Comments - Governor Mills: “I want you to hear the truth about the NECEC project directly from me.” - Citizens' Task Force on Wind Power - Maine2024-03-29T10:47:22Zhttps://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/comment/feed?attachedTo=4401701%3ABlogPost%3A160776&xn_auth=noHeat pumps in this climate ar…tag:www.windtaskforce.org,2019-03-03:4401701:Comment:1610482019-03-03T00:04:48.584ZStephen Littlefieldhttps://www.windtaskforce.org/profile/StephenLittlefield
<p>Heat pumps in this climate are a fallacy, During the coldest part of the winter they are useless and the farther north the less useful they are! Here in mid-coast Maine most of December January and February this year they would have been of little to no use. Much like the windmills that produce little and what is produced is 10X what conventional generation costs! And that's not including the destruction of mountain tops, gouging access roads up the mountain and clear cutting transmission…</p>
<p>Heat pumps in this climate are a fallacy, During the coldest part of the winter they are useless and the farther north the less useful they are! Here in mid-coast Maine most of December January and February this year they would have been of little to no use. Much like the windmills that produce little and what is produced is 10X what conventional generation costs! And that's not including the destruction of mountain tops, gouging access roads up the mountain and clear cutting transmission line paths for each windmill! Mainers are and have been sold a dump truck of BS on most of this supposed 'green' energy! Maine produces 1/100,000,000,000th of the carbon of China, and 1/10,000,000,000th of what India produces. Now what do these ridiculous measures do other than enslave and make poorer the citizens of Maine? Really??</p> Eric,
MWh = 1200 MW x 8766 h/…tag:www.windtaskforce.org,2019-03-02:4401701:Comment:1612272019-03-02T22:11:45.846ZWillem Posthttps://www.windtaskforce.org/profile/WillemPost942
<p>Eric,</p>
<p>MWh = 1200 MW x 8766 h/yx 0.7, capacity factor</p>
<p>Eric,</p>
<p>MWh = 1200 MW x 8766 h/yx 0.7, capacity factor</p> Wouldn't you think the Go…tag:www.windtaskforce.org,2019-03-02:4401701:Comment:1609262019-03-02T16:05:10.769ZDan McKayhttps://www.windtaskforce.org/profile/DanMcKay
<p><span> Wouldn't you think the Governor would put two and two together and realize Massachusetts is on course to remake everything in her energy image.</span></p>
<p><span> Maine need not enact any more energy laws, could repeal all existing money sucking energy laws, and sit still while Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island sashay their way to greener pastures by spending billions of dollars that will eventually lead to lower priced electric cars, make electric heat pumps…</span></p>
<p><span> Wouldn't you think the Governor would put two and two together and realize Massachusetts is on course to remake everything in her energy image.</span></p>
<p><span> Maine need not enact any more energy laws, could repeal all existing money sucking energy laws, and sit still while Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island sashay their way to greener pastures by spending billions of dollars that will eventually lead to lower priced electric cars, make electric heat pumps technologically competitive to oil-fired furnaces and let Maine be Maine.</span></p>
<p><span> The big three of New England are willing to do all the heavy work, the NECEC, which is being paid entirely by utility ratepayers in Mass., Conn., and R.I. is just one example.</span></p>
<div> Of course, there will still be some Mainers who want to go proactive and that isn't a problem as long as they use their own resources. The state should yield to the towns and cities of Maine to their desires on carbon reductions. </div>
<div> Cities, like South Portland and Belfast are already setting a greener course and should have that option, as long as it doesn't cause harm to the people of other jurisdictions in Maine. </div> https://www.tdworld.com/gener…tag:www.windtaskforce.org,2019-03-02:4401701:Comment:1608942019-03-02T15:55:39.122ZEric A. Tuttlehttps://www.windtaskforce.org/profile/EricATuttle
<p><a href="https://www.tdworld.com/generation-and-renewables/hydro-qu-bec-offers-new-york-firm-renewable-energy-commitment" target="_blank">https://www.tdworld.com/generation-and-renewables/hydro-qu-bec-offers-new-york-firm-renewable-energy-commitment</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.tdworld.com/sites/tdworld.com/files/styles/article_featured_standard/public/hydropower-hydro-quebec.jpg?itok=A8qYmXKn" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://www.tdworld.com/sites/tdworld.com/files/styles/article_featured_standard/public/hydropower-hydro-quebec.jpg?itok=A8qYmXKn&profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450"></img></a> NECEC offers 1,200 Mwh of power, while this…</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tdworld.com/generation-and-renewables/hydro-qu-bec-offers-new-york-firm-renewable-energy-commitment" target="_blank">https://www.tdworld.com/generation-and-renewables/hydro-qu-bec-offers-new-york-firm-renewable-energy-commitment</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.tdworld.com/sites/tdworld.com/files/styles/article_featured_standard/public/hydropower-hydro-quebec.jpg?itok=A8qYmXKn" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://www.tdworld.com/sites/tdworld.com/files/styles/article_featured_standard/public/hydropower-hydro-quebec.jpg?itok=A8qYmXKn&profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center"/></a>NECEC offers 1,200 Mwh of power, while this article states the proposal for NY is 5,800,000 Mwh. to 8,300,000 Mwh. So, why are we in Maine Dicking around with a paltry 1200 Mwh?</p> "The path of the line has bee…tag:www.windtaskforce.org,2019-03-02:4401701:Comment:1610252019-03-02T15:41:45.629ZWhetstone_Willyhttps://www.windtaskforce.org/profile/WhetstoneWilly
