The EV-charging conservation request raised eyebrows around Vermont because the State of Vermont is committed by legislation to follow California emissions regulations, which recently were upgraded to ban all sales of virtually all new gas or diesel powered vehicles by 2035.
The Vermont Electric Co-op, Vermont’s second largest electricity ut...
The July 19 request by the Johnson-based member-owned utility was part of a larger ask for energy conservation.
It reads:
Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) is encouraging members to conserve electricity tomorrow evening (Wednesday) and Thursday evening as demand for electricity across New England is expected to spike because of high temperatures.
Specifically, VEC asks members to conserve electricity both evenings from 5-10 pm.
“When VEC can reduce the cost to buy and transmit electricity during these ‘peak’ periods, it helps control electricity rates for all co-op members over the long term,” said Jake Brown, VEC Energy Services Planner.
Members can help “beat the peak” by:
Delaying the use of major appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers, pool pumps etc., until the peak period has passed
Reducing the use of air conditioning as much as safely possible (Consider pre-cooling your home before the peak period
Turning off lights and powering down other devices that are not in use
Members who have electric vehicles can have a large impact by not charging during these hours, too [Italics added].
VEC officials Monday morning promised to address Vermont Daily Chronicle questions about the effectiveness of the voluntary conservation, the possibility of brownouts, and the longterm plan for accommodating electrified transportation.
The EV-charging conservation request raised eyebrows around Vermont, because the State of Vermont is committed by legislation to follow California emissions regulations, which recently were upgraded to ban all sales of virtually all new gas or diesel powered vehicles by 2035. Aftermarket purchases will still be permitted.
“If the charging needs of 5000 EVs, including plug-in hybrids, [now registered in Vermont] can overwhelm the electric grid during a week of July weather, what do these people think 42,000 of such vehicles will do?,” asked Ethan Allen Institute board member Rob Roper in an op-ed.
“Even on a nice fall day? And then, 170,000 of them?
Plus at the same time they’re pushing us to change out our oil and gas furnaces for electric heat pumps, etc. and so on?”
Vermont utility officials have a MULTI-$BILLION plan to improve Vermont’s energy grid to accommodate an expected huge demand for electricity, as Vermonters are FORCED to use less fossil fuels for heat and transportation.
Under questioning by Sen. Russ Ingalls (R-Orleans), utility officials this January said the upgrade would cost $2.2 billion over 28 years. That’s $79 million/year, plus financing costs, plus cost overruns.
Meanwhile, the State of Vermont is spending millions on the EV transition.
Governor Phil Scott announced today that the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has awarded $1 million in grant funds to subsidize the cost of purchasing and installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at multiunit properties to provide residents with at-home charging access.
Guy Page is publisher of the Vermont Daily Chronicle. Reprinted with permission.
A thought on “Utility asks members to conserve electricity, don’t charge cars in evening”, by Jeffrey Green
APPENDIX 1
Electric Bus Burst into Flames During East Coast Heatwave – One Day After Connecticut Gov. Requires All Future State Vehicles to Run on Electric Power
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/electric-bus-burst-int...
APPENDIX 2
ELECTRIC TRANSIT AND SCHOOL BUS SYSTEMS REDUCE LITTLE CO2, ARE NOT COST-EFFECTIVE
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/electric-bus-systems-l...
China has made electric buses and EVs a priority in urban areas to reduce excessive air pollution, due to: 1) coal-fired power plants, and 2) increased vehicle traffic.
The US has much less of a pollution problem than China, except in its larger urban areas.
The US uses much less coal, more domestic natural gas, and CO2-free nuclear is still around.
New England has a pollution problem in its southern urban areas.
Vermont has a minor pollution problem in Burlington and a few other urban areas.
RE folks want to “Electrify Everything”; an easily uttered slogan
It would require:
- Additional power plants, such as nuclear, wind, solar, hydro, bio
- Additional grid augmentation/expansion to connect wind and solar systems, and to carry the loads for EVs and heat pumps
- Additional battery systems to store midday solar output surges for later use, i.e., DUCK-curve management.
- Additional centralized, command/control/orchestrating (turning off/on appliances, heat pumps, EVs, etc.) by utilities to avoid overloading distribution and high voltage electric grids regarding:
1) Charging times of EVs and operating times of heat pumps, and major appliances
2) Demands of commercial/industrial businesses
RE Folks Want More EVs and Buses Bought With “Free” Money
RE folks drive the energy priorities of New England governments. RE folks want to use about $40 million of “free” federal COVID money and Volkswagen Settlement money to buy electric transit and school buses to deal with a minor pollution problem in a few urban areas in Vermont. RE folks urge Vermonters to buy:
Mass Transit Buses
Electric: $750,000 - $1,000,000 each, plus infrastructures, such as indoor parking, high-speed charging systems.
