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| This doesn't make sense - NYT article about a solar installation in the US |
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| james_s:
--- Quote from: thm_w on November 01, 2021, 11:27:11 pm --- --- Quote from: james_s on November 01, 2021, 07:41:30 am ---How do they stop people from simply bypassing the thing once they've signed up to get the benefits? Air conditioners are simple enough devices I don't see what they could do to lock out the compressor that wouldn't be trivial to bypass. You can even push in the contactor with a screwdriver and the compressor will start up. --- End quote --- What stops you from just bypassing your electrical meter and not paying for electricity at all. --- End quote --- The box is tagged with a special tamper evident seal. Theft of electricity is a serious crime and they have ways of detecting it. I don't think running the AC when it's supposed to be locked out is a crime, certainly it is not theft and I suspect would be much harder to detect. You're still paying for the electricity. |
| bdunham7:
--- Quote from: james_s on November 02, 2021, 12:22:56 am --- Theft of electricity is a serious crime and they have ways of detecting it. --- End quote --- Here in SoCal (or the Bay Area) there are no serious crimes anymore. Just wayward souls crying out for help by shoplifting and driving drunk. I can't prove it, but I suspect that in some places theft of electricity is as rampant as any third world country--and if it isnt', it's only because nobody is smart enough to pull it off. |
| rstofer:
--- Quote from: james_s on November 02, 2021, 12:22:56 am --- --- Quote from: thm_w on November 01, 2021, 11:27:11 pm --- --- Quote from: james_s on November 01, 2021, 07:41:30 am ---How do they stop people from simply bypassing the thing once they've signed up to get the benefits? Air conditioners are simple enough devices I don't see what they could do to lock out the compressor that wouldn't be trivial to bypass. You can even push in the contactor with a screwdriver and the compressor will start up. --- End quote --- What stops you from just bypassing your electrical meter and not paying for electricity at all. --- End quote --- The box is tagged with a special tamper evident seal. Theft of electricity is a serious crime and they have ways of detecting it. I don't think running the AC when it's supposed to be locked out is a crime, certainly it is not theft and I suspect would be much harder to detect. You're still paying for the electricity. --- End quote --- In terms of the HVAC, the utility could look at the demand on the revenue meter and expect a reduction from not running the compressor. If they didn't see the reduction, they could make a pretty good guess. As to bypassing the revenue meter: The utility has a lot of comparative information. If you 3,000 sf house is using demonstrably less energy than your next door neighbors 3000 sf house, they might start to suspect something. A lot of people have used inductive coupling from overhead HV lines and that too is theft: https://www.industrytap.com/electromagnetic-harvesters-free-lunch-or-theft/1805 There's nothing new here, every possible scheme has been tried and detected. The utilities employ some pretty bright folks. |
| rstofer:
--- Quote from: bson on November 01, 2021, 08:36:38 pm --- Just about everyone with an interest in energy conservation are opposed to investing in anything that might cause more energy consumption, regardless of whether it's to charge a Tesla or run a heater. This of course makes sense, because the incremental power for every new Tesla plugged in comes from a fossil-fuel generator somewhere. --- End quote --- You're overlooking nuclear. There are still 93 operating nuclear reactors in the US. Mostly on the east coast. |
| Someone:
--- Quote from: rstofer on November 02, 2021, 02:45:38 am --- --- Quote from: bson on November 01, 2021, 08:36:38 pm ---Just about everyone with an interest in energy conservation are opposed to investing in anything that might cause more energy consumption, regardless of whether it's to charge a Tesla or run a heater. This of course makes sense, because the incremental power for every new Tesla plugged in comes from a fossil-fuel generator somewhere. --- End quote --- You're overlooking nuclear. There are still 93 operating nuclear reactors in the US. Mostly on the east coast. --- End quote --- Nuclear, which runs almost perfect capacity factor, no way no how. Its not the excess capacity in the grid sitting idle just waiting for demand, that'd be the coal (seasonal) and hydro or gas (short term) plants. |
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