Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Danger of Aluminum Wire and FPE Electrical Panel – Electrical Contractor Broward
Is the Great Climate Alarm Winding Down?
“‘Environmentalism is properly the ideology of controlling everything, which is called totalitarianism.’ Thankfully, it is difficult to squash human ingenuity, and industrialization will be a hard beast to slay, though it is neither impossible nor even complicated.”
While debate still swirls around climate change, recent reporting shows the debate’s hot and cold episodes cycle pretty in tune with changes in weather. Perhaps it will help to stand back and take a broad view.
Climate realists have long been aware that global average surface temperature had stopped sometime around 2000, and even a few years before. Lately alarmists had to admit it. The period with no warming is now as long as was period of warming on which fears were based—17 years according to a leaked draft of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5)—despite continued rise of atmospheric carbon-dioxide concentration.
Observed global average temperatures (GAT) are, in fact, below IPCC’s 2007 Assessment Report’s lowest—and most confident—temperature predictions. The new view in the leaked AR5 shows a complete reversal of the AR4 view, which still touted catastrophic, anthropogenic global warming.
Prominent climate alarmists had to respond. Some, like Michael “Hockey-Stick” Mann, remain stalwart. Others, like James Hansen, first admitted the global temperature standstill was real, then, in what may have been a faux pas, said the lack of increased warming was due to an increase in global coal consumption.
IPCC Chairman Rajendra Pachauri acknowledged the “stalled” climate trend but employed the usual alarmist tactic and asked for more time to prove his predictions, thus kicking the can forty years down the road.
Even the U.K. Meteorological office produced updated reports on its temperature predictions, saying it expects no warming in the next five years. Previously, it had forecast an additional 0.1 degree Celsius in that time.
Indeed, the wheels seem to be falling off the climate alarmists’ wagon. Acclaimed physicist Freeman Dyson recently explained that the problem rests in the very heart of climate-change theory (if we can dignify it with that word): the substitution of (hopelessly unrealistic and guess-filled) modeling for experimental and real-world observation. With yet another hockey-stick depiction of past temperatures biting the dust, one wonders when not just the public but also political leaders will at last say, “Enough, children. Quit your fantasies and get back to the real world!”
The bottom line is that no one can say any longer that the world is warming dangerously.
This is in part due to the inherent faultiness of computer models used to predict future warming, which cannot even predict the past, let alone accurately predict the future. Yet, these climate models are the primary basis for increasing government involvement in (and spending on) climate change.
It wouldn’t be so terrible if the projected costs for some of the fixes didn’t cost trillions upon trillions of dollars. Britons are particularly subject to increased electricity and heating bills due to the exorbitant cost of wind power.
True science waits for answers, as opposed to playing guessing games and expecting homage. But that sort of post-normal science has crept into almost all the governments of the industrialized world. The fallacious thinking, post-normal science, and unwarranted alarmism have crept into Christian churches as well.
The fight isn’t over, and environmentalists are looking for influence wherever they can find it. And as it appears in the U.N. Earth Charter, among other places, it’s a dangerous influence.
Environment? Capitalism’s Is Best
Environmentalism affects every facet of life, not just economy and political freedom, though it certainly touches those. Dr. E. Calvin Beisner of the Cornwall Alliance likes to quip, “’Environment’ means my surroundings, and I can’t think of anything that isn’t my surroundings. So environmentalism is properly the ideology of controlling everything, which is called totalitarianism.”
Thankfully, it is difficult to squash human ingenuity, and industrialization will be a hard beast to slay, though it is neither impossible nor even complicated.
Standard of living has risen everywhere across the planet and continues to rise. Total wealth is also up. The cost of almost everything is down relative to income, including even the cost of catastrophe. There has never been less hunger or disease. Nothing is likely to stop this trend—unless it’s environmentalism, particularly because it plugs high-cost, low-reliability “renewable” energy over low-cost, high-reliability fossil fuels and nuclear.
Various means of trying to limit energy have been proposed, from a carbon tax to total cessation of fossil fuel use. All limit economic development, crucial to standard of living, and with it human health and well being. Any action that punishes the use of energy, including making it more expensive, undermines human life.
But for environmentalists, that’s okay. Sir David Attenborough, like many Greens and proponents of population control, expresses environmentalism’s implications for respect (or lack thereof) for human life:
We are a plague on the Earth. It’s coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so. It’s not just climate change; it’s sheer space, places to grow food for this enormous horde. Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now.
Such dangerous, anti-human thinking threatens everything the industrialized world has accomplished in the last two centuries with regard to health, prosperity, and political and legal reforms.
Although despite its grim outlook on the scientific front reports of climate alarmism’s death are greatly exaggerated, still it’s not doing well in the court of public opinion. That is likely due to the increasing absence of the predicted climate apocalypse, but the victory isn’t secure yet.
Activists in government and elsewhere continue rallying the troops. They can still inflict a huge amount of damage through new global or national legislation or court actions.
