Gas prices are... um well, wait a minute

[gacook]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Yeoww!! They are hosing you!

I get about 65% of my electricity from my solar panels. We pay $.09 for electricity from the grid and sell to them for $.02. It's not a great deal for us, but still our power bill last year was under $400 for the year.

Power companies are doing their best to keep renewable energy off the grid until they find a way to make a bigger profit selling it to us.

I know. I really should have gone with a battery wall and just gone completely off grid. Living where I live, the sun is fairly constant.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

You are actually paying more than $400 a year.
What is the opportunity cost?
How much did your solar array set you back? If that were to be invested/saved what would be the annual return?
I am sure it is a net positive even with loss of investment.

All good points. I looked at all the numbers and considered the solar system as part of my investment strategy. At my stage in life, I'm not going to be making even moderate risk/moderate return investments, let alone trying to get 10% returns. I'm sticking with safe, low risk/low return investments, which affects the opportunity cost.
At the time I bought the solar system CDs were paying 1.5 to 2 percent. Zillow's data showed a solar system increased the resale of homes by about 4%.

So yes, what I pay annually isn't necessarily what the investment costs, but I think I'll come out way ahead.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

what are talking about? you think you proved a point?

ho kay, have fun with that. might want to update your talking points to at least this century.

wind power generation is doubling every decade or so FYI: https://www.energy.gov/articles/us-department-energy-projects-strong-growth-us-wind-power-sector

iowa for example, 60% of their power is from wind, alone. not renewables, just wind.

On a widespread basis, renewables are a massive failure and cannot begin to meet the country's energy needs any time soon.

Of course, wind has doubled in a decade as it is relatively new to use it on a widespread basis. Even so, eventually you run out of land to plant giant solar arrays and giant windmills. It is just a trendy supplement to fossil fuels that we buy from the Chinese to make them wealthy (while they build coal plants).

[p911dad]

Back to the original topic - just got regular on North Graham St here in Charlotte for $2.79 a gallon. That is the lowest I've seen around here in a long time.

[Flat Six]

Originally Posted by Flat Six

March 2024:

87: $4.73
89: $4.97
91: $5.21

Diesel: $4.43

Add $0.05/gal for credit card

September 2024:

87: $4.06
89: $4.36
91: $4.58

Diesel: $3.93

Add $0.05/gal for credit card

[rfuerst911sc]

Spent the week in Virginia and on the trip home to Georgia yesterday we stopped for gas in SC . The Mobil station was 2.69 for 87 but if you paid cash you received a 10 cent discount . So 2.59 a gallon . I did see one highway road sign for a station advertising 2.49 .

[RNajarian]

Not so sure what everyone is so happy about. Gas prices still nearly $5.00 a gallon in California. Likely the Governor’s doing.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

Not so sure what everyone is so happy about. Gas prices still nearly $5.00 a gallon in California. Likely the Governor’s doing.

Not the governor, the state legislature. CA has the highest gas taxes in the country and most environmental regulation. Fewer refineries too.

This will make you feel better about the cost of living in one of the greatest states in the country. Lobby the legislature to do away with regulation because gas was cheaper in the '70s. N95 masks are cheap and plentiful these days.

[RNajarian]

. . . not necessarily seeing the connection. By that logic US states with less taxes and environmental regulations (like Florida) should look like the photos you posted of LA in the 70s.

Which wasn’t the case when I was there last month. Gas was $3.29 a gallon in Orlando.

In CA the state and federal gas taxes fees are $1.29.

California Excise Tax costs 57.9 cents per gallon. This funds general maintenance for state highways, roads and safety projects. Federal Excise Tax is 18 cents. It funds freeways and mass transit projects. Nothing for environmental purposes.

The environmental regulations are independent of the gas tax. So lobbying them about that won’t lower the price of gas.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

. . . not necessarily seeing the connection. By that logic US states with less taxes and environmental regulations (like Florida) should look like the photos you posted of LA in the 70s.

Which wasn’t the case when I was there last month. Gas was $3.29 a gallon in Orlando.

In CA the state and federal gas taxes fees are $1.29.

California Excise Tax costs 57.9 cents per gallon. This funds general maintenance for state highways, roads and safety projects. Federal Excise Tax is 18 cents. It funds freeways and mass transit projects. Nothing for environmental purposes.

The environmental regulations are independent of the gas tax.

then by all means you have every right to complain about living in one of the best states in the country. Gas would have to be free and they would come and fill your cars up at your home for me to live in Florida.

So everyone has different priorities in life I guess.

Carry on.

[chrismorse]

Gas a tick under $6.00 a gallon here.
Are gas/oil companies still "earning" record profits???
Don't know about the wholesalers or station operators??
Where are those "record Profits" possibly coming from???
c

[RNajarian]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

then by all means you have every right to complain about living in one of the best states in the country. Gas would have to be free and they would come and fill your cars up at your home for me to live in Florida.

So everyone has different priorities in life I guess.

Carry on.

Let me borrow your Time Machine Shaun. California is no longer the shining gem it was in yesteryear.

There are apps available in the App Store to help you identify and avoid human feces and discarded hypodermic needles in the streets of San Francisco. Here in LA the homeless problem is only getting worse, and the rampant smash and grab flash mobs now affect even the most affluent areas.

Not sure when you were in California last but I would definitely recommend downloading the app prior to arriving.

Oh, and I saw only one homeless person the 11 days I was in Florida. Just today in LA, I stopped counting after 20.

[stevej37]

$3.07/reg $4.19/prem. here today.
A difference of $1.12.....why???

[Sooner or later]

A lot of data by grade and location. Some states and cities. Long term trends

https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_a_epmr_pte_dpgal_w.htm

Regular and premium

[JackDidley]

$2.55 and $3.25 at Sams here in Indian land.

[stevej37]

Our difference from reg to prem is $1.12 here in MI and the Indians is $.30....wth??

Why do they get the cheap premium?
Was there a special treaty?

[JackDidley]

Originally Posted by stevej37

our difference from reg to prem is $1.12 here in mi and the indians is $.30....wth??

Why do they get the cheap premium? :d
was there a special treaty?

3.25 - 2.55 = .70.

[stevej37]

Oops....still criminal.

[JackDidley]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Oops....still criminal.

Truth is, I am used to it. I just stick my credit card in the pump and fill it up. If I look at the numbers first I probably would go electric.

[stevej37]

Lately I have been using the swipe pad with the four green led lights. When I insert my CC it takes about a minute to start the gas. With the swipe pad...it starts immediately. I like it.