Save some money by firing Arun Raha. As the state economist, he's never been right. His estimates always have been too optimistic.
And it will get worse with progressives controlling the purse strings in Olympia. In fact, if the deficit doesn't head to $9 billion, I would be surprised. Wait until the retail real estate market collapses because of a loss of disposable income!.
But then this is the trap of progressives who WANT a collapsed economy. Progressives promote government reliance, a desperate populace, and fear. They will offer security in exchange for giving up your freedom.
Progressives prevent the development of resources such as timber, mining, agriculture, fishing, hydro-electric, livestock. They tout 'eco-tourism', creating parks, and expensive 'green energy' as alternatives. What they've done instead is reduced the flow of private sector created income, and increased the cost of living. Wait until the hyperinflation starts. Then you'll see just how bad it can get. Disposable income will drop dramatically as food and energy prices soar. That food-to-fuel scheme isn't looking so smart now, is it? As equipment and vehicles start to fail because of mandated E15 (15% ethanol in gas), savings will drop as consumers and companies struggle to buy replacements.
As disposable income drops so to does the retail industry.
If the DSHS has political connections, an investigation probably won't matter. Gregoire probably will let them just hire more staff as she did when Puget Sound Partnership Executive Director David Dicks was found by a state sudit to have issued illegal contracts, misused government property, fired a whistleblower then paid her off, and more.
No mention was made of the Puget Sound Partnership financial mismanagement, the illegal contracts, the nepotism of the Dicks family, the abuse of government property, the firing of a whistleblower and subsequent secret hush money, the $470/hour legal fees, and the millions to consultants?
Perhaps Koch SAVED the plant by buying it and cutting costs and perhaps they think Heck will cause economic conditions to deteriorate as has been happening with Progressives in power the last 4 years.
Just because a company cuts its labor, doesn't mean it didn't save the other jobs.
Progressives see the writing on the wall - the Health Care Bill is a disaster. Some progressives are fleeing their earlier support positions, some are 'doubling down' hoping to get past Nov 2nd.
Don't let them off the hook. Vote out all progressives, because no matter what they say now, they retain the right after the election to reconsider their reconsideration.
Vote for a conservative who will watch out for YOU!
The press often misreports wind turbine production. Consultants, politicians, environmental groups, and the press often tout the theoretical limits of a project, but neglect to tell the public what the energy production is over time. This oversight costs ratepayers much more than they're told.
If you read a project is 82mW (megawatt), and claims it “will produce ‘up to’ 82mW”. This is the maximum power the project can generate. Some, but not all press, report that it “will produce 82mW (82,000 kilowatts) or enough power for 18,000 homes” but the phrases “produce up to” and “will produce” are not technically the same because the project has a predicted 30% capacity factor. That means, over a period of a year, that project will produce 30% of the 82mWh (per hour), which equals about 24.6mWh of ‘levelized’, or averaged out, power over the 8760 hours in a year. This project will supplement but not fully provide the power for 18,000 homes. During a PUD commissioner meeting, I brought up the issue of how the project should be described to the public and what information should be added their website. Most of the public think of power in kilowatts hours (kWh), the energy they consume, not in theoretical limits.
• “$0.027/kWh (or $27/mWh) is the average values of O&M costs obtained from report surveys. This compares to early estimates by one of the world’s dominant turbine suppliers of $0.005/kWh.” Energy Northwest used an even lower number of $0.0047. • “A significant amount of R&D is currently going into gearbox reliability. Many gearboxes, designed for a 20-year life, are failing after 6 to 8 years of operation.” It is likely the higher windspeeds and turbulence affecting coastal Washington would increase component fatigue above the average. According to one expert “The same turbine operating reliably in Germany at a less than 20% capacity factor may experience catastrophic failures in the U.S. operating at a 35% capacity factor due to more rigorous wind resource regimes.” • “At $0.02/kWh, O&M costs are roughly equal to the federal production tax credit offered in the US as a subsidy to make wind energy competitive.” I question whether this subsidy will continue over time as America faces increased financial pressure and debt. A loss of subsidy on an existing project means rate payers pick up the difference. And higher utility costs will drive business and jobs away. • Will the wind turbines have personnel lifts for maintenance? Without automatic lifts, one report states that it is virtually impossible to expect a wind turbine engineer to climb more than 3 towers in a day, and only one wind turbine manufacturer installs lifts as standard equipment. • New data shows the downtime for component failure is dramatically longer for blades, gearboxes, and generators, than first estimated in 2006. For example, average rotor blade replacement time now is 22 days from a 2006 projected 3 days.