The Renewable Fuel Standard, for instance, which requires turning 40% of the U.S. fuel crop into ethanol as a “clean” fuel additive, is responsible for an extra 192,000 starvation deaths per year in developing countries and impoverishes everyone.
President Obama is trying to find new ways to apply old laws to break up the gridlock in the politically opposed houses of our bicameral legislature.
New political appointees to the EPA and other government organizations are trying to strictly limit or tax carbon emissions, sulfur emissions, and mercury emissions.
All of these measures cost money—money a growing world could better use in other ways, like reducing hunger and disease. If EPA wants to reverse the trend of increasing wealth and decreasing disease, poverty, and starvation, it is on the right track.
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Douglas Gregory is Research and Policy Analyst for The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation.
Source: http://www.masterresource.org/2013/04/climate-alarm-winding-down/
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Weekly Copper Chart (posted 4/23)
. . from The Bonddad Blog:
Conclusion: The Copper market is weak. Annotations for the chart (from Bonddad) –
- The blue arrow is from earlier this month.
- The red arrow shows that prices have continued to move lower.
- All the shorter EMAs are moving lower, with the shortest below the longest
- Prices are below the 200 week EMA
- Momentum is dropping and negative
- the CMF is negative
CurrentSAFE Testing - Thermography
CurrentSAFE - What To Expect During The Thermography Portion
A thermographic inspection is used to detect thermal defects. The inspector uses an infrared camera to conduct scans of your electrical system in all other aspects of your home. If this is your first time hiring a thermographic inspector, you may not know what to expect. The following should give you some ideas as to what is involved with process, as well as how to prepare your home or office for the inspector's arrival. How to Prepare Your Home
Before your thermographic inspector arrives. You should also move any large furniture away from the walls and electrical outlets so that the inspector can get to them.The Thermographic Inspection
The inspector will arrive and will most likely educate you about your home or office and the scan itself. Some inspectors take the home owner or office manager along with them during the scans so that they can educate along the way, and some prefer to work slowly and in private so that all anomalies can be identified. During the process, the thermographic inspector will scan every inch of your home. The infrared camera or video will reveal heat as bright white for the warmest temperatures. Likewise, ambient or room temperatures, will show up as darker colors on the spectrum. This thermographic inspection will find problems with your wiring, malfunctioning appliances and equipment. These issues may not be seen by the naked eye, but the infrared equipment finds it and identifies it with ease.
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Copyright © Cooper Electric [CurrentSAFE Testing - Thermography], All Right Reserved. 2013.
Source: http://cooper-electric.net/currentsafe-testing-thermography/
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Santa Monica Electrician – Dangers of DIY
Source: http://www.theelectricconnection.com/santa-monica-electrician-dangers-diy/
The Stimulus Lives!
. . . at least in Illinois, where $ from the 2009 federal bucket of cash will be used for a geothermal installation (bolding by EleBlog) –
Governor Pat Quinn today announced more than $800,000 to install a geothermal system in the Adjutant General’s Office (AGO) Building at Springfield’s Camp Lincoln.
The funds come from the U.S. Department of Energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and are part of Governor Quinn’s agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois’ economy. Contracts were recently awarded for the project following a competitive bidding process. The work addresses some of Illinois’ critical infrastructure needs and creates good construction jobs.
Source: http://electricalcontractor.com/?p=9413
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An Electrician in Burbank Discusses Your New Home Purchase
Source: http://www.theelectricconnection.com/electrician-burbank-discusses-home-purchase/
To DIY Or Not To DIY: That Is The Question
Everyone loves a DIY project.
With search engines at our fingertips, it seems as though no project is too difficult to take on– especially when step-by-step instructions are available, right? Wrong! Any project involving electricity should be approached with extreme caution.
Always keep in mind that electrical work is governed by codes– from wires to cable connectors– and usually exist for a safety-related reason. Code violations can be potentiality hazards; not to mention, hard on your wallet.
Yes, replacing an old ceiling fan or oulet, installing a dimmer switch and changing a dead light bulb are all relatively safe and easy DIY projects, but most at-home electrical tasks should be left to the professionals.
Here are some common home upgrades that you should never, ever attempt yourself:
- Running new cables or wires for a new outlet
- Installing new electrical circuits
- Installing major appliances on existing circuits
When in doubt, always call an a professional. Aside from the obvious risks of electrocution, you may also run the risk of costly repairs or an incomplete project. Let us know the task at hand and sit back, relax and watch us do the work for you!
Source: http://powergenerationinc.com/to-diy-or-not-to-diy-that-is-the-question/
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Monday, April 29, 2013
Measures to Save Electricity Quickly
Measures to Save Electricity Quickly
There are two ways to save electricity quickly. First, efficiency improvements can be made to the energy-using equipment such that consumers receive the same services but with less electricity consumed. (These are sometimes called “technical fixes”) In these situations the end user is barely (or not at all) aware that improvements have been made. In the second case, the
energy consumer takes deliberate measures to reduce energy use through changes in operations or procedure which may also cause inconvenience and result in a loss of service or amenity. These are typically called “behavioral” changes.
