just canceling out your utility company generated power. So, the price you make on each kWh goes down to the wholesale rate which is typically 40 to 60 percent less than the retail rate. So, if you are going to run payback numbers for your project, you need to find out the average retail rate per kWh when you calculate the financial benefits of installing your own net-metering equipment.
Safety has always been very important to electric utilities and rightfully so. You can’t make any mistakes handling 14,000 volts of electricity without serious – usually fatal consequences. So, may utilities require a long list of lock out safety requirements and a hefty insurance liability policy from homeowners interested in installing net metering equipment.
Some utilities require a physical lock out device accessible to utility personnel; all day every day so that they can isolate your system from the grid while they are working on distribution circuits effected by your system.
I heard a good talk several years ago by a knowledgeable engineer about the potential danger from net-metering facilities. He seemed to think that the likely hood of a 12 or 24 volt 1.5 to 3.0KW net-metering system back feeding enough voltage to injury a line worker was a remote possibility and said it really was not scientifically supportable. Yet many utilities still persist in adding this substantial obstacle to net- metering installations from home owners.
Today, there are several alternate energy system inverters that take care of most of the legitimate interconnection and safety issues raised by utility regulations.
The main problem with net metering relates to the way you get billed for electricity. In most locations there are two parts to your bill. One part is a kWh charge that is supposed to cover all of the costs of getting each kWh to your house from the generation facility. The other part of your bill has a fixed minimum monthly charge or availability of service fee that is supposed to cover those expenses that a distribution utility incurs whether you use any electricity or not. If you leave town and throw your main breaker to the off position, you will not use any kWh. But, your meter is still sitting there ready for action and the wires coming to your house are still in the air or under the ground waiting for something to do and the utility company still needs to send a meter reader or use software to read your meter remotely just in case you use some juice that month. These fixed costs, like property taxes, accounting expenses and administrative expenses continue whether you use electricity or not. Also these expenses are often so high that utilities bundle a portion of the fixed expense into your kWh charge. So, if you are a net-metering customer whose meter hits zero or generates a lot of your own power that displaces the utility grid power , you are cutting into their revenue, without making a meaningful contribution to cutting the costs for buying power during the night and on cloudy days.
What may change utility attitudes toward net-metering is the growing need for additional generation resources and the clamor over fossil fuel generation. Utility executives maybe looking for net-metering resources to fill in peak daytime loads when the sun is shining, thus taking some of the pressure off financing new fossil fuel resources.
Do you have a question about how your electricity gets to your house? Ask me. I'll try to find out? GOt any other questions about electric energy generation? Ask me. I'll get some answers.
The DSIRE database, (Data base of State Incentives for Renewable & Efficiency) lists each state’s renewable programs. They define net- metering like this:
“Net Metering Rules For those consumers who have their own electricity generating units, net metering allows for the flow of electricity both to and from the customer through a single, bi-directional meter. With net metering, during times when the customer's generation exceeds his or her use, electricity from the customer to the utility offsets electricity consumed at another time. In effect, the customer is using the excess generation to offset electricity that would have been purchased at the retail rate. Under most state rules, residential, commercial, and industrial customers are eligible for net metering, but some states restrict eligibility to particular customer classes.”
This is a widely accepted definition but gets confused by some utility programs that don’t really offer net-metering. Instead they offer wholesale or avoided cost metering. This often requires two meters installed at the customer’s expense. One meter records the kWh flowing into their house from the utility grid and the other meter records the flow of electricity from the home’s power generation sources like a PV array or small wind turbine. The market drives the cost of electricity just like it does other commodities and the price we all pay on our electric bill reflects market value as well as actual costs for delivery. In the case of small alternate energy generators, utilities typically pay a wholesale rate for any energy that they buy directly.
One myth that is often used to oppose net-metering is the myth that meters go forward more accurately than they go backwards. Eletromechanical meters have no physical reason to run any differently more or less accurately no matter which way the current is going. Yet, this is the reason that many utilities require two meters. Two meters doubles your minimum monthly service charge and throws an un-necessary obstacle into the net-metering road.
Utilities that offer true net-metering, allow one meter that goes both directions. With this arrangement, consumer’s gain by having any energy that they generate going back to cancel the incoming kWh hours.
