SMART GRID FOR WHOSE BENEFIT?

Maybe I have control issues. I like to control my own life decisions based on as much factual information I can gather. I don't like having other people control me or attempt to control me. I don't give other people permission to control me. I am my own person. I would like to think that you are your own person and that you have no interest in controlling me. You can persuade me with facts, not spin or innuendo or flat out lies. Well, that's my psychology tip for today, but that is also the crux of the Smart Grid issue.

The premise for Smart Grid technology and Smart Meters is not, as you have been taught to believe, protecting the environment. It is also not about the scarcity of energy supplies. The premise of Smart Grid technology is: How can we create a device that intervenes in the lives of the most people and capitalize on that with control over them and use their money to do it? By appealing to the energy industry with promises of selling less energy while at the same time making more money, the Progressives and Environmentalists have joined forces to create a non-existent crisis in order to suit all of their mega schemes of; controlling people, reducing energy usage, and the myth of "healing the planet," all at the same time. Believe me, the only thing that will NOT come out of this is the "healing of the planet" part. You do not need to starve people of the energy they need to survive in order to "heal the planet." And the planet is not sick by the way, no thanks to Al Gore who makes me sick every time he speaks.

The United States has seen rationing before. During WWII many commodities were rationed to support the war effort. This is different. This is not war. And this is not desperation due to some dire circumstance. Smart Grids are not about rationing for a real cause, but for a fictional construction made expressly for the purpose of controlling people and their lives. Why do I say this?

Read AL FIN today
"There are more than 350 billion tons of recoverable U.S. coal reserves - equivalent to an estimated 800 billion barrels of oil, compared to Saudi Arabia's proven reserves of 260 barrels."

Read that again. And if that is not enough for you or you hate coal, read this:

"Environmental Benefits: Combining the Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) and Biomass-to-Liquids (BTL) processes, Accelergy removes 20% of the CO₂ emissions associated with standard refining methods, resulting in cleaner fuels that reduce nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions and enabling use of higher efficiency engines."

While serious engineers and scientists are very busy saving us from energy starvation and from pollution, our government is busy subsidizing energy starvation through Smart Grid equipment designed to monitor and control our energy use. This is not some conspiracy nonsense. It's right there out in the open for all to see.

Over in Italy, 85% of homes are equipped with Smart Meters.
"Meanwhile, the introduction of smart meters has given Enel customers greater control over their energy bills. Typically, the meter is installed in a convenient place in the home -- say, in a kitchen cupboard or the laundry room. When electricity prices are high, for instance during the peak evening period or on cold winter nights, the smart meter informs household members of higher rates, allowing them to alter their habits (such as postponing a load of laundry until the next morning) to avoid big charges. Analysts figure that attentive Enel customers have been able to cut their bills by as much as one-half by keeping close tabs on energy prices and usage."

God forbid anyone crank up the heat on a cold winter night or toss in a load of laundry when they are home off work. Heaven forbid people use their kitchen during normal eating hours. No, the spinmeisters are telling you this gives you, the customer, "greater control over your energy bill." Isn't that nice? You can eat dinner at three a.m. Or you can go to bed with 5 quilts over you in the winter and do nothing until spring. And when do you do laundry? I guess that must be two p.m. in the afternoon while you are at work. Or maybe two a.m. in the middle of the night, just before you turn on your stove to eat your three a.m. dinner? Just make sure your schedule coincides with the non peak hours or your wallet will be skinned and you will be sent to the poor house. And who do you think this hurts the most? The poor and the elderly. BUT, I'm sure the government will step in and subsidize those folks with your money, so you can pay twice for you energy...both for yours and theirs.

So let's see. The government creates energy starvation by refusing to allow drilling, fracking, refining, or nuclear power plants. Then the government says there is a crisis of not enough energy. Voilá! The government then subsidizes energy companies to create Smart Grid technology. By golly, then the government forces everyone to use Smart Grid technology. Then, when the poor and elderly can't afford the increased rates to pay for the now higher cost energy, the government steps in and makes everyone pay again for those who can't. You pay for the subsidies of both the poor and the energy companies, AND the higher energy rates. The energy companies just got wealthier. The government became more powerful. And you, well...you just got poorer and less in control of your own life. When, if the government had stayed out of it in the first place, there would be no need for anyone to go through any of this.

Recommendations such as this one below should give you some idea of how fast they want to hook you up: Spiegel International Business

"With so many smart meters to be installed in the near future, Enel's Gallo figures other utilities can learn a lot from the Italian experiment. First of all, he recommends that companies roll out the technology as quickly as possible. Instead of gradual installation, a whirlwind program, often in just three or four years, helps achieve a fast return on investment. That may involve higher up-front costs, but it gives utilities quick access to consumer data and greater control over their energy network, which can lead to ancillary cost savings. "In the long run, it's more efficient than installing smart meters over a decade," says Gallo. "

Folks....they already have consumer data by the month. Now they need it immediately? And by the hour? In real time??

This data gathering is a problem for me. I understand the capture of data on my energy use one time at the end of the month for billing purposes. I do not understand any necessity for capturing my data in real time all day long. And how many folks will be privvy to that data? How many house break-ins will be possible because of that data. How easy is that data hacked? Plus, it costs X amount of money to create the energy per Kilowatt hour. X cost does not change from one hour to the next. Why does the energy company want to charge more for certain hours and less for others? Demand? Well, demand does not change the X cost of creating the energy. So, someone tell me why that is not gouging to charge more during hours when usage increases? This is the same theory being bounced around to charge drivers more for driving during rush hour. Excuse me, but the road and the gasoline costs are the same no matter when you are driving, so ...anyway, you get what I mean. Why don't we charge people more for consuming milk in the morning because that is when most people put milk on their cereal? Good grief!

No one is mentioning that this "Grid" becomes a mark for terrorists or for sabotage. No one is mentioning the dangers of government accessibility to your personal energy usage data or government controlling the Grid. Once you are hooked up, you are vulnerable to anyone who wants to flip a switch, bribe you, or do whatever they want.

So I guess I have control issues. Do you? Or are we just frogs sitting in the tepid water while the heat keeps being turned up little by little?

And for my local readers....here come's Duke Energy with Smart Meters right at us. Smart Meters Contract with Duke Energy 17,000 Smart Meters installed in Charlotte
We have already subsidized them through the Stimulus Bill of 2009. Isn't that nice?
Duke has also applied for $200 million in Department of Energy smart grid stimulus grants, which it said could help it install them about two years faster than otherwise planned (see Smart Grid Stimulus Applications at $2.85B and Counting).



I posted in Dec. 2010 on this subject