I'm Back with a VOLT! - Page 3 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Ecky · 03-21-2018, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksa8907

Converting today's electric usage to gasoline equivalent, I got 48.3 mpg over 118.8 miles.

Unfortunately, electricity here costs the gasoline equivalent of $5.40 per gallon.

hayden55 · 03-21-2018, 10:48 AM

16c/kWh? That's 5.5c/mile? Do you have average monthly billing or do you get the peaks and lows month to month?

Ecky · 03-21-2018, 10:57 AM

It really depends on where you live in Vermont. In Burlington proper it's 10 cents for the first 100kw, and then 15 cents after that. Outside of the city, ~16 is often either the fixed rate, or tail block price. Many areas don't have any on or off-peak pricing.

A quick google search reveals Maine is paying ~14 cents, NY 15 cents, NH 17 cents and Mass 18 cents.

One bright spot, Burlington's grid is entirely from renewables, and Vermont has no fossil fuel power plants. I guess you have to pay for your electricity not to come from dirty coal. I'm very content with my 60-100mpg on $2.50 gasoline for the time being.

hayden55 · 03-21-2018, 11:42 AM

Yeah Europe has started to figure out the same thing. Have a grid composed of mostly renewables and shunning coal is pricey and not feasible. Here in AR we have a lot of hydroelectric, nuclear, and natural gas power plants and our electricity in my town that buys energy contracts is only 0.08749c/kWh on average from the last 12 billing cycles. Gas has pretty much sat at 2.150 for the last year. Also every kWh is the same price, no graduated billing system.

Ecky · 03-21-2018, 12:22 PM

I don't mind paying more for clean residential electricity, but I can see it being a problem for businesses looking to be competitive. That doesn't seem to have stopped companies like IBM/Global Foundries from investing in high tech industry here, though. Looks like 7nm wafer retooling is ramping up at the local fab.

hayden55 · 03-21-2018, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ecky

I don't mind paying more for clean residential electricity, but I can see it being a problem for businesses looking to be competitive. That doesn't seem to have stopped companies like IBM/Global Foundries from investing in high tech industry here, though. Looks like 7nm wafer retooling is ramping up at the local fab.

I'm going to school for mechanical engineering right now and this year we've focused on thermodynamics and power productions and it seems like all the renewable stuff is cool but there are quite a bit of renewables that are a waste of time and tax payer money (cost of implementation, low efficiency, low returns, high cost of maintenance/ownership). Typically, people who can afford it and are well off are fine, but its poor people that really feel the hit dis-proportionally compared to everyone else. Best example: Germany being a pain in the ass to non renewables and charging huge tax rates. Can you imagine paying 30c/kWh for electricity just for the sake of being green?
https://www.reuters.com/article/germ...-idUSL8N1MZ30X

Ecky · 03-21-2018, 03:05 PM

Understandable. Vermont seems to be doing fine though. Admittedly our 16 cents is a far cry from 30.

hayden55 · 03-21-2018, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ecky

Understandable. Vermont seems to be doing fine though. Admittedly our 16 cents is a far cry from 30.

True. And I'm sure your wages there are very different from home state of AR. The land of the cheap down here. lol

Ecky · 03-21-2018, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayden55

True. And I'm sure your wages there are very different from home state of AR. The land of the cheap down here. lol

We already have universal healthcare for anyone under 133% of the poverty line, as well as expanded food stamps, heating assistance, renter's rebates and a few others. We're tied for second place lowest unemployment in the country right now, as well has being #1 for lowest crime. So, whatever we're doing, it seems to be working.

hayden55 · 03-21-2018, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ecky

We already have universal healthcare for anyone under 133% of the poverty line, as well as expanded food stamps, heating assistance, renter's rebates and a few others. We're tied for second place lowest unemployment in the country right now, as well has being #1 for lowest crime. So, whatever we're doing, it seems to be working.

We do something similar but we still have a problem with meth heads shooting each other. Oh... Arkansas