Electric Grid Alert

[Faststeel]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Let’s put up more wind generation, because we all know how windy Alberta gets when it’s really cold or hot after all….

It’ll save the world you know…..

It is nothing short of sickening how many wind mills are in south eastern alberta

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

It is nothing short of sickening how many wind mills are in south eastern alberta

The SW of Alberta is completely destroyed by this complete nonsense. The landscrape has been destroyed. These wind farms are nothing more than virtual signaling. And, destroyed one of the most beautiful places in this country.

Anyone want to argue how this mess has improved SA?

The windmills and power lines in this area are a joke!

[dgl1948]

Originally Posted by Map Maker

Interesting point…I was just listening to a pod cast from Elon musk and he said that if you covered the area and property of a nuclear plant with solar panels, the solar panels would generate more power.

I don’t know if that is true. But crazy if it is true.

But solar does not generate 24 hours a day. Unless you can store enough electricity for the country you still need a backup system that can meet the country’s demands. That is the big downfall of solar and wind.

[MyAlberta]

Originally Posted by dgl1948

But solar does not generate 24 hours a day. Unless you can store enough electricity for the country you still need a backup system that can meet the country’s demands. That is the big downfall of solar and wind.

I guess that’s why utility operators are keen on increasing storage. Is it better to have larger storage facilities, or smaller capacity spread across points of utilization. Generation from wind/solar, combined with electric vehicles/local storage, may meld into the robust and efficient electrical grid of tomorrow.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by MyAlberta

I guess that’s why utility operators are keen on increasing storage. Is it better to have larger storage facilities, or smaller capacity spread across points of utilization. Generation from wind/solar, combined with electric vehicles/local storage, may meld into the robust and efficient electrical grid of tomorrow.

I found it entertaining when the Fort Chip solar project was completed. They reported that it could replace 25% of the power formerly provided by diesel generators. Some brilliant people heard that , and decided that the logical next step was to build another plant three times as large, and totally phase out the diesel generators. When I pointed out that the 25% was during summer because of the long daylight hours, and that quadrupling the capacity would only provide more power than they require in summer, and still fall far short of their winter demands due to only getting a few hours of sunlight in mid winter, they suggested batteries to store the excess. They were very disappointed to discover that trying to store that much electricity, that long, was not at all feasible, with the current battery technology.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Alberta just needs to put a few Power dams on Slavey River. More water flows through that river than almost All the other rivers combined in Alberta. Nice and handy to Ft Chip as well. I believe ATCO studied the feasibility couple years back.

[Bushleague]

Just an update, the weather has warmed up and the pulp mill I work at still can barely run a few hours a day because of power prices. When I asked what the excuse was now I was told "They've started sending power to BC at night."... now why on earth would BC suddenly need power from AB?

If BC cant handle the influx of EV's, no way will Alberta be able to.

[man of steel]

BC does not necessarily need power from Alberta but the utilities here have the advantage of shutting down turbines in the dams in moments and backing up the water when there is a glut of power in the marketplace that brings the spot prices down (these can change by the minute). Many times, producers that cannot shut down production (gas fired turbines, pulp mills, nuclear etc.) need to get rid of surplus electricity and power becomes very cheap for a few hours because they cannot cut back or shut down production easily.

Hydro plants take advantage of this by buying power when it is cheap and then running the water when prices are high making money on the spread. This is one of the reasons that wind and solar are not as easily incorporated because the utilities cannot control the ability to generate power when it is required. Until huge power storage (batteries, pump storage etc.) are available the balancing of load and generation on the North American grids will remain an extremely complicated task that most people not in the industry could not ever understand.

[Phil McCracken]

...

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

Just an update, the weather has warmed up and the pulp mill I work at still can barely run a few hours a day because of power prices. When I asked what the excuse was now I was told "They've started sending power to BC at night."... now why on earth would BC suddenly need power from AB?

If BC cant handle the influx of EV's, no way will Alberta be able to.

BC can easily handle any amount of EV's that show up. The probable reason that they imported power from Alberta was strictly just a trading issue; buy low, sell high. While BC residents, and businesses have guaranteed steady low prices, BC is a massive exporter of power, so an arm of BC Hydro (Powerex) buys and sells power from other jurisdictions. There's every chance that the power purchased from your plant was shunted down to California at 10X's the price paid by BC.

[walking buffalo]

Meanwhile in California....


https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/othe...7047e40d067e61


"The California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday passed a proposal that will reduce compensation provided to households for the surplus electricity their rooftop solar panels contribute to the electric grid.

The solar industry has said the plan would amount to a 75% cut in average payment rates to customers."

[Mountain Guy]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

So another electric grid alert and we are being advised to conserve electricity. So lets add another million electric vehicles or so, and watch what happens.

