The environment thread

[Jose Abreu]

I highly recommend Six Degrees by Mark Lynas. Troubling but informative read. 

[StrangeSox]

On 6/2/2018 at 5:05 PM, iamshack said:

Really? That’s interesting! Gotta love substations doubling as target shooting.

 

Check out the Metcalf attack from 2013. Kicked off a big regulatory change from NERC throughout the industry.

[iamshack]

1 minute ago, StrangeSox said:

Check out the Metcalf attack from 2013. Kicked off a big regulatory change from NERC throughout the industry.

Yeah, I am not on the delivery side so I only tangentially aware of some of those issues. 

Funny to see NERC on this forum

[iamshack]

So I’ve been spending the last few months studying rooftop solar and Tesla Powerwall 2, and particularly, whether there is a way to utilize the batteries to enhance the rooftop solar value proposition. 

Our rates are pretty reasonable here, so the ROI on a solar system isn’t quite as fast as in some other states, but we can see break even points in or around the 8-10 year mark. However, the question I sought to answer was, if I utilized Powerwalls to offset my time of use peak rates in the summer, would that speed up the payback time? ‘

We have a time of use (TOU) option where peak power, between 1-7, is about 36 cents per kWh. All other power is between 3.8-5.8 cents or so. We also have a net metering construct wherein we are provided a credit at 95% of the retail rate.  So between the credits accumulated in the Spring when production is higher than consumption, and not fully knowing what our peak demands are in the summer, it’s a bit of a hazy analysis. 

To make matters more difficult, in Nevada, you have a choice when it comes to batteries. You can either charge from the grid and discharge solely behind the meter (to your home), or discharge to the grid, but only through charging from your solar panels. Additionally, to qualify for the investment tax credit, you can only claim the percentage of the credit equal to that which you charge from a renewable resource. 

Anyways, as it stands today, there is a backlog on batteries, so I will have time over the summer to dial in the analysis. I expect that between the federal incentive, as well as state incentives, each Powerwall 2 will cost about $2,500. I suspect there is a clear opportunity to hasten the payback on a combined solar+storage residential system through arbitrage of the peak TOU rate with about 3 batteries. I am currently leaning on moving forward with the panels shortly, and then considering batteries when they are available. 

Do the economics of rooftop solar work for you guys yet there?

[StrangeSox]

You really don't see much residential solar in Illinois, so I'm guessing the incentives/rebates don't really work out yet.

 

I can't find the link I used to have bookmarked of a dozens-of-pages-long forums post from this guy detailing his whole design and process, but a few years back this guy built his own battery wall out of torn-down Teslas. I think this was before they offered a version for sale, but thought you might find it cool/interesting. It was thoroughly engineered and everything, not just some garage shop hack-work.

Edited June 6, 2018 by StrangeSox

[iamshack]

10 minutes ago, StrangeSox said:

You really don't see much residential solar in Illinois, so I'm guessing the incentives/rebates don't really work out yet.

Won’t be long

[StrangeSox]

 

[StrangeSox]

bad news for solar:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trump-effect-solar-insight/billions-in-u-s-solar-projects-shelved-after-trump-panel-tariff-idUSKCN1J30CT

Billions in U.S. solar projects shelved after Trump panel tariff

(Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s tariff on imported solar panels has led U.S. renewable energy companies to cancel or freeze investments of more than $2.5 billion in large installation projects, along with thousands of jobs, the developers told Reuters.

 

That’s more than double the about $1 billion in new spending plans announced by firms building or expanding U.S. solar panel factories to take advantage of the tax on imports.

The tariff’s bifurcated impact on the solar industry underscores how protectionist trade measures almost invariably hurt one or more domestic industries for every one they shield from foreign competition. Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, for instance, have hurt manufacturers of U.S. farm equipment made with steel, such as tractors and grain bins, along with the farmers buying them at higher prices.

