What does it take to succesfully transition to a green energy economy?

[DLS79]

In fact, we brought up our children when we did not have a car. We took them to school on our bikes, and from the age of about five they would ride their own bikes to school, and from about ten (?) I think unsupervised. We did long loaded cycle touring holidays with them, including in the Alps, when my then ten year old daughter would descent the pretty long Maloja Pas in the Alps on her own bike.

That's feasible for some people even here were I live when the weather is good, and they live close enough to their children's school. My sons school is about 6 miles from my home, and when you consider the extreme heat and extreme cold we we get indifferent parts of the year its just not realistic.

In the late summer when school starts we can have days where the humidity pushes the feel like temp well north of 100F. we get the other extreme in the winter time as well, last year we had a 2 day period where the wind chill was between -30F & -40F. Most schools actually closed on safety grounds.

 

[Willem]

That's feasible for some people even here were I live when the weather is good, and they live close enough to their children's school. My sons school is about 6 miles from my home, and when you consider the extreme heat and extreme cold we we get indifferent parts of the year its just not realistic.

In the late summer when school starts we can have days where the humidity pushes the feel like temp well north of 100F. we get the other extreme in the winter time as well, last year we had a 2 day period where the wind chill was between -30F & -40F. Most schools actually closed on safety grounds.

I know some parts of the US have a pretty extreme climate. I have lived in North Carolina and New Jersey, so I know the two extremes. Even so, my kids have cycled to school here in the north of the Netherlands when it was about 0F (with snow) but also 95F. Hot weather is worst when you have to climb as well (we don't over here, but we do when we ride in e.g. Italy) and therefore do not benefit from the cooling wind. In cold weather you need to cover your extremities more than when you are just walking, and use winter tyres. Car style winter tyres do exist for bicycles, and they are a lot safer. We mount them every late Autumn. But yes, I am sure there are times when I would not ride my bike in the US North East or the Deep South.

 

[Willem]

Here is a snapshot it is overcast and 60 deg F the wife is using the the microwave as take this. It shows I am receiving 1.1 kw solar and using 1.1 kw. San Jose' 40 miles SE is 73 and sunny.View attachment 398920

We tend to have quite cloudy weather in the Netherlands , but even then the solar panels produce a lot. Our problem is the seasonal cycle that is more pronounced than in the US, given our far more northern location. Right now, our panels produce 1.7 kWh, which is a lot more than our current consumption: net surplus is 0.8 kWh, with the heat pump heating our house, but not yet that much. Our panels are in an East West orientation, to optimize production early in the day and late in the afternoon.

 

[EJ3]

I am a bit puzzled. Here we have competition between private power companies. I can choose from a few dozen, so as per economics textbook, their prices are very similar. They all use and have equal access to the same grid. Some mostly generate their own electricity, others largely buy on the European market. Do people in the US have only one power company in their region?

YES. At least where I am at.

 

[EJ3]

That's feasible for some people even here were I live when the weather is good, and they live close enough to their children's school. My sons school is about 6 miles from my home, and when you consider the extreme heat and extreme cold we we get indifferent parts of the year its just not realistic.

In the late summer when school starts we can have days where the humidity pushes the feel like temp well north of 100F. we get the other extreme in the winter time as well, last year we had a 2 day period where the wind chill was between -30F & -40F. Most schools actually closed on safety grounds.

We have actual temperatures of 103-105 for weeks at a time. The feels like temp is 115.
This was normal when I was growing up and has not changed in the last 60+ years.
And if the humidity is below 95% there is something wrong with the weather pattern.
I was born in Austria and Europeans have absolutely no clue unless they have been here.

 

[Willem]

I know. As I wrote, I have lived in North Carolina, and it was pretty grim at times, with wet streets, but not from the rain.