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Most utilities I am familiar with use natural gas powered compressors
to move gas on both transmission and distribution lines.
Chances are; with no electricity available, the gas compressors will
need to shut down because the electricity is not available to control
the compressors. You need control over flow rate, pressures, et al.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pretzelogik
Texas is forced to endure rolling blackouts and import
electricity from Mexico because of reliance on wind power.
Texas is a leading producer of wind power.
However, the percent of electricity used in Texas that comes from wind is infinitesimal.
Your post is just a rant against the idea of generating power from unconventional sources.
My thought on the power loss was that it would be good to have backup power at
the source from wind and solar that would not be shut off because of the cold.
The idea of not diversifying electricity generation into many sources is symptom of a rectal-cranial inversion.
Our biggest problem is the distribution system, not that we don't have enough conventional generating sources.
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 02-04-2011 at 05:26 PM..
Reason: Removed orphaned material
I wonder, how does this affect ABQ RIDE and their CNG bus (300/400-series) operations? Perhaps ABQ RIDE should use more of their diesel-electric hybrids (700/900-series) until the issue is resolved.
Chances are; with no electricity available, the gas compressors will need to shut down because the electricity is not available to control the compressors. You need control over flow rate, pressures, et al.
That is true but there is a very easy fix - back up generators. Most, in not a huge majority of, compressor facilities have diesel back up to operate the electronics and supply electricity to the compressors. I been in dozens of compressor facilities and never seen one without some form of back up power.
I think all the gas distributors should have solar, wind, and back up generators to mitigate the risks of service outages, but we're talking about Texas where energy producers run the show but the state still has rolling black outs. Go figure. All government building should also have solar or wind turbines installed so that they can cut their dependence on public utilities and lower their operating costs, as well as produce jobs.
All of the "improve the utilities" comments are good ideas, but who's willing to pay for them
and how much are you willing to pay?
I think NM should be moving more aggressively in home electricity generation / sell-back
but I have to temper that with the realization that we aren't talking about a couple grand
per household, but many thousands per household to do it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know all about the subsidies, offsets, etc in this program, but that's just
moving the costs around, not reducing them overall, and that money has to come from
somewhere.
So much more can be done in the way of efficiency at the user end and conservation, I think I read once where that is where the greatest impact could be. Demand could be cut almost in half through more efficient appliances and better insulation... sprawl also has an effect since the developers love to put everyone in "tiny (and not so tiny) boxes" exposed on all sides to the elements, instead of denser housing such as planned for Mesa del Sol. That the average house size has gone way up over the years also doesn't help. Americans are huge energy hogs.
This event reminded me of when I visited friends who lived in a drafty old house in Maine and kept the thermostat set to 58 all winter, just dressed appropriately and drank a lot of hot tea, that was life. I think most people in NM don't want to dress for colder indoor temps.
I'm old and creaky enough that I really like staying warm and was willing to pay the extra costs
for that until the NG shortage began to become public. We then broke out sweaters, blankets,
etc. and turned the thermostat way down.
I can deal with cold if I have to; I just don't like it.
If there is a built-in cost, then there would have to be some mechanism
so that the gas company doesn't just pass the cost along. There has
to be some pain to the executives in charge or nothing will happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aries63
... sprawl also has an effect since the developers love to put everyone in
"tiny (and not so tiny) boxes" ... the average house size has gone way up over the years
These statements contradict each other.
So the "not sprawl" houses on the East side don't waste energy?
Most of those "sprawly" houses on the West side have far better insulation and far less energy
use per sq ft than the "not-sprawl" houses on the East side built in the 1980's and before.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aries63
... developers love to put everyone in ... boxes" exposed on all sides to
the elements, instead of denser housing such as planned for Mesa del Sol.
Mesa del Sol will also have detached family houses just like any other
development because that is what people want. If they only build
housing with shared walls then the development will fail.
Mesa del Sol is going to look pretty much like any other development despite the
propoganda floating around. It is sprawl just like any other greenfield development.
Once it is done, you won't be able to tell the difference. It will just be newer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aries63
... friends who lived in a drafty old house in Maine and kept the
thermostat set to 58 all winter, just dressed appropriately ...
most people in NM don't want to dress for colder indoor temps.
Drafty old house? I bet my comfortable house in Albuquerque used
a lot less fuel over the winter - even adjusted for ambient temps - than theirs.
Getting snooty about wearing sweaters inside while failing to insulate your house
is like getting snooty about driving a Prius, but living 50 miles away from work.
Most people anywhere, not just NM, won't dress appropriately for winter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aries63
... Americans are huge energy hogs. ...
That's because it's cheap to be one in this country.
You have to be a collosal dork to run up $500 heating bills in the winter.
Some people do and then blame the utility company for their own waste.
( Just wanted to get to that before I got busted by Cathy4017. )
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