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Europe is in danger of rolling electricity shortages

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Re: Europe is in danger of rolling electricity shortages

#111
post #34

Here is what Switzerland is doing at the moment to prevent the worst case which would be rolling black outs. They are planning for the worst case so they don't get caught with their pants down. This includes: - Currently trying to fill as many reservoirs as possible - Securing gas in foreign reservoirs. - Plan for emergency gas plants that can be operational by January/February, the time Switzerland has the least ele…

> They also put out a plan which starts with asking people to use less electricity to worst case which would be planned 4 hour rolling blackouts. Time to buy some powerbanks

Any particular one to recommend?

Re: Europe is in danger of rolling electricity shortages

#112

It’s hard to be sympathetic when this situation was so obvious and preventable. This is what short term greed and irresponsible governance looks like.

Us Europeans can still look at Texas, if we want to know how it is properly done, can't we?

Maybe not what you meant, but Texas based Enron’s price gouging lead to rolling blackouts in California 20 years ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000–01_California_electricity...

Re: Europe is in danger of rolling electricity shortages

#113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Here's what rich countries are doing in general: outbidding pour countries for the limited amount of resources available in the short term. Not just energy, but food, vaccines, medical supplies, consumer products, etc. This has always been the case but now it's at the point where third world countries will probably have major civil unrest and emigration due to the shortages of food and energy they will face from bei…

If you really think that all Europeans are going to vacations and buying game consoles, you havent been to a village in an Eastern-European country yet. I am sure that living from $70/month would be hard for any of us, but some people have to keep their whole family alive from that money, and definately depend on the government this winter. If they freeze, nobody will know about them and they will be just deleted fro…

I've been to villages in Eastern Europe and wood burning is among the main methods of heating. I'm guessing the price increases of everything else is what's a bigger problem there.

Re: Europe is in danger of rolling electricity shortages

#114

The situation in Italy is bleak - due to widespread NIMBY-ism it's basically impossible to build anything. Even hooking up a LNG FSRU temporarily in an emergency situation like the current one is a monumental feat of burocracy and fighting against everyone and everything. There's a non zero chance that, together with the inevitable far right government that will come out of today's elections, the country will collaps…

What does the far right government have to do with the "inevitable collapse"? I'm not choosing sides but if the prior government's policies have led to this moment I don't see the logic here. I can imagine there are distasteful things about such leadership, but I'm curious about the economic and NIMBY aspects only.

Re: Europe is in danger of rolling electricity shortages

#116

Most likely, Italy and eastern Europe, who are net importers. Germany is a net exporter, so they would only have blackouts out of solidarity.

What Eastern Europe? Romania (pretty balanced and not reliant on gas) and Poland (mostly coal, locally mined) are self sufficient. Baltics maybe?

Re: Europe is in danger of rolling electricity shortages

#117
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

isn't it much "easier" to implement some kind of progressive price on energy? first 1000kw/h are "cheaper" than market (per person in household), next 500kw/h double the price, next 500kw/h doubles again etc... For things like heatpumps you usually have an extra meter with special day/night tarifs (in germany), the rest is metered as general consumption. I always wonder through how much energy my peers burn, we have…

Progressive pricing exists for commercial users but in general has been too complicated for home users.

My utility (SCE in the US) has traditionally had consumption based progressive tiered pricing for years (monthly basis). Recently, they have been pushing consumers to time of use pricing though (higher rates at peak time of peak consumption). So, consumers can adapt.

Re: Europe is in danger of rolling electricity shortages

#118
post #108

I am happy I got solar earlier this year. I thought it would be very expensive but we are very frugal with energy and it only was 7k euro to go off grid. During the day we can run anything (tons of sun so washing, dish washing, etc etc), during the night less so but we go to bed early (21:00) and get up at 5.

Did you have to go through a lot of bureaucracy to get the whole thing installed?

No, because I am not connected to the grid. If I wanted to be, it’s a big hassle.

Re: Europe is in danger of rolling electricity shortages

#119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You might be better off capping the power for each home and letting their occupants decide what is essential or not.

People in general are idiots and would freeze to death at the end of the month just as they roll to credit when the paycheck dries up. You’d have to do it on a day to day basis or hourly. That could actually work - use too much power in an hour or day and it shuts off for awhile.

GP suggests capping power, not energy, which avoids this scenario.
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