<p><em>"The path of the line has been changed for instance to minimize environmental impact. The line will now run under the scenic Kennebec Gorge instead of over it. And there are proposals to preserve deer wintering areas, revegetate cut-over areas and retain the canopy of tall trees wherever it can.</em><br></br><br></br><em>To put things in context, though, 411,000 acres of trees are cut in Maine every year- 411,000 acres. The number of acres that would be felled as a result of this project would…</em></p>
<p><em>"The path of the line has been changed for instance to minimize environmental impact. The line will now run under the scenic Kennebec Gorge instead of over it. And there are proposals to preserve deer wintering areas, revegetate cut-over areas and retain the canopy of tall trees wherever it can.</em><br/><br/><em>To put things in context, though, 411,000 acres of trees are cut in Maine every year- 411,000 acres. The number of acres that would be felled as a result of this project would equal two tenths of a percent of what we already cut. And while we also want to encourage solar and other renewables, to create a comparable amount of electricity with solar — <strong>even if we could make that into a consistent and reliable source</strong> — we would have to clear about 34,000 areas of land, or fifty-five square miles of land."</em></p>
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<p><strong>Despite the incessant desperate propganda and lobbying from the grid scale wind and solar industries about grid scale battery storage - you CANNOT make wind and solar into consistent and reliable sources. </strong></p> US Climate Alliance is overwh…tag:www.windtaskforce.org,2019-03-02:4401701:Comment:1609202019-03-02T15:07:38.944ZWillem Posthttps://www.windtaskforce.org/profile/WillemPost942
<p>US Climate Alliance is overwhelmingly a DEMOCRAT alliance with a few Republican governors, such as Scott from Vermont.</p>
<p></p>
<p>It aims to implement a Democrat set of measures to "prevent" global warming. </p>
<p>It would give DEMOCRATS more and more GOVERNMENT control over our everyday lives.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The GREEN NEW DEAL, a 20 to 50 TRILLION DOLLAR "aspiration" plan is just another Democrat manifesto that has no chance of passing in the US House and US…</p>
<p>US Climate Alliance is overwhelmingly a DEMOCRAT alliance with a few Republican governors, such as Scott from Vermont.</p>
<p></p>
<p>It aims to implement a Democrat set of measures to "prevent" global warming. </p>
<p>It would give DEMOCRATS more and more GOVERNMENT control over our everyday lives.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The GREEN NEW DEAL, a 20 to 50 TRILLION DOLLAR "aspiration" plan is just another Democrat manifesto that has no chance of passing in the US House and US Senate.</p>
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<p>Governor Baker of MA and Cuomo of NY have been obstructing new gas pipelines from Pennsylvania.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/partial-capital-cost-of-green-new-deal" target="_blank">http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/partial-capital-cost-of-green-new-deal</a></p>
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<p><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a4cfbfe18b27d4da21c9361/t/5bcf8a50104c7bffb8747bb9/1540328017375/USCA+FAQs_Oct+2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a4cfbfe18b27d4da21c9361/t/5bcf8a50104c7bffb8747bb9/1540328017375/USCA+FAQs_Oct+2018.pdf</a></p> Massachusetts HAS to foot the…tag:www.windtaskforce.org,2019-03-02:4401701:Comment:1609182019-03-02T12:06:12.990ZWillem Posthttps://www.windtaskforce.org/profile/WillemPost942
<p>Massachusetts HAS to foot the bill, because the H-Q electricity HAS to go to Massachusetts to balance the VARIABLE OUTPUTS of the 1600 MW of EXPENSIVE, FOREIGN offshore wind turbines Massachusetts is foolish enough to install.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Governor Mills likely is colluding with Governor Baker of Massachusetts, doing his RE dirty work, hiding behind a Climate Alliance, supported by the usual cast of RE entities, at the expense of hard working, already suffering Maine…</p>
<p>Massachusetts HAS to foot the bill, because the H-Q electricity HAS to go to Massachusetts to balance the VARIABLE OUTPUTS of the 1600 MW of EXPENSIVE, FOREIGN offshore wind turbines Massachusetts is foolish enough to install.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Governor Mills likely is colluding with Governor Baker of Massachusetts, doing his RE dirty work, hiding behind a Climate Alliance, supported by the usual cast of RE entities, at the expense of hard working, already suffering Maine households.</p>
