Energy-Pinching Americans Pose Threat to Power Grid...

[redneck]

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Energy-Pinching Americans Pose Threat to Power Grid



Threat to the power grid...???

More like a threat to their profit margin...


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[ME_Andy]

Those poor monopolies. Whatever will they do?

[Fat Charlie]

That is the fear of some utility experts who say that as Americans use less power, electric companies won’t have the revenue needed to maintain sprawling networks of high-voltage lines and generating plants.

And here I was, thinking that the connection charge and the power usage charge were separate for a reason.

[Frank Lee]

But some utilities are taking measures to counter the trend. Power companies in 20 states are trying to overhaul their rates so that they are less dependent on kilowatt-hour sales.

Ha- my coop was on that like flies on isht, years ago. It's probably all my fault; I went to a coop members meeting and mgmt and fellow customers alike were astonished at my low usage, about 1/10th of average. Can't have anyone getting away with paying that little, so they reformulated the rate structure to quadruple the monthly service fee.

He says customers think these fees punish energy-conservers and lengthen pay-back periods for solar power and energy-efficiency upgrades.

Damn right, the efficient user now more than ever subsidizes the slob.

[niky]

Outdated business models. As customers become more cost conscious, the models make less and less sense.

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Like the road tax.

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I like this part:

Some utilities are embracing the possibility that customers could leave the grid. Elizabeth Killinger, president of NRG Retail, a unit of NRG Energy Inc., says the nation is entering the “era of personal power.”

Now hurry up and give me 5kW home solar for the cost of a MacBook, please.

[whatmaycome14]

This is interesting from a guy in my state:

But even as power production becomes more decentralized, there is value in the centralized electric system, says Tom Farrell, chief executive of Dominion Resources Inc. in Richmond, Va. To allow a $1 trillion system to decay would be unconscionable, he says. “You can’t run a country on solar panels.”

[gone-ot]

She said it: "...NOT CONSUMERS problem..."

[Frank Lee]

I find it hard to believe that Americans are using so little power.

[kir_kenix]

I'm one of the "subsidizers" for other users. Northeast Nebraska Public Power District loves to toot it's own horn about how they help several thousand people every winter keep the power on when they can't afford it. They never come out and say that they are just overcharging the rest of us so someone doesn't have to have to live without cable, a cell phone, internet, or probably a car they can't afford. Maybe if some of my neighbors would prioritize their needs, manage their money, and be responsible for their own bills I wouldn't have to pay for their heat during the winter. Barring extraordinary circumstances, I can't imagine anything being more important to a family than keeping the milk cold and the house warm...but sadly that is not always the thinking in America where somebody else will just pick up the bill.

I've very seriously considered moving my personal residence off of the grid. My meager solar array and small wind turbine would almost cover my day to day electricity and farm needs, but I would have to kick on the generator and set up a cleaner transfer switch to run the lathe, milling machine, or welders. Figure I would spend more in diesel/wear and tear on equipment then I would on the $19.99 "service charge" that gets attached to every bill. This will probably not be true if my electricity bill goes up very much more than it is presently.

It's time that the utility companies move to a better business plan. The days of every person needing to buy gross amounts of electricity to see after sunset and watch TV are over. Solar, wind, and various other types of power generation are getting cheaper, more reliable, and more available. Not to mention how much more efficient bulbs and appliances have become. Just like any other business they need to find a way to produce their product at a more affordable cost or their customers will get service somewhere else.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

If I were living in a house instead of an apartment, I'm sure I'd be off-the-grid. Solar panels and wind turbines, with a small backup genset powered preferably by waste cooking oils, would be my choice. And some batteries to reduce the need for the backup genset to kick in...

Originally Posted by kir_kenix

I've very seriously considered moving my personal residence off of the grid. My meager solar array and small wind turbine would almost cover my day to day electricity and farm needs, but I would have to kick on the generator and set up a cleaner transfer switch to run the lathe, milling machine, or welders. Figure I would spend more in diesel/wear and tear on equipment then I would on the $19.99 "service charge" that gets attached to every bill. This will probably not be true if my electricity bill goes up very much more than it is presently.

Have you never considered using some waste materials (either wood chips, animal manure, whatever organic material) as a renewable fuel source? Running a genset on some biofuel produced at a nearly-zero cost seems viable.