Prediction: Coal has fallen. Nuclear is next then Oil.

[mspohr]

As a generic dummy on the internet, I'm happy to offer up my 2 cents:

1. Public investment in R&D for better (cheaper, more flexible and powerful) transformers
2. Solve the residential storage installation cost. The procedure needs standards so it can be taken out of the hands of electricians

I have to agree with this. I'm in the middle of a prolonged battle with the building department and regional planning agencies to add a ground mount solar array. It's a long story but it boils down to administrative obstruction and delay driving up costs exponentially. My original technical submission has been deemed acceptable but I have been harassed by a multitude of administrative requirements (format of plans, labeling of equipment, land use, homeowners association, scenic corridor, etc.). It took four months for initial approval but by then it was too late to excavate (another regulation). I proposed a ground mount ballast system which they denied. Waiting for May 2021 excavation.

 

[Merrill]

As a generic dummy on the internet, I'm happy to offer up my 2 cents:

1. Public investment in R&D for better (cheaper, more flexible and powerful) transformers
2. Solve the residential storage installation cost. The procedure needs standards so it can be taken out of the hands of electricians

Notice that both my thoughts gravitate towards DER/S. The (probable) difference between us is that I think rooftop PV is *such* a great thing that it mitigates my perceived disadvantages of distributed storage, so I'd like to improve distributed storage. And like you, I am no fan of my local utility.

I agree, but as we install more PV and storage the utilities just find other ways to raise prices. This is were the PUC should put some control on that.

 

[SageBrush]

I agree, but as we install more PV and storage the utilities just find other ways to raise prices. This is were the PUC should put some control on that.

Residential grid costs can be no more expensive than off-grid.

p.s., I added an addendum to my earlier post for your benefit

 

[SageBrush]

I proposed a ground mount ballast system which they denied.

Why ?

--
No doubt about it, "soft" bureaucratic costs are a misery waiting for improvements. A part of it is manipulation by utilities but far from all.

 

[Merrill]

Just keep in mind Webster’s dictionary definition of Utilities is “ fitness for some worth to some end, something useful or designed for use”.

 

[mspohr]

Why ?

--
No doubt about it, "soft" bureaucratic costs are a misery waiting for improvements. A part of it is manipulation by utilities but far from all.

They said my ground mount ballast system would require new engineering of the entire system which is an expense I wasn't willing to undertake. They accepted the Ironridge online engineering for the original plan but required me to pay a local engineer for the ballast system.

 

[SageBrush]

They said my ground mount ballast system would require new engineering of the entire system which is an expense I wasn't willing to undertake. They accepted the Ironridge online engineering for the original plan but required me to pay a local engineer for the ballast system.

Perhaps this system ?
PowerField Energy - Easy & Affordable Solar

They have already installed for Holy Cross and may have canned engineering.

 

[MXLRplus]

I agree, but as we install more PV and storage the utilities just find other ways to raise prices. This is were the PUC should put some control on that.

They already did that in SCE territory in CA. They moved the TOU time and rates to depreciate solar last year. Our 'green' City of the Futile err... Future (Sacramento) decided to punish people who spent their capital on solar buildouts.

I warned everyone and they didn't take it seriously...

 

[mspohr]

Perhaps this system ?
PowerField Energy - Easy & Affordable Solar

They have already installed for Holy Cross and may have canned engineering.

Thanks, that's a nice solution. I'll see if I can get it past the building department. I don't see that this would require any engineering but I'm worried they will think of something to delay.

 

[Merrill]

They already did that in SCE territory in CA. They moved the TOU time and rates to depreciate solar last year. Our 'green' City of the Futile err... Future (Sacramento) decided to punish people who spent their capital on solar buildouts.

I warned everyone and they didn't take it seriously...

I find it very frustrating and other than to continue to spend more money on additional solar not sure how to get around this.

 

[Dave EV]

By the way, NM is about to start building a 345 kV line to collect wind for export to CA. That works out to ~ a 3 GW clean and cheap energy injection into the state's night time supply

Nice - have any information on the project?

What are the average wind resources available in NM? What time of day does the wind tend to blow, are certain times of the year windier than others? Could we also use the same line to export solar?

Looking at where NM gets it's electricity, I have to wonder if it would be more effective to use the wind to displace more coal in New Mexico rather than ship wind energy a few states over...

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

They already did that in SCE territory in CA. They moved the TOU time and rates to depreciate solar last year. Our 'green' City of the Futile err... Future (Sacramento) decided to punish people who spent their capital on solar buildouts.

I warned everyone and they didn't take it seriously...

It's not punishing people to set pricing that's reflective of the market reality.

The problem is that the USA uses net metering.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Nice - have any information on the project?

What are the average wind resources available in NM? What time of day does the wind tend to blow, are certain times of the year windier than others? Could we also use the same line to export solar?

Looking at where NM gets it's electricity, I have to wonder if it would be more effective to use the wind to displace more coal in New Mexico rather than ship wind energy a few states over...

It's not that they'll just ship it, it's that they'll be able to ship excess.

 

[SageBrush]

Thanks, that's a nice solution. I'll see if I can get it past the building department. I don't see that this would require any engineering but I'm worried they will think of something to delay.

Have a look at their website. They mention that the trays are a 'temporary structure' in regulatory speak, so they clearly have given thought to how to minimize and/or circumvent local permitting BS

I sent the company a contact me message, and I think I will give them a call. A hill near my home might just be a very nice fit.

 

[SageBrush]

Nice - have any information on the project?

Western Spirit Transmission line

Lucky for CA, our wind is more at night so it is a perfect match to your blooming PV

NM is actually a wind bonanza*. Now that Avangrid/Iberdola is buying the PNM utility, and the state has a progressive government that is embracing clean energy, there is reason to hope for a massive development this decade.

Up to 435 TWh annually, believe it or not. Around 150 GW. For context, NM uses ~ 2 GW and CA ~ 20 GW with peaks of ~ 40 GW
If NM supplies CA and AZ, its own use will be a rounding error

 

[mspohr]

Have a look at their website. They mention that the trays are a 'temporary structure' in regulatory speak, so they clearly have given thought to how to minimize and/or circumvent local permitting BS

I sent the company a contact me message, and I think I will give them a call. A hill near my home might just be a very nice fit.

I was looking for engineering on the website and couldn't find any. I did see the "temporary structure" note. Might be an end run around the building department.
I sent a query to them... we'll see.

 

[MXLRplus]

It's not punishing people to set pricing that's reflective of the market reality.

The problem is that the USA uses net metering.

That might be true if those without solar were put into the same TOU as solar producers. They are not. It costs a lot for a non-solar business to buy power at 3 PM in July. It is dirt cheap if are listed as a solar producer.

This is not my imagination. I went from $2500/m for power to <$400. Now that they depreciated my solar hours, it increased my bill 50%.

 

[eevee-fan]

Many reasons, actually

• Scale
• Control
• Averaging
• Expertise
• Planning
• Access
• Market leverage

Heck, a lousy 10 - 20 kWh home storage is a couple thousand dollars of just installation costs.

Totally agree, I have held off buying rooftop solar for this reason. Even now, it would cost me about 9 cents a kWh with zero storage. I am buying power from NV Energy at about 6.4 cents a kWh (TOU). NV Energy is able to buy solar + storage for a few cents a kWh.

 

[Merrill]

Buying solar should not be all about the money, I would spend money on solar rather than give any of that money to Pacific Graft and Extortion.

 

[iPlug]

Pros and cons of centralized and distributed systems, but would add that residential rooftop solar is excellent land management.