Technical Efficiency Measures
The technical measures to save electricity quickly are similar to those used to save electricity slowly except that they may be implemented with greater intensity by combining them with special subsidies or delivery schemes. Three examples are described below.
Retrofits—especially retrofits of large, energy-using facilities—are attractive targets during an electricity crisis. About 8% of industrial electricity is used to make compressed air, much of which is lost through leaks (Rosenberg 2003).
The compressed air systems therefore represent a source of major savings. California supported inspections and tune-ups of compressed air facilities in factories. Retrofits of eight factories yielded verified savings of 2 MW.
Lighting replacements have been the most frequently used retrofit strategy. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs) was used in Brazil, California, and New Zealand. California consumers installed nearly eight million CFLs during the crisis period, resulting in almost 500 MW of demand reduction (Pang 2003).
California cities replaced millions of traffic lights with LED lamps, each saving about 80 watts. California aggressively encouraged consumers to replace older appliances with new units qualifying for the Energy Star endorsement of high efficiency Fuel switching offers large electricity savings.
Electricity is often used to heat air or water, especially in the residential sector and in sparsely populated areas.
There are numerous opportunities to burn wood, oil, or natural gas directly to obtain the desired heat. Homeowners in Norway and New Zealand, for example, reverted to existing wood stoves and boilers for space and water heating.
Fuel switching is an important electricity-savings measure because it removes the homes’ largest electricity-consuming end uses.
The greatest benefits from fuel switching will generally occur during shortages caused by cold weather but some measures can also save summer peak power. For example, Brazilians replaced in-line electric shower heaters with gas-fired units, thus saving about 3 kW electrical demand per unit.
Effectiveness of Technical Measures
Technological modifications require an existing infrastructure in order to deploy the products in a short time, stretching from the manufacturer capable of quickly expanding production to skilled personnel to install them.
In most cases, there will not be enough time, or the infrastructure is inadequate, to establish new efficiency improvement and retrofit programs large enough to reduce demand significantly.
Norway, for example, addressed its electricity shortage by establishing programs to install heat pumps, energy management systems, and wood pellet stoves.
Skilled personnel were overwhelmed and it is unlikely that these measures cut Norway’s electricity demand during the crisis. On the other hand, California already had an established network to deliver its “saving electricity slowly” programs.
This network, while still inadequate, was able to rapidly increase activities during the crisis and deliver significant electricity savings. Regions that are vulnerable to temporary electricity shortfalls should consider their programs to “save electricity slowly” as a kind of insurance policy that will also serve as the backbone of a team to save electricity during a crisis.
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About the Author:
<p>RunGreenPower.com will teach you how to build solar & wind power systems foryour home within a weekend.</p><p>Check It Now: <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” target=”_blank” href=”http://www.rungreenpower.com/2010/09/21/buy-diy-solar-power-kit/”>Why to Buy DIY solar power Kit?</a></p>
Article Source
Source: http://reschelectrical.com/measures-to-save-electricity-quickly/
Choosing the Best Electricians in Fort Lauderdale
Electrician in Fort Lauderdale
For every establishment, lighting is one of the most important features. Southern Coast Electrical Services provides you only the best electricians in Fort lauderdale that would secure your building improvements for permits and inspections.
Electrical wiring, rewiring, and design aren’t simple things that any ordinary person could do; it takes a professional with proper training to get it done right. However, hiring just any person who knows a little would be risky. Therefore, calling an experienced Fort Lauderdale electrical contractor would be the best move to make, saving you both time and money.
A Fort Lauderdale electrician could install all sorts of electrical items, especially lighting and other decorations for improvements. If you’re a company whose products are Christmas lights, light bulbs, and others, you are expected to consume a lot of electricity. And if you’re trying to lessen your consumption of electricity, an electrician in Fort Lauderdale would know just what to do.
Establishing a beautiful work place is part of establishing your company’s profile; well designed lighting makes a good impression to the public. Clients are satisfied enough with what they see. So if you want to maintain your customers’ interests tight, make your surroundings safe and bright, go with the pros at Southern Coast Electricians.
To know more about the importance of having secured electrical wires at your home or business, you can read more here: www.sflaelectrician.com/replace-circuit-breakers-with-licensed-electricians-in-miami-ft-lauderdale-or-west-palm-beach.
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Perfect Electric and Air Office Tour With Owner Bob Frank – Electrical Contractor Broward
Perspective (from analysis of CREE) on LEDs
Despite the soft macro conditions, Cree claims that the LED market dynamics are improving as manufactures focus on driving global LED adoption and cut excess manufacturing capacity. Cree witnessed strong growth across its LED product portfolio in Q3 2013. While its LED component revenues increased by 8% y-o-y, LED lighting sales grew at a robust 51% during the same period. Strong sales of commercial indoor fixtures and the launch of CREE LED bulb in the quarter more than offset the seasonally lower outdoor lighting sales in the cold weather regions.