Think the consultants are telling you the truth about wind turbine cost?
Investigation of wind energy industry data shows some surprising issues. According to WindEnergyUpdate, a wind industry newsletter, the following (in quotes) are findings from a new report prepared by independent experts and incorporates new strategies and data from over 100 operators and component suppliers. Outside the quotes are my comments: • “79% of wind turbines are still under warranty and this under-identifies the true cost of maintenance. This is about to change with the expiration of many new project warranties.” • “O&M costs for wind power are double or triple the figures originally projected, they are particularly high in the US, which is now the world’s largest wind power market.” “Europe’s premium power prices allow for more preventative maintenance and therefore overall lower maintenance costs than the US” • “Europe has a 2 to 5% advantage over the US if resource factors are accounted for”. Many wind turbine component manufacturers are in Europe and shipping and installation is simpler. Pacific County perhaps is even more remote from parts suppliers than most, which puts Radar Ridge at the higher cost disadvantage. • “There is a negative 21% change in wind farm return on investment. This underperformance of wind assets is most likely attributable to both differences in power production and O&M costs over original estimates.” That means the industry has experienced 21% less net income for the money invested than projected.
Unions pressed to give up more
Decertify the public employee unions. Then the budget will be easier to balance.
It takes about 10 private sector taxpayers to fund 1 public employee's pay and benefits.
December 1, 2010 at 1:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lawmakers: Budget action can’t wait
Save some money by firing Arun Raha. As the state economist, he's never been right. His estimates always have been too optimistic.
And it will get worse with progressives controlling the purse strings in Olympia. In fact, if the deficit doesn't head to $9 billion, I would be surprised. Wait until the retail real estate market collapses because of a loss of disposable income!.
But then this is the trap of progressives who WANT a collapsed economy. Progressives promote government reliance, a desperate populace, and fear. They will offer security in exchange for giving up your freedom.
Progressives prevent the development of resources such as timber, mining, agriculture, fishing, hydro-electric, livestock. They tout 'eco-tourism', creating parks, and expensive 'green energy' as alternatives. What they've done instead is reduced the flow of private sector created income, and increased the cost of living. Wait until the hyperinflation starts. Then you'll see just how bad it can get. Disposable income will drop dramatically as food and energy prices soar. That food-to-fuel scheme isn't looking so smart now, is it? As equipment and vehicles start to fail because of mandated E15 (15% ethanol in gas), savings will drop as consumers and companies struggle to buy replacements.
As disposable income drops so to does the retail industry.
November 19, 2010 at 11:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DSHS workers allege fraud in agency
If the DSHS has political connections, an investigation probably won't matter. Gregoire probably will let them just hire more staff as she did when Puget Sound Partnership Executive Director David Dicks was found by a state sudit to have issued illegal contracts, misused government property, fired a whistleblower then paid her off, and more.
November 10, 2010 at 10:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
In Our View: Sound Logic
Is this another PR article where the writers received some renumeration by the Puget Sound Partnership to promote their efforts?
October 20, 2010 at 12:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
In Our View: Sound Logic
No mention was made of the Puget Sound Partnership financial mismanagement, the illegal contracts, the nepotism of the Dicks family, the abuse of government property, the firing of a whistleblower and subsequent secret hush money, the $470/hour legal fees, and the millions to consultants?
October 20, 2010 at 12:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Company backing Herrera laid off 300 in Camas
Perhaps Koch SAVED the plant by buying it and cutting costs and perhaps they think Heck will cause economic conditions to deteriorate as has been happening with Progressives in power the last 4 years.
Just because a company cuts its labor, doesn't mean it didn't save the other jobs.