Once the meter hits zero on the register the price changes. Now you are making a net contribution to the grid instead of just canceling out your utility company generated power. So, the price you make on each kWh goes down to the wholesale rate which is typically 40 to 60 percent less than the retail rate. So, if you are going to run payback numbers for your project, you need to find out the average retail rate per kWh when you calculate the financial benefits of installing your own net-metering equipment.
Safety has always been very important to electric utilities and rightfully so. You can’t make any mistakes handling 14,000 volts of electricity without serious – usually fatal consequences. So, may utilities require a long list of lock out safety requirements and a hefty insurance liability policy from homeowners interested in installing net metering equipment.
Some utilities require a physical lock out device accessible to utility personnel; all day every day so that they can isolate your system from the grid while they are working on distribution circuits effected by your system.
I heard a good talk several years ago by a knowledgeable engineer about the potential danger from net-metering facilities. He seemed to think that the likely hood of a 12 or 24 volt 1.5 to 3.0KW net-metering system back feeding enough voltage to injury a line worker was a remote possibility and said it really was not scientifically supportable. Yet many utilities still persist in adding this substantial obstacle to net- metering installations from home owners.
Today, there are several alternate energy system inverters that take care of most of the legitimate interconnection and safety issues raised by utility regulations.
The main problem with net metering relates to the way you get billed for electricity. In most locations there are two parts to your bill. One part is a kWh charge that is supposed to cover all of the costs of getting each kWh to your house from the generation facility. The other part of your bill has a fixed minimum monthly charge or availability of service fee that is supposed to cover those expenses that a distribution utility incurs whether you use any electricity or not. If you leave town and throw your main breaker to the off position, you will not use any kWh. But, your meter is still sitting there ready for action and the wires coming to your house are still in the air or under the ground waiting for something to do and the utility company still needs to send a meter reader or use software to read your meter remotely just in case you use some juice that month. These fixed costs, like property taxes, accounting expenses and administrative expenses continue whether you use electricity or not. Also these expenses are often so high that utilities bundle a portion of the fixed expense into your kWh charge. So, if you are a net-metering customer whose meter hits zero or generates a lot of your own power that displaces the utility grid power , you are cutting into their revenue, without making a meaningful contribution to cutting the costs for buying power during the night and on cloudy days.
What may change utility attitudes toward net-metering is the growing need for additional generation resources and the clamor over fossil fuel generation. Utility executives maybe looking for net-metering resources to fill in peak daytime loads when the sun is shining, thus taking some of the pressure off financing new fossil fuel resources.
Do you have a question about how your electricity gets to your house? Ask me. I'll try to find out? GOt any other questions about electric energy generation? Ask me. I'll get some answers.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Alternate Electric Generation Systems need Facts
It happened again Saturday. I was in a room of about thirty people eager to hear about the Sierra Club’s Cool Cities program. These thirty people appeared to be well educated. We were all certainly well feed because the meeting was at an Irish Pub. I thought about speaking up. Maybe it was the pint of Guinness. Maybe it was the weekend. At any rate, I bit my tongue and sat on my hands to avoid climbing on my soap box and alienating the few remaining friends I have.
Well meaning speakers got on the subject of net metering, wind power and hydro-electric energy generation. They were making the kind of statements that make uneducated crowds cheer and utility executives barf.
Here are some of the comments. “We have wind resources that should be used to replace dirty coal fired power plants”. “Solar energy systems are available that can be built into your house and power your home without the need for dirty coal fired power plants”.
Man, if it were only that simple.
Yes, there are wind resources throughout the United States that could be developed to provide power into the grid. Yes, there are integrated solar photo-voltaic systems that can be built into your house to provide clean energy. Yes, there are low head and small hydro-electric opportunities across the USA that contribute power to the nationwide electric grid. These things exist today and people are actually doing them, but there is more to the story. I believe that blindly repeating these cheer leader statements creates a climate of distrust between utilities and consumers that destroys the working relationships needed to really solve our electric energy problems.
The future of all of these technologies is exiting and optimistic. Yet, there are some very valid reasons that utilities might balk at massive expenditures to bring these technologies into the system today.
