Record Energy Needed to Cope with Heat
Air conditioners are using record energy during the current hot spell. The quickest way to boost energy in a hurry is to fire up a power plant that uses natural gas. Burning natural gas contributes more carbon dioxide to global warming. Uh-oh, maybe we need to think about this more clearly.
Here's a story from Reuters about record power use because of the hot weather (hat tip to The Oil Drum):
I remember a TV show from many years ago where some tycoon held a competition for a bunch of engineers to design some special machine for the assembly-line that would take care of some special problem. The engineers started making all kinds of sketches and drawings of very clever machines. Except one guy. The winning engineer was a guy who didn't design anything at all: he simply suggested hiring left-handed workers for that part of the assembly-line. A genius.
But we also need people again who are less interested in the maximum profit and more interested in solving problems for the maximum benefit.
Here's a story from Reuters about record power use because of the hot weather (hat tip to The Oil Drum):
Blistering temperatures from New York to Sacramento on Monday will boost power demand to record highs and strain electric resources across the United States as people try to escape the sweltering heat, according to utilities and power grid operators.What I want is a house where I can just crank the roof up a couple of feet starting in the early afternoon and just let the heat flow out!
Several grid operators, including the nation's largest, the mid-Atlantic PJM, have called for consumers to conserve electricity or for utilities to hold off from any maintenance as the situation was expected to linger for several days.
I remember a TV show from many years ago where some tycoon held a competition for a bunch of engineers to design some special machine for the assembly-line that would take care of some special problem. The engineers started making all kinds of sketches and drawings of very clever machines. Except one guy. The winning engineer was a guy who didn't design anything at all: he simply suggested hiring left-handed workers for that part of the assembly-line. A genius.
But we also need people again who are less interested in the maximum profit and more interested in solving problems for the maximum benefit.
posted by Poechewe at 11:35 PM
2 Comments:
Our home is two story. Upstairs is unbearable after 10am. We are not allowed to install attic fans - the association rules prevent it - unless you are willing to sign away and except reponsibility for a whole section of roofing costs each time it is deemed re roof time.
I keep the thermostat at 84 degrees. Yeah it is warm but it is a lot hotter outside. If and when the power goes out - I wonder if my younger and healthier neighbors had done the same - would it still be on?
We are a wasteful society as a whole.
If you figure out how to let all the hot air out - let me know! How far down does one have to dig a hole before the ground is cool?
Kmilyun, I confess I don't understand a lot of zoning and homeowner association rules. All across the country there are now rules forbidding people from hanging their laundry up outside as we used to do in the old days (obviously one needs a yard but still). I've heard of other rules against outdoor sun screens, etc.
The power industries and oil companies must be very happy. But all that is going to change.
In the meantime, in my community, the restaurants seem to have their air conditioners on at 68 degrees or colder. My wife and I go out about three or four times a month and she has worn a sweater in summer because of the low thermostat. It's crazy.
There is an enormous amount of room for saving energy in America.
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