Will TVA kill your reef?

[aquaman67]

TVA has announced they will soon charge more for electricity durning peak times. Although plans aren't set yet, the rates appear to be higher from 10am to 9pm, so called "time of use."

Smart meters will be able to tell the time of day you use electricity.

Will you change your light cycle or other reefing habits?

http://www.tennessean.com/article/2...ille-Electric-Service-to-alter-rate-structure

 

[NeveSSL]

Wow... that really sucks. Fortunately, I'm not home during a large chunk of those hours... but my tank is also at work... so it won't affect my reefing. However, that makes a digital/programmable thermostat quite alluring.

Thanks for the headsup.

Brandon

 

[mapn4reef]

I'll be thinking about LEDs for sure...

I work for NES, so I assure you, they are coming. Some utilities have the ability to throttle back your power consumption (control thermostat, hot water heater settings, etc.) during power curtailment conditions such as extremely hot days or extremely cold days when people really crank the HVACs...

For high end systems, you might consider setting up a solar panel system dedicated to your reef, or at least to supplement it...probably don't need to get that radical for another 5-10 yrs at the least.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Too much interference in our personal lives by all kinds of private business that have no right to do so! I for one will contact my elected officals and have my opinions known as all should do.
Bill

 

[aquaman67]

I'll be thinking about LEDs for sure...

I all ready switched from MH to t5s. I was thinking about LEDs too.

Marine and Reef.com has the Marineland "reef capable" LED systems that would fit my tank (and they are 10% off in January).

I was also thinking about changing my lighting schedule. Either early morning or late night.

 

[NeveSSL]

Too much interference in our personal lives by all kinds of private business that have no right to do so! I for one will contact my elected officals and have my opinions known as all should do.
Bill

Bill, read the article before you get too upset.

Brandon

 

[poolkeeper1]

I'm not upset, I do think little baby infringments lead to bigger ones that before you know it they will tell you when you can and cannot use power, Or if you can use it for unessary things like enjoyment items. You are very young and don't even realize all the freedoms you have already lost.
Bill

 

[NeveSSL]

Gotcha, Bill. That makes sense.

Brandon

 

[mapn4reef]

I'm not upset, I do think little baby infringments lead to bigger ones that before you know it they will tell you when you can and cannot use power, Or if you can use it for unessary things like enjoyment items. You are very young and don't even realize all the freedoms you have already lost.
Bill

I agree Bill. But things like electricity and fuel are commodities...they are not infinite. You have to give some thought to this... If everybody does their part to conserve power/fuel, then there well likely not be issues... However, the general public believes these things are "just there" at their disposal, and many folks are wasteful (even with resources like water). So with this said, would you rather have rolling blackouts/brownouts on a regular basis (CA, NY) or everybody do their part to reduce load as advised? Power generation/transmission entities are planning for populations to NOT do their part, so they are trying to figure out how to prevent issues on the nations power grid, with the least impact to the "American lifestyle."

Side note: Distribution utilities such as NES/MTEC/CEMC typically follow the Tranmission utility lead... Also, NES has to do their part during power curtailment, for instance, when temps drop low, they turn off HVAC in the downtown building, 1st floor gets to 50 degrees at times, and in the summer, when the temps get over 98 or so, off with the HVAC and lights, upper floors get in the 80s...

In summary, they're primarily worried about peak times, like when folks get home from work 5-7pm and crank on the stoves/HVAC/clothes dryer/etc, 5-7am hot water heaters for showers, HVAC for heat, etc. You put a bunch of this load together under the right conditions with dense populations, then issues arise. OH, and if electric vehicles ever take off...that's another story...

Just letting you know, there's a lot more to this than just peoples freedoms,...like no electricity for vast areas, a lot of people, for long periods of time...

 

[CloudIX]

On the flip side, If they are going to charge more for the electricity then they should pay more for electricity fed back into the grid. I'm a huge fan of solar power. If 50% of the population in Tennessee had solar being fed into the grid, everyone's bill would be much cheaper. I bet at times there would be zero demand for electricity from the substations. But you know the old saying, "If, if's and buts was candy and nuts we would all have a Merry Christmas"

 

[mapn4reef]

And one of the real issues is the federal gov't, which has locked in on this "carbon emissions" (global warming) stuff...they are restricting the burning of coal, which we have plenty of and can burn fairly clean...also, they are mandating no new nuclear power plants to be built... Considering this, everyday we getting closer to hitting max available electricity to meet demand...all the while, we have the ability to produce more by two different means and the gov't is placing restrictions on it... Yeah, this might be a freedom infringement in these regards...

LED lights and a home generator that runs on solar power...LOL...or become Amish

 

[poolkeeper1]

One Word, Nuclear, There has not been a new power plant of any kind built in this country for 25 years. Other parts of the world get up to 80% of their power from this source alone. Drilling for some oil wouldn't hurt either.
Bill

 

[ZachB]

One Word, Nuclear, There has not been a new power plant of any kind built in this country for 25 years. Other parts of the world get up to 80% of their power from this source alone. Drilling for some oil wouldn't hurt either.
Bill

Agreed. A few more nuclear plants would be a good thing.

