The Energy Thread

[Uncle Ted]

One more step toward energy independence... Thank you, President Obama! (For whatever he did.)

New Milestone: The U.S. Is Now a Net Exporter of Natural Gas

The U.S. has become a net exporter of natural gas, further evidence of the how the domestic oil and gas boom is reshaping the global energy business.


The U.S. has exported an average of 7.4 billion cubic feet a day of gas in November, more than the 7 billion cubic feet a day it has imported, according to S&P Global Platts, an energy trade publisher and data provider. Exports also topped imports for a few days in September, Platts reported. It has been nearly 60 years since the U.S. last shipped out more natural gas...
[...]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-mile...gas-1480258801

[Moliere]

I'm guessing cash, check, or perhaps even wire transfer.

You left off sexual favors


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Topper]

I'm guessing cash, check, or perhaps even wire transfer.

Some receive a direct subsidy, or a subsidy paid to the local government that hooks up to them. This happens with coal and solar sometimes.

Some receive tax credits. I believe this occurs with the oil and gas industry, but I have never seen an across the board comparison of the nature of the subsidies. Thanks for your always useful insights.

[falafel]

If anybody knows, I read in arguments that each energy sector receives subsidies.

Does anybody have a handle on what form these "subsidies" take form?

I'm guessing cash, check, or perhaps even wire transfer.

[myboynoah]

Well then, they should sell like hotcakes!

[Topper]

If anybody knows, I read in arguments that each energy sector receives subsidies.

Does anybody have a handle on what form these "subsidies" take form?

[falafel]

true but they're making it a point to say before savings on energy costs the tesla roof is still cheaper. which can't be right.

May factor in replacement costs, since it allegedly lasts longer than traditional roofs.

[Uncle Ted]

true but they're making it a point to say before savings on energy costs the tesla roof is still cheaper. which can't be right.

And Telsa sells cars that costs less than dumb Fords... Musk just did say which one.

[old_gregg]

It doesn't have to be cheaper than a dumb roof to be cost effective.

true but they're making it a point to say before savings on energy costs the tesla roof is still cheaper. which can't be right.

[Jeff Lebowski]

It doesn't have to be cheaper than a dumb roof to be cost effective.

[creekster]

Yeah. No way is that cheaper than what I consider a dumb roof. And then you have installation costs.

Maybe if you amortize the cost over twice as long.

[Surfah]

Tesla is now in the Solar business...


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...an-a-dumb-roof

I suspect that Musk's solar shingles will cost less than high end marble slate or imported Italian tile roof but maybe not less than your dumb asphalt shingle roof.

Yeah. No way is that cheaper than what I consider a dumb roof. And then you have installation costs.

[Uncle Ted]

Tesla is now in the Solar business...

Musk Says Tesla’s Solar Shingles Will Cost Less Than a Dumb Roof

It’s official: After Tesla shareholders approved the acquisition of SolarCity, the new company is now an unequivocal sun-to-vehicle energy firm. And Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk didn’t take long to make his first big announcement as head of this new enterprise.


Minutes after shareholders approved the deal—about 85 percent of them voted yes—Musk told the crowd that he had just returned from a meeting with his new solar engineering team. Tesla’s new solar roof product, he proclaimed, will actually cost less to manufacture and install than a traditional roof—even before savings from the power bill. “Electricity,” Musk said, “is just a bonus.”


If Musk’s claims prove true, this could be a real turning point in the evolution of solar power. The rooftop shingles he unveiled just a few weeks ago are something to behold: They’re made of textured glass and are virtually indistinguishable from high-end roofing products. They also transform light into power for your home and your electric car.


“So the basic proposition will be: Would you like a roof that looks better than a normal roof, lasts twice as long, costs less and—by the way—generates electricity?” Musk said. “Why would you get anything else?”
[...]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...an-a-dumb-roof

I suspect that Musk's solar shingles will cost less than high end marble slate or imported Italian tile roof but maybe not less than your dumb asphalt shingle roof.

[Pelado]

That cool bike rack on your car is no as cool as you think it is...


http://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/ro...gas-last-year/

That's why I went with a hitch-mounted bike rack:



https://www.rei.com/product/854829/s...c:cse_PLA_GOOG

[Uncle Ted]

That cool bike rack on your car is no as cool as you think it is...

What a drag: Roof racks wasted 100 million gallons of gas last year

If you live anywhere near a dirt road or a Subaru dealership, you've likely seen your fair share of roof racks on the road. Whether laden or unladen, racks are great for hauling more crap than your vehicle normally could carry. But they're not perfect. In fact, they're actually burning through gasoline at a ludicrous rate.


Researchers from Berkeley Lab and the National Renewable Energy Lab teamed up for a first-of-its-kind study that looks at the environmental impact of roof rack use in the US. The group relied on a wealth of data, including forums, highway video surveys and crowdsourcing.


According to the study, published in the journal Energy Policy, roof racks were responsible for 0.8 percent of annual light-duty vehicle fuel consumption in 2015. While that might not sound like much, it amounts to about 100 million gallons of gas, just to move roof racks down the road. It's only going to get worse, as well, as the study estimates roof rack use will increase by 200 percent by 2040.


"For comparison, the additional fuel consumption caused by roof racks is about six times larger than anticipated fuel savings from fuel cell vehicles and 40 percent of anticipated fuel savings from battery electric vehicles in 2040," the group wrote in a press release.

The reasoning is simple -- aerodynamics. Roof racks create drag, which requires the car to exert more effort to cut through the air, wasting fuel in the process. The study notes that roof racks can reduce fuel economy by up to 25 percent.
[...]

http://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/ro...gas-last-year/