As a management consultant at Webb, Scott & Quinn, I work for energy producers—power plant owners to be exact. When my clients buy or build power plants, it’s good for my business when I provide a generating asset valuation. Well, the outlook for business is good, and I would like to thank the American people for that. If Americans used energy more efficiently I would not get so much work calculating power plant values. But it's not just electricity, it's all forms of energy.
The fact is, energy is like a drug. Americans have insatiable appetites for it (hmm…as a power plant consultant, am I an enabler?). It comes in many varieties: electricity, natural gas, oil, gasoline, etc.—take your pick. Most Americans complain about the price of gasoline, then hop in their 7-passenger SUVs. Alone. Their kids leave lights on in empty rooms without being told that they shouldn’t. They heat their pools and cool their homes to extremes…and then play the NIMBY card when their utility needs to meet the demand to which they contribute. They watch popular documentaries about global warming and nod in agreement—while their electric meter spins like a top. It’s like an addiction—the addict needs his fix (in this case, of energy) with no concern for the repercussions or costs.
It’s insane. Maybe there should be Energyholics Anonymous meetings.
Ironically, many Americans waste their own energy complaining—especially about gasoline prices. At the time of this posting, the average price of gasoline is about $4, which infuriates many. Mind you, in order to get that gasoline, there is exploration, development, drilling, shipping, refining/distilling, re-shipping, trucking/distributing, storing and retail selling. All for just $4 per gallon. A 16 oz bottle of water costs $1.50—that’s $12 per gallon—but no one complains. Water. The stuff falls from the sky for free.
When it comes to wasted energy, Americans need to “just say no”.
Jim Letzelter
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Admin note: Links to pages provided by Albany Website Design. The above content is the author's work and does not necessarily reflect the beliefs of Albany Website Design.
Many people would love to track thier energy bills in real time inside their homes, with pictures (and numbers) displayed on a screen somewhere in the house. Many have invented various forms of real-ime in-home energy display technologies over the years to do precisely this, some of the latest even communicate directly by wireless radio with the newer electronic smart meters appearing. But just try and get a utility company to swallow the cost to give you one. They wont because the economic benefits are all the consumer's and not theirs.