ghouse

19 ms·

151.
by ghouse 8y ago
Individual companies will set up bankruptcy remote subsidiaries for each oil platform. Instead, they should be required to purchase insurance. Yes, this will increase the cost to produce where it is most risky. But isn't that the poi
152.
by ghouse 8y ago
You're conflating energy concepts "capacity" with "energy" The grid can have wind/solar and fossil. Generation is dispatched in "merit order" -- when wind/solar is has a lower marginal cost, it w
153.
by ghouse 8y ago
In the case of the national grid, here in the US with _very_ few exceptions, the price of electricity includes the cost of generation and the transmission grid. These are not socialized through the tax system. The exceptions include the Fe
154.
by ghouse 8y ago
Globally, conventional fossil fuels receive greater subsidies (nominally, not $/MWh) than renewable power. Estimated to be up to $6 trillion when considering indirect subsidies [1] and $260 billion when only considering direct cash s
155.
by ghouse 8y ago
They already are less expensive in areas that have the specific resource. For example, in windy parts of the world, wind is the least expensive. In sunny parts, solar is the least expensive. This is without subsidies. With specific subsidi
156.
by ghouse 8y ago
Superchargers in CA cost $0.25/kWh. The model 3 averages <300 Wh/mi, or $0.075/mi (when charged by a CA Supercharger). Gas in CA is also expensive -- $3.64/gallon in San Jose. Assuming a comparable car to the mode
157.
US Govt Forecast 7°F increase by 2100(washingtonpost.com)
3 points by ghouse 8y ago|0 comments
158.
by ghouse 8y ago
I've got some sympathy for the IRS (in this limited case) -- their budget is cut by small-government crusaders, thus reducing service, angering taxpayers and thus aligning public sentiment against the IRS. Same political ideology also
159.
by ghouse 8y ago
Unfortunately, infrastructure maintenance doesn't get people (re)elected. Infrastructure expansion does. And infrastructure expansion increases the future burden of infrastructure maintenance. +1 on the lack of true fiscally conserva
160.
by ghouse 8y ago
Electric or manual?
161.
by ghouse 8y ago
I have experienced Cabin's bump cancelling technology on a prototype on 101. We drove ~4 miles without it turned on, and then the same 4 mile stretch with it activated. Even having seen the data beforehand, I was impressed.
162.
by ghouse 8y ago
> The turmoil at Tesla Inc. reached a fever pitch Friday The byline is 7:15 AM. Curious that turmoil reached a fever pitch at the office before the work day began. Meanwhile, Ford is recalling 2 million F-150 for fire risk.
163.
by ghouse 8y ago
Other visualizations of change in atmospheric temperature: https://www.climate-lab-book.ac.uk/spirals/ and https://xkcd.com/1732/
164.
by ghouse 8y ago
For people in the US -- NB that this is in celsius, not Fahrenheit. 2°C is roughly 3.6°F
165.
by ghouse 8y ago
I believe your information regarding China and India installing a coal power plant each week is out of date. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-power-capacity-idUS... and https://www.vox.com/energ
166.
by ghouse 8y ago
Intermountain will be converted from coal to gas: http://www.ladwpnews.com/information-regarding-proposal-to-r...
167.
by ghouse 8y ago
IANAL, but fairly certain that the solar must be powered by the sun. That said, the solution you propose would be much more expensive than using the free light coming from the sun.
168.
by ghouse 8y ago
For those who think data is beautiful, here is real-time information regarding the majority of California's grid: http://www.caiso.com/TodaysOutlook/Pages/supply.aspx
169.
by ghouse 8y ago
My own cognitive bias about smokers littering is why I vote in favor of any cigarette tax. Yes, I realize that not all smokers think the street or sidewalk is an appropriate place for their used cigarette. But the people I see smoking do
170.
by ghouse 8y ago
2FA isn't _this_ problem. It's password resets via SMS that are the problem here.
171.
by ghouse 8y ago
I mean 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, and 1099-B. The 1099-MISC for consultants, as you point out, introduces additional complexities.
172.
by ghouse 8y ago
Like a 1099? The government has this data as well.
173.
by ghouse 8y ago
Most of the rest of the world does this. If you only have W-2 or 1099 income, the government already has all of the data necessary to complete your taxes using standard deductions. If you have other income, itemize, or have other circumsta
174.
by ghouse 8y ago
Prop 13 in California has the same impact. "I was here first, so don't let my taxes keep pace with inflation -- the newcomers should pay for my police, fire, schools, etc.."
175.
by ghouse 8y ago
That may be true on Oct 22, 2016 (the date displayed on wikipedia) net of behind the meter generation (which shows up as a reduction of demand), but it's not true on the peak days of the year, which is what the capacity of the grid is
176.
by ghouse 8y ago
Over the past decade (since the wide-scale commercialization of fracking in the US), coal plants have been retired or repowered (with gas) at a record pace. I believe the share of generation has dropped from 50% to 30% in that period.
177.
by ghouse 8y ago
> The frustrating part about solar is that because the peak generation output doesn't line up with typical peak consumption ("the duck curve"), utilities need natgas peakers, which sit mostly idle, to fill in the gap. Sola
178.
by ghouse 8y ago
> As you have more and more renewable, you need more and more gas plants This is only true if the load on the grid is growing. In North America, it is not. Otherwise, you already have enough dispatchable generation available when the s
179.
by ghouse 8y ago
False equivalence. A similar argument could be made of nuclear power (which needs to run at/near 100% output), or supercritical coal (similar operating constraint to nuclear). Do we need to add batteries to those as well to make an ap
180.
by ghouse 8y ago
Throw in US federal estate rules permitting a write-up in basis to fair market value at the time of death, allows heirs to have property tax basis from 40 years ago, but investment basis of today. Both of these policies decrease liquidity i

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