Standard Diesel: $380,000 - $420,000; indoor parking and charging systems not required.
School Buses
Electric: $330,000 - $375,000, plus infrastructures
Standard Diesel: about $100,000
https://atlaspolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Electric-Buses-a...
This article shows the 2 Proterra transit buses in Burlington, VT, would reduce CO2 at very high cost per metric ton, and the minor annual operating cost reduction would be overwhelmed by the cost of amortizing $million buses that last about 12 to 15 years.
The $40 million of “free” money would be far better used to build zero-energy, and energy-surplus houses for suffering households; such housing would last at least 50 to 75 years.
NOTE: Per Economics 101, spending huge amounts of borrowed capital on various projects that 1) have very poor financials, and 2) yield minor reductions in CO2 at high cost, is a recipe for:
1) Low economic efficiency, and
2) Low economic growth, on a state-wide and nation-wide scale, which would:
- Adversely affect Vermont and US competitiveness in markets, and
- Adversely affect living standards and 3) inhibit unsubsidized/efficient/profitable job creation.
Real Costs of Government RE Programs Likely Will Remain Hidden
Vermont’s government engaging in electric bus demonstration programs, financed with “free” money, likely will prove to be expensive undertakings, requiring hidden subsidies, white-washing and obfuscation.
Lifetime spreadsheets, with 1) turnkey capital costs, 2) annual cashflows, 3) annual energy cost savings, 4) annual CO2 reductions, and 5) cost of CO2 reduction/metric ton, with all assumptions clearly stated and explained, likely will never see the light of day.
APPENDIX 3
BATTERY SYSTEM CAPITAL COSTS, OPERATING COSTS, ENERGY LOSSES, AND AGING
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/battery-system-capital...
HAVING FUN WATCHING WIND AND SOLAR FAILING TO STEP UP TO POWER THE WORLD ECONOMY
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/having-fun-watching-wi...
“BUILD BACK BETTER” WOULD COST $4.490 TRILLION OVER THE NEXT DECADE, IF PROVISIONS WERE MADE TO LAST 10 YEARS
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/build-back-better-woul...
I-95 ICE STORM OVERNIGHT TRAFFIC JAM; IMAGINE YOU WERE STUCK IN AN EV
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/i-95-ice-storm-overnig...
BIDEN 30,000 MW OFFSHORE WIND SYSTEMS BY 2030; AN EXPENSIVE FANTASY
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/biden-30-000-mw-of-off...
AS GERMANY’s GREEN DREAM BECOMES A NIGHTMARE, ASIA AND RUSSIA POWER AHEAD WITH NUCLEAR POWER
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/as-germany-s-green-dre...
PUMPED STORAGE HYDRO PLANTS IN NEW ENGLAND, IF 100% WIND AND SOLAR
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/pumped-storage-hydro-p...
THE UKRAINE PLOT IS THICKENING WITH GERMANY AND FRANCE BARELY IN LOCKSTEP WITH US/UK-LED NATO
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/the-plot-is-thickening...
DEEP-WATER FLOATING OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES IN MAINE
http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/deep-water-floating-off...
CHEVY BOLT CATCHES FIRE WHILE CHARGING ON DRIVEWAY IN VERMONT
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/chevy-bolt-catches-fir...
HERE IS AN EXCELLENT EXPLANATION REGARDING EV CHARGING AT 32F OR LESS
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/here-is-an-excellent-e...
POOR ECONOMICS AND MINIMAL CO2 REDUCTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN NEW ENGLAND
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/poor-economics-of-elec...
Insanity on display.
Democrat Liberalism shut down Vt Yankee…massive cheap power.
Enviro’s want to shut down all natural gas pipelines, and nat gas can be used to produce very clean electrity.
Enviro’s have tried to halt any expansion at Coventry landfill, even though it produces large amounts of renewable methane used to make cheap electricity.
Evniro’s try to SHUT DOWN wind turbines in the Northeast Kingdom, because they are loud, unsightly and some birds get killed.
Enviro regulations & review are SO onerous for any new hydro dams, none will ever be built of any needed scale…because Enviro’s FIGHT THAT THEY THEY HURT FISH HABITAT!
Enviro’s love solar, but it is too expensive and the VT climate very variable and not dependable…
Enviro’s are fighting, solar because it is OVERTAKING MASSIVE amounts of pristine VT fields.
Enviros fought long term contracts for massive cheap power from Hydro Quebec….BECAUSE IT HARMS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ???….
You just can’t make this stuff up!
Have you ever met, in your lifetimes… met anyone…ANYONE….. dumber, stupider, more ignorant than an “Indoctrinated Democrat Enviro”? Nope