There have been a couple recent
developments in the energy field that can help
you simultaneously reduce your energy bill
and reduce your impact on the environment.
Specifically, with increases in the efficiency
of and decreases in the price of solar electric (photovoltaic) panels and solar water heating
systems, and with innovative financing options,
many Vermonters can now produce their own
electricity or hot water at costs at or below what
they are currently paying. In fact, it is often
possible to install a photovoltaic system for zero
money down and to pay the same amount for
electricity as your current electricity bill for 15
years – i.e., while all your neighbors’ electricity
bills are increasing year to year, you can pay the
same amount you’re currently paying. And after
15 years, you will own the system and will have
virtually free electricity for another 15 years or
so!
Another major development has been the
commercialization of cold weather heat pumps that can “harvest” heat from the air outside your
house to heat it. Cold weather heat pumps can
cost-effectively provide around 80% of your
heating needs, typically providing useful heat
down to around 0°F. Similarly, heat pump water
heaters can provide hot water for your home at a
cost less than oil, propane, or electricity.
If you would like to learn more about these
energy- and money-saving technologies, please
attend the free public Energy Options for Today
workshop, sponsored by the Underhill Energy
Committee. The session will be on Tuesday,
October 28, from 7:00 – 9:00 PM, upstairs in
the Underhill Town Hall in Underhill Center.
The evening will begin with brief
presentations by several local installers of
solar and heat pump systems describing their
products and their expertise. Next, we’ll open
the floor to general questions. Following that,
attendees will have an opportunity to visit each
of the installers at tables set up around the hall.
28 October 2014
14 October 2014
Soooo Smooth
In the New York Times's Dot Earth blog, Andrew Revkin writes 13 March 2013 about a new study, Examining the Feasibility of Converting New York State’s All-Purpose Energy Infrastructure to One Using Wind, Water, and Sunlight.
This graphic comes from the report. It reminds me of the Socolow and Pacala wedges. What's wrong with the wedges and this picture? It's soooo smooth, which gives the viewer the notion that all that is required is a gentle transition in policy and technology. What's actually required to make the transition is to make every single decision to be the most deliberate and dramatically effective. That's because -- as Revkin points out in arguing against rapid action -- in New York City "80 percent of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are already here today." A similar issue exists for of cars, and their infrastructure of roads, water, sewer, energy. etc.
Revkin strikes a skeptical stance and challenges the authors in an email exchange.
A couple of items standout in a reply:
It is a goal-oriented way of thinking, "What will it need to be like?", not back-looking, "Where can we go from here?"
Ditching the discount rate is necessary. It inhibits good decision-making.
This graphic comes from the report. It reminds me of the Socolow and Pacala wedges. What's wrong with the wedges and this picture? It's soooo smooth, which gives the viewer the notion that all that is required is a gentle transition in policy and technology. What's actually required to make the transition is to make every single decision to be the most deliberate and dramatically effective. That's because -- as Revkin points out in arguing against rapid action -- in New York City "80 percent of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are already here today." A similar issue exists for of cars, and their infrastructure of roads, water, sewer, energy. etc.
Revkin strikes a skeptical stance and challenges the authors in an email exchange.
A couple of items standout in a reply:
1) Instead of upgrading, maintaining, and replacing deteriorating existing infrastructure, invest in new infrastructure. If we don’t appreciably accelerate retirement, there is no “extra” (early-retirement) cost to consider.
2) Retrofit and rebuild for maximum efficiency and minimum environmental impact. The correct basis for evaluating this economically is a full social lifetime cost-benefit analysis with a near-zero discount rate. On this basis, I believe that most improvements will be economical.
It is a goal-oriented way of thinking, "What will it need to be like?", not back-looking, "Where can we go from here?"
Ditching the discount rate is necessary. It inhibits good decision-making.
08 October 2014
Meeting Agenda 20141008
TOWN OF UNDERHILL
ENERGY COMMITTEE AGENDA
Underhill Town Hall
6:30PM Wednesday, October 8, 2014
6:30 p.m. Call Meeting to Order/Adjustments to Agenda
6:35 p.m. Public Comment Period on Items not on the Agenda
6:40 p.m. Renewable Energy Vendor Public Presentation
6:55 p.m. Revised Energy Chapter
7:10 p.m. Post Office Project Update
7:25 p.m. Member Recruiting to Vacancy
7:35 p.m. Minutes
Review/Approve Previous Minutes
7:40 p.m. Member Items, Correspondence, Announcements, Schedule
Next regularly scheduled meeting November 12, 2014
7:45 p.m. Adjourn Energy Committee Meeting (tentative)
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