Joseph D. Ortiz
@earthsciinfo.bsky.social
NatGeo Explorer, Oceanographer, Climate Scientist; Env. Remote Sensing; Energy & Sustainability; husband, father #FirstGen, Views my own; Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=qMBuSe4AAAAJ
Yes. It’s in there…
November 16, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Yes. It’s in there…
Yes. There’s likely an impact from the current policy shift on the industry in the U.S. At least in terms of LCOE, the increase noted by Lazard’s is likely due to that. But the fundamentals are so different it will be hard to overturn. I think your term distorted applies.
November 16, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Yes. There’s likely an impact from the current policy shift on the industry in the U.S. At least in terms of LCOE, the increase noted by Lazard’s is likely due to that. But the fundamentals are so different it will be hard to overturn. I think your term distorted applies.
And to add to the fact that renewables are faster to build, they are also cheaper to operate. Here's the latest LCOE estimates from Lazard that document this. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 8:55 PM
And to add to the fact that renewables are faster to build, they are also cheaper to operate. Here's the latest LCOE estimates from Lazard that document this. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
Here is the key figure from that article
November 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Here is the key figure from that article
Yes. And it's particularly frustrating when it's possible to build out renewables and batteries faster than thermal power generation capacity. seia.org/blog/we-need...
We Need Solar and Storage to Address the Energy Emergency – SEIA
Solar and Energy Storage Can Be Built Twice as Fast as Other Technologies
seia.org
November 16, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Yes. And it's particularly frustrating when it's possible to build out renewables and batteries faster than thermal power generation capacity. seia.org/blog/we-need...
Here is another take that seems a bit more pessimistic. But the fastest way to add capacity is to build out renewables. www.canarymedia.com/articles/ene...
The country’s biggest energy market struggles to reform amid soaring…
Mid-Atlantic grid operator PJM is under intense political pressure to solve its interconnection backlog and other problems. But experts warn there are no…
www.canarymedia.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Here is another take that seems a bit more pessimistic. But the fastest way to add capacity is to build out renewables. www.canarymedia.com/articles/ene...
Or this piece... rmi.org/pjms-speed-t...
PJM’s Speed to Power Problem and How to Fix It - RMI
Overlooked interconnection improvements are key to alleviating PJM’s cost and capacity crises.
rmi.org
November 16, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Or this piece... rmi.org/pjms-speed-t...
It's hard to fathom. But the choices that they made to not approve new renewable capacity projects and transmission led to the market changes that you noted. That was the auction spike that I referred to in my note. Here's some info... www.ohiomfg.com/our-communit...
PJM’s Queue Freeze and Backlog Crisis Drive Up Energy Costs, Stall New Power Projects | The Ohio Manufacturers' Association
Regional electric grid controller PJM has been experiencing significant issues with their interconnection queue backlog in recent years. In 2022, PJM closed its interconnection queue to new generation...
www.ohiomfg.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
It's hard to fathom. But the choices that they made to not approve new renewable capacity projects and transmission led to the market changes that you noted. That was the auction spike that I referred to in my note. Here's some info... www.ohiomfg.com/our-communit...
That makes we wish that I Iived near your Kent, England, rather than Kent, OH!
November 16, 2025 at 4:11 PM
That makes we wish that I Iived near your Kent, England, rather than Kent, OH!