October 19, 2010 at 10:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Washington View: There’s a chance to avoid ‘ train wreck’ on health care
Progressives see the writing on the wall - the Health Care Bill is a disaster. Some progressives are fleeing their earlier support positions, some are 'doubling down' hoping to get past Nov 2nd.
Don't let them off the hook. Vote out all progressives, because no matter what they say now, they retain the right after the election to reconsider their reconsideration.
Vote for a conservative who will watch out for YOU!
October 12, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Proposed clean-energy projects could boost Clark County
The press often misreports wind turbine production. Consultants, politicians, environmental groups, and the press often tout the theoretical limits of a project, but neglect to tell the public what the energy production is over time. This oversight costs ratepayers much more than they're told.
If you read a project is 82mW (megawatt), and claims it “will produce ‘up to’ 82mW”. This is the maximum power the project can generate. Some, but not all press, report that it “will produce 82mW (82,000 kilowatts) or enough power for 18,000 homes” but the phrases “produce up to” and “will produce” are not technically the same because the project has a predicted 30% capacity factor. That means, over a period of a year, that project will produce 30% of the 82mWh (per hour), which equals about 24.6mWh of ‘levelized’, or averaged out, power over the 8760 hours in a year. This project will supplement but not fully provide the power for 18,000 homes. During a PUD commissioner meeting, I brought up the issue of how the project should be described to the public and what information should be added their website. Most of the public think of power in kilowatts hours (kWh), the energy they consume, not in theoretical limits.
October 1, 2010 at 11:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Proposed clean-energy projects could boost Clark County
• “$0.027/kWh (or $27/mWh) is the average values of O&M costs obtained from report surveys. This compares to early estimates by one of the world’s dominant turbine suppliers of $0.005/kWh.” Energy Northwest used an even lower number of $0.0047.
• “A significant amount of R&D is currently going into gearbox reliability. Many gearboxes, designed for a 20-year life, are failing after 6 to 8 years of operation.” It is likely the higher windspeeds and turbulence affecting coastal Washington would increase component fatigue above the average. According to one expert “The same turbine operating reliably in Germany at a less than 20% capacity factor may experience catastrophic failures in the U.S. operating at a 35% capacity factor due to more rigorous wind resource regimes.”
• “At $0.02/kWh, O&M costs are roughly equal to the federal production tax credit offered in the US as a subsidy to make wind energy competitive.” I question whether this subsidy will continue over time as America faces increased financial pressure and debt. A loss of subsidy on an existing project means rate payers pick up the difference. And higher utility costs will drive business and jobs away.
• Will the wind turbines have personnel lifts for maintenance? Without automatic lifts, one report states that it is virtually impossible to expect a wind turbine engineer to climb more than 3 towers in a day, and only one wind turbine manufacturer installs lifts as standard equipment.
• New data shows the downtime for component failure is dramatically longer for blades, gearboxes, and generators, than first estimated in 2006. For example, average rotor blade replacement time now is 22 days from a 2006 projected 3 days.
October 1, 2010 at 11:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Proposed clean-energy projects could boost Clark County
Think the consultants are telling you the truth about wind turbine cost?
Investigation of wind energy industry data shows some surprising issues. According to WindEnergyUpdate, a wind industry newsletter, the following (in quotes) are findings from a new report prepared by independent experts and incorporates new strategies and data from over 100 operators and component suppliers. Outside the quotes are my comments:
• “79% of wind turbines are still under warranty and this under-identifies the true cost of maintenance. This is about to change with the expiration of many new project warranties.”
• “O&M costs for wind power are double or triple the figures originally projected, they are particularly high in the US, which is now the world’s largest wind power market.” “Europe’s premium power prices allow for more preventative maintenance and therefore overall lower maintenance costs than the US”
• “Europe has a 2 to 5% advantage over the US if resource factors are accounted for”. Many wind turbine component manufacturers are in Europe and shipping and installation is simpler. Pacific County perhaps is even more remote from parts suppliers than most, which puts Radar Ridge at the higher cost disadvantage.
• “There is a negative 21% change in wind farm return on investment. This underperformance of wind assets is most likely attributable to both differences in power production and O&M costs over original estimates.” That means the industry has experienced 21% less net income for the money invested than projected.
October 1, 2010 at 11:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )