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0 pointsafpx1y ago0 comments

I used to build microgrids and work closely with utilities - generation, transmission, and distribution. This was probably 15 years ago, but they talked about the 'solar death spiral' even back then.

In my opinion, a lot had to do with how they set retail rates. The retail electric companies set different rate categories and tiers. Most residential customers don't realize that they're often subsidizing commercial and industrial customers. So, of course there's going to be a death spiral when those residential customers decide to generate themselves.

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Akronymus1y ago

I thought industrial power consumers paid more because of inductive/capacitive phase shifting.

choilive1y ago

Industrial power consumers are billed differently - so it could be more or could be less. The bills are more complicated - industrial customers will generally pay for things like power factor, capacity, demand, time-of-use rates, tiered rates, etc. On a per kWh basis it would depend from customer to customer. If you had a factory that operated overnight for whatever reason, their electricity would be very cheap.

londons_explore1y ago

Maybe once, but today's industries will have a total power factor pretty damn close to 1.0

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