SMART METERS : PASSIVE TO ACTIVE STATUS

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Comment by Frank J. Heller, MPA on January 13, 2019 at 10:57am

Interesting observation in the WSJ yesterday on the progressive movement to convert citizen legislatures to full time 'professional' legislatures. Evidence was New York's and California's where legislators had salary and benefit increases taking them over the $100k mark. Rational is that you need professionals with public policy degrees to manage ever more complex legislation. 

Doesn't matter that our republic was founded to represent various segments of society and reward those who find success in it. 

Socialism only needs an advisory body, so....see above.

Comment by Penny Gray on January 13, 2019 at 10:05am

Wonder who was paid to write this "smart" stuff?  Makes it sound like without "smart meters", and the political plethora of "smart infrastructure" needed to monitor them, our nation would be vulnerable to invasion from outer space.  I'm glad I live off-grid.

Comment by Paula D Kelso on January 12, 2019 at 4:24pm

Jeez. I wish ordinary people wrote ordinary laws in ordinary language with ordinary meanings for the use of ordinary people. AND THOSE LAWS WHERE WIDELY PUBLISHED AND OPENLY DISCUSSED BEFORE BEING VOTED ON. Sure would save us all some money and grief. Cause then those high priced experts who hang around the legislature to advise our legislators on the so complex issues of the times would find themselves out of work. And the number of laws passed would shrivel and the legislative sessions would be brief and to the point. Ah, what a daydream on this cold day in January.

Comment by Dan McKay on January 12, 2019 at 1:02pm

I'm starting to see a " give them enough rope moment here " 

Comment by arthur qwenk on January 12, 2019 at 12:54pm

Why is Maine so backward?

Backward engineering and policy perhaps   that is legislated in a state unable to  attract jobs because of high taxation and high energy costs ,that then wants to increase  costs more for low density sources that cannot power modernity.

Instead, it should be  of looking for  effective high density energy production sources like natural gas  hydro,nuclear.

Its policies defy all the principals of science and thermodynamics, as you never get something for nothing, and the more of nothing you try to get , the more of nothing you have, at a higher price for doing next to nothing.

Low Density Energy Sources can Never replace High Density sources, even with a "Genius Grid ".. EVER.

Comment by Frank J. Heller, MPA on January 12, 2019 at 12:16pm

Another reason to favor natural gas.  It is compressible, and can be easily transported  and dispatched. Batteries...not so much! Imagine how big recharging stations will be along I 95/295.  LLBEANS recharging area is both parking and recharging and the 12 spaces reduce parking by a space or two.

Comment by Frank J. Heller, MPA on January 12, 2019 at 12:12pm

...and smart enough to refuse to accept your 'extra power' if not needed:

"Deployment of smart grid technologies, including real-time, automated, interactive technologies that optimize the physical operation of energy-consuming appliances and devices, for purposes of metering, communications concerning grid operation and status and distribution system operations; [2009, c. 539, §2 (NEW)"

The more local power producers of intermittent sources of electricity the greater the need to moderate both in and out flows of power to the grid. Sooner or later your smart meter will shut off your solar output, and you won't get paid. Batteries help, but that's another expense and operating burden. 

Comment by Long Islander on January 12, 2019 at 12:09pm

When the supply can't be depended upon as it can with a source like natural gas, an alternate way to match up supply and demand is to control the demand. Enter the smart meter.

 

"A smart grid would allow the integration of variable energy sources like wind and solar. For example, if electricity output dropped suddenly due to a change in wind generation, the grid could dim the lights in big box stores by 20%, a change most people don't perceive, say Don Von Dollen, program manager for the IntelliGrid project at the Electric Power Research Institute".

http://www.mainebiz.biz/news44168.html