"Revamping the electric grid could yield huge cost savings, SolarCity report says"

[Sunking]

If you are worried about CO2 emissions. Do us a favor and quit breathing you nasty person. Once all of you that worry about CO2 emissions quit breathing, problem solved.

[Yaryman]

Just some interesting info on the war on coal.
I'm busy friggen around reading instruction books, so I will have no pithy comments to make on the article at this time.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/war-coal-long-over-guess-140238921.html

[jflorey2]

Green house gasses comes from many places including cow farts. Anyone that use or purchases a product that is composed or affiliated with fossil fuel is in a way contributing to green house gases. So if it is a problem then we all need to share in the action to reduce those gasses. Why pick on coal when energy, oil, agriculture, chemical production, plastics as well as a few dozen other industries all contribute to the release of green house gasses.

An excellent point, and I'd also mention that cement manufacture is a big CO2 generator. It is the third largest emitter of CO2 in the US and accounts for about 5% of the manmade CO2 produced worldwide.

[SunEagle]

What industry do you think is being asked to take on the entire burden? Perhaps you mean the fossil fuel industry.
Do you think it's unfair to place the burden of preventing tobacco-induced cancers on the tobacco industry?

Seems like a bit of a strawman there, though. Everyone will be affected somewhat, not just the fossil fuel industry.

Tobacco induced cancer comes from tobacco. Hard not to point to the single source of that issue.

Green house gasses comes from many places including cow farts. Anyone that use or purchases a product that is composed or affiliated with fossil fuel is in a way contributing to green house gases. So if it is a problem then we all need to share in the action to reduce those gasses. Why pick on coal when energy, oil, agriculture, chemical production, plastics as well as a few dozen other industries all contribute to the release of green house gasses.

Look I am not saying there isn't a problem. I am saying that because so many people agree that something needs to be done then why aren't all those people contributing NOW to the solution instead of just pointing fingers at the Electrical Generating Industry to do something?

[DanKegel]

,,, be part of the solution instead of just expecting a single Industry to take on the job of making the world a better place.

What industry do you think is being asked to take on the entire burden? Perhaps you mean the fossil fuel industry.
Do you think it's unfair to place the burden of preventing tobacco-induced cancers on the tobacco industry?

Seems like a bit of a strawman there, though. Everyone will be affected somewhat, not just the fossil fuel industry.

[SunEagle]

I'd gladly pay a little more for power if it meant there'd still be snowy mountains and fish to catch for my grandkids.

I believe most people would pay extra for a scenic and safe environment for their grandkids including myself. Although I have to temper what and where I spend my money so my that my children and their children are not burdened with my debt by foolish spending.

If people are truly concerned with CO2 buildup in our air and higher world temperatures then I would expect them to be first in line to reduce all of their power consumption by 1/2, stop driving a fossil fueled auto, and anything else that contributes to green house gas releases so they can be part of the solution instead of just expecting a single Industry to take on the job of making the world a better place.

It all comes down to what is really important to someone and what they can personally do to make that action happen.

[solarix]

I think the long term result of alternative electrical generation will be a change in the monopoly structure of the utilities. As long as the central generation of electricity is the only option then it has made sense to grant a monopoly to utilities to produce power for everyone in the cheapest way. Never mind the potential health and environmental indirect costs. But now that there are clean, renewable alternatives - it now makes sense to turn electrical generation back to the market. Let the utilities keep a monopoly on power distribution, but separate the generation and level the playing field. No subsidies for nuclear R&D, coal safety, nat gas depreciation allowance, etc etc. Let both sides pay their fair share and I'll be glad to pay for access to the distribution grid. Yes, electric rates will go up but we've been subsidizing the dirty fuel industries for a long time in the name of cheap energy for ratepayers.

[DanKegel]

No, we wouldn't.

I'd gladly pay a little more for power if it meant there'd still be snowy mountains and fish to catch for my grandkids.

[jflorey2]

Calaphonies would kill to only have to pay 8-cents per Kwh.

No, we wouldn't. But believe that if it makes you feel good. Remember - it's all about how you feel.

[J.P.M.]

Calaphonies would kill to only have to pay 8-cents per Kwh.

But, no joke, I bet we'd be using 3 times as much power and still bitching about high electric bills.

[inetdog]

Whenever you hear the words "fair share" it raises the question of which of many alternative measures should be used to determine "fair."

[8.4]

A single person living in an apartment using $30 to $40 of electricity isn't paying their fair share of the grid costs.
They are being subsidized by the larger home owners with $300 to $500 bills.

Should we add extra fees to those with low bills?

Of course they're paying their fair share, they're using less electrons. Just kidding.

[Sunking]

Until I got solar, as person living in the warmer area of PG&E, I was subsidizing those who live at the coast and have much cooler summers.
Those who don't use air conditioning during the summer months never get to those higher tiers. PG&E has a progressive fee system on their tier system.

Tiers is just nucking futs. Most states the Kwh rate goes down as you use more. In TX everyday price for a Kwh is about 8cents per Kwh. That drops to 7-cents per Kwh for anything over 2000 to 2500 Kwh in a month. Why would you have to pay more?

Calaphonies would kill to only have to pay 8-cents per Kwh.

[SunEagle]

Until I got solar, as person living in the warmer area of PG&E, I was subsidizing those who live at the coast and have much cooler summers.
Those who don't use air conditioning during the summer months never get to those higher tiers. PG&E has a progressive fee system on their tier system.

I get that my $10 doesn't pay the complete cost of the grid, if you were to divide the total cost by the number of users.
The thing is, payment for the grid is done by electrical rates, not by dividing the cost of the grid by the number of users.

A single person living in an apartment using $30 to $40 of electricity isn't paying their fair share of the grid costs.
They are being subsidized by the larger home owners with $300 to $500 bills.

Should we add extra fees to those with low bills?

It would be wrong to just increase fees on low bills to cover what a company is no longer getting from a select few. The poor (that includes the middle class like me) will continue to get beaten down.

I wish there was a way to even out the costs so that all customers pay their fare share of the expenses to maintain a system that we all seem to rely on and take for granted.

Unfortunately I don't have an answer to resolve the problem of "fare" electric charges..

[cebury]

The sad part is I have read that some State legislatures are already considering raising other taxes to cover the loss of the gas tax due to higher Hybrid and EV usage

That would mean non EV users will be paying for the roads because EV's get to "coast" down them without paying the bill.

Yeah the "you EV leeches" name calling is already starting here in Central Valley, perhaps because the vehicles are popping up everywhere due to our additional local (though State funded) incentives through air district. CA legislature was murmuring how to close the gap from lost gas tax income due to EV, for road maintenance or slush fund padding depending on your perspective.