Cree claims that its LED bulb is the biggest announcement in the lighting industry in perhaps the last few years and will go a long way in accelerating LED adoption. Available for as low as $10, its new LED bulbs consume 84% less energy and provide similar levels of brightness compared to traditional bulbs.
With the demand from the backlight market nearing saturation, the expanding general lighting market is slated to drive LED sales in the future. As per LED Inside, the LED lighting segment is estimated to increase from around $1.5 billion in 2012 to approximately $8 billion by 2015, a CAGR of over 70%.
Source: http://electricalcontractor.com/?p=9398
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Electrical Savings 101: Avoiding Peak Hours
Did you know: Avoiding peak hours can help you save money on your electricity bill? Just as there are off-peak cell phone rates and airline fares, there are off-peak periods when the cost of electricity is low. In fact, electricity rates can change by as much as 40 percent during peak hours during the day.
With peak hours typically falling between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. daily– when everyone else is obliviously soaking up the benefits of electricity– there are ways to avoid peak hours, potentially saving you money by becoming more aware of your energy use.
To take advantage of the high price periods, follow these simple tips during peak hours:
Household chores
Washing dishes and laundry by hand or saving your wash for the early morning or late evening/night hours is a good alternative. Not only do dryers and washing machines eat up electricity, they can heat up your home, causing your air conditioning to work harder than it should.
In the kitchen
Instead of turning to your stove top or oven, feast on no-cook sandwiches, salads or other meals that won’t heat up your kitchen. Preparing food during off-peak hours and saving for later or firing up the outdoor grill are both good ways to avoid using electricity and producing unnecessary heat in your home.
Air conditioning
Temporarily change your thermostat to a warmer setting, instead using fans to circulate the air in your home.
Keep in mind: Not all companies charge higher rates during peak hours. Get smart and do some digging! Check your bill or call your electric company to see just exactly how you’re charged for your use. Any information they can provide on time-of-use plans is always helpful. The savings add up!
Source: http://powergenerationinc.com/electrical-savings-101-avoiding-peak-hours/
Smoke Detectors
Source: http://blog.atselectricinc.com/2012/07/smoke-detectors-6/
electrical tools electric work electrical services electrical parts home contractors
Why We Perform Annual Gear Cleaning...
A large horse power Motor failed in the facility and the facility replaced the motor and the wiring between the motor and the starter. However, during Cooper Electric's Annual Gear Maintenance and Cleaning we found that the actual source of the problem was a bad electrical termination on the C phas, inside of the distribution gear, which was actually the cause of the large horse power motor failure. Had we not found this and they started up the new motor, in all likelihood they would have destroyed yet another new motor. Tags: | Del.icio.us | Facebook | TweetThis | Digg | StumbleUpon |
Copyright © Cooper Electric [Why We Perform Annual Gear Cleaning...], All Right Reserved. 2013.
Source: http://cooper-electric.net/why-we-perform-annual-gear-cleaning/
LED’s for Muni Services Bldg: Letter to Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
To Whom It May Concern:
As a sustainability-oriented electrician certified as a solar PV installation professional by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (http://www.nabcep.org/), I am always alert to energy-saving opportunities in the buildings I visit. I am happy to report that the basement level counter service areas of the City’s Municipal Services Building, located just across from City Hall at 15th & JFK Boulevard, can save about $2,500 per year in electricity consumption — plus about 4/5 off on lamp replacement labor costs, and a continuous 8kW of cooling load, by swapping about 160 inefficient PAR type filament lamps for new LED types.
(Note that these filament PAR lamps will become increasingly difficult to source, following the January 1, 2013 cessation of production and distribution in the United States. Implementing a proactive replacement plan now will realize the maximum energy cost-savings while ensuring uniform lighting from identical lamp types, throughout the affected areas.)
The investment cost would be about $3200, so the payback is less than two years on this conservation retrofit — and this is before subsidies for lighting efficiency rebates available through PECO.
Although the numbers may be small in the scheme of a very large municipal energy bill, please consider the public information potential of this type of investment in the public face of the City’s municipal services. Also, you may have substantial additional opportunities in the building that could multiply the savings from a retrofit project by 10- or 100-fold.
- Robert Monk
Robert Monk Electric
Philadelphia Lic. # 35849
Pennsylvania HIC Lic. # PA060608
See also:
Licensed Electrician Robert Monk LED’s for Muni Services Bldg: Letter to Mayor’s Office of Sustainability Copyright Robert Monk, 2012
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Sunday, April 28, 2013
Is Solar Right for Your Home?
