It is MY thermostat isn't it?

[mikester]

Anyone else see this?

I'm not thrilled about this plan.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/us/11control.html?em&ex=1200200400&en=fdc66b5d69c13c6e&ei=5087%0A

[Hugh R]

Yeah, I saw that. The CEC should be working on approving more permits to construct power plants, don't ya think?

[RWebb]

It is your thermostat, but the power is not yours and neither are the generating facilities.

The problem with more power plants is that they impose huge environmental costs.

Besides, do you want one next to YOUR house?

It's too bad people can't control their own power usage. A recent experiment showed that they conserved quite a lot when they had the ability to monitor it. The problem is that it costs a lot to do that right now.

Get to work on cheaper solar cells if you want more power.

[red-beard]

California is putting in new power stations. There is a brand new 7H plant just off I-215 in near Hemmit. I think 4 turbines were installed in Escondido. But 5 plants isn't nearly enough. The good news, these are some of the most efficient, lowest emmsion plants around. The 7H beats 60% thermal efficiency.

Sucks to be you, California.

[mikester]

I have a power station in my neighborhood actually. I also have a sewage treatment plant and a refinery.

Thankfully I do live on the coast and do not really require AC very much though it had been something I was considering upgrading in the house.

[KaptKaos]

I know you don't want my answer.

[Mo_Gearhead]

QUOTE: "It is your thermostat, but the power is not yours and neither are the generating facilities."

It's too bad people can't control their own power usage."
____________________

Interesting post. Always amusing to see contradicting comments in adjoining paragraphs.

It is indeed MY thermostat. I am purchasing a product (electricity). If I want my house to be 80 degrees in January, or 60 degrees in August ...I crank it up (send me the bill please).

If I am a 'Greenie' I can put on several layers of clothes, cuddle up with my dog, set the thermostat on 60 degrees and cry about others using up OUR electricity!

Really funny *****.

If you want rationing, I suggest you move to a third-world country. Or boost the price to FORCE conservatism (good luck with that!).

As for power-plants in neighborhoods ...reminds me of similar complaints about airports. The noise!! The noise!! Don't buy a house/property near one and then start the bytchin!

And yes ...they can be built out, AWAY from population centers. They are called 'Transmission Lines' for a reason.

[Jim Bremner]

freedom, slip slipping away!

My wife has MS, We need her to be cool everyday in the summer. our house HAS to be below 75 or her health suffers.


California has WAY too many laws. They need a moratorium on laws

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

freedom, slip slipping away!

My wife has MS, We need her to be cool everyday in the summer. our house HAS to be below 75 or her health suffers.


California has WAY too many laws. They need a moratorium on laws

I'm sure the collective will hear your appeal, now take a number please.

[strupgolf]

Why in the world does the government have to be involved in every aspect of our lives. Bye Bye freedoms.

[legion]

Welcome to the People Republik of Kalifornia.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Mo_Gearhead

As for power-plants in neighborhoods ...reminds me of similar complaints about airports. The noise!! The noise!! Don't buy a house/property near one and then start the bytchin!

And yes ...they can be built out, AWAY from population centers. They are called 'Transmission Lines' for a reason.

First, I know where Mikey lives and he between a rock and a hard place, or really, between a power plant, a refinery and the airport. I haven't heard him ***** much about it, since all of that was there when he bought.

But to solve the energy issues in CA by letting the "government" control your usage is assinine. The problem has been a lack of development.

As far as transmission lines go, no one wants those either. And the farther you are from the generation, the more is lost in the transmission.

[jyl]

Looks like the idea is that in emergencies, when the system is at risk of brownout or blackout, they can reach out and lower thermostats (or raise them, in summer), to avoid brownouts and blackouts. During non-emergency times, you can set your thermostat as you wish.

Makes sense to me. Yes, the feature could be abused, but so can anything.

It isn't the ideal solution. The ideal, I think, would be for electricity price to fluctuate according to demand/supply, and you and your appliances would have to be smart enough to lower consumption when price is high and move the consumption to when price is low. But I don't think the necessary products/technology exists yet. This is a practical solution in the meantime, to reduce power emergencies and blackouts.

I know the guy pictured in the NYT article, the commissioner of the CEC. He used to be my neighbor, we'd get together and talk about the market etc. Art is far from a crazy greenie. He is a top physicist, was at Lawrence Berkeley Labs for a long time, won the Fermi award for particle physics.

[p911dad]

I say keep the gov't out of our houses. Instead, let the market dictate power usage with incentives to reduce usage or penalties to discourage overuse. An average to the market single family house gets so many kilowatts per year at a flat rate. Less than that usage gets an incentive to save more, energy hogs or familys of few people rattling around in 4,000 sf grand mansions get the hose. That is a sure and fair learning curve.

[HardDrive]

Un******* believable.

[Dave L]

In the event of an impending brown or black out why cant they shut down the power to the billboards or office towers that are lit 24x7. I think there are better areas to conserve energy before you start messing with peoples thermostats.

[BeyGon]

Originally Posted by Dave L

In the event of an impending brown or black out why cant they shut down the power to the billboards or office towers that are lit 24x7. I think there are better areas to conserve energy before you start messing with peoples thermostats.

Way too much common sense going on here, besides, we in California are totally controlled by Democrats,

[cstreit]

I'll make a fortune selling lead laced thermostat covers to Californians... Block the radio signals, keep your house cool....

...or just install a simple hidden one in the basement to override it.

[ZOA NOM]

And to think it's all based on the theory of global warming.

I wonder when we will reach the breaking point, and stop this hysteria.

[RWebb]

I say cut off ALL your power right now.