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Utilities Need Environmentalists

Posted December 06, 2007 8:39 AM

Environmentalists won't allow any new major power plants to be built in California, so PG&E had to figure out a way to limit electricity use while supporting economic growth. The solution was to increase energy efficiency. PG&E says energy-efficiency programs cost electricity customers an average of two to three cents/kWh, less than half of what they would pay to help fund a new power project. Should other utilities follow suit?

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Brave Sir Robin
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Hobbies - DIY Welding - Wannabeabettawelda

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Posts: 7940
Good Answers: 458
#1

Re: Utilities Need Environmentalists

12/07/2007 9:14 AM

At some point growth will have to stop to maintain the system because efficiency can only go so far. It will get ugly.
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jmueller
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Eastern Kansas USA
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#2

Re: Utilities Need Environmentalists

12/10/2007 11:06 PM

This situation, with this utility company is old, old "news". The great-grandson of the founder of PG&E wrote a book recounting his experiences working within a group of environmental activists. Their work directly led to all those nuclear power plant cancellations in the early 1980's. One of the things they noted was that utilities will not promote conservation unless there is a profit within it for them. (Old news also.)

It is still a good read: David Roe, Dynamos and Virgins, Random House, ©1984.

--JMM
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Brave Sir Robin
Guru
Hobbies - DIY Welding - Wannabeabettawelda

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Posts: 7940
Good Answers: 458
#3
In reply to #2

Re: Utilities Need Environmentalists

12/11/2007 9:20 AM

Well for that matter, with rolling blackouts and all, it has already been ugly. It will just get worse for those on the left coast. I guess they will figure out how to handle it at some point.
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