Quite frankly if I'm paying for a service I expect to do with it as I wish. I don't expect someone to tell me where I can drive when I put gas in my car, I don't expect someone to tell me when or when I cannot run what I have in my house. If they are a business that is properly managed they should be investing in future expansion to properly handle the additional load that is inevitable.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Amen!

Amen!

Agreed. A few more nuclear plants would be a good thing.

Quite frankly if I'm paying for a service I expect to do with it as I wish. I don't expect someone to tell me where I can drive when I put gas in my car, I don't expect someone to tell me when or when I cannot run what I have in my house. If they are a business that is properly managed they should be investing in future expansion to properly handle the additional load that is inevitable.

Now you are getting the point!
Bill:thumbsup:

 

[ocd_mariner]

Exposing the clean coal myth

 

[mapn4reef]

If they are a business that is properly managed they should be investing in future expansion to properly handle the additional load that is inevitable.

You're missing part of this...a public utility is NOT a BUSINESS per say, it is a non-profit in theory for the "public"... You say "properly managed"...uhh, TVA is a federally created and run agency...is the federal gov't properly managed with anything? Without the ability to generate more power there won't be more power, plain and simple...and who mandates that ability, the "Federal Gov't"...

Folks...you need to consider this too, we in middle TN (the south in gerneral) have some of the cheapest per KWH electricity in the country, you should be thankful and willing to do your part to help each other keep such a perk...

And, keep this in mind...would you rather have the "public utility" deregulated to a "private BUSINESS"...well, then be prepared to pay about 2x or more for your electricity...and couple this with potential blackouts such as CA and New England areas have experienced, as they typically have deregulated power distributors.

Oh, and for "investing in future expansion"...don't worry, Obama Admin has you covered...as they invest our nation in greater debt to pursue pie in the sky concepts as vast solar/wind technologies all in the name of going green and controlling "global warming" (aka normal climatic changes over time)...this won't increase electricity production to keep up with demand, just change the means by which it is generated, at a MUCH higher cost to the public.

 

[Pickupman66]

my house woudl be ghood for putting solar panels on the roof. plenty of room on the sun facing sides. I have also thought about getting some Solartubes to do the lights, but a little nervous cutting a hole in the roof.

my electric bill was over $400 last month. according to the numbers I put together, the tank impact on that was fairly minimal. Yes, at times I will have almost 1000 watts of light and 1000 watts of heat running at the same time.

I can see this discussion going down some roads it should not here. I agree alot with what has been said regarding our country's energy policy. sadly we are all getting used to $3 gallon gas. we are happy for it to hit $2.50! I remember when it was $.79 for regular when I got my first truck. Bill can remember when it was half that! sad reality.

I wont go any further.

 

[coralfish]

That's why I run my lights at night on off-peak hours.

 

[CloudIX]

Oh, and for "investing in future expansion"...don't worry, Obama Admin has you covered...as they invest our nation in greater debt to pursue pie in the sky concepts as vast solar/wind technologies all in the name of going green and controlling "global warming" (aka normal climatic changes over time)...this won't increase electricity production to keep up with demand, just change the means by which it is generated, at a MUCH higher cost to the public.

I for one want them to switch for renewable energy sources. Coal is not CLEAN at all and expensive to gather. Oil is not any better and spills happen that cause environmental issues (just look at the gulf oil spill). Nuclear is not clean in the fact that the spent fuel rods are dangerous and they are just stockpiling them in a deep mine cause they cant use them for anything.

Solar, wind, bio-agile are the way to go and has very little impact on our environment and resources. We should all be cheering on green renewable energy to protect our world (not to mention the reef's).

Also I'm not a fan of the current administration either, but I'm glad they are focusing somewhat on renewable energy. OK, i will get off my soapbox now. :hmm4:

 

[poolkeeper1]

Pie in the Sky

Pie in the Sky

I for one want them to switch for renewable energy sources. Coal is not CLEAN at all and expensive to gather. Oil is not any better and spills happen that cause environmental issues (just look at the gulf oil spill). Nuclear is not clean in the fact that the spent fuel rods are dangerous and they are just stockpiling them in a deep mine cause they cant use them for anything.

Solar, wind, bio-agile are the way to go and has very little impact on our environment and resources. We should all be cheering on green renewable energy to protect our world (not to mention the reef's).

Also I'm not a fan of the current administration either, but I'm glad they are focusing somewhat on renewable energy. OK, i will get off my soapbox now. :hmm4:

To achieve this you will have to change your lifestyle, Those forms of energy will not support the comforts you use and want to be a part of your daily life.
It's all Pie in the sky at this point in time, As technology improves in Decades from now this May be a viable option but in the real world (Not the Theoretical one) all that is just a bunch of hooey preached by the greenies that live in huge mansions like Albert I invented the internet you know who.
If they had their way you would not be allowed to have a car or a hobby!
Bill