Source: http://www.enlighten-electric.com/2012/02/solar-right-4-home/
An Electrician in Burbank Discusses Your New Home Purchase
Source: http://www.theelectricconnection.com/electrician-burbank-discusses-home-purchase/
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The Importance of Installing Whole House Surge Protection – Residential Electrician Broward
Loose receptacles probably also dusty
If your receptacle doesn’t have enough tension to hold plugs securely, then you should replace it. Like any spring mechanism, a receptacle’s internal contactors will fatigue from repeated use (especially noticeable, for example, in this era of thronging laptop freelancers working from cafe public receptacles).
A receptacle with good socket tension should be able to support even a heavy ‘wall wart’ power adapter plugged in upside down so that the weight tends to lever down and outward from the socket.
If your socket tension is insufficient, arcing from a loose connection could start a fire (one example of the kind of arcing AFCI breakers aim to halt). Timely maintenance is especially important in homes, where the looseness is more likely due to age, which in turn brings the accumulation of combustible dust inside the receptacle wiring enclosure. Also, residential plug-in loads are more likely unattended when residents are absent from the home or asleep, so minor smoking from a receptacle that could easily be turned off may smolder on into full-fledged fire before anyone notices or a smoke detector sounds.
Licensed Electrician Robert Monk Loose receptacles probably also dusty Copyright Robert Monk, 2012
Source: http://www.phillylicensedelectrician.com/loose-receptacles-probably-also-dusty/
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Electrical Home Inspection: Why should you hire a professional electrician for your electrical home inspection?
Electrician Santa Monica – LED Signs and You
Source: http://www.theelectricconnection.com/electrician-santa-monica-led-signs/
electrical repair commercial electric electric contractor contractor electric electrician job
To DIY Or Not To DIY: That Is The Question
Everyone loves a DIY project.
With search engines at our fingertips, it seems as though no project is too difficult to take on– especially when step-by-step instructions are available, right? Wrong! Any project involving electricity should be approached with extreme caution.
Always keep in mind that electrical work is governed by codes– from wires to cable connectors– and usually exist for a safety-related reason. Code violations can be potentiality hazards; not to mention, hard on your wallet.
Yes, replacing an old ceiling fan or oulet, installing a dimmer switch and changing a dead light bulb are all relatively safe and easy DIY projects, but most at-home electrical tasks should be left to the professionals.
Here are some common home upgrades that you should never, ever attempt yourself:
- Running new cables or wires for a new outlet
- Installing new electrical circuits
- Installing major appliances on existing circuits
When in doubt, always call an a professional. Aside from the obvious risks of electrocution, you may also run the risk of costly repairs or an incomplete project. Let us know the task at hand and sit back, relax and watch us do the work for you!
Source: http://powergenerationinc.com/to-diy-or-not-to-diy-that-is-the-question/
Poly Tarpaulins And Their Many Uses
Poly tarpaulins are made from a multi-mesh fabric that is coated with polyethylene sheets and comes in a variety of mil and mesh counts. They come in a choice of sizes and are used for many difference purposes. They are waterproof and rot resistant making them a handy item to have around.
The thickness of the tarp is what is referred to as mils. A mil is equal to . 001 or 1/1000 of an inch. The larger the number the thicker the tarp. Most tarps are 6 mils but they can come in as many as 12 to 23 mils thick if using for a canopy. Mesh count is the number of threads per inch. A 10 by 10 mesh count would have 10 threads per inch in both directions.
Sold in either precut sizes or by the roll the poly tarpaulin will come with either brass, aluminum or metal grommets. These are used to attach the tarp to a whatever it is that you are covering. The spacing can vary from 18 to 36 inches. The shorter spacing will add strength and minimize movement and tearing.
On each corner of the tarp is a reinforcing triangular plastic cover to prevent the grommets from tearing through the fabric. Corners are more prone to tension especially in high winds. A rope is sewn into the hem of the tarp to add further strength.
Used in a variety of ways the poly tarpaulin is used to cover roofs in remodels or when a leak is discovered. They are great in hurricane weather conditions to protect structures and belongings. They make great canopies to provide shelter or shade. Many different types of materials are covered with them like hay, lumber and gym floors.
Commonly treated to provide UV protection from the sun, they resist mildew and rot. They perform well in freezing temperature conditions. The silver or grey color tarps contain an additional sun blocking layer. These colors also provide total shade and protection from the elements.
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About the Author:
Michael Stein is the President of Tarps Plus – www.tarpsplus.com Tarps Plus has been distributing tarps since 1954.
Article Source
Source: http://reschelectrical.com/poly-tarpaulins-and-their-many-uses/
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Saturday, April 27, 2013
Electrician Glendale – Utilizing Garden Lighting
Source: http://www.theelectricconnection.com/electrician-glendale-utilizing-garden-lighting/
Home Inspection Electrical Repairs
Source: http://blog.atselectricinc.com/2013/02/home-inspection-electrical-repairs-10/
electrical tools electric work electrical services electrical parts home contractors
Short of Repeal, Reform the PTC in 2013!
