🚀 go-pugleaf

On 06 Jun 2000 10:20:06 EDT, "D.A.Kopf" <dak@dakx.com> wrote:

>[New thread since References line becoming too long for my news mailer]
>
>Murray Love wrote in message I0%_4.7705$F9.266005@news1.gvcl1.bc.home.com...
><snip>
>> 
>> Thoughtful post, ant.  Thank you for being civil.  As an aside, I don't see
>> the attraction of decentralized power.  I like my huge utility; it never
>> goes out on me, it's cheap, and if there's a problem I know who's
>> responsible.  This is a genuine question:  what is the attraction of
>> decentralization?
>
>Possibly it's too cheap, in that people can use unnecessary electricity
>without realizing the hidden consequences. Particularly in the workplace when
>they don't see the electric bill. I've known people using electric heaters
>under their desk because the air conditioning was set too cold! You'd probably
>reduce consumption if you had to do your own maintenance, or if your local
>plant made less noise and smelly emissions whenever you switched off a load.
>In my experience most of this reduction is effortless - turning off lights,
>replacing most-used lights with fluorescents, using battery-powered or wind-up
>clocks, plugging wall warts and always-on appliances into switchable outlets, etc.

These actions may be effortless, but they do almost nothing to reduce
electricity load.

>
>A substantial tax on grid power might also lead to usage reductions. Here in
>the US half the pump price of gasoline goes to tax monies which typically by
>law can only be used for transportation. If something similar were done with
>an electricity tax the revenue could stimulate all forms of energy research.

An energy research tax, to be used in pollution remediation for
instance, is an excellent idea, but cannot be uni-laterally
implemented - it has an instant negative effect on the local economy.


>There is also the self-sufficiency factor; where I live a major hurricane or
>ice storm will will pass through every few years and typically cut grid power
>for 1-2 weeks. For me, having power during those times more than makes up for
>several years of PV system maintenance.

This is a good reason to have a backup diesel or petrol generator, but
why would you spend all that money trickle charge systems and
batteries?


...Greig

...Greig