Why do power companies want us to save?
 

At a local forum someone asked: Why do power utilities want use to use less electricity? In the last few years utilities have introduced energy saving programs, audits, sponsored roof installed PVs, helped replace appliances with energy saving units. Why? It's like Big Oil telling you ecodrive, or telecom asking you talk less on the phone. Are they getting a share of the new appliance market? Or is it just greenwashing? Or maybe they want to increase the efficiency of their system at our cost (we invest in new stuff instead of them in infrastructure)?

I think alot of it is because the grids are way out dated in alot of citys, the more we use the more difficult it is for them to get the power to us.

Also with this stupid cap and trade bill its going to blow energy costs throught the roof and I think they are trying to cut back on polution out put to help lessen the impact that will have on costs.

It also may be that they care about their customers...and the environment.

You got me reading about this question..

Rate watch: Lower power sales send rates higher - JSOnline

These guys don't plan to cut your bill when you cut your power consumption,
they want more money for less kWh..

I'm going to predict that once a lot of people start installing PV,
the service charge for just being connected to the grid is going to skyrocket.

Why the Microgrid Could Be the Answer to Our Energy Crisis | Fast Company

This story makes a point about power companies that are fighting PV on homes.
They don't want you to DIY..

My guess is, some U.S. politicians will want to heavily tax our energy
bills for their 'redistribution of taxpayers wealth' schemes..
Kinda like the way they tax gasoline and cigarettes.

But they have failed to notice that people with their own PV will avoid those extra taxes.

I'm not sure how long the state gov and fed gov are going to be tax friendly to
those people who bite the bullet and buy PV..
They don't like it when they can't control you, and your pocketbook.

In America, maybe now might be a good time to buy into some PV.?.

Cheers,
Rich

Not my power company! I live in Arab, Alabama and the Arab Electric Cooperative (AEC) does not accept renenwable energy. They are a reseller of TVA electricity and even though TVA has a program where they give the RE customer $1,000 startup cost and then retail plus $0.12 per kilowatt hour produced, they made it optional for the resellers like AEC to participate. AEC said no. At our annual meeting, they even handed out new incandescent bulbs. They are a cooperative in name only, not in operational terms. :mad:

Some folks are just power hungry.. I'm glad that I didn't take that job in LA..

Your LADWP Electricity Bill Could be 37% Higher in 4 Years - LAist

As was mentioned before, power grids are aging and expensive to replace/upgrade. Also, many power plants are near capacity, and building new ones is expensive. If the masses save some energy, it may save the power company some big money.

Is the demand for power really going up?
It seems like I've read somewhere that demand is down, because of the depression, and conservation.
I think I just read somewhere that some power companies want to
increase their rates, because demand is so low they aren't making enough money.

Just guessing, but once unemployment hits about 40%, demand should get really low..

They want you to conserve because they are required to want you to conserve, it's part of being a public service provider.
It also makes sense for them to have people cut down on energy use at peek use times but use more in off peek times.

Here in Massachusetts, they aren't really public service providers , they are more like money making businesses.
Perhaps it's the state & Federal government that's ordering them to spend a certain amount $$ on getting the bill-payers to conserve.?.

I agree that it makes perfect sense to cut usage during peak hours.
Unless, if you live in a low demand area, where there is no danger of a brown-out..
Like an area where the power company is crying poor mouth, because
people aren't using enough power. :eek:

I think they want us to conserve mostly to reduce peak power demand which is more expensive to produce or buy than power produced a normal rates. Most power plants are steady, churn and burn producers that output a fairly constant amount of electricity. When you hit peak usage, utilities often rely on more expensive sources of power. In my area most power comes from a coal plant but under peak conditions extra power comes from small, natural gas turbines which are more expensive to operate. The marginal cost for producing power in excess of base level demand increases at a pretty high clip, meaning that their profits go down.