tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post5855564152880424355..comments2024-03-26T00:25:34.026-04:00Comments on Not Running a Hospital: How not to save energyPaul Levyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17065446378970179507noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-8613600674908706542009-11-16T15:35:40.486-05:002009-11-16T15:35:40.486-05:00Ten years from now, when we have LED lights, fuel ...Ten years from now, when we have LED lights, fuel cells and storage batteries in homes that no longer have electricity delivered by wire, we will be using less electricity and there will not be significant hourly price differences for the homeowner. The only question will be how much we have invested in a smart grid.Doug Shortnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-40031428419257726752009-11-14T18:11:28.343-05:002009-11-14T18:11:28.343-05:00I don't think the people in Klosters were give...I don't think the people in Klosters were given a choice, but I could be wrong. And yes, my husband takes advantage of every single opportunity for both electric and water usage savings. Unfortunately, we live in Md. where an experiment by the legislature in "deregulation" of electricity led to 75+% increases in electric bills....<br /><br />nonlocalAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-78673254919181294152009-11-14T13:43:53.448-05:002009-11-14T13:43:53.448-05:00Actually practices such as that have existed in th...Actually practices such as that have existed in the US for a long time. Many utilities will offer discounts if you hook up your central air conditioner or electric water heater to a switch that enables them to turn it off and thus reduce peak demand. Watch your electric bill. You're provider probably offers such things to you on a regular basis and you just don't notice.<br /><br />Nobody notices because the price of residential electricity is highly regulated and kept artificially low. It's also kept artificially constant. Real costs would dictate that different hours of the day and different times of year have different prices, but people instead pay a flat rate. If you paid 10x your current rate for electricity during peak hours, you probably would take steps to consume less during peak hours. But allowing markets to work would upset too many voters, so that will probably never happen.Erik Engbrechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11174963559600768092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-32286113448303813882009-11-14T09:18:12.395-05:002009-11-14T09:18:12.395-05:00The lack of common sense on this conservation issu...The lack of common sense on this conservation issue in the U.S. is utterly mystifying. When we were in Switzerland years ago using a friend's "chalet" (duplex) in Klosters, the authorities simply turned off the electricity to the basement washer and dryer during peak hours each day.(Don't ask me how; I don't know.) This was accepted practice by all. Can you imagine what would happen here if a town tried that??!!!! But guess what - you adapt.<br /><br />nonlocalAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com