• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

When is Electricity Going to be an Issue?

I imagine that the fossil fuels that weren't burned in indivudual engines would be burned to generate the electricity to power those engines, at least until we figured out something else.
 
smart metering might will help some day.
 
Electricity will never "be an issue". Yes, the world is consuming more and more electricity and that's ok. Energy consumption is a good indicator of economic stimulus.

We do need to remove our dependence on coal and petrol more and more. Not because of higher prices or the environment as much as it being the smart thing to do.

Iceland is doing a very smart thing. It's using geothermal energy to make up for a lot of the electricity consumption of it's residents. Currently, it's the world leader in geothermal energy production for national needs. A friend of mine who works at a student NGO in Iceland who studies energy engineering told me 2 years ago that he can't wait to graduate (he graduated this year like me) so that he can work at some new geothermal plant that is in plans or smth. Good pay, good job, good work.

Powerful geothermal springs and potential to exploits exists in most European countries as well as western USA.
If the USA would take the money it gives to big oil in tax cuts and tax breaks as well as stimulus packages to big oil, and invest all that money in geothermal research and development, it could become the worlds' leader in 10 years.
 
Great govt decides what your thermostat is set at so rich people can drive $100k electric cars!

Yep. You will just have to hold your breath for a minute when they cut off your iron lung to charge my car so I can get to Walmart and consume Chinese goods.
 
Great govt decides what your thermostat is set at so rich people can drive $100k electric cars!

Smart metering doesn't mean that the government gets to decide how much of what you consume -- it is a term used to describe meters that accurately measure usage, report that usage to the utility directly, and permit remote activation or deactivation. They can also instantly report outages and utility quality issues.

I'd like to think that a similar accuracy would be passed on to commercial and industrial customers, but the utilities have been bilking them for years.

At any rate, the more in-touch the utility companies are with the grid, the more efficiently they can generate and distribute the power needed by the public. This isn't about government control, this is about greater efficiency in private industry.
 
Electricity will never "be an issue". Yes, the world is consuming more and more electricity and that's ok. Energy consumption is a good indicator of economic stimulus.

We do need to remove our dependence on coal and petrol more and more. Not because of higher prices or the environment as much as it being the smart thing to do.

Iceland is doing a very smart thing. It's using geothermal energy to make up for a lot of the electricity consumption of it's residents. Currently, it's the world leader in geothermal energy production for national needs. A friend of mine who works at a student NGO in Iceland who studies energy engineering told me 2 years ago that he can't wait to graduate (he graduated this year like me) so that he can work at some new geothermal plant that is in plans or smth. Good pay, good job, good work.

Powerful geothermal springs and potential to exploits exists in most European countries as well as western USA.
If the USA would take the money it gives to big oil in tax cuts and tax breaks as well as stimulus packages to big oil, and invest all that money in geothermal research and development, it could become the worlds' leader in 10 years.

The same rigs and tecniques used to drill for oil are used in geothermal drilling, I doubt it would take us ten years maybe five. And that's slow. Me I use wind and solar and a battery bank, screw PG&E. I don't pay those yo yo's a dime.
 
I imagine that the fossil fuels that weren't burned in indivudual engines would be burned to generate the electricity to power those engines, at least until we figured out something else.

And that would mean using even more fossil fuel than we currently do, so what's the point?
 
What If Tesla Took 500,000 Gas-Guzzlers Off the Road? (TSLA)

As we "progress" away from oil based cars when is electric production going to be an issue? When people find out each of these cars consume the same power as a small home each day who's going to pay for the juice?

We all are!

An 'smart phone' sucks down more electricity in a year than a medium efficiency refrigerator. Most of the 'greenies' have no idea about how big their footprint really is.
 
Smart metering doesn't mean that the government gets to decide how much of what you consume --

But it sure gives them the power to do such down the line, when they determine it is 'for our own good.'
 
But it sure gives them the power to do such down the line, when they determine it is 'for our own good.'

Yes, absolutely, if they declare martial law or simply decide to ignore the law at the point of a gun, they absolutely could control what we consume "for our own good" -- with or without these devices.
 
I guess you ignored the last part of my post. :)

No, I didn't. While you are burning the fossil fuels to make the electricity for the cars, you are using more fossil fuels than you would have if the cars themselves just used them. That is true up until the time, if it ever happens, that you find a better way to generate all the electricity. It would burn less fossil fuel in the intermediate time if you just kept it in the cars.
 
No, I didn't. While you are burning the fossil fuels to make the electricity for the cars, you are using more fossil fuels than you would have if the cars themselves just used them. That is true up until the time, if it ever happens, that you find a better way to generate all the electricity. It would burn less fossil fuel in the intermediate time if you just kept it in the cars.