In the final hours of the 2012 fiscal cliff negotiations, the now 20-year old wind production tax credit (PTC) was granted a 1-year extension at the estimated cost of $12 billion. [1] This move was done behind closed doors, without debate or opportunity for amendment and no obligation of the Congress to find a way to pay for it.
With this most recent extension of the PTC, the Congress took no action to address the harmful effects [2] of the PTC on competitive wholesale energy markets.
The PTC is set to expire on December 31st. Until this long postponed day, the legislative opportunity is for the Congress to amend the flawed tax provision to relieve market distortions [3] and promote more reliable, least-cost renewable choices for taxpayers.
Market Signals That Work
Nearly two decades ago, electric energy markets in most of the U.S. were highly regulated. Wholesale electricity prices were determined based on a generator’s cost of installation plus direct production cost, and not on customer demand. Under deregulation, plant ownership shifted to independent power producers which, in turn, brought about competitive wholesale energy markets aimed at meeting consumer energy needs with the most reliable, least cost generation.
Once fully implemented, fossil-fired generators responded to market price signals. New power plants were built to meet peak demand requirements while discouraging construction of excess capacity. Competitive energy pricing dissuaded generators from building power plants long distances from load centers, thus limiting the deployment of costly transmission.
Improved management increased power plant efficiencies, operator profits and grid reliability while keeping retail prices in check. This coupled with air, water and other environmental rules led to U.S. energy resources becoming progressively cheaper, cleaner, safer, and with a smaller footprint.
The correct policy led to the best economic results for consumers.
Wrong Generation, Wrong Places
In just a few short years, energy policies in the United States, both at the federal and state levels, shifted in favor of building renewables, mainly wind. This has led to an explosion of expensive renewable resources that are variable, operating largely off-peak, off-season and located in rural and remote areas with limited transmission capacity. [4]
Federal PTC and State RPS programs use what is called a “single price economic system” which pays renewable generators the same price for placing a megawatt-hour of energy on the grid. There is no adjustment to the subsidies based on time of day or seasonal demand requirements nor is there a meaningful adjustment for the location of the power facility.
The signals sent by the subsidies (over $35/MWh on a pre-tax basis for the federal PTC and as much as $63/MWh [5] for state RPS programs) dwarf energy pricing signals, and in many cases render the market price irrelevant. Consequently, we are inciting renewable generation built not where we need it and that operates when we need it the least.
These policies have created artificial and unsustainable market pressures, compelling system planners to respond with more transmission and a fast-tracking of renewable projects that may be, not only not needed, but actually of poor quality from a grid reliability perspective.
Amend the PTC
It is well established that traditional power markets respond to energy and capacity price signals. It’s time we applied the same rules to the renewables market.
If renewable subsidies discriminated in favor of those resources that produce close to load and during the time of day and year when the energy is most needed we would expect the response in the market to be almost immediate. (The media took notice when FERC Commissioner Philip Moeller floated this idea before the election.)
The need for expansive wind-related transmission would drop off and more renewables would be proposed for sites closer to population centers and that can service peak demand periods. Rather than proposals to install 125 megawatts of unpredictable wind we might get 25 megawatts of baseload biomass; rather than remotely-sited solar generation in the Mojave desert requiring 100+ miles of new transmission, we may see a greater effort to build customer-sited rooftop resources in urban areas. Reliable generation would mean less need for storage, less redundant generation and a better opportunity for replacing permanently fossil fuel with renewables rather than merely displacing some fuel.
Conclusion
While public policy has helped the emerging renewables market, it is time these policies were amended to better suit the public’s needs.
Congress has set a path for the production tax credit to expire at year-end. The opportunity now is for Congress to consider adjusting the value of the PTC to incite renewable generation that is built closer to load and able to operate on-peak and on-season while discouraging the opposite behavior.
There are many frameworks for getting this good work done. Adopting a consumer-centric, market-based policy will, once again, lead to the best economic results for consumers, not to mention taxpayers who need to get out of the long extended preferential energy-tax game.
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[1] The IRS has since increased the PTC to 2.3¢/kWh which puts the extension at nearly $13 billion. The PTC extension was promoted as a 1-year extension however, the provision also modified Section 45 of the tax code to allow wind energy facilities that begin construction before the end of 2013 to claim the 10-year credit. This is a significant deviation from the PTC which previously required eligible projects to be in-service before the date of expiration. In practice, this change represents a multi-year extension.
[2] David Dismukes, Removing Big Wind’s Training Wheels: The Case for Ending the Federal Production Tax Credit, November 2012.
[3] Huntowski, Patterson, and Schnitzer, Negative electricity prices and the production tax credit, September 2012.
[4] Page 4 of this document prepared by the authors shows a slide produced by the New York ISO that demonstrates how effective price signals discouraged the remote siting of power plants. In the period between 2000-2009, New York State increased its in-state generation by 7,650 MW with 80% (6,127 MW) built in the southeast region near New York City. Of the generation built in northern and western NY and behind a congested interface, 1,275 MWs were remote-sited wind generation which was more responsive to the subsidies than to market price signals.
