Would you pay extra for elelctricity from renewable sources?
SPALMA
Posts: 2,279
Got an offer from our local electric company offering a chance to buy a premium of $9.75 a month so they can buy a portion of energy (1000 kWh) from cleaner, renewable (wind, bioenergy, sun) sources - each month.
they are offering "membership" in their Sunshinenergy Program for $9.75/mth.
A membership would result in avoiding 10,800 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions (= car driving 12,000 miles) a year.
I was shocked.... I thought they should be doing this on their own - a quick way of passing the cost downwards (and selling that warm, fuzzy - I am good feeling). Are they capitalizing on the growing "Green" movement? Should there be some accountability of their usage and costs of this "cleaner" product?
on the other hand, I WANT this energy used... AND to feel that warm, fuzzy - I am good feeling
Just wondering what you all think. Thanks.
they are offering "membership" in their Sunshinenergy Program for $9.75/mth.
A membership would result in avoiding 10,800 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions (= car driving 12,000 miles) a year.
I was shocked.... I thought they should be doing this on their own - a quick way of passing the cost downwards (and selling that warm, fuzzy - I am good feeling). Are they capitalizing on the growing "Green" movement? Should there be some accountability of their usage and costs of this "cleaner" product?
on the other hand, I WANT this energy used... AND to feel that warm, fuzzy - I am good feeling
Just wondering what you all think. Thanks.
"I don't want to hear any splatty tongues!"
J.M., Jr. High Band Teacher
I raise my Freak Flag High!!
J.M., Jr. High Band Teacher
I raise my Freak Flag High!!
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Because it's just bullshit that they've decided to make an extra buck out of it.
There's been a lot of talk about how the premium would not apply if more people took it up, but lets face it, when has anything ever gone down in price?
I'd love to switch to green but I'm not sure we could afford it. And on principle I can't bring myself to do it just yet.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
It depends on the project really. Are they charging you the premium to build all this new stuff? because if they are it's probably worth it in the short term because you are investing in renewable energy. You're paying for what ever upgrades they have to make anyway, whether it's the Sierra Club protecting shad in 3inches of water by forcing them to build a 40M cooling tower or them taking the inititive to build solar and wind farms and taking advantage of all the free hippie carbon marketing. If it's worth it to you, go for it.
This is one of those testing the water things to see how much of the public really will put thier money where their mouth is. Old people run companies, they like to bet on sure things, not ideals.
But I will ask these questions.
J.M., Jr. High Band Teacher
I raise my Freak Flag High!!
http://www.pse.com/solutions/home_greenPower.aspx
Ah, so you are subsidising thier program, well it's still essentially promoting renewables. More than likely this is coming from a wind farm where farmers have set up turbines etc. It seems a little expensive to me per customer but your involvement could help trigger a capital investment if enough people go for the program.
every little bit helps the grid anyway.
Spalma if you don't like the answers that you get and you decide not to you could try reducing your carbon emmissions yourself.
There's been a really great show here called Carbon Cops and they have been going into people's homes and finding ways that they can lower their carbon emissions. It's meant that they've lowered their emissions and their power bills. Just something to consider.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/carboncops/facts.htm
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
West Texas actually is leading the US in wind power, surpassing even California, or so I've read.
I only got part of the story because it was on Portuguese television news.
J.M., Jr. High Band Teacher
I raise my Freak Flag High!!
Will check it out... thanks... want to see if they work at an industrial level too.
J.M., Jr. High Band Teacher
I raise my Freak Flag High!!
- they will get forced to do it soon enough, at their own cost
- they were mandated to buy a % of the cleaner renewable by the PSC (they didn't do it because they wanted to), and.....
- someone at FPL got a big bonus for coming up with a creative way to look good while charging the consumer (again)....they're just doing it in a way that seems "voluntary"....they could've just charged us all a fee, but the PSC would have not allowed it..........they must be pretty stupid to be duped like this - or maybe paid off!
Hmmmm.
J.M., Jr. High Band Teacher
I raise my Freak Flag High!!
Yeah, that'd be good to know.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
I would, particularly if I thought that it needed to be more expensive. Even it the extra expense is for profit, I'd still do it because I make enough money that I can bear some of that cost. I intend to never buy anotehr car that is not at least hybrid. Cuz I can afford it.
The market's a bitch, and works in ways to not mitigate as much as should occur, but sometimes you're stuck with it.
when it hits you, you feel to pain.
So brutalize me with music.”
~ Bob Marley
Actually this thread was a question. I wanted to see/hear other's experiences and opinions on electric company sponsored "programs". Call me stupid but I asked for help.
I too can afford it, but I want to make sure I am not lining someone's pocket or paying for glossy pamphlets. I would rather buy renewable source energy.
J.M., Jr. High Band Teacher
I raise my Freak Flag High!!
My question about "experiment" was a joke about another thread.
it's a scam. plain and simple. the power company pays the farmer $5000.00 to place a wind generator on his land. the wind generators they use cost between $50K and $60K but once running; produce free electricity. they quickly pay for themselves.
i went 100% solar about 18 months ago and the system paid for itself within the first year. all my electricity is free and the life of my system is about 20 years.
i would ask your power company when the cost will go down. if you become a member; your cost per Kw should drop to a fraction of what you're paying now once the turbines are operational.
how much is the output on your solar system and where did you purchase it from? I still am apartment bound but I'm going to do this after I buy.
sorry... inside joke.
J.M., Jr. High Band Teacher
I raise my Freak Flag High!!
J.M., Jr. High Band Teacher
I raise my Freak Flag High!!
the mother earth news (june/july 2007 issue) has a story about a bloke in the heart of suburbia (mullica hill, N.J.) who has a nice set-up. i'd suggest reading that. my system is 2080 watts on the panels and 900 watts with the canadian made wind turbines. i have a large freezer and waterbed plus a substancial herd of animals that drink a lot of water so my system is over-kill. that's why i reccomend reading the story in mother earth news to get a better idea of what a suburban house would entail.
i bought from G.S.W. POWER SYSTEMS but they're local here. shop around and get several opinions as people will try to rip you off. i had one company quote me $24K for a 1700 watt system but paid only $26K for the system i bought. our power company gives a $2.00 per watt instant rebate and the state also has incentives as well as federal tax breaks.
if you line everything up before you buy the house; you may be able to add the installation funds to your mortgage.
i use the aussie built OUTBACK inverter which i believe is the best.
Bloody oath mate!
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
41 states now require NET METERING which means when you generate excess electricity you feed it back into the grid and the power company must pay you the amount they charge you for power. i'm not on the grid so i use batteries to store power but if you sell power back during windy days or sunny days (depending on where you live); you can avoid the cost of a battery bank. in my case; i paid $4400.00 for my batteries alone.