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+---
+layout: post
+title: The cost of power in northern California
+tags:
+- opinion
+- solar
+---
+
+
+From my perspective one of the most important steps to address climate change
+is investment in cleaner power generation. Imagine my displeasure when I
+started doing the math on some of my recent power bills. Where I live Pacific
+Gas and Electric (PG&E) is the predominant utility company but fortunately I am
+also able to purchase electricity from [Sonoma Clean
+Power](https://sonomacleanpower.org/). Nevertheless, I still receive a bill
+from PG&E which is the owner/operator of most if not all of the transmission
+and generation capacity in the region. In Northern California there is no love
+lost for PG&E, which has been found responsible for negligence leading to
+numerous wildfires, gas pipeline leaks, and explosions. Much of this negligence
+has been due to postponing of forfeiting maintenance in order to recognize
+higher profits. To add insult to injury, it seems like they skim a healthy
+margin off of residential producers/consumers as well.
+
+In 2019 I installed solar panels on my roof, and then waited for over six
+months for "permission to operate" because the transformer the house connects
+to was too old. That's another story, but a common one among a long list of
+deferred upgrades by the company. Once we gained permission to operate, our
+rate plan switched over to "time of use" with [Net Energy
+Metering](https://news.energysage.com/net-metering-2-0-in-california-everything-you-need-to-know/).
+In essence, I pay a variable energy price depending on pre-set off-peak and
+peak energy rates, and my solar generation can offset the cost of non-solar
+power used.
+
+This "time of use" type plan has [rates
+defined](https://www.pge.com/en_US/residential/rate-plans/rate-plan-options/time-of-use-base-plan/time-of-use-plan.page?)
+for winter and summer periods. The current summer rates for me result in **$0.35**
+per kilowatt/hour (kWh) off-peak, and **$0.42** per kWh during the peak period from
+4pm to 9pm.
+
+It is quite obvious why peak power costs more, there's a *lot* more demand in
+the summer afternoon for air-conditioners, etc. I would hazard a guess that the
+peak doesn't start earlier because of a surplus of solar power as the sun is
+directly overhead from 12-2pm.
+
+The power generation prices that **I** am paid however for generation are
+**$0.07** for off-peak and **$0.13** for peak generation per kWh. That means I
+have to generate _three times more power_ during peak and _five times more
+power_ during off-peak in order to break even.
+
+I am a retail consumer of electricity but a wholesale producer.
+
+---
+
+In 2020 California's largest production of electricity was from natural gas
+power plants [according to a California Energy Commission
+report](https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/california-electrical-energy-generation).
+photo-voltaic solar (panels) were the _second_ largest class of electricity but
+only produced 1/3 as much energy. California imported almost as much from other
+states as our own natural gas facilities produced, 81gWh compared to our 92gWh.
+
+In my opinion solar and wind production need to grow and the best way to
+encourage that behavior is with better rates for clean energy production and
+poorer rates for carbon-producing ones. The California Public Utilities
+Commission has the power to influence this behavior, but who knows whether
+they're willing to step up.
diff --git a/tag/solar.md b/tag/solar.md
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+---
+layout: tag_page
+title: "Tag: solar"
+tag: solar
+robots: noindex
+---