How does it make you feel when...

[Seasoned Oak]

If the power companies were required to have a certain percentage of power come from renewable nonpolluting sources ,much like the auto companies have compliance cars , they would be looking for home grown power to partner up with rather than seeing the off gridder,solar crowd as their competition.

 

[begreen]

There are locations in the US where geothermal makes good sense. WA state, Idaho and Montana currently have none in spite of having good geothermal resources. In contrast, California has 2,732 MW geothermal power generation.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

There are locations in the US where geothermal makes good sense. WA state, Idaho and Montana currently have none in spite of having good geothermal resources. In contrast, California has 2,732 MW geothermal power generation.

That would be thinking ahead BG ,something that is hard to get the ruling class on board with. Iv often wondered if the heat from the giant yellowstone caldera could be siphoned off to make power ,may just be enough to prevent the next eruption indefinitely, if it don trigger one by tapping into it.

 

[georgepds]

I do get the full retail rate as long as I don't generate more than I use for the whole year. They have to credit you at the same rate they charge you.

But that all changes if you go net negative. .....

So here at least you always want to owe them more than $120 at the end of the year.

In addition to net metering, which you describe, a REC gets you paid for the act of creating solar power. Up here in Massachusetts you get 1 REC per 1000 kWh.. The price you get per REC has varied from ~$220 to ~$440 per REC over the past 4 years ( you use a broker who aggregates them, and then sells them, taking his cut, and giving you the rest)


Think of it as double dipping


So, here, at least, overproduction pays well

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

There are locations in the US where geothermal makes good sense. WA state, Idaho and Montana currently have none in spite of having good geothermal resources. In contrast, California has 2,732 MW geothermal power generation.

I remember reading in 2014 that the USFS under the Obama administration, was preparing to open the Mount Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest for geothermal exploration and lease proposals.

Although the Cascade range runs from Mt. Lassen in N. CA all the way to the Canadian border, it is estimated that only 5% of it's geothermal potential lies north of the OR/WA border.