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