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<p>CARBON TAXES</p>
<p>There is near ZERO support for REGRESSIVE, UNILATERAL carbon taxes in Maine.</p>
<p>That measure was DEFEATED in Washington State,</p>
<p>That measure has not been brought to the vote in the Vermont legislature, because of a lack of votes,</p>
<p>That measure should be soundly defeated in Maine as well.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/ne-wind-and-solar-electricity-and-battery-requirements-by-2050" target="_blank">http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/ne-wind-and-solar-electricity-and-battery-requirements-by-2050</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/iso-ne-study-of-1600-mw-of-future-offshore-wind-during-a-16-day" target="_blank">http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/iso-ne-study-of-1600-mw-of-future-offshore-wind-during-a-16-day</a></p>
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<p>Those offshore wind turbines will produce electricity at 40 to 50 percent higher prices than DOMESTIC natural gas.</p>
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<p>FLOATING offshore wind turbine electricity prices would be even higher</p>
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<p>Governor Mills should be agitating for additional gas line capacity to Maine and for more propane capacity.</p>
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<p>That gas would be low-cost, and have much less CO2 emissions than fuel oil, and have much less toxic other emissions than fuel oil.</p>
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<p>HEAT PUMPS</p>
<p class="style846"><b><span>Burlington Electric Department of Vermont Severely Curtailed Its Heat Pump Program</span></b></p>
<p class="style846"><span> </span></p>
<p class="style846"><b><span>According to BED press release, Efficiency Vermont's estimated savings were grossly exaggerated</span></b><span>. "BED is scaling back its 2018 – 2020 projections of HPs installed in the City of Burlington, VT, due to the results of a 2017 VT DPS evaluation report”. See URL.</span></p>
<p class="style846"><a href="https://publicservice.vermont.gov/sites/dps/files/documents/Energy_Efficiency/Reports/Evaluation%20of%20Cold%20Climate%20Heat%20Pumps%20in%20Vermont.pdf"><span>https://publicservice.vermont.gov/sites/dps/files/documents/Energy_Efficiency/Reports/Evaluation%20of%20Cold%20Climate%20Heat%20Pumps%20in%20Vermont.pdf</span></a></p>
<p class="style846"><span> </span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>The VT-DPS evaluation report indicates:</span></p>
<p class="style846"><span> </span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>- The owners of the surveyed HPs had average savings of about $200/heat pump per year</span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>- The owners displaced, on average, only about 34% of their annual fuel oil, i.e., the other 66% of fuel oil was supplied by the traditional heating system.</span></p>
<p class="style846"><span> </span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>The VT-DPS report did not mention other HP financial impacts on owners, such as:</span></p>
<p class="style846"><span> </span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>- Annual loan payments to utilities, such as GMP. See table 1 and Appendix for details.</span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>- Annual maintenance contract fees, at about $150 per year, no parts</span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>- Cost for unscheduled outages, at about $150 per call, no parts</span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>- Amortizing the $5000 heat pump at 5% for 15 years requiring annual payments of $474 per year</span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>- Amortizing the $10000 traditional back-up system a 5% for 20 years requiring annual payments of $792 per year</span></p>
<p class="style846"><span> </span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>Instead of installing hundreds of HPs during the 2019, 2020, 2021 period, BED is now <b>anticipating, i.e., making money available in its budget, </b>to provide incentives for <b>no more than 15 HPs during that period.</b></span></p>
<p class="style846"><span> </span></p>
<p class="style846"><span>Those few HPs likely would be in <b>pre-selected</b>, highly insulated/highly sealed houses to ensure 85 to 100 percent of displacement of fuel oil. Google Burlington Electric 2018 Tier 3 Plan, which BED is required to submit the VT-Public Utilities Commission every three years. The Plan describes the BED HP intentions for that period.</span></p>
<p class="style846"></p>
<p class="style846"><b><span>NOTE: </span></b><span>The BED intentions barely were mentioned by the VT mass media, because it does not bode well for the VT Comprehensive Energy Plan goal of 35000 HPs by 2025. That goal was based not on any analysis, but likely on a number picked out of a hat by bureaucrats. See Appendix.</span></p>
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