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6 comments on NYC Residents Want More Solar

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Nagorak on September 20, 2006 - 7:41am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top
I'm surprised that solar would prove so popular up in NYC, especially because it seems like one of the less ideal places for it.  Solar works a lot better the further south you get (and also generally the drier due to fewer periods of cloud cover).  As alternatives go, it seems to me that 2, 3, 4 and 5 would be more promising to NYC, not that solar can't make a difference.  It won't be as effective as it might be in sunny California or in Florida (although maybe the danger of hurricanes could make solar muontings undesirable in Florida?).  
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Glenn on September 20, 2006 - 8:32am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
One thing with solar here is that NYC hits peak demand on the hottest days of the year when everyone has their air conditioners running. If solar could shave off that demand a bit, it could mean the difference between a new power plant or not...
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Valuethinker on September 20, 2006 - 1:44pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
When I walked around NYC I saw a lot of old air conditioners (I would guess 20 years+) and a lot of old buildings.

I suspect spending that money on subsidising new air conditioners (Energy Star ones are as much as 60% more efficient) and new windows, insulation etc. would do as much for peak power demand as a few solar cells (at current prices).  A 'negawatt' saved is probably a whole lot cheaper than a megawatte generated by PV (at least in NYC's climate and latitude-- California or Phoenix could be very different).

Ditto mandating that stores, restaurants etc. keep their doors closed on hot days.

Perhaps through time of day pricing, although that would require a huge investment in new electric metring.

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Glenn on September 20, 2006 - 3:12pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Yup, I'm into the whole negawatt thing. And Air Conditioner bounty program would be fantastic and would also allow proper disposal of the chemicals inside.
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Valuethinker on September 21, 2006 - 8:12am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
The keys are incentivising Con Ed into doing this, and getting away from the political rhetoric about 'new' energy sources.

That said, they are building a huge windpowered station in upstate New York, I think.  And there must be some real offshore wind opportunities off Long Island.

When the nuclear reactors shut down (http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/st_profiles/sept02ny.xls Nine Mile Point?) New York is going to have a power deficit, I think.

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Glenn on September 21, 2006 - 9:51am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Actually as LevinK pointed out to me, we are already in deficit.

Here's an analysis I did a while back, but haven't figured out on my new Mac computer how to make the excel chart into a picture that I can post. Any tech advice.

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6 comments on NYC Residents Want More Solar

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