Throw in population growth, the never ending expansion and growth of major cities. It's not a matter of if....its a matter of when the crash will happen.
And guaranteed it'll be at 40 above or 40 below. And don't expect a quick restoration.. scary to think about.

[Dewey Cox]

Serious question for everyone:
When they send out an alert and say we need to conserve power, does anyone actually change the way they use electricity?
I do not.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Serious question for everyone:
When they send out an alert and say we need to conserve power, does anyone actually change the way they use electricity?
I do not.

I don't use enough electricity to save any significant amount, so I carry on with no changes. My biggest draws would be A/C and my hot tub, but I don't run them in winter, when we have the alerts here.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Serious question for everyone:
When they send out an alert and say we need to conserve power, does anyone actually change the way they use electricity?
I do not.

Other than not watching TV there isn't much I can do unless I want to turn off the furnace and sit in the dark. If the furnace fan makes or breaks the grid, we have a problem.

ARG

[Mountain Guy]

It all adds up and there are things people can do to reduce demand..running an electric dryer and electric oven at the same time puts a pretty good load onto the system.
An 8" stove top element can be up to 2.4 kw.... a broiler element 3 kw. A dryer can be 6 kw.. furnace 2 kw. So it all adds up.. ( not including those goofy electric vehicles )
The key is to not run it all at the same time. Thats what puts the strain on the system. Load peaks historically have been on the coldest darkest days of the year when everyone's furnaces , ovens , st.lites , xmas lights are running at the same time..

[Landshark]

I'm a cheap SOB at the best of times so I try not to waste anything including power. I use an air fryer to cook most things so the oven doesn't drive the cost up. I usually load up the washer and dryer to get it all done in the fewest loads. I don't drive a Tesla. But I do drive a Ford F-150 gas consuming piece of comfort. Just not very often because that costs a heap of cash to drive. I eat whole foods whenever possible because there's not much to prepare that way.
And now I understand that Alberta's industrial carbon tax is to triple by 2030 to match Ottawa's minimum standards. All the while Alberta's environment minister says "This is good news for the province". Now the industrial guys pay 50 bucks per tonne and by 2033 it will have increased to 170 loonies per tonne. That should help eh? Taxes are going up and the cost of living in general. So, soon we won't be able to afford the benefit of electricity. We seem to be going backwards in time to the days when we didn't have power or vehicles. Somethings got to give here.

[59whiskers]

The carbon tax is to meet the WEF goal. After all we elected politicians that cater to WEF rather than us, the voting citizens. WEF objectives are to reduce the number of people on this planet.

[Trochu]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Serious question for everyone:
When they send out an alert and say we need to conserve power, does anyone actually change the way they use electricity?
I do not.

Nope. As others have said, not much I can do. No hot tub, AC, electric car, etc. I carry on as usual.

[Jason Bourne]

Originally Posted by 59whiskers

The carbon tax is to meet the WEF goal. After all we elected politicians that cater to WEF rather than us, the voting citizens. WEF objectives are to reduce the number of people on this planet.

^ This..

[59whiskers]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Serious question for everyone:
When they send out an alert and say we need to conserve power, does anyone actually change the way they use electricity?
I do not.

Right now -17 C furnace motor runs, electric stove on, 1 kitchen light, 1 living room light, 2 deep freezes, 1 refrigerator, TV and Christmas lights on. When it is -20 C the wood stove is used. Wash clothes mid day, will not own a electric car. No kids at home to leave all the lights on.
We walk around in a dark house.

[I’d rather be outdoors]

Originally Posted by 59whiskers

The carbon tax is to meet the WEF goal. After all we elected politicians that cater to WEF rather than us, the voting citizens. WEF objectives are to reduce the number of people on this planet.

In 1st world countries.

[silver]

Originally Posted by 59whiskers

The carbon tax is to meet the WEF goal. After all we elected politicians that cater to WEF rather than us, the voting citizens. WEF objectives are to reduce the number of people on this planet.

Sparkle Socks wants farmers to use less fertilizer which will cut food production and some people will starve.

[gunluvr]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

It is nothing short of sickening how many wind mills are in south eastern alberta

Those windmills and all those underused transmission lines forced on us by Rachel Notley are the reason our electric bills have doubled since that airhead was premier. And the airheads in Calgary and Edmonton are poised to vote her back in. More suffering to come.

[58thecat]

Cancel Xmas, unplug the lights, go fishing.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by gunluvr

Those windmills and all those underused transmission lines forced on us by Rachel Notley are the reason our electric bills have doubled since that airhead was premier. And the airheads in Calgary and Edmonton are poised to vote her back in. More suffering to come.

Many people don't remember this, closing in on $2Billion.

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/co...-fiasco-mounts

[mac1983]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Many people don't remember this, closing in on $2Billion.

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/co...-fiasco-mounts

And to think people actually entertain the thought of voting NDP...