Comments on: Transmission limits hamper renewable energy plans http://www.gridlink.net/index.php/archives/660 A resource for off the grid/sustainable living. Fri, 16 May 2008 04:45:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: Eric http://www.gridlink.net/index.php/archives/660#comment-33066 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 04:20:07 +0000 http://www.gridlink.net/index.php/archives/660#comment-33066 But wouldn't it be cheaper to keep it local instead of maintaining 300 miles of power lines? But wouldn’t it be cheaper to keep it local instead of maintaining 300 miles of power lines?

]]> by: James http://www.gridlink.net/index.php/archives/660#comment-33064 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:06:06 +0000 http://www.gridlink.net/index.php/archives/660#comment-33064 The City of Spokane, Washington runs a waste-to-energy plant just outside of city limits. We toured this facility in class and learned a lot about it. It's a magnificent facility. It burns a large portion of the county's garbage to create energy. No, it isn't a pollution hog. There would be more net atmospheric pollution if the site were residential homes with associated auto traffic. Landfills create much more pollution over their lifetime. The main byproduct is ash, which actually can be recycled in soil additives and concrete if there is a market for it. I'm getting off topic here. My point is, for all the good it does for solid waste management, they turn around and sell the excess energy to Puget Power, about 300 miles away. Why not use it locally? This happens everywhere. Money is the bottom line. If they can make a few more pennies per KW/H somewhere else, they will. The City of Spokane, Washington runs a waste-to-energy plant just outside of city limits. We toured this facility in class and learned a lot about it. It’s a magnificent facility. It burns a large portion of the county’s garbage to create energy. No, it isn’t a pollution hog. There would be more net atmospheric pollution if the site were residential homes with associated auto traffic. Landfills create much more pollution over their lifetime. The main byproduct is ash, which actually can be recycled in soil additives and concrete if there is a market for it.

I’m getting off topic here. My point is, for all the good it does for solid waste management, they turn around and sell the excess energy to Puget Power, about 300 miles away.

Why not use it locally? This happens everywhere. Money is the bottom line. If they can make a few more pennies per KW/H somewhere else, they will.

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