California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045 • Hacker News Board

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#221

Post by _rpd » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:25 PM UTC

SllX wrote: post #155

_rpd wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There may be some imports of nuclear-sourced power from Arizona and Washington state.

That might be a possibility, but I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that it is actually pretty pathetic we have to import power to make up our energy needs at all. When I last looked at the stats a few years ago we were importing about 30% of our power from other States and it was trending upwards.

The Californian regulatory environment is very costly. It is natural for power producers to build new capacity elsewhere.

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#222

Post by samb1729 » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:25 PM UTC

xahrepap wrote: post #198

danepowell wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see what about front-loading washers would make them especially prone to standing water or mold. I would expect that vertical washers could just as easily have standing water. Worse, it's probably out of sight behind the drum where you can't clean it.

I'm not entirely sure what it is. But it's actually a common problem with front-loaders. If we're not extremely diligent in hand drying the washer and leaving the door open, our clothes will smell REALLY musty. It's really bad. The internet is full of anecdotes. I've never had the same problem with top-loaders. My next machine will most definitely be a top-loader.

have you checked the drainage pipe for blockage? that can cause standing water which may get smelly

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#223

Post by kenhwang » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:26 PM UTC

stefan_ wrote: post #204

ajross wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Compared to what I'm used to in Europe, California is wasting crazy amounts of energy. Poorly insulated homes, old and inefficient AC/heating units, Are you living in a particularly new region? Every time I've seen this come up, the data actually says the opposite: the median US home is better insulated, more recently built and more efficiently climate-controlled. Which is unsurprising, because they're newer, basic…

I've pulled up a random "YouTube star" "building my dream house in california" video and that looks all the world like a single glazed window, in 2018: https://youtu.be/OWglKkE-0a8?t=2m17s It also seems to be a wooden construction.. so frankly I don't know what to think. I'm sorry if this seems like very unconventional evidence but then going from building codes to what people are actually building out there is a who…

California uses a lot of wood because of wood's seismic resistance properties.

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#224

Post by WalterGR » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:26 PM UTC

jaredhansen wrote: post #75

RobLach wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whenever I ride around Berkeley, CA I see a sea of "nuclear-free zone" signs on roads filled with Prius traffic. It's not so easy to understand the real agendas here.

> It's not so easy to understand the real agendas here. The real agenda has a lot more to do with impressing your neighbors with how eco-conscious you are (ideally via cheap signals like signs and bumper stickers) than it does with costly and difficult initiatives like figuring out how to meet the world's energy requirements in a sustainable way.

The real agenda has a lot more to do with impressing your neighbors with how eco-conscious you are (ideally via cheap signals like signs and bumper stickers)

This tired bullshit again?

Yes, we understand that everyone could be doing more to help some cause, and that some people care more about appearances than improving the world, and some people do legitimately good deeds for ‘selfish’ reasons like increased self-esteem.

The “virtue-signaling” “every decent action in the world is done just to impress one’s tribe” meme is getting old.

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#225

Post by ebikelaw » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:27 PM UTC

snowwindwaves wrote: post #137

ebikelaw wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do we need a quarter century to make that happen? California built Shasta Dam in 8 years with a population 7 times smaller than today's and with early Industrial Age technology. How long could it possibly take to install some pumps at Whiskeytown to pump water back into Shasta during the daytime? The Pacific AC Intertie goes right over both lakes already.

Because environmental regulations and permitting, zoning, land acquisition, health and safety regulations, ensuring there is a financial return for the capital in light of the possibility of changing political environment, etc, all make it harder to get a project to the point of breaking ground. The power plants i work on are 5-10 years for permitting. Bc hydro has been studying the site C dam for 35 years and finall…

But I'm talking about a site that's already been flooded, where all the major civil engineering is already complete.

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#226

Post by throwaway5752 » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:28 PM UTC

oceanplexian wrote: post #194

hodgesrm wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can't dismiss the waste problem out of hand given the environmental problems at places like Hanford [0] and the costs of safely decommissioning old plants, especially damaged ones like Fukushima [1]. There's abundant evidence that it's a costly, poisonous mess if done badly. Personally I don't think this is the biggest problem with nuclear power, and it's certainly not in and of itself a reason to switch to alter…

You can't bring up the externalities of Nuclear and then ignore the externalities of literally every other clean energy source. How many people in China were killed building Hydro plants, how many poisoned by heavy metals manufacturing solar equipment? Nuclear has its issues, but everything else does too.