 

[iamshack]

10 hours ago, StrangeSox said:

bad news for solar:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trump-effect-solar-insight/billions-in-u-s-solar-projects-shelved-after-trump-panel-tariff-idUSKCN1J30CT

Billions in U.S. solar projects shelved after Trump panel tariff

(Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s tariff on imported solar panels has led U.S. renewable energy companies to cancel or freeze investments of more than $2.5 billion in large installation projects, along with thousands of jobs, the developers told Reuters.

 

That’s more than double the about $1 billion in new spending plans announced by firms building or expanding U.S. solar panel factories to take advantage of the tax on imports.

The tariff’s bifurcated impact on the solar industry underscores how protectionist trade measures almost invariably hurt one or more domestic industries for every one they shield from foreign competition. Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, for instance, have hurt manufacturers of U.S. farm equipment made with steel, such as tractors and grain bins, along with the farmers buying them at higher prices.

 

Yeah but there is a ton of Chinese surplus, so there may be a price drop which nearly negates the effect of the tariff. I don’t believe it will have quite the impact that was once feared. 

In fact, First Solar, an American manufacturer that was hoping to take advantage of the tariff, saw their stock price tank on the news of the Chinese surplus. 

[StrangeSox]

 

[StrangeSox]

On 12/4/2017 at 6:43 PM, Balta1701 said:

Trump shrinks Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments by 85% and 50% respectively.

Patagonia.com homepage currently:

Fun follow up to this:

The deliberately ignored any evidence of the benefits of the national monuments designations and focused solely on how to promote extraction industry access! Shocking, right? They accidentally released a bunch of emails documenting this.

 

Trump administration officials dismissed benefits of national monuments

Quote

 

In a quest to shrink national monuments last year, senior Interior Department officials dismissed evidence that these public sites boosted tourism and spurred archaeological discoveries, according to documents the department released this month and retracted a day later.

The thousands of pages of email correspondence chart how Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and his aides instead tailored their survey of protected sites to emphasize the value of logging, ranching and energy development that would be unlocked if they were not designated national monuments.

Comments the department’s Freedom of Information Act officers made in the documents show that they sought to keep some of the references out of the public eye because they were “revealing [the] strategy” behind the review.

Presidents can establish national monuments in federal land or water if they determine that cultural, historical or natural resources are imperiled. In April, President Trump signed an executive order instructing Zinke to review 27 national monuments established over 21 years, arguing that his predecessors had overstepped their authority in placing these large sites off limits to development.

Trump has significantly reduced two of Utah’s largest national monuments, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, and has not ruled out altering others.

The new documents show that as Zinke conducted his four-month review, Interior officials rejected material that would justify keeping protections in place and sought out evidence that could buttress the case for unraveling them.

 

Quote

 

The inadvertently released documents show that department officials dismissed some evidence that contradicted the administration’s push to revise national monument designations, which are made under the 1906 American Antiquities Act. Estimates of increased tourism revenue, analyses showing that existing restrictions had not hurt fishing operators and agency reports finding that less vandalism occurred as a result of monument designations were all set aside.

On Sept. 11, 2017, Randal Bowman, the lead staff member for the review, suggested deleting language that said most fishing vessels near the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument “generated 5% or less of their annual landings from within the monument” because it “undercuts the case for the ban being harmful.”

 

Don't like what the facts are? Simply remove them from consideration!

[StrangeSox]

 

[StrangeSox]

at the same time that Trump is trying to get rid of the Clean Power Plan, the Artic is melting and breaking up more than ever:

 

Edited August 22, 2018 by StrangeSox

[Texsox]

One of the early assignments for my HS English students is analysing straw bans. Until I did a little research I was unaware how dependent some people with disabilities are on straws. There are always unintended consequences. 

[Balta1701]

10 hours ago, Texsox said:

One of the early assignments for my HS English students is analysing straw bans. Until I did a little research I was unaware how dependent some people with disabilities are on straws. There are always unintended consequences. 

