Thanks for the input, Stuart. You're right that conservation must be part of the equation - not only insulation but also solar thermal to replace gas water heaters..
I know that right now gas is priced cheaply. But that wasn't the case last winter, when prices spiked during the super cold days. And it won't be the case once exporting begins. Or when supplies start to dwindle, or when drillers have to pay back on their debt and can't drill enough productive wells to do so... Good to know about the Ehrhart Energy program. Does anyone know more about life-cycle energy costs of pellet production? Do you think it is a viable/advisable fuel source "for now"? Irene Weiser Brooktondale, NY [email protected] 607-539-6856 Joy to the world All the boys and girls Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea Joy to you and me On Aug 29, 2014, at 9:48 AM, Stuart Staniford <[email protected]> wrote: > The only mainstream-convenient renewable heat source in our area that is > cost-competitive with natural gas is wood pellets (which are at least > regionally sourced from Upstate NY and New England). Ehrhart Energy has just > started supplying automated pellet boilers here (we just put a very early one > in a rental unit) though they’ve been used in Europe for a long time. > Unfortunately, the hyper-heating air-source heat pumps that can cope with our > climate are still very expensive, as is ground source. They can compete with > propane or heating oil, but not with natural gas at current prices (obviously > it would be different if there was a serious price on carbon emissions…). > > I don’t know any of the math here, but I wonder if it would be more viable, > rather than increasing the natural gas supply to the area, to do something > that would increase the rate at which insulation/air-sealing of existing > homes takes place. There are a ton of natural gas using homes in the area, > and there’s probably lots of low-hanging fruit in conservation there. > > Stuart. > > On Aug 29, 2014, at 7:08 AM, Irene Weiser <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I'm hoping for more than conversation - I'm hoping for action. >> Are there people who can help put together alternative plans - district >> heating, or air-source heat pumps, or ??? that we could propose to the >> Lansing developers - to show that it is (relatively) cost competitive vs gas >> heat? >> If so, please get in touch!! >> >> Irene Weiser >> Brooktondale, NY >> [email protected] >> 607-539-6856 >> >> Joy to the world >> All the boys and girls >> Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea >> Joy to you and me >> >> >> >> On Aug 28, 2014, at 1:50 PM, Gay Nicholson <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Thanks Irene for distilling the situation. We knew a while ago that the >>> proposed pipeline would not be the one used to repower Cayuga as it was >>> aimed at enabling business expansion by the airport and another Lucente >>> housing project. >>> >>> The answers will be complex and lie in the readiness of the broader culture >>> to finally get engaged in the process of redesign of our economy and >>> political process. >>> >>> Sustainable Tompkins is willing to host this conversation about a strategy >>> that can connect the dots and make visible the best way to protect our >>> shared future. We must find a way to help people move past their >>> assumptions that they have to continue "business as usual" or go bankrupt, >>> or lose the election, or whatever other fear is driving the choice to fry >>> the planet instead. But we need help in making the alternatives viable -- >>> and we are in several battles on that front too as those alternatives >>> threaten the market share of various corporations. >>> >>> Instead of having my tax dollars go to subsidize a Lucente gas-powered >>> development, I would much rather subsidize a district heating approach >>> combined with passive house design. And our economic development dollars >>> should be going to help businesses grow near existing utility >>> infrastructure or be designed to meet their own utility needs that exceed >>> existing infrastructure. We have to overcome this addictive behavior of >>> thinking we can just have "one more" of what is harming us over time. And >>> that takes courage and collective effort. >>> >>> If those interested in this conversation want to email me back separately, >>> I can send out a doodle poll to find a time to meet and then we can let >>> others know when we will gather. >>> >>> The big Climate March is happening on September 21. That's great, but it's >>> what we do afterwards that counts, and at some point we have to address the >>> complexity of driving change deep into how we do things. >>> >>> Gay >>> >>> -------------------------------------- >>> Gay Nicholson, Ph.D. >>> President >>> Sustainable Tompkins >>> 109 S. Albany St. >>> Ithaca, NY 14850 >>> >>> www.sustainabletompkins.org >>> >>> >>> 607-533-7312 (home office) >>> 607-220-8991 (cell) >>> 607-216-1552 (ST office) >>> 607-216-1553 (ST fax) >>> >>> [email protected] >>> >>> >>> On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 12:43 PM, Karen Jewett >>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Listmates, >>> Thanks go to Irene Weiser for the update below. >>> -Karen >>> >>> From: Irene Weiser <[email protected]> >>> Subject: Dryden pipeline update >>> Date: August 28, 2014 at 8:16:53 AM EDT >>> To: [email protected] >>> >>> I attended the rally/info-session re: the Dryden pipeline the other day. >>> They went to great lengths to reassure us that the pipeline was not capable >>> of providing gas to a "repowered" Cayuga - that it would need to be >>> different type of pipe (thicker walls) different standards for welding >>> joints, different regulators for putting in taps to supply residences along >>> the pipeline w/gas, etc. Whew. I think. >>> >>> BUT there is still a problem to address. They say the pipeline is needed >>> for "reinforcement" of current gas supply in the area - as well as to meet >>> demand for a proposed new residential development in Lansing (Rocco >>> Lucente, developer) >>> >>> TCAD has indicated support of both the housing project and the pipeline - >>> and I've heard (but not confirmed) that they've even put in a proposal, >>> under the Gov's regional economic development grant program, for funding to >>> support the development. >>> >>> SO HERE"S OUR LOCAL CHALLENGE - how can we educate and persuade TCAD and >>> local developers (and other residents who want gas for heating) to find >>> alternative solutions? NYSEG, as a public utility, is under obligation to >>> provide service when customers request it. So it's UP TO US to ensure >>> that such requests don't happen - and that these developers and TCAD and >>> the County reject added fossil fuel expansion. >>> >>> Thoughts on how we can begin this process??? >>> >>> >>> Irene Weiser >>> Brooktondale, NY >>> [email protected] >>> 607-539-6856 >>> >>> Joy to the world >>> All the boys and girls >>> Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea >>> Joy to you and me >>> Are you a member of Sustainable Tompkins? Join today. >>> >>> Karen Jewett-Bennett, Director of Operations >>> Sustainable Tompkins >>> 109 S. Albany St. >>> Ithaca, NY 14850 >>> 607-216-1552 >>> >> > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ If you have questions about this list please contact the list manager, Tom Shelley, at [email protected].
