On Aug 30, 2014, at 9:20 AM, Irene Weiser <[email protected]> wrote:
> Good to know about the Ehrhart Energy program. Does anyone know more about > life-cycle energy costs of pellet production? The manufacturer claims lifecycle carbon emissions of about 1/5 of that of natural gas (the latter being about 2/3 of heating oil, depending on what you believe about methane leakage). http://www.pelletheat.com/for-consumers/all-about-pellets.html > Do you think it is a viable/advisable fuel source "for now”? Like everything, there are tradeoffs. In particular, like other regionally sourced biofuel options (cordwood, biodiesel), I think it’s a much lower carbon emissions option that is not scalable beyond a certain point. It can be a modest part of the total solution to climate change, but nowhere near the whole solution (there are nowhere near enough forests for everyone to heat with wood). Stuart. > > 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].
