America's Power
We Americans plug in, text, log on, tune in (tv) and tune out (music). We use
13 times the power than just 60 years ago. Electricity is truly the life blood
of the U.S. Economy. Back in 2003, New York and surrounding areas really realized
how important electricity is. 50 million folks lost their power in minutes.
Building a national grid may be on top of President Obama’s list of things to
do. One idea is a power network, modeled like the interstate road system
that was thought up by President Eisenhower. Some folks feel that moving
power the same way could help out in the long run. This system would supercede
the 200,000 miles of power lines and 500 different owners.
Wind farms that have been cropping up everywhere need to have transmission lines
to the surrounding cities, towns, and villages. The same is true for solar,
hydro or geothermal power potential. Clean energy advocates say that a
commitment must be made to get the electricity to these areas.
Currently, each state regulates its power with little coordination. With the
exception of Hawaii and Alaska, we have 48 different countries when it comes to
the transmission grid. A national grid would be expensive. It would cost 60
billion, yep, 60 billion dollars to build but would save 15 million tons of
CO2 a year and would require fewer power plants. Extreme high power lines need
less land and less common power lines along with cutting the power lost in
transmission from 9% to less than 1%. Mega watts, efficiency and environment
would have the advantage.
This would unite the states to cleaner power and to create a more efficient
America.
Imagine 60 billion out of the 700 billion bailout to build the grid. Hmmmmm…
OR take 60 billion out of the 89 billion given to AIG to party on and the
grid would have been paid for!
Also, check this out ——– Internet Marketing Crash Course
Tags: 50 million, aig, bailout, billion dollars, clean energy, coordination, creating, crops, currents, economy, electric, electrical, electricity, electrics, energy, energy advocates, environment, geothermal power, hmmmmm, ideas, interstate road, life blood, music, national grid, obama, plants, power, power plants, president eisenhower, saving, savings, systems, transmission grid, transmission lines, watts, wind, wind farms
November 18th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Currently, all power companies are mandated by federal to sell any extra power that they generate and that their customers aren’t using to power companies in cities/states that aren’t generating enough electricity to meet their customers demand. This happens already happens all day every day, so how would a national grid be better?
November 18th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Hi Condo … What is mandated and what really happens are two different things. However, I am not sure that the national grid will work. All power lines should be under ground to prevent the massive damage I have seen Hurricane IKE do. There are many options.
November 19th, 2008 at 6:06 am
Honestly, Linda. Human beings are big energy wasters and we should do something to overcome it, before it’s too late…
wilsons last blog post..You Are Consuming More Protein Than You Need!
November 19th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I know for a fact that electric companies actually do buy and sell excess power to each other even before federal mandates because I’ve consulted at an electric company on a project regarding that very thing. And actually one of the reasons that New York and several surrounding states lost power in that huge blackout you mentioned in your post is because all of the electrical grids are interconnected. Some opponents to a national grid use the New York blackout as an example of why we shouldn’t have a national grid.
That’s not to say that I’m opposed to building more solar or wind farms to generat electricity, I just think that it should kept separate from the national grid discussion. Because given the costs and time involved (again, due to professional experience) I think that we should be focusing on building the electical plants we as a country need (and lack) using alternative fuel sources than the means that we already have to transmit that electricity to the areas of the country that need it (even though it’s not perfect, right now it’s working.)
November 19th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Hi Wilson … you are so right. We are a bunch of power hungry fools!
Hi Condo … I am for wind and solar power or whatever means of transportation of sustainable power to me and my fellow earthlings. To build
coal burning plants is NOT the answer. Nor is it
condusive to those generations who come after us. It has to stop somewhere. Sustainable power has got to start now.
November 20th, 2008 at 1:11 am
when I mentioned Power Plants in my post I meant wind and solar. However we need to figure out how to generate electricity in those areas of the country where wind and solar aren’t a good option like where I live in Central Ohio. We have more overcast days than sunny days a year and Central Ohio doesn’t get enough wind for a big wind farm (but Northern Ohio I think is windy enough.) Maybe geothermal would work in my area? Or maybe that’s just for heating?
November 20th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Hi Condo … Even on over cast days your solar will pick up but you would just need more panels than the average bear, that is if you wanted to be completely off the grid However, wouldn’t it be nice to pull cheap sustainable power from Northern Ohio to your place through a grid?