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They might be 80% efficient, but I think around 40% of California electricity comes from natural gas. It’s kind of silly to convert from gas to electricity to h
by 83afnpg 4y ago
They might be 80% efficient, but I think around 40% of California electricity comes from natural gas. It’s kind of silly to convert from gas to electricity to heat in terms of efficiency.
- ricardobeat 4y agoIt may sound silly at first, but the numbers are not far off. The added losses for 50% (power plant) and 80% (cooktop) efficiency would give you the same 40% overall, but now you don't need massive pipes carrying flammable pressurized gas everywhere. And both of those numbers are probably higher for modern equipment (ex 60/90 = 54% overall efficiency).
- syntheweave 4y agoI checked this recently. California is still in the 30-40% range for gas/fossil fuels usage on average, but it has achieved a 100% renewables grid for a 15 minute period this year, and it wasn't a fluke or engineered stunt, but one more in a series of record-breaking milestones which have seen the grid periodically blast through the 90% range. So the trend looks good for electric conversion.
- tomcam 4y agoWhy are they preparing for widespread brownouts this summer? https://www.eenews.net/articles/grid-monitor-warns-of-u-s-blackouts-in-sobering-report/ https://www.eenews.net/articles/grid-monitor-warns-of-u-s-bl...
- freemint 4y agoNatural Gas to electric energy conversion happens at a higher efficiency. Millions are invested to ensure that. In addition every gas to heat thing can't be decarbonised (electricity to gas won't work at this scale and would be hugely inefficient) to negative emissions.