Renewable Energy

[Johnny P]

While several states are having peak electrical power demands they can't meet due to frigid conditions, the wind turbines are freezing up and the solar panels are covered in snow.

Hmmm, better not scrap those coal fired generating plants just yet.

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

While several states are having peak electrical power demands they can't meet due to frigid conditions, the wind turbines are freezing up and the solar panels are covered in snow.

Hmmm, better not scrap those coal fired generating plants just yet.

The last 10-years of my career was devoted to renewable energy. I sought, and received, several grants to research turning animal wastes to methane (Natural Gas). I cannot adequately impress upon you the corruption and incompetence I was exposed to in those 10-years. Government grants are given to entities that will produce what the government wants to hear. I had heard that before I got into the industry, but I thought it was just BS. I became very good at getting grants ($1,000,000 or more). Once a year, Grants.gov publishes listing of topics of research they will fund. Not enough space to explain it all, but basically, the process is designed to support government funded programs and universities. You have to be affiliated with a university, and an acclaimed professor. You can't just pocket the money, and the grant only pays for expenses and capital costs. The way you make money is by paying yourself a nice salary.

I spent a lot of time at the National Research Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO. I actually got to manipulate the apparatus that started the ethanol craze. But don't blame the NREL. Their prolonged research indicated ethanol was not financially feasible. Blame Congress for rewarding the mid-west farmers for Congress having cut Do Not Plant funding. Strangely enough, Grants.gov funded research suddenly started showing ethanol to be financially feasible. That is how we simultaneously became the largest importer of corn in the world, and the largest exporter of corn in the world. The industrial hog farms had to have corn for their hogs, but ethanol jacked up the price of mid-west corn. So the hog guys import cheaper corn, and a lot of it. Of course, ethanol had to have a subsidy to stay afloat, because it really isn't financially feasible. Never make fuel out of your food. It's stupid.

Then came the energy credits, and things really got stupid. If you want to sell power to Duke Energy, you will give them your energy credits. The rich got richer, and the poor got poorer. While trying to shut down the coal plants, our former Vice-President invested heavily in chip plants (they burn chipped wood to produce power). How the hell those plants ever got approved is beyond me. They are huge polluters, and they are de-foresting our lush forests on a daily basis. The guys who haul the chips can clear-cut 100 acres a day with about 6-men. When they finish, there is nothing left but bare ground. Unlike timber companies, they do not have to replant seedlings.

Solar and wind are worse. Use our fossil fuels while we have them. They are plentiful and cheap in comparison to any renewable fuel. Nuclear is the least expensive and the cleanest environmentally. I mined uranium for 15-years, and carried a bottle of yellowcake on the dash of my truck. Our uranium mines were less radioactive than a local bank built of granite.

[blackhawknj]

For home use many people would be better off with a bicycle style generator. It's there whenever you need it, let's you burn off calories and keep fit, you're not dependent on a grid.

[S.A. Boggs]

Starting in March we are starting our project of going off grid as much as possible. Energy costs are only going to go up and in 4 years my wife is going to retire so we will have less money incoming. Energy costs are one of our controllable costs and in the last two years we have reduced our energy consumption by about 40%.
Sam

[bruce]

Re:bicycle style generator. Is this a real option? Specifically in a condo. Asking for a friend. Sincerely. bruce.

[lyman]

Re:bicycle style generator. Is this a real option? Specifically in a condo. Asking for a friend. Sincerely. bruce.

https://www.amazon.com/Pedal-Power-Bicycle-Generator-Emergency/dp/B003GJL6GO

[Bt Doctur]

Green Energy, definitely not working in Texas.Windturbines are iced over and frozen. So much for any energy.Go Green and freeze to death, what a pleasant America.Oh yes, Biden , Americas worst president, totally useless.
Wod stoves are back in to simply keep alive. Screww all green energy deals and go back to wood stoves or die. Your choice

[Roadkingtrax]

The ERC (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) the power grid custodian of Texas, has stated the main factors of power loss are due to frozen instruments at Natural Gas, Coal, and Nuclear facilities. The wind turbines are the "least significant factor."

Makes a great talking point though when you're upset at the world. ;)

[lyman]

Green Energy, definitely not working in Texas.Windturbines are iced over and frozen. So much for any energy.Go Green and freeze to death, what a pleasant America.Oh yes, Biden , Americas worst president, totally useless.
Wod stoves are back in to simply keep alive. Screww all green energy deals and go back to wood stoves or die. Your choice

I appreciate your optimism, but way to early to take the crown away from Carter or Obama

[Johnny P]

If the distribution facilities have been wrecked because of an ice storm, it doesn't matter how much generating capacity you have.

