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Old 11-22-2008, 01:47 PM   #2 (permalink)
trebuchet03
MechE
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,151

The Miata - '01 Mazda MX-5 Miata
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Worst case scenario, you're 100% coal powered.... MN is more around 62% coal powered... BUT, you live in a city that happens to have a Coal fired power plant - so I imagine it's safe to assume that's where your juice is coming from.

1.341 pounds of CO2 per kilowatthour generated - based on a quick google search resulting in the 1999 average... If you're near an older plant, it's likely higher - if near a newer plant potentially lower. Source

For every hour all of those incan's lights are on, 2.655 pounds are emitted.
For every hour all those CFL's are on, 0.503 pounds are emitted.

Saving: 2.152lb per hour - 18.9% less

Now if you're region requires peaker plants - between the hours of 4 and 6pm (maybe even longer) - there's even more savings between those hours as peaker plants have low uptime and typically efficiency isn't something that's invested in.

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I did the same thing with my housemate (changing bulbs while everyone was out)... I can't tell if he's noticed or not in the past couple months (he hasn't said anything). But he lurks on this board
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