Wind Power- Wind power has seen exponential growth in construction and development, but it is still a small portion of the generating resource that keeps all of our lights on. In many areas the wind blows hard enough to get your attention but not hard enough to make a financially viable resource. The obvious limitation is that we expect electricity all the time, but the wind doesn’t blow all the time even in the Dakotas. Yes, some day there may be enough wind generation equipment well connected and spread out over a big enough area that system managers can “schedule” reliable power to load centers (like your neighborhood). Today however, utilities know that you will not wait to have electricity until the wind is blowing. This means that while wind can make a growing contribution to the grid, utilities feel that they must have base load reliable power generation that they can schedule to meet your power needs. So now, they are building and paying for wind facilities and coal fired facilities at the same time. This is part of the reason that generation utilities grimace in a crowd that’s screaming for more wind power. The other limitation to wind power is that people don’t usually like to live in a good wind resource area. While Chicago may be an exception, wind resources aren’t located near major population centers. So now we are talking major transmission facility construction and the people that are usually pro- wind, seem to be Not in My Back Yard (NIMBYS) when it comes to building transmission systems. Studying your wind resource for a full 12 months is the only way to find out what the wind power potential is for your site. You can get a rough idea about wind resources national wide from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Solar Power-New developments in thin film construction for solar panels promise to make collectors that will turn 50 percent of the light that hits them into power instead of the 10 to 25 percent efficiency of panels in service today. Today you can buy solar roofing materials that do double duty. These new products have been commercially available for years and protect your roof like shingles while making electricity at the same time. Thousands of homes across the nation are using solar panels called photo-voltaic systems to power their homes. So why not just go solar now? -Two reasons. First they aren’t going to power my home unless I make major (read expensive) changes to my home’s building envelope (walls, attic insulation, windows) and appliances (refrigerator, well pump, stock tank heater, etc). Second, no one wants to be in the dark when the sun goes down, so making central station solar generation, puts us in the dark just when we get home and want the power. The exception to that is business and air conditioning loads. Here again we run into a “disconnect” between wishful thinking and reality. A simple Photo voltaic system with controls and equipment will set you back $10,000 to $20,000 for a modest system capable of generating 1.5 KW (kilo-Watts) and every five to seven years you get to replace batteries at about $4- 5 K a wack. When I go through my house and add up the load demands my appliances and equipment require, I’m in trouble and I’ll bet your home and business is in the same situation. It takes a very large and very expensive system to supply the 500 kWh per month average energy demand of homes in the USA. If you are serious about going solar you have to get a copy of the Real Goods Source book. It’s a product catalogue and a how to manual rolled into one book.
Hydroelectric power- Big dams have gotten a lot of bad press lately. Never mind that customers in big dam areas have some of the lowest power bills in the nation. Big dams create a host of other environmental problems that have their own opponents. Small hydro facilities in the 500 KW range are springing up nation-wide MARK FIND OUT FACTS. These facilities have real potential to contribute to the electric grid in regions that have the resource. So why aren’t utilities knocking down the doors to license and build these facilities? Well, there are two reasons, licensing and building. Each permit to build generation equipment requires a long drawn out battle because of all of the conflicting issues. Why go through multiple battles 500 to 1000 KW at a time when you can fight one 100 or 500 Megawatt battle and build the facility closer to the load demanding the power?
Even the smallest hydroelectric system can use more water and more water fall than you think. If you think you have a small hydroelectric resource you must do the research and study of your water resource to find out the potential to make electricity. The Real goods catalogue can help, but other hydroelectric education resources are available.
So, there you have it. I know it’s confusing. I know that in one sentence I sound like a democrat and the next sounds more republican. I had one women read my stuff and get real confused about which side I was on, and that is the problem today. It seems we have to pick sides and one side is for dirty coal and the other side is for clean renewable energy. The truth is both sides want electricity 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Utilities are mandated by law to do two things. First they have to supply the amount of power you want when you want it. Second, they have to do it at the least possible expense. If that wasn’t hard enough, they have to get permits and design approval ten years before you want the power. No wonder some of those executives are cranky.
My next blog will explain why most utility executives hate net-metering.
Well meaning speakers got on the subject of net metering, wind power and hydro-electric energy generation. They were making the kind of statements that make uneducated crowds cheer and utility executives barf.
Here are some of the comments. “We have wind resources that should be used to replace dirty coal fired power plants”. “Solar energy systems are available that can be built into your house and power your home without the need for dirty coal fired power plants”.
Man, if it were only that simple.
Yes, there are wind resources throughout the United States that could be developed to provide power into the grid. Yes, there are integrated solar photo-voltaic systems that can be built into your house to provide clean energy. Yes, there are low head and small hydro-electric opportunities across the USA that contribute power to the nationwide electric grid. These things exist today and people are actually doing them, but there is more to the story. I believe that blindly repeating these cheer leader statements creates a climate of distrust between utilities and consumers that destroys the working relationships needed to really solve our electric energy problems.