[Johnny P]

The ERC (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) the power grid custodian of Texas, has stated the main factors of power loss are due to frozen instruments at Natural Gas, Coal, and Nuclear facilities. The wind turbines are the "least significant factor."

Makes a great talking point though when you're upset at the world. ;)

Maybe the hinges on the gate to the power plants are also frozen. Makes about as much sense. Texas governor said investigation of ERC and solar power was coming.

[lyman]

read elsewhere that Texas has a handful of Co-ops that have limited connectivity between themselves,

so the electric group in one county or region may not have open lines (so to speak) to share any excess or take in any needed power except on limited basis,

this came from some that lived in texas

[Johnny P]

The electric cooperatives generally have a single metering point with a public electric utility rather than their own generating facilities. As such they don't have the facilities to switch to another source of electricity if the single circuit feeding them is lost.

[lyman]

The electric cooperatives generally have a single metering point with a public electric utility rather than their own generating facilities. As such they don't have the facilities to switch to another source of electricity if the single circuit feeding them is lost.

that is likely want the article I read was saying,


read also that the nuke plant is shut down for whatever reason and some NG plants are struggling with the cold,

[oscars]

Average cost of electricity in Texas was 11.67/kWh and going through the roof + no ability to import from the grid. Commie, blue Maryland 6.79/kWh with from a heavily maintained Eastern grid with the ability to import or export. Tell Governor Ahbutt to learn about leadership and planning and to quit worrying about whether or not the Mavericks play the National Anthem before the start of games.

[oscars]

By the way, Ted (ferret face) Cruz is freezing to death in Cancun.

[m1ashooter]

By the way, Ted (ferret face) Cruz is freezing to death in Cancun.

What did my senator do to you that makes you call him names? I don't care if he is on vacation
. He represents me at the federal level and can do nothing at the state to help with this situation.

[Art]

By the way, Ted (ferret face) Cruz is freezing to death in Cancun.

Guys like you crack me up on this. I could post a list of all the Democrats who bailed during a crisis including the current COVID scare. I did that recently on another subject including a video of Nancy Pelosi doing stuff the guys on your side were castigating Trump for at the same time.

The current wisdom: There were some organic problems in the Texas grid that facilitated the current shutdowns, along with the failure of some producers to institute state mandated winterizing proceedures, as well as the problems with an above ground transmission system during an event like this; but the power losses affected just over 10% of the population and mostly in a few high density areas. Almost everybody was back on line in less than 72 hours, though there are still enough without power to be concerning. Most of the problems are actually easily addressable and it took a truly unusual event to expose them.

Also you don't live in Texas, I gather. In Texas the cost of electricity per KWH is negotiable. About 5 years ago I decided I was paying too much and went with a different vendor. My old company called me two days later and beat the new companies rate.

I have my last bill in front of me and last month I payed $.085 per KWH up to 1,000 kwh meaning my bill this month using limited AC due to a hot spell, tax, title and license was $101.00 all in. In the blistering heat of the summer my electric bill never cracked $170.00 for a month last year with my A/C set on 76 day, 74 at night. My current company even has rebates. Now your mileage may vary depending on how you manage utilities and whether your house is all electric or has gas appliances.. If I think its too high I just go to a different provider who is glad to make me a heck of a deal. I was paying over $250.00 a month, probably $350.00 adjusted for inflation 30 years ago under a govt. monopoly system similar to that in your beloved Maryland. Now making my house more efficient has helped too but not as much as being able to shop rates.

I just reminded myself, my contract ends next month, time to negotiate a new deal.

Oh, as to Texas having its own grid; that'll make things easier when we secede :evil6: :icon_salut: .

[Roadkingtrax]

Texas can't be too indignant when they hold their hand out like everyone else to the USG. ERCOT chose to invest in green energy, just as they may have chosen to not winterize systems that were identified in 2011 as critical or vulnerable.

No amount of energy protection can stop some people from using their stove to heat the house...that's simply desperation or stupidity.

[Art]

Texas can't be too indignant when they hold their hand out like everyone else to the USG. ERCOT chose to invest in green energy, just as they may have chosen to not winterize systems that were identified in 2011 as critical or vulnerable.

No amount of energy protection can stop some people from using their stove to heat the house...that's simply desperation or stupidity.

Pretty much the case. Especially the stupidity part.

By the way, the biggest problems down here at this point of the current emergency isn't the availability of electricity but the availability of water.