Every time I see the "500 million straws a day" line used I'm remembering that apparently it was a guesstimate by a 10 year old.

[StrangeSox]

Ryan Zinke is having his high school football buddy review all climate science studies. You might think "well, maybe he actually has a relevant background?"

 

Nope. He's spent his career working in credit unions.

[illinilaw08]

12 hours ago, Texsox said:

One of the early assignments for my HS English students is analysing straw bans. Until I did a little research I was unaware how dependent some people with disabilities are on straws. There are always unintended consequences. 

Using fewer plastic straws is a good thing.  IMO restaurants should have them available if somebody asks for them, but not automatically bring them with every drink.  That makes sure that people with disabilities who need straws are accommodated.  It also reduces the use of a disposable, plastic instrument that most people don't need.  

[southsider2k5]

13 hours ago, Texsox said:

One of the early assignments for my HS English students is analysing straw bans. Until I did a little research I was unaware how dependent some people with disabilities are on straws. There are always unintended consequences. 

I read this from someone locally on facebook with a disabled child.  It got me wondering if we could see an ADA lawsuit against city's and town's who have instituted some of the harsher bans.

[The Beast]

2 hours ago, illinilaw08 said:

Using fewer plastic straws is a good thing.  IMO restaurants should have them available if somebody asks for them, but not automatically bring them with every drink.  That makes sure that people with disabilities who need straws are accommodated.  It also reduces the use of a disposable, plastic instrument that most people don't need.  

My wife and I had dinner at Noodles and Company recently and I wondered if instead of having paper cups, plastic tops and straws, if they could get people who are eating in to use a reusable cup they could wash. Then they could do without the straws that could be kept behind the counter and could be made available upon request. 

What I would like to know is what is mankind’s plan to get the plastic out of the ocean, solve our garbage problem for when landfill space is gone, what to do with cars when gasoline is gone and how to combat the issue of plastic not being able to be recycled 100% of the time.

[NorthSideSox72]

On 8/16/2018 at 8:47 AM, StrangeSox said:

 

I know I'm really late replying to this but I have to say... while everyone is probably focused on the fact that the Interior Secretary would say something that stunningly idiotic, I am just as disturbed by "Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke went on Breitbart". I mean, really? Did any of Obama's cabinet members ever go do an interview with Occupy Democrats?

 

[Balta1701]

On 9/14/2018 at 8:09 AM, NorthSideSox72 said:

I know I'm really late replying to this but I have to say... while everyone is probably focused on the fact that the Interior Secretary would say something that stunningly idiotic, I am just as disturbed by "Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke went on Breitbart". I mean, really? Did any of Obama's cabinet members ever go do an interview with Occupy Democrats?

 

Dude, the executive chair of Breitbart after 2012 took on the role of executive chairman of the 2016 Trump campaign after his previous campaign chair left due to his participation in crimes against the united states. He was then given an official position in the White House comparable to Chief of Staff. 

[NorthSideSox72]

On 9/15/2018 at 4:26 PM, Balta1701 said:

Dude, the executive chair of Breitbart after 2012 took on the role of executive chairman of the 2016 Trump campaign after his previous campaign chair left due to his participation in crimes against the united states. He was then given an official position in the White House comparable to Chief of Staff. 

Yes I know who Bannon is and I know the story. That doesn't make it any less disturbing to me.

 

[StrangeSox]

 

[caulfield12]

Trump’s future be pretty much damned anyway climate change “policy”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trumps-future-damned-climate-change-policy-090015859.html

[Dam8610]

In case it hasn't been shared here, the UN intergovernmental panel on climate change says we have about 123 months to fix things before they start to become irreparable. Trump will be President for a minimum of 27 of those months, provided he doesn't get impeached with the Senate affirming. So, realistically, we have 96 months to fix it, which doesn't start until 27 months from now. This seems hopeless.