The future of all of these technologies is exiting and optimistic. Yet, there are some very valid reasons that utilities might balk at massive expenditures to bring these technologies into the system today.
Wind Power- Wind power has seen exponential growth in construction and development, but it is still a small portion of the generating resource that keeps all of our lights on. In many areas the wind blows hard enough to get your attention but not hard enough to make a financially viable resource. The obvious limitation is that we expect electricity all the time, but the wind doesn’t blow all the time even in the Dakotas. Yes, some day there may be enough wind generation equipment well connected and spread out over a big enough area that system managers can “schedule” reliable power to load centers (like your neighborhood). Today however, utilities know that you will not wait to have electricity until the wind is blowing. This means that while wind can make a growing contribution to the grid, utilities feel that they must have base load reliable power generation that they can schedule to meet your power needs. So now, they are building and paying for wind facilities and coal fired facilities at the same time. This is part of the reason that generation utilities grimace in a crowd that’s screaming for more wind power. The other limitation to wind power is that people don’t usually like to live in a good wind resource area. While Chicago may be an exception, wind resources aren’t located near major population centers. So now we are talking major transmission facility construction and the people that are usually pro- wind, seem to be Not in My Back Yard (NIMBYS) when it comes to building transmission systems. Studying your wind resource for a full 12 months is the only way to find out what the wind power potential is for your site. You can get a rough idea about wind resources national wide from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Solar Power-New developments in thin film construction for solar panels promise to make collectors that will turn 50 percent of the light that hits them into power instead of the 10 to 25 percent efficiency of panels in service today. Today you can buy solar roofing materials that do double duty. These new products have been commercially available for years and protect your roof like shingles while making electricity at the same time. Thousands of homes across the nation are using solar panels called photo-voltaic systems to power their homes. So why not just go solar now? -Two reasons. First they aren’t going to power my home unless I make major (read expensive) changes to my home’s building envelope (walls, attic insulation, windows) and appliances (refrigerator, well pump, stock tank heater, etc). Second, no one wants to be in the dark when the sun goes down, so making central station solar generation, puts us in the dark just when we get home and want the power. The exception to that is business and air conditioning loads. Here again we run into a “disconnect” between wishful thinking and reality. A simple Photo voltaic system with controls and equipment will set you back $10,000 to $20,000 for a modest system capable of generating 1.5 KW (kilo-Watts) and every five to seven years you get to replace batteries at about $4- 5 K a wack. When I go through my house and add up the load demands my appliances and equipment require, I’m in trouble and I’ll bet your home and business is in the same situation. It takes a very large and very expensive system to supply the 500 kWh per month average energy demand of homes in the USA. If you are serious about going solar you have to get a copy of the Real Goods Source book. It’s a product catalogue and a how to manual rolled into one book.
Hydroelectric power- Big dams have gotten a lot of bad press lately. Never mind that customers in big dam areas have some of the lowest power bills in the nation. Big dams create a host of other environmental problems that have their own opponents. Small hydro facilities in the 500 KW range are springing up nation-wide MARK FIND OUT FACTS. These facilities have real potential to contribute to the electric grid in regions that have the resource. So why aren’t utilities knocking down the doors to license and build these facilities? Well, there are two reasons, licensing and building. Each permit to build generation equipment requires a long drawn out battle because of all of the conflicting issues. Why go through multiple battles 500 to 1000 KW at a time when you can fight one 100 or 500 Megawatt battle and build the facility closer to the load demanding the power?
Even the smallest hydroelectric system can use more water and more water fall than you think. If you think you have a small hydroelectric resource you must do the research and study of your water resource to find out the potential to make electricity. The Real goods catalogue can help, but other hydroelectric education resources are available.
So, there you have it. I know it’s confusing. I know that in one sentence I sound like a democrat and the next sounds more republican. I had one women read my stuff and get real confused about which side I was on, and that is the problem today. It seems we have to pick sides and one side is for dirty coal and the other side is for clean renewable energy. The truth is both sides want electricity 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Utilities are mandated by law to do two things. First they have to supply the amount of power you want when you want it. Second, they have to do it at the least possible expense. If that wasn’t hard enough, they have to get permits and design approval ten years before you want the power. No wonder some of those executives are cranky.
My next blog will explain why most utility executives hate net-metering.
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