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Cordcutting could be a big deal for local distribution companies as it becomes viable. Pipecutting (what I call cutting natgas entirely in favour of heatpumps)

Cordcutting could be a big deal for local distribution companies as it becomes viable. Pipecutting (what I call cutting natgas entirely in favour of heatpumps) is already on the radar of our natgas utility: they want to charge new build connection fees up-front instead of recovering over decades. Now, what if you could coordinate with a couple of neighbours and run a "merged" system that does some accounting to to cover imbalances? Or a shared backup generator?

looofooo0 3y ago
Why should it? If you can sell or buy electricity or capacity in a large network then you should receive overall better prices.
HDThoreaun 3y ago
My parents bought the house next door to their own. First thing I did was convince them to install panels and batteries and cut both gas connections and one electricity connection. Now theyre on heat pumps and saving tons because our gas utility keeps jacking up the fees.
krasin 3y ago
> Now, what if you could coordinate with a couple of neighbours and run a "merged" system that does some accounting to to cover imbalances? This is called electrical grid. What you are trying to ask is whether community-owned non-profit electrical utility operators that only minimally buy energy from the main grid will begin to appear in appreciable numbers.
- conradev 3y ago
  It sounds more like a microgrid: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microgrid https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microgrid A community microgrid could absolutely be a thing!
ZeroGravitas 3y ago
> our natgas utility: they want to charge new build connection fees up-front instead of recovering over decades. That sounds like a part of a (welcome and positive) death spiral for natural gas.
- Scoundreller 3y ago
  I think the natgas will still go somewhere else (mainly power plants), just not be used for small-scale direct-combustion heating. The distribution companies are going to be SOL.

looofooo0 3y ago

Why should it? If you can sell or buy electricity or capacity in a large network then you should receive overall better prices.

HDThoreaun 3y ago

My parents bought the house next door to their own. First thing I did was convince them to install panels and batteries and cut both gas connections and one electricity connection. Now theyre on heat pumps and saving tons because our gas utility keeps jacking up the fees.

krasin 3y ago

> Now, what if you could coordinate with a couple of neighbours and run a "merged" system that does some accounting to to cover imbalances? This is called electrical grid. What you are trying to ask is whether community-owned non-profit electrical utility operators that only minimally buy energy from the main grid will begin to appear in appreciable numbers.

conradev 3y ago
It sounds more like a microgrid: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microgrid https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microgrid A community microgrid could absolutely be a thing!

ZeroGravitas 3y ago

> our natgas utility: they want to charge new build connection fees up-front instead of recovering over decades. That sounds like a part of a (welcome and positive) death spiral for natural gas.

Scoundreller 3y ago
I think the natgas will still go somewhere else (mainly power plants), just not be used for small-scale direct-combustion heating. The distribution companies are going to be SOL.