Prepay gas meters?
Submitted by zed2 on Thu, 10/28/2021 - 11:34am
Have any of you seen prepay gas meters in your community yet? Since a lot of people are expected to fall behind this winter they hope to introduce new meters like in Europe, that must be topped off to deliver energy. Like pay as you go cell phones, Internet, etc. What do you think?
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Can you afford their new expensive prices? EIA says energy could double "or more" over the next few years. Costs of heating and cooking could go up a lot.
This could impact housing too, a lot as older buildings become much more expensive to heat.
Comments
I prebought this years propane...
for about $2/gallon. Looks like the prebuy was a good strategy, this year anyway.
The idea of meters and debt don't appeal to me, and sounds like yet another enslavement technique. Debts are today's chains.
In Alabama cooling is usually more an issue than heating, but we got off easy this summer, we used the AC only about a dozen times all summer.
Well best of luck with affordable heating everyone!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The cost of energy is going to skyrocket
Oil is about $85 per bbl. There are no factors in the near future that will bring it down. The demand in Asia is huge and the price that they are willing to pay makes it much more profitable to sell to Asia, than here or in Europe. Same with natural gas. I takes about $500B a year to maintain and expand the oil/NG infrastructure to keep up with current and expanding demand. Since Covid the world has been spending about $350B per year. Add to that the desired conversion to sustainable sources and we are cruising for extreme energy prices. We need to phase out fossil fuels but we can't do it without adequate planning. Otherwise we are going to get into an energy and economic crisis.
Metering in Europe was driven by high prices and inadequate incomes, especially in Eastern Europe. This will happen here, for sure, in some communities, as soon as the distributors accumulate unpaid bills. I don't think that it matters whether we like it or not. I'm visiting in California right now and I noticed that gasoline at the pump is $5 per gallon. I would like to see it $10 per gallon and facilitate a rapid switch to EVs. I suspect that I will get my wish, if not this Winter than next. Also midwinter heating bills in cold cities will be $500-$1000 per month. We use twice the amount of energy per capita as in Europe and we need to fix that. We need to be motivated to do that or we won't spend the time and money. Prepare to be motivated!
Capitalism has always been the rule of the people by the oligarchs. You only have two choices, eliminate them or restrict their power.
Can you make EVs affordable?
If not, your wishes contribute to the misery of the lower classes.
So much care for those of lessor means.
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
@Pricknick yes, used EVs and
yes, used EVs and government subsidies. The alternative is unthinkable.
Capitalism has always been the rule of the people by the oligarchs. You only have two choices, eliminate them or restrict their power.
Used EVs
require expensive replacement batteries at some point.
Highly doubt there will be subsidies of any note for used vehicles.
But again, do you really believe this will happen as fast as you hope for gas to go to $10?
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
@Pricknick does it need to
does it need to happen fast? Yes! Will it happen fast? Probably not. But to keep those used ICEs in gasoline will require $500B investment globally per year. Currently battery packs are warranteed for 8 to 10 years, then they can be recycled as fixed grid storage, that is, they have lots of remaining life. Then the lithium can be recycled. There will be an entire market in replacement batteries at a fraction of the current cost. Battery cost per kwh continues to fall. Overall cost to own and operate will be less than ICEs in the next two years. I think that this, EVs, and wind and solar are the brightest technologies for reducing CO2 emissions. We need to make sure that everyone can afford to drive an EV in one way or another.
Capitalism has always been the rule of the people by the oligarchs. You only have two choices, eliminate them or restrict their power.
Well, for one thing
If the US was not exporting the gas and oil extracted here, it may keep supplies available.
On the other hand, China is investing in hydrogen filling stations. What is the US investing in,
infrastructure wise? Maybe Tesla, but not much else.