Energy Crisis (Anchorage: loan, home, living in)

[Alaskagrl]

Originally Posted by Rance

Maybe the residents of Juneau should get off the grid...and the electric company can sit there and wonder what to do with all that power. Candles, woodstoves, and solar panels.

That really ain't a bad idea at all; some people here are considering solar panels when building now as a matter of course. The thing now is that if you have to drive your truck out anywhere to cut wood, with gas the way it is...it could almost be the same deal as paying high heating bills in the end soon!!

Our hydro plant here has recently had issues; had to supplement it with diesel, which drives up price. I have been trying to figure out why this has been happening; did they make some errors when building the plant or what? This type of power was supposed to be efficient and "green..."

[cobolt]

Yeah....how do solar panels work in SE AK? Even so, the amout of solar power required to run a city is pretty high. I was watching a tv special that featured alternative power solultions. There was some place in the CA desert, I think, that was just covered in solar panels: huge and numerous....like a field of them, and even so, they did not harness enough power for 100K houses and you can't store the energy. I doubt the tourism industry is going to burn firewood. I mean...how does that work? They need their neon signs etc.

This energy company is taking JNU for a ride and Palin is taking JNU for a ride as well. As I've said before, it may not be a "disaster." People may have power, but I'll bet you dollars to donuts that if this happened in ANC, it would be handled in a much different manner.

And...since I'm on a friggin roll here, be prepared for more of the Palin Evasive Manuevers should the capital get moved. The only reason JNU is on her radar is because she must make the obligatory visit every so often. If you can't get her to support the community now, good luck when all the fat cats are hanging out in Wasilla or Willow or wherever the hell it is.

[Alaskagrl]

True that...probably solar wouldn't work that well here; however, I do know a couple here that do have roof solar panels and have said it has made a farily substantial difference in traditional energy consumption in their home. However, the up-front cost would be prohibitive for a lot of people. Now THAT'S where the feds should step in; big incentives for people who invest/build with solar/wind harnessing technologies.

[cobolt]

Originally Posted by Alaskagrl

True that...probably solar wouldn't work that well here; however, I do know a couple here that do have roof solar panels and have said it has made a farily substantial difference in traditional energy consumption in their home. However, the up-front cost would be prohibitive for a lot of people. Now THAT'S where the feds should step in; big incentives for people who invest/build with solar/wind harnessing technologies.

Right....things like solar and wind power would be supplemental rather than primary. I tend to think the Feds don't step in because it behooves them for the energy sources to remain (coal/oil/etc). But then again, I don't trust government. Maybe that comes from a history of working for them and some knowledge I'd rather not have. It could just be my own suspicion and conspiracy theories!

[Alaskagrl]

Cobolt....I'll agree with you on that one, as I'm in the same situation. And sometimes what you find out is just as creepy, even if the gov't isn't directly involved.

Here's a cute nugget I found out the other day while researching alternative energy. I delved into a technology that uses waste paper/waste wood scraps as energy. A farming machine compresses the material into cubes, it is dried for x amount of time, and then it can burn just like coal but with far less emissions. This technology was being USED, like every day, man--in a factory and power plant in South Carolina in the early 1980's. When the project operator tried to drum up interest int he cubed paper technology, he got it...but also from the Mob. According to him (spoke with him personally), the Mob controlled most of waste disposal on E coast (and elsewhere) and didn't want to see their $$ for paper disposal disappear; and NO ONE was willing to take them on, for obvious reasons!

There is a lot to know out there, and less and less of it looks good as you get older. Somehow, politics factors into almost everything.

[cobolt]

Yep....I totally agree. I posted on another forum talking about alternative energy that I believe the technology is already out there but the patent is either being held hostage by big oil, govt (yes, I think they're in bed together) or some sort of drug deal is going on to bleed the dependence on fossil fuels until people just arent willing to pay for it anymore....and right now...they are. Think about this: gasoline at the pump costs twice what it did a year ago this time and people are still giving up the greenback. When people start to conserve and then increase the desire and demand for alternative fuels and power sources, the powers that be will find a way to make those things mainstream and increasingly expensive over a period of time....Now....where is my stockpile of ammo and cheetos?

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by cobolt

This energy company is taking JNU for a ride and Palin is taking JNU for a ride as well. As I've said before, it may not be a "disaster." People may have power, but I'll bet you dollars to donuts that if this happened in ANC, it would be handled in a much different manner.

And...since I'm on a friggin roll here, be prepared for more of the Palin Evasive Manuevers should the capital get moved. The only reason JNU is on her radar is because she must make the obligatory visit every so often. If you can't get her to support the community now, good luck when all the fat cats are hanging out in Wasilla or Willow or wherever the hell it is.

Bull's eye. You hit that one dead on.

[Tressa]

I noticed in my post that I missed a major word, what I meant to say was that once Palin makes up her mind there is NO logical thinking for reconsideration.

In defense of her we the people have voted numerous times to move the capital to Willow and the powers at be shot it down every time. I think the capital should be moved to an area that the majority of the population can visit and keep an eye on the stuff that goes on down there, too bad that Juneau will die off so they say but they can go back to fishing and mining.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by Tressa

In defense of her we the people have voted numerous times to move the capital to Willow and the powers at be shot it down every time.

The VOTERS have shot it down several times. The move won in only one vote, ever.

Originally Posted by Tressa

I think the capital should be moved to an area that the majority of the population can visit and keep an eye on the stuff that goes on down there, too bad that Juneau will die off so they say but they can go back to fishing and mining.

Too bad only the Anchorage area voters would have that sort of access, and half the population of Alaska would become second class citizens in terms of government.

That is indeed exactly what would happen, and it is indeed exactly why voters have repeatedly voted it down.

[cobolt]

Yeah....too bad Juneau will die off but they can go back to fishing and mining, which is regulated up the wazoo....right. That's the attitude I'm talking about. "Too bad Juneau. More for us, less for you. Now go away, you're bothering me."