Lessen the Dependence on Oil

Oil is over $54 a barrel, it is now being reflected in gas pump prices at over $2.38 a gallon locally. Natural gas prices have also gone up, and the first time we use our heaters when the weather changes we are all in for a shock. Expect the price of electricity to go up too. We need to join together and support Community Choice Aggregation, which is designed to quickly provide one-third of San Francisco’s energy needs from energy efficiency and renewables (Solar and Wind) and decrease costs for the masses (You and Me). The City’s current plan for Solar, Wind and (maybe) Wave Energy for mostly large industrial, commercial or government entities offers an improvement in the environmental impacts however it will not relieve the high bills that you and I the consumer will experience this year. Ask the hard questions what will lower our bill as consumers including the low income and people of color who can least afford it?

Why has Building Power Management not been incorporated into our commercial sector? Especially today with wireless networking so many buildings won't have to go through major rewiring to take advantage of this technology. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) unveiled a study at the Commonwealth Club that said if the commercial sector took advantage of Building Power Management we would have a surplus of energy and wouldn’t need any more power plants. We agree with that statement, however NRDC should be supporting Community Choice Aggregation with the consumers in control, not utility companies. Why are so few of our current buildings taking advantage of automated power management? Stanford Research International has been taking advantage of this technology since 1974, why is there no write-up on their savings of both energy and the environment for over a quarter of a century? Why have we not deployed advanced Silicon technology like Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that use a fraction of the energy used by other lighting? They’re also more reliable and longer lasting, with a higher Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) which saves money for you, the consumer in the long run. With Silicon Valley next door, where they know Silicon better than anyone else in the world?

We need to push for an award program for new technologies that save the consumer energy and make sure those technologies are widely deployed. Look at Space Ship One, a twenty million dollar solution and we spent billions to get to the same place. That ten million dollar reward was worth it. It is time for consumer-based solutions. Wind is being deployed throughout the world as inexpensive renewable energy for consumers and farmers. Why is it not being done here for the masses that need their bills reduced? Smaller windmill blades can be caged like house fans to protect the birds. Some people have converted their UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies) to take Solar or Wind input to keep critical systems running during an emergency. The masses need relief; we have been gouged by corrupt companies who hide behind agencies and nonprofits who sound concerned but don’t deliver the goods. The people need relief.