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Vermont replacing power plants with home batteries

389 points · 304 comments · devonnull

  1. whartung · · focus · HN ↗
    We have this in CA. I have Tesla batteries and they promote wanting me to enroll my batteries into a larger grid so their capacity can be used during higher load events.

    I thought it was a novel idea when I heard about it.

    1. thelastgallon · · focus · HN ↗
      Tesla Electric customers report making as much as $150 a day: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;electrek.co&#x2F;2023&#x2F;07&#x2F;05&#x2F;tesla-electric-customers-report-making-150-day&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;electrek.co&#x2F;2023&#x2F;07&#x2F;05&#x2F;tesla-electric-customers-repo...
      1. senectus1 · · focus · HN ↗
        there is something really wrong with the economics of this.

        it shouldnt be celebrated.

        1. beering · · focus · HN ↗
          What is wrong with this?
          1. AuthAuth · · focus · HN ↗
            Its an inefficient use of capital.
            1. thelastgallon · · focus · HN ↗
              Whose capital?
              1. AuthAuth · · focus · HN ↗
                The people buying the batteries and the government&#x27;s capital. It only benefits the private util companies.

                The better option is for the government&#x2F;utility company to build out the required storage for a fraction of the cost.

                1. JumpCrisscross · · focus · HN ↗
                  &gt; better option is for the government&#x2F;utility company to build out the required storage for a fraction of the cost

                  Ex ante, sure. Right now, the existing batteries are a sunk cost the utility didn’t have to pay capital costs for. The right answer is to do both.

                2. coryrc · · focus · HN ↗
                  And when the power lines fall down in rural areas, how will people heat and power their homes? I guess they could buy some batteries, but then they&#x27;d sit idle most of the time. Maybe they could find some other profitable use and share the capital cost?
                3. eru · · focus · HN ↗
                  &gt; The people buying the batteries and the government&#x27;s capital.

                  The former should be allowed to make their own decisions. I agree that the latter should probably be kept out of this: government is usually not very good at making these decisions. But alas, in many places they play a huge role in the electricity supply and distribution.

                  1. Joker_vD · · focus · HN ↗
                    &gt; The former should be allowed to make their own decisions.

                    Yes, but that&#x27;s how we arrive to local economical maxima that are much, much closer to the global minimum that to the global maximum. The personal decisions aggregate, after all.

                    1. eru · · focus · HN ↗

                      [dead]

                4. thelastgallon · · focus · HN ↗
                  People are buying the batteries with their OWN capital, not Govts capital.

                  You say Govt capital which only benefits private utlities and ALSO say govt&#x2F;utility should to build out the storage. Not sure what you are trying to say. You sound pretty confused.

                  1. AuthAuth · · focus · HN ↗
                    In a lot of places the power companies are government owned and the private companies get massive amounts of captial from the government for buildouts.
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