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While I understand that electricity (depending on how it is produced) is a "clean" energy, isn't it better to hedge your bet and rely on oil or gas heaters in c

While I understand that electricity (depending on how it is produced) is a "clean" energy, isn't it better to hedge your bet and rely on oil or gas heaters in case the electricity conks out? Imagine being stuck in a blizzard with the grid knocked out, in freezing temperature. With an electric heat pump, you'll need to buy a generator as a backup safeguard.

abenga 3y ago
Why are you attributing being stuck to a grid to electricity and not oil or gas? It is far easier and cleaner to generate electricity in a distributed fashion (yes, even by burning oil and gas) than to be free of the oil and gas supply chain.
- webmobdev 3y ago
  Oil and gas can be stored and also acquired more easily. It just seems prudent to rely on more than 1 source of energy.
  - abenga 3y ago
    That's the thing, using electric appliances and vehicles means you can actually rely on more than one source of energy (including oil, using generators). A gas heater uses nothing but gas. An electric heat pump can be powered by anything that pushes electrons.
  - Kirby64 3y ago
    Even oil and gas heaters require a significant amount of electricity to run. The fan for our HVAC uses about 600W while on, which will tax most battery systems pretty quickly, even assuming you still have gas or oil to burn. Sure, you can use propane heaters or something that require no power at all, but those tend to be unsafe in enclosed areas.
bravetraveler 3y ago
See the last few winters down here in Texas for examples. Electrical failures aren't unlikely Cold/freezing means heavier lines that may fall and so on
- toomuchtodo 3y ago
  Gas compressors also failed because ERCOT and local utilities were blind with regards to load shedding and critical loads. You must build for total system resilience, and not assume your continuity plans will be robust because of disparate energy sources. Clearly you can’t assume the competence of some system operators. https://www.masterresource.org/texas-blackout-2021/electrified-natural-gas-pipeline-compressors-texas/ https://www.masterresource.org/texas-blackout-2021/electrifi... https://techxplore.com/news/2023-04-natural-gas-pipelines-vulnerable-electric.html https://techxplore.com/news/2023-04-natural-gas-pipelines-vu...

abenga 3y ago

Why are you attributing being stuck to a grid to electricity and not oil or gas? It is far easier and cleaner to generate electricity in a distributed fashion (yes, even by burning oil and gas) than to be free of the oil and gas supply chain.

webmobdev 3y ago
Oil and gas can be stored and also acquired more easily. It just seems prudent to rely on more than 1 source of energy.
- abenga 3y ago
  That's the thing, using electric appliances and vehicles means you can actually rely on more than one source of energy (including oil, using generators). A gas heater uses nothing but gas. An electric heat pump can be powered by anything that pushes electrons.
- Kirby64 3y ago
  Even oil and gas heaters require a significant amount of electricity to run. The fan for our HVAC uses about 600W while on, which will tax most battery systems pretty quickly, even assuming you still have gas or oil to burn. Sure, you can use propane heaters or something that require no power at all, but those tend to be unsafe in enclosed areas.

bravetraveler 3y ago

See the last few winters down here in Texas for examples. Electrical failures aren't unlikely Cold/freezing means heavier lines that may fall and so on

toomuchtodo 3y ago
Gas compressors also failed because ERCOT and local utilities were blind with regards to load shedding and critical loads. You must build for total system resilience, and not assume your continuity plans will be robust because of disparate energy sources. Clearly you can’t assume the competence of some system operators. https://www.masterresource.org/texas-blackout-2021/electrified-natural-gas-pipeline-compressors-texas/ https://www.masterresource.org/texas-blackout-2021/electrifi... https://techxplore.com/news/2023-04-natural-gas-pipelines-vulnerable-electric.html https://techxplore.com/news/2023-04-natural-gas-pipelines-vu...