The Energy Thread

[falafel]

Water restrictions go into effect today for our local water district. 36% reduction from 2013 usage. Outside irrigation only 3 days per week, Watering only between midnight and 7am. No wasted water on driveways or sidewalks. Limiting indoor water use to no more than about 55 gallons per person per day(although that one is more of a suggestion). Plenty of lawns have already been killed off, and a number of people are installing drought -resistant yards.

In short, our neighborhoods are becoming ugly like those in Reno and Vegas now.

You were never better than us.

[Moliere]

Well, low oil price killed the region I work in. Office closing 8/1. I was offered employment back in Houston office. Maybe this belongs in the "what's right/wrong with Texas" threads.

That sucks. I'm sorry to hear that.

Let me know if you are looking for a house to buy or rent

[Green Monstah]

Ha! How long does it take to get downtown from there? I don't think I should move back to my old ward/stake. So I'm looking at your area, Nik's area, and Sugar Land (although I hear it's full of douchebags).

[Moliere]

I've got a 50-65 minutes commute depending on the time I leave in the morning. We've got awesome schools and great neighborhoods. Our crazy SP councillors also just got released and some decent ones out in so you'd probably enjoy it a bit more than your old stake.

[TripletDaddy]

Ha! How long does it take to get downtown from there? I don't think I should move back to my old ward/stake. So I'm looking at your area, Nik's area, and Sugar Land (although I hear it's full of douchebags).

Should be a buyers market there right now. I hear a lot of homes for sale are underwater.

[clackamascoug]

Well, low oil price killed the region I work in. Office closing 8/1. I was offered employment back in Houston office. Maybe this belongs in the "what's right/wrong with Texas" threads.

If I recall you were in Tulsa right? At least you've got a job, even if it's in one of the nicer cities of the nation.

[Katy Lied]

One of the Energy Efficiency programs we run for a large client in the Midwest resulted in enough electrical energy savings to remove 3 500-MW coal fired power plants from the grid for a year. Yeah!

Although... now that we've cherry picked the low hanging fruit, further efficiency gains only get harder.

[Uncle Ted]

North Carolina citizenry defeat pernicious Big Solar plan to suck up the Sun

Town council votes to deny zoning permit that would allow solar farm development.

The citizens of Woodland, N.C. have spoken loud and clear: They don't want none of them highfalutin solar panels in their good town. They scare off the kids. "All the young people are going to move out," warned Bobby Mann, a local resident concerned about the future of his burg. Worse, Mann said, the solar panels would suck up all the energy from the Sun.


Another resident—a retired science teacher, no less—expressed concern that a proposed solar farm would block photosynthesis, and prevent nearby plants from growing. Jane Mann then went on to add that there seemed to have been a lot of cancer deaths in the area, and that no one could tell her solar panels didn't cause cancer. “I want information," Mann said. "Enough is enough."
[...]

http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/...ck-up-the-sun/

[Green Monstah]

Woodland, NC in the early favorite to win the prestigious "Friend of Hydrocarbons" award.

[Green Monstah]

Crude spot price is over $58

There's a furniture store in twin that is offering a "85 and it's free" promotion. If you buy $7k worth of furniture and crude hits $85 by the end of the year you get all your money refunded.

I doubt we get anywhere close to $85, but at least things are looking up for the industry.

You jinxed us, damn it!

[Pelado]

Woodland, NC in the early favorite to win the prestigious "Friend of Hydrocarbons" award.

It's for the photosynthesis, damn it!

[chrisrenrut]

Researchers Have Developed Socks That Generate Electricity Using Urine:

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/115648/20151211/researchers-developed-socks-generate-electricity-using-urine.htm

Could have gone in the Blink Blink thread, but since this one was bumped today, I'll put it here.

[beefytee]

Pons and Fleischmann's mess is still having negative repercussions today:

https://aeon.co/essays/why-do-scientists-dismiss-the-possibility-of-cold-fusion

[Green Monstah]

Oil and gas magnate Aubrey McClendon died today, one day after being indicted for charges of bid rigging during his time at Chesapeake.
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/02/

[I.J. Reilly]

An interesting article on cost containment for nuclear energy projects: http://www.vox.com/2016/2/29/1113293...s-france-korea