RE: Energy shortage

From: Spike (spike66@comcast.net)
Date: Thu Aug 28 2003 - 00:21:45 MDT

  • Next message: Emlyn O'regan: "RE: Energy shortage"

    In all the discussion of alternate and renewable
    energy sources, the problem of energy storage is
    brought out. A quiet assumption runs thru all
    the discussion that I have seen, the assumption
    that the price of electricity must remain nearly
    constant. Do think about this however. Energy
    supplies may be controlled by allowing the price
    of power at any given time to float to whatever
    levels necessary to reduce demand. On sunny,
    blowy days, the actual price of energy might fall
    to practically nothing, whereas it might be very
    expensive on dark still days, when the power would
    be supplied by expensive peaker plants.

    By insisting that power prices be nearly constant
    *we all pay more* since peaker plants are costly
    to operate and produce very pricy power part time,
    which the market mandates to be sold at the same
    price as non-peak power, and the supply must always be
    sufficient to cover the demand. Result: everyone's
    total power bill is higher than they would be if
    we would collectively tolerate wildly fluctuating
    prices and occasional shortages.

    If power were to be sold at the real-time price
    it costs to make it, then the proletariat would
    adjust its collective behavior, charging batteries
    when power is cheap, and turning off the air
    conditioners when power is expensive.

    spike



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