"how many poisoned by heavy metals manufacturing solar equipment"

Zero? How many people have died making manufacturing computers, tvs, toys, or appliances; all of which have all the same heavy metals as solar panels by virtue of being electronic goods? This is essentially FUD. A single PV panel can generate 5-10 Mwh over its service life, conservatively. On the low end that is equivalent to about 2 tons of coal. Since coal contains a broad cross section of heavy metals and they become more bioavailable when burned, I think you're better off with the panels.

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#227

Post by kenferry » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:29 PM UTC

ajross wrote: post #170

washingtub wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> vertical-drum washing machines (!!!) There are a number of issues with front-loading washers. While they use less water, they are also worse at cleaning clothes and much worse at sanitizing them. There was a recent post here on HN where a biologist did several experiments in her own washer to show how poorly they sanitized things compared to her older one. They also tend to trap water in the bottom and it gets must…

> Moving from the Midwest, I can't believe how poorly insulated things are in CA. Our first apartment in Santa Monica had windows that didn't even seal properly when closed. ... yeah. Because it's in Santa Monica. Without even bothering to ask details about your personal temperature preference or the size or construction date of the homes, I can 100% guarantee you you're using less energy on climate control in SoCal…

In my Pasadena place, we tried to turn on the heat once. Turned out the furnace had been busted for years.

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#228

Post by ThomPete » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:31 PM UTC

skookumchuck wrote: post #213

ThomPete wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I might be wrong but as far as i know they were added while there were still lead in the gazoline. Anyway it didn't hurt the normal person it helped them because techonology.

The first gasoline engines used carburetors, they weren't added after lead was added.

Sorry i meant catalytic converter (katalysatorer in Danish)

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#229

Post by hippich » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:31 PM UTC

stefan_ wrote: post #204

ajross wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Compared to what I'm used to in Europe, California is wasting crazy amounts of energy. Poorly insulated homes, old and inefficient AC/heating units, Are you living in a particularly new region? Every time I've seen this come up, the data actually says the opposite: the median US home is better insulated, more recently built and more efficiently climate-controlled. Which is unsurprising, because they're newer, basic…

I've pulled up a random "YouTube star" "building my dream house in california" video and that looks all the world like a single glazed window, in 2018: https://youtu.be/OWglKkE-0a8?t=2m17s It also seems to be a wooden construction.. so frankly I don't know what to think. I'm sorry if this seems like very unconventional evidence but then going from building codes to what people are actually building out there is a who…

modern wooden frame houses with good insulation are very efficient at keeping heat/moisture where it needs to be kept. I am in the process of building new house and recently had same research - build like we used to build house where I am from (eastern europe, brick and mortar) or use something everybody is doing. turned out that this stick frame structure with foam insulation is actually much more efficient.

Attached garages are typically is separated from the rest of the house conditioning space. I do insulation of the garage, but only because I plan to work there. Plus water heater I am installing is actually heat pump, so it should cool garage down a bit.

Re: California Moves to Require 100% Clean Electricity by 2045

#230

Post by function_seven » Thu, Aug 30, 2018, 8:32 PM UTC

stefan_ wrote: post #204

ajross wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Compared to what I'm used to in Europe, California is wasting crazy amounts of energy. Poorly insulated homes, old and inefficient AC/heating units, Are you living in a particularly new region? Every time I've seen this come up, the data actually says the opposite: the median US home is better insulated, more recently built and more efficiently climate-controlled. Which is unsurprising, because they're newer, basic…

I've pulled up a random "YouTube star" "building my dream house in california" video and that looks all the world like a single glazed window, in 2018: https://youtu.be/OWglKkE-0a8?t=2m17s It also seems to be a wooden construction.. so frankly I don't know what to think. I'm sorry if this seems like very unconventional evidence but then going from building codes to what people are actually building out there is a who…

The wall between the garage and the house is considered an exterior wall, and is insulated the same as the other ones.

Wooden construction does not inhibit insulation. Probably the opposite. It's easier to insulate the voids between studs than it is to insulate a masonry structure. Plus, "stick" building is almost a requirement for seismic reasons in California.

As far as the windows are concerned, I can't tell from the video if they're single glazed or not. Seems crazy to me to do any new construction with those.