Energy Bars

There's been a flurry of some related news of late, on the topic of climate change (warming) and alternative sources of electrons. (Aside: should the USofA really migrate from gasoline to electrons, the shock to the system will be huge; we'll become like Olde Europe with trams, trolleys, and other sorts of electrified public transportation. Oh, the horror! No more Mom driving a 2-ton SUV by her lonesome to get a bag of carrots from the MegaMart down the street. Freedom!!)

Here's a report on Hawaii's attempt to integrate solar into its infrastructure. Ain't no oil wells or coal mines out there.

Many energy companies also felt threatened by small-scale energy systems because they reduce the need for larger power plants and transmission lines. The nation's investor-owned utilities make their money typically by earning a roughly 10.5 percent return on every dollar they invest in the grid.

Ah, the Tyranny of Average Cost strikes again! If houses are allowed to have panels, only poor people will get electricity from our lines, and they'll have to pay for all those costs by themselves!

And, I'll note that my beloved Block Island got its electrons from diesel generators for ages, until the recent building and integration of a five mill wind farm in the Sound. Whether it's gotten Islanders cheaper electricity remains up in the air (if you're so inclined to disinformation), but, when the cable isn't busted, the electon delivery is more reliable. Here's some information from this past March at the 'Block Island Times'

Well, it turns out that when you add all the monthly rates and divide the sum by 12, you get an average rate of 30.02 cents per kilowatt. Using the blogger's benchmark of 54 cents per kilowatt-hour, that is a 44.41 percent decrease in electricity for year-round residents.

Of course, the summer Mainlanders in their McMansions pay more (they gobble far more electrons, naturally), but so do natives.

Another alternative to huge fossil fueled electric plants is nuclear. France gets 72% from nuclear. Nobody does it better.

But now there's talk of small scale nuclear, as if that's never been done. Really?? Among the first (if not the first) uses of nuclear outside of research and bombs was the US Navy's Nautilus sub. So, we already know how to make a city-sized nuclear reactor. There remains the question of safety of light-water reactors. Submarines have an infinite supply of water, should the reactor go dry. Are they designed to take advantage? Let's go see... apparently not. Putting some in Phoenix, and other desert towns, might not be the wisest course of action.

Finally there's the the Bloom Box. Got play on '60 Minutes' back in 2010, but not so much since. It does run on gas (the gaseous kind of gas), and emits some CO₂. Appear to have a lifetime of your average household water heater. Ouch.