And that is why efficiency matters. An air-source heat pump has a coefficient of performance of 2-3 compared with COP <= 1.0 for resistive electric heating or gas heating at cold temperatures. Using 1/3 or 1/2 the power can save you money! 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
And that is why efficiency matters. An air-source heat pump has a coefficient of performance of 2-3 compared with COP <= 1.0 for resistive electric heating or gas heating at cold temperatures. Using 1/3 or 1/2 the power can save you money! 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
These costs do add up. Our bill ranges between $100 and $300 /mo. depending on how much electricity we are consuming. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
These costs do add up. Our bill ranges between $100 and $300 /mo. depending on how much electricity we are consuming. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
I can plot the generation charges the same way. I've plotted data for the alternative generation providers we have used along with the Ohio Edison Price to Compare Cost. That is the standard rate if you don't select an alternative provider. (About 25% of customers do not). 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
I can plot the generation charges the same way. I've plotted data for the alternative generation providers we have used along with the Ohio Edison Price to Compare Cost. That is the standard rate if you don't select an alternative provider. (About 25% of customers do not). 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
This is the relationship for the monthly Cost Recovery Charges as a function of consumption as kWh/day 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
This is the relationship for the monthly Cost Recovery Charges as a function of consumption as kWh/day 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
Most folks realize that the generation costs vary with usage. But what might not be clear to some is that the Distribution and Cost Recovery charges do as well. Those charges vary with kWh usage depending on your generation rate. Here is how our distribution charges vary with kWh/day. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Most folks realize that the generation costs vary with usage. But what might not be clear to some is that the Distribution and Cost Recovery charges do as well. Those charges vary with kWh usage depending on your generation rate. Here is how our distribution charges vary with kWh/day. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
So this seemed like a good time to reflect on how much we are actually paying for the various parts of our electricity bill. I track the amount per month, so can see how things break out. In Ohio, public utility users can select generation providers but can't switch the other charges. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
So this seemed like a good time to reflect on how much we are actually paying for the various parts of our electricity bill. I track the amount per month, so can see how things break out. In Ohio, public utility users can select generation providers but can't switch the other charges. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
We shopped around for a new fixed-cost annual generation contract when our came up & have seen the cost for our generation rate go up by several cents/kWh. I'll share the details when we get our new bill. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
We shopped around for a new fixed-cost annual generation contract when our came up & have seen the cost for our generation rate go up by several cents/kWh. I'll share the details when we get our new bill. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
As a result, auction prices for power spiked this past summer & those costs are now being passed along to consumers. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋 www.utilitydive.com/news/pjm-int...
PJM capacity prices set another record with 22% jump
The Trump administration will likely seize on the auction results to justify keeping thermal power plants, namely coal, in PJM from retiring, according to analysts with Capstone.
www.utilitydive.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
As a result, auction prices for power spiked this past summer & those costs are now being passed along to consumers. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋 www.utilitydive.com/news/pjm-int...
Yup. They tried to suggest that we'd just square up on the next bill, but that would have meant an interest free loan to them for 7 months. When we explained that, they accepted a our reading and revised the bill with a refund.
November 16, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Yup. They tried to suggest that we'd just square up on the next bill, but that would have meant an interest free loan to them for 7 months. When we explained that, they accepted a our reading and revised the bill with a refund.
Then I used the MCF to gallon conversion for the gasses & how many gallons of propane were stored in various tank sizes. Converting MCF to tanks of propane, that would be ~31 standard 20 lbs. propane tanks per season, or one & a half 120 gallon tanks or ~one 250 gallon tank installed. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Then I used the MCF to gallon conversion for the gasses & how many gallons of propane were stored in various tank sizes. Converting MCF to tanks of propane, that would be ~31 standard 20 lbs. propane tanks per season, or one & a half 120 gallon tanks or ~one 250 gallon tank installed. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
Yes. Given that each MCF of propane has ~2.4x the BTU output of methane, and we use 8-10 MCF of methane per season, I reasoned that conservatively we would need ~5MCF of propane. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
November 16, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Yes. Given that each MCF of propane has ~2.4x the BTU output of methane, and we use 8-10 MCF of methane per season, I reasoned that conservatively we would need ~5MCF of propane. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋
The full story was they just provided an estimate for the last part of the month when we shut off. Our meter showed we had used 0.1 MCF and they wanted to charge for 2.1 MCF.
November 16, 2025 at 2:53 PM
The full story was they just provided an estimate for the last part of the month when we shut off. Our meter showed we had used 0.1 MCF and they wanted to charge for 2.1 MCF.
Yes. You can choose your gas source, which we do, but the distribution is controlled by Enbridge.
November 16, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Yes. You can choose your gas source, which we do, but the distribution is controlled by Enbridge.