[5] REC prices vary by region depending on how the RPS program is structured and whether compliance has been met. Currently Massachusetts Class I RECs are trading above $60 per megawatt hour.
Source: http://www.masterresource.org/2013/04/reform-ptc-2013/
Time of Use Electric Meters
Source: http://blog.atselectricinc.com/2013/02/time-of-use-electric-meters-17/
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Texas is BIG . . . in Wind Power, Too
Texas is spending $6.8 billion on new transmission lines to deliver electricity from wind farms in West Texas to its major metro areas such as Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
And while it’s certainly a plus for the state, its economy and jobs, that transmission investment also is attracting developers who plan to spend $3.3 billion on new wind farms that will generate 1,633 MW of new capacity in the next two years, according to a story in Sustainable Business.
Believe or Know? Modern Environmentalism Reconsidered (Earth Day thoughts for midcourse correction)
When E. O. Wilson said “people would rather believe than know,” he perfectly summed up the state of modern environmentalism. For the fact is that the movement has been radicalized to such an extent that its policies are now characterized by senseless agendas better described as anti-science, anti-business and even anti-human; not pro-environment. [1]
Environmentalism’s gradual shift to extremism didn’t happen overnight and it didn’t happen on its own; the movement was led astray by the green lobby – the conglomerate of NGOs, advocacy organizations and political groups who use environmental motives to enact legislation favorable to their own goals. Today, the green lobby is a dominant force in the political sphere, despite few voters choosing to elect ‘green’ politicians.
Much of the green lobby’s success is directly attributable to its ability to demonize and brand opponents as heretics, even if their arguments are based on verifiable evidence or if they simply want to promote intelligent discussion. Through their ‘hearts and minds’ campaigns centered on perceived environmental injustices, the green lobby uses radical, ‘sexy’ catastrophe theories to bombard us with predictions of ecological collapse.
We are warned that there is no time for debate; that radical and swift action is necessary to avoid environmental apocalypse. Throw a celebrity in the mix and you have campaign gold – how could anyone argue against environmental experts like Brian May or Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall?
Such sensationalist crusades may evoke the ‘spirit of the underdog’, but they ignore all technical issues and economic implications. This misguided green propaganda is now a firm fixture in the media, political fora and among the general public. It is inescapable and has clouded our perception of what is natural. We believe that wind farms are the definition of sustainable whereas deforested areas signify total environmental apocalypse. Yet anyone educated in ecology will confirm that there is more biodiversity in a recently cut forest than in a concrete-laden wind farm.
Green Cronyism
The honest, well-meaning intentions of true environmentalists have been hijacked by a small element of the green lobby who do have vested interests in green products and who stand to make a lot of money from the ‘green’ industry which survives off the back of environmentalism.
This is why the word ‘green’ has (wrongly) become synonymous with ‘good’. We forget that it is not a technical or scientific term; we don’t measure anything on a scale of ‘green-ness’. It is a political marketing slogan; a buzzword purely used to promote supposedly “environmentally-friendly” services and products. It won’t be found in any leading science journal or ecological study, but it is widely accepted because being ‘green’ is now part of pop culture.
This links with the idea that, for many, modern environmentalism is nothing more than a fashion statement – a view mirrored by former Green Party Chair Jonathon Porrit, who noted that environmentalism has spent 30 years going in and out of fashion.
In the 1970s, early campaigns focused on nuclear disarmament and the excessive hunting of whales; both laudable and necessary initiatives which had few socioeconomic impacts. They were met with broad public support and early environmentalists were heroes, standing up to governments and private companies alike. They were confrontational, anti-establishment and appealed to the masses with their reckless, yet successful, tactics.
After some notable achievements, these underdogs were catapulted into the international limelight and environmentalism became fashionable. Desperate to maintain support, campaigners began to tackle issues with far greater socio-economic impacts – things like agriculture, forestry, mining, fisheries, energy and manufacturing. Yet they failed to realize that these sectors impact every individual on earth and honest concern for the environment soon drifted into sensationalism and fabrication, with propaganda being used to maintain public support.
Cheap Virtue … Green Guilt
Concurrently, the environmental movement attracted activists motivated less by environmental concerns and more by political and social causes. They hijacked and politicized the movement, aptly learning to use green language to shroud their own agendas, which often had little link to science or ecology. Gradual extremism and green hysteria took over – the green lobby was born.
For some, environmentalism isn’t a fashion statement; it is a route to self-abnegation or self-aggrandizement. Caring for the environment is the same as volunteering to feel good. We all have nice homes, new cars and material goods made from raw materials. To counterbalance our own guilt, we are happy to pay extra to be environmentally responsible or to drive a Prius and take our own bags to Tesco.
However, this is merely aesthetic environmentalism. What if we had to do without wireless devices, or survive with only 8 hours of electricity per day – would we be so green then?
