

California launches the nation's largest energy efficiency plan








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RE: "The California Experiment"
By knutjb on 9/26/2009 12:03:33 AM , Rating: 4
Interesting article that manages to omit a few key facts. The industrial base that provided so much of Ca's tax base have been exiting Ca since the seventies and there is VERY LITTLE remaining. Since industrial users consume the largest chunk of energy and their exodus from the state was not taken into account the conclusion of the article is extraordinarily misleading.

The reference to the Arab oil embargo as the start of fuel efficiencystandards is incorrect too. Ca was pushing POLLUTION standards, there weren't any EPA mileage standards as of that time. The idea might have been there but there wasn't an infrastructure to reliably measure it. That is why the Cash for Clunkers omitted cars from before 89(?)even though most surely would have qualified.
PG 2
Explain that to my family in SoCal who pay significantly higher electric bills than I do in Idaho. BTW we both use about the same kW hours. I lost interest after reading that.

Efficiency will only get you so far. The population IS growing so more generation WILL be required and Ca is really dumping its pollution and generation problems into the surrounding states who ARE expanding. Just ask Texas and Nevada. Watch to see when Silicon Valley moves out from over taxation like the rest of the industrial employers and there are no more deep pockets to steal from to fund Ca's foolish public policy.

Come on, only Ca has the gumption to be more efficient than the rest of us?. What an insult. I miss the beach but not the INSANE POLITICIANS who ARE destroying the state. Who else would cut the water on America's bread basket. Instead of finding a rational solution they, yet again, go to a radical answer that affects ALL of us, watch your food prices.

RE: "The California Experiment"
By Spuke on 9/26/2009 1:06:12 AM , Rating: 1
According to the Energy Information Administration, the average electricity usage is 580kW per month at a cost of $14.42 per kW in CA. It surprised me at first but I remembered that a good chunk of CA rarely uses their A/C (or even their heat).

I know that in the winter, early spring and late fall, even though I live in the desert, my usage ranges between 500kW to 600kW per month. This past August was the lowest I've ever paid for electricity because it was really dry and I was able to use the evaporative cooler (swamp cooler...I have a huge unit plumbed into the HVAC ducting) and not the A/C. Usually, my August bill is around $170-$190 (1000+kW). This year it was $114 (800kW).

