California generated 10% of it's energy via solar in 2015

[J.P.M.]

My question is if people are so worried about climate change due to the earths temperature rising then why isn't there more outrage pointed at the methane (which is many times worse than CO2) that is being released from farm animals as well as from other natural sources from the earth? (underline added, J.P.M.)

I spent many years and personal financial resources doing personal research on the biggest real source of the methane.

After following the money, and in the same way as the tobacco co.'s and lung cancer, I'm convinced it's the beer lobby that's keeping the real truth about the biggest fugitive methane source quiet.

[veritass]

Supreme Court Rules In Favor of Energy Conservation Program

http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/16/01/26/2351252/supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-energy-conservation-program

[SunEagle]

I spent many years and personal financial resources doing personal research on the biggest real source of the methane.

After following the money, and in the same way as the tobacco co.'s and lung cancer, I'm convinced it's the beer lobby that's keeping the real truth about the biggest fugitive methane source quiet.

1+ Nice one.

[SunEagle]

Supreme Court Rules In Favor of Energy Conservation Program


http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/1...vation-program

I agree with the need to find ways to reduce our energy consumption and some people will do that with or without laws.

Unfortunately a lot of industry will not spend much money to retrofit their facilities so their peak demand usage drops significantly regardless of what the US Government mandates or offers as an incentive.

[J.P.M.]

1+ Nice one.

Yea, that was a commonly heard opinion during/after some of the testing. Also a good example/description of the type of multitasking that the effort often required at regular intervals during testing.

[jflorey2]

My question is if people are so worried about climate change due to the earths temperature rising then why isn't there more outrage pointed at the methane (which is many times worse than CO2) that is being released from farm animals as well as from other natural sources from the earth?

There is a fair amount of concern over methane as well.
http://timeforchange.org/are-cows-ca...at-methane-CO2
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Glo...ory?id=2723201
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015...-wasted-energy

http://www.alberta.ca/climate-methane-emissions.cfm

http://news.psu.edu/story/364787/201...hane-emissions

I have a feeling the reason it's not discussed more often is:
1) ignorant people mock it regularly (i.e. "oh let's all panic over farts! hahaha")
2) It's inherently an easier problem to solve since the half-life of methane in the atmosphere is far lower than the half-life of CO2.

[veritass]

I agree with the need to find ways to reduce our energy consumption and some people will do that with or without laws.

Unfortunately a lot of industry will not spend much money to retrofit their facilities so their peak demand usage drops significantly regardless of what the US Government mandates or offers as an incentive.

Utilities don't like energy conservation programs and rooftop solar because it lowers their profits. The utilities are in business to make money so they will discourage anything, while might be help to consumers and society, isn't helpful to them.

[SunEagle]

Utilities don't like energy conservation programs and rooftop solar because it lowers their profits. The utilities are in business to make money so they will discourage anything, while might be help to consumers and society, isn't helpful to them.

While you may have some issue with your POCO I really wish you could keep an open mind concerning the rest.

Yes there are some that may seem to be money hungry but they are just businesses that must meet the needs of their investors even though it may seem that they are charging their customers heavy fees.

Over the 40 years I have worked in the electrical engineering field I have come to meet and know a number of people and POCO's. I will say that a lot of those that I have met have been very helpful and really do support their customers in many ways. Lumping all the POCO's together into a group that is "not helpful to their consumers and society" is a little unreasonable and IMO inaccurate.

[DanKegel]

+1

SCE may sound evil to net metering fans, but protecting the earth is not their job. Corporations are *supposed* to be money grubbers, that's what they're for!

[veritass]

While you may have some issue with your POCO I really wish you could keep an open mind concerning the rest.

Yes there are some that may seem to be money hungry but they are just businesses that must meet the needs of their investors even though it may seem that they are charging their customers heavy fees.

Over the 40 years I have worked in the electrical engineering field I have come to meet and know a number of people and POCO's. I will say that a lot of those that I have met have been very helpful and really do support their customers in many ways. Lumping all the POCO's together into a group that is "not helpful to their consumers and society" is a little unreasonable and IMO inaccurate.

That's why we need to have government regulation because time and time again you can count of corporations to abuse their monopoly power and do unethical things if they think they can get away with it. I am not saying all corporations are evil, but history has shown us that many corporation will do unethical things if they can get away with it.

[SunEagle]

That's why we need to have government regulation because time and time again you can count of corporations to abuse their monopoly power and do unethical things if they think they can get away with it. I am not saying all corporations are evil, but history has shown us that many corporation will do unethical things if they can get away with it.

Yes history has had a number of corporations that have done some nasty things to the public to make unbelievable amounts of money. But they don't have a lock on that character trait.

History has also shown that governments can do what ever they want including unethical practices. So IMO you get to pick your poison.

[veritass]

Yes history has had a number of corporations that have done some nasty things to the public to make unbelievable amounts of money. But they don't have a lock on that character trait.

History has also shown that governments can do what ever they want including unethical practices. So IMO you get to pick your poison.

Utility companies are monopolies so government should make sure utilities don't abuse their monopoly power. Why wouldn't a company use its monopoly power if their were no laws against it. It's not in the utility company to have competition from rooftop solar. If there was no government oversight, they could just charge solar customers a million dollars to connect to the grid so they would have any competition. Obviously, the government should step in to ensure fair competition.

[SunEagle]

Utility companies are monopolies so government should make sure utilities don't abuse their monopoly power. Why wouldn't a company use its monopoly power if their were no laws against it. It's not in the utility company to have competition from rooftop solar. If there was no government oversight, they could just charge solar customers a million dollars to connect to the grid so they would have any competition. Obviously, the government should step in to ensure fair competition.

I agree that there should always be an oversight group to make sure no monopoly gouges people.

Each State has a Public Utility Commission (PUC) that is there to oversee that utilities only get approval to "fairly" raise their fees. Most POCO's ask for more and the PUC usually grants them some percentage of what they ask. The problem in some states is that the PUC (which appointed by the state government) is not necessarily impartial and may lean toward the POCO's and approve much higher rates then they should.

So again there are companies and governments that do not necessarily look out for the good of the people.

[J.P.M.]

I agree that there should always be an oversight group to make sure no monopoly gouges people.

Each State has a Public Utility Commission (PUC) that is there to oversee that utilities only get approval to "fairly" raise their fees. Most POCO's ask for more and the PUC usually grants them some percentage of what they ask. The problem in some states is that the PUC (which appointed by the state government) is not necessarily impartial and may lean toward the POCO's and approve much higher rates then they should.

So again there are companies and governments that do not necessarily look out for the good of the people.

My cynical outlook says if I was a POCO and I wanted a 5% increase, I'd make my best logical case for a 10+% increase or so, let the PUC prove me wrong and in the meantime get pictures of the PUC members with a sheep and wearing tall boots or something.

[veritass]

With rooftop solar utilities will have competition for the first time. Efficiency should improve because utilities finally have real competition.