A former employer, Northern Power, sold several "wind/diesel" systems for remote Alaskan villages. It saved a bundle for the villages and cut way back on the amount of fuel they had to haul in.
The only thing that could change the status quo is Hydro Quebec. That kills the economics for natural gas plants and as the nukes shut down New England gets dependent on HQ. Of course HQ isnt just hydro, they too have natural gas plants fed from big pipelines. Once HQ has driven out competition they build the generation and New England pays a premium.
Just wanted to zone in on "Wood's" look at the Block Island "Deepwater Wind Project" offshore RI. I didn't know the numbers (0.24/Kwh + 3.5%/yr) on that project, and I assume those numbers are wholesale cost. Compare that to other present wholesale electric cost of 0.06 to 0.10 (NG & Nuc) in $/Kwh and you'd be right to be concerned. Luckily this was just a tiny project of 5 large windmills, so the net effect it will have on the total customer bills will be small.
It is worth looking at the effect to the customers of Block Island itself. This small summer-time tourist destination was totally separated from the mainland power grid. They got their power from large local diesel generators, and a tiny windmill, running 24/7. Deep-water commercial fuel barges would make the weekly trips to top off the local tank farm, and a local resident friend of mine claimed his electric rate was about $0.54/Kwh.
The installation of the 5 windmills also included a new local substation and a 35Kv submarine cable to the mainland connected to the National Grid RI system. Meaning that even if the windmills stopped producing energy, the residents of Block Island would be able to purchase their power over that 35Kv cable, and permanently put their diesels on standby. My friend has since moved off the Island, but was expecting his bill rate to drop to about $0.35/Kwh. Plus there was talk of allowing rooftop solar for the first time, it was not considered compatible with the Diesel only operation previously.
Progress.
I disagree about the sham part. If my Block Island friend was paying $0.54/kwh retail all-in (generation+distribution) on his bill, and his "future bill" was projected to be $0.35/kwh retail all-in (generation+distribution and now transmission), how is that a sham?They are billing through distribution costs to offset the contracted $0.24 /kWh cost. it's a sham.
Im still paying 12c all in. So $108 for 884Kwh. Thats because we still have choices ,all options on the table,so far. If you lower your usage too much they will jack up the "customer charge" and other you get nothing fees. My local gas company is epic for that .They somehow manage to take the lowest cost of BTUs fuel and make it the most expensive. While siphoning off the difference themselves. The fact they they are PUC regulated as a monopoly means nothing. If they actually had some competition the price they charge would be far less.Long gone are the days of a $65-85.00 bill. The difference are a couple of real nice dinners out or a few ballgames on an annual basis. I guess I just can't forget the old days of $.11- .13/kw total cost. Sure it may be more years ago than I like to remember,but the more you cut usage, you can't save.
Nat. Grid surcharges at 600kw, we bust that every year w/ 1 14k AC unit. I'd love to have the rate you pay but our rear view mirror cannot reflect that far.Im still paying 12c all in. So $108 for 884Kwh. Thats because we still have choices ,all options on the table,so far. If you lower your usage too much they will jack up the "customer charge" and other you get nothing fees. My local gas company is epic for that .They somehow manage to take the lowest cost of BTUs fuel and make it the most expensive. While siphoning off the difference themselves. The fact they they are PUC regulated as a monopoly means nothing. If they actually had some competition the price they charge would be far less.
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