This green tokenism will never offset the massive alterations of nature that we have partly caused. Does anyone actually believe that a lot of small windmills will stop global warming? Such token changes merely line the pockets of those with vested interests in the green industry. In the long-term, these misguided attempts to ‘save’ the environment will simply divert vital money from genuine social and environmental problems.
Whilst some environmental campaigns can have benefits by bringing important, forgotten issues to the public domain and helping to achieve a higher degree of environmental protection where there was previously none, many also come with negative socio-economic or environmental consequences, unintended or not.
Groupthink Nonthink
This green hypocrisy is largely a result of ‘green groupthink’ – the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group, resulting typically in unchallenged, poor-quality decision-making. Green groupthink has flourished because, blinded by planet-saving romanticism, the environmental movement dogmatically adheres to the one-sided propaganda peddled by the green lobby, without questioning it.
Politicians are as guilty as anyone for letting green groupthink run rampant. Environmental problems allow politicos to be seen as a voice for the voiceless – a fantastic opportunity for any policymaker. With re-election never far away, many politicians eagerly jump on popular environmental bandwagons, often without understanding or questioning the intricacies, complexity and unintended consequences of the issues. Effective policymaking is overshadowed by an insatiable desire to appease constituents and win votes.
Environmentalist agendas must be reconfigured. Extremism and irrationality are frowned upon in every other sector, so why are they acceptable in environmental matters? Modern environmentalism needs a simple reality check. Life on earth has flourished for more than three billion years; an unfathomable timeframe. If anything, it is egotistical to think that humans can make it vanish anytime soon – it is far more likely that humans could vanish but Mother Nature would survive.
Nevertheless, we do have impacts so we must be environmentally conscious. Some specific practices should be banned – dumping waste in rivers and seas and nuclear testing – but in many cases, zero-tolerance demands for outright bans are completely illogical; they are often deliberately based on spurious grounds in order to flatter the gullible and exploit the well-intentioned. Campaigns for reform would be more suitable to address the majority of issues.
Unfortunately, the reality is that radical environmentalism is now causing vital industries to migrate to countries where they can thrive. We bewail the recession and a lack of growth yet it is our support for ill-conceived environmental campaigns, backed by furious ‘green’ lobbyists, which is driving business elsewhere.
Conclusion
We need a more balanced approach where policies are not based on information that is inconsistent. Environmentalism is counter-productive if it is anti-development and undermines economies. We can’t regress to being hunting and gathering cave-dwellers. Our only option involves constantly developing new practices and better technologies to meet our needs, whilst reducing our negative environmental impacts.
We should also realize that industry may often be the cause of pollution, but they are the also job-makers and the ones who are investing huge amounts of money in safeguards – it isn’t the green lobby that pay the bills!
A sense of urgency is also necessary, but knee-jerk reactions based on hysteria help no-one. Sensible and pragmatic solutions must be backed by science. Decisions must be based on solid, logical information – not hype, dogma or political agendas.
Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, not known as an environmentalist, said that “preservation of our environment is not a liberal or conservative challenge, it’s common sense“. It is time to get sensible. It is time to know rather than believe.
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[1] Moore, P. (2010) Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout: The Making of a Sensible Environmentalist. Beatty Street Publishing Inc.
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Ben Acheson, a Parliamentary Assistant to Struan Stevenson (Member, European Parliament) in Brussels, specializes in energy and environment issues. Ben writes for The Huffington Post, www.scotspolitics.com, and www.thinkscotland.org. In his spare time, he plays semi-professional American Football where he was unanimously voted as the National Player of the Year (2012) in Belgium.
Source: http://www.masterresource.org/2013/04/believe-or-know-environmentalism/
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CurrentSAFE Testing - Thermography
CurrentSAFE - What To Expect During The Thermography Portion
A thermographic inspection is used to detect thermal defects. The inspector uses an infrared camera to conduct scans of your electrical system in all other aspects of your home. If this is your first time hiring a thermographic inspector, you may not know what to expect. The following should give you some ideas as to what is involved with process, as well as how to prepare your home or office for the inspector's arrival. How to Prepare Your Home
Before your thermographic inspector arrives. You should also move any large furniture away from the walls and electrical outlets so that the inspector can get to them.The Thermographic Inspection
The inspector will arrive and will most likely educate you about your home or office and the scan itself. Some inspectors take the home owner or office manager along with them during the scans so that they can educate along the way, and some prefer to work slowly and in private so that all anomalies can be identified. During the process, the thermographic inspector will scan every inch of your home. The infrared camera or video will reveal heat as bright white for the warmest temperatures. Likewise, ambient or room temperatures, will show up as darker colors on the spectrum. This thermographic inspection will find problems with your wiring, malfunctioning appliances and equipment. These issues may not be seen by the naked eye, but the infrared equipment finds it and identifies it with ease. Tags: | Del.icio.us | Facebook | TweetThis | Digg | StumbleUpon |
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Source: http://cooper-electric.net/currentsafe-testing-thermography/