Actually, no, that would be up until the time we find a better way to generate enough electricity to offset whatever additional fossil fuels (if any) need to be burned to replace the fossil fuels burned in the combustion engines that were replaced.
 
The biggest question related to this thread is: When will the 'entitled' start screaming that electricity is a RIGHT?
 
1) In California they have put smart meters into homes, and used it as a means to charge more for peak usage at peak times - as much as .50 cents a kilowatt hour at times.

2) They do have the ability to dictate thermostat settings and control other usages - not a power that I think belongs to our government,

especially just so rich people can drive electric cars.


Smart metering doesn't mean that the government gets to decide how much of what you consume -- it is a term used to describe meters that accurately measure usage, report that usage to the utility directly, and permit remote activation or deactivation. They can also instantly report outages and utility quality issues.

I'd like to think that a similar accuracy would be passed on to commercial and industrial customers, but the utilities have been bilking them for years.

At any rate, the more in-touch the utility companies are with the grid, the more efficiently they can generate and distribute the power needed by the public. This isn't about government control, this is about greater efficiency in private industry.
 
The elites are demanding it as a right - right not. There are places demanding that employers give free power hook ups to cars in their parking lots. I suspect the public employee unions will be demanding this next.


The biggest question related to this thread is: When will the 'entitled' start screaming that electricity is a RIGHT?
 
You have been sold a bill of goods. I've seen smart meters in CA and they most definitely give control of the thermostat over to the utility - they aren't using it yet because of the potential outcry but the ability is there.


Smart metering doesn't mean that the government gets to decide how much of what you consume -- it is a term used to describe meters that accurately measure usage, report that usage to the utility directly, and permit remote activation or deactivation. They can also instantly report outages and utility quality issues.

I'd like to think that a similar accuracy would be passed on to commercial and industrial customers, but the utilities have been bilking them for years.

At any rate, the more in-touch the utility companies are with the grid, the more efficiently they can generate and distribute the power needed by the public. This isn't about government control, this is about greater efficiency in private industry.
 
1) In California they have put smart meters into homes, and used it as a means to charge more for peak usage at peak times - as much as .50 cents a kilowatt hour at times.

What does that have to do with your "point" about rich people and electric cars?

2) They do have the ability to dictate thermostat settings and control other usages - not a power that I think belongs to our government,

Has the government been using smart meters to take control of the grid?

Also, what does that have to do with your "point" about rich people and electric cars?
 
You have been sold a bill of goods. I've seen smart meters in CA and they most definitely give control of the thermostat over to the utility - they aren't using it yet because of the potential outcry but the ability is there.

Please decide whether it is utilities who are controlling our thermostats or the government. You're changing your position so often that you're making me dizzy.
 
What If Tesla Took 500,000 Gas-Guzzlers Off the Road? (TSLA)

As we "progress" away from oil based cars when is electric production going to be an issue? When people find out each of these cars consume the same power as a small home each day who's going to pay for the juice?

We all are!

Most people will only use a small fraction of the bank each day, and a smart grid would allow excess capacity to be used for grid storage. Upping grid supplied energy efficiency substantially.

And burning the gasoline in a power plant would be much more efficient than burning it in individual vehicles, as well as making it far easier to deal with pollutants.

And its not going to happen overnight.

Don't be scared.
 
Actually, no, that would be up until the time we find a better way to generate enough electricity to offset whatever additional fossil fuels (if any) need to be burned to replace the fossil fuels burned in the combustion engines that were replaced.

That is what I said.

And yes, you would need more, because you're adding at least two levels of intermediate power between the fuel and car, and you will lose efficiency with each. Burning the fuel in the cars is the most energy-efficient way of using it.
 
An electric car uses a similar amount of juice as a home over a day. Each electric car is like adding a house to our limited supply. We are closing old nuclear power plants and not building replacements. So we are increasing electric demand and decreasing supply. What happens then? Rates go up for all, poor included, and so why don't the rich elites who can afford these cars be forced to pay for the juice? And what about gas taxes the govt uses for transit and roads....not being paid by the rich elites in their electric cars.

We subsidize these cars with tax gifts and the only ones buying them are rich people. We're adding a burden to the grid the poor will pay for.


What does that have to do with your "point" about rich people and electric cars?



Has the government been using smart meters to take control of the grid?

Also, what does that have to do with your "point" about rich people and electric cars?
 
There is more and more local generation. In fact, from personal observation those who buy an EV (not a hybrid, but full EV) also go for panels or some form of home generation at the same time. Most of my old home mountain community town has solar panels and small wind generation going. Not enough I think to replace the utility suppied juice, but still, adds to the generation picture.

Add to this we only get to use about half of what we generate from large generation sources (hydro dams, windfarms, etc.). Currently 47% is lost in the transmission. That can be improved.
 
Back
Top Bottom