Why are my electric bills so high, even with ‘green’ appliances?
5/25/24
from The Washington Post,
5/24/24:
Q: I recently moved into a new house and installed a dishwasher, washing machine and dryer that have “green” settings. But I have noticed that my electric usage is twice what it was in my old house, even though it’s the same company and the same geographical area. In trying to chase down what is using so much electricity, I started thinking about the longer green settings on these appliances. On the clothes washer (Asko brand), the green cycle is more than two hours. I assume it uses less water. Water is not an issue for me, so am I using more electricity by running a longer cycle?
— A reader in Bar Harbor, Maine
A: A “green” setting, which goes by different names depending on the manufacturer, is designed to save both energy and water. In both clothes washers and dishwashers, this setting lowers the water temperature but extends the wash cycle enough so that laundry or dishes should get just as clean. Heating the water typically accounts for most of the appliance’s energy use — 90 percent in the case of a clothes washer, according to the federal Energy Star program — so the lower temperature results in energy savings even though the machine runs for a longer time.
Manufacturers typically also provide a setting that gets the job done more quickly, but at a price. As Asko notes on its website: “When selecting Speed mode you task the washing machine with delivering perfect washing and rinsing results in less time than normal. To achieve this, both more water and more energy are added to the washing cycle.”
When you’re trying to figure out where to focus on reducing electricity use, it’s helpful to know what researchers have concluded about what goes on in a typical household. The U.S. Energy Information Administration does a randomized survey every few years to track energy use in different ways — by type of energy, household size, geographic region and even whether residents or landlords pay the bills. If you love delving into data, the EIA’s website focused on the Residential Energy Consumption Survey can keep you occupied for hours. You can even compare electricity use for main refrigerators and main televisions vs. second or third ones in a home.
Here are some key points to know about where — and how — your home uses energy:
More From The Washington Post (subscription required):
Media & Democrats Do Not Understand Oil & Gas Pricing. Plus, They Want Them Higher Anyway.
3/12/22
from The Gray Area:
3/12/22:
WaPo & The New York Times, among others, have come out this week in force to defend President Biden on gas prices. They have done the same thing on inflation. Of course, there is nothing unusual about the left wing media supporting and defending a Democrat President, even in the face of data and reality.
Here are the major points they are making. As always, there is a small fact hyped, which is then exploded into an erroneous and biased interpretation, while other facts & data are ignored. That's the idea behind left wing media 'fact checking'.
1. Its been a steady rise in gas prices and other goods in 'recent weeks'. That is true, but notice the emphasis on 'recent weeks'. This is done to focus on the Russian invasion and ignore anything prior. Ignored is the fact that gas prices have risen steadily since Biden's inauguration. Democrat policies destroyed energy independence, even MSNBC recognizes that.CNN tried to play down gas prices issues a few months ago. They try to say we have not been energy independent because we still buy oil from other countries. That is a purposeful fake out. We do still buy oil from other countries as a convenience and reaction to contracts. We simultaneously had the ability to survive without depending on other countries if we had to. Biden and the Democrats eliminated that ability with their policies. Therefore, we must beg our enemies and tyrannical regimes for oil support. (See #6 below).
2. Prices increased because of fluctuations in supply & demand. Demand dropped during pandemic, then rose again faster than production increased. That is true, but conveniently eliminates other Biden actions during the pandemic. Lockdowns in cities, mask and vaccine mandates which killed availability of labor,killing potential production and distribution via keystone pipeline and leases on government lands. The market responds to what the future looks like for supply & demand to set oil and therefore gas prices.
3. Additional factors affecting price are price of crude oil, fuel standards, price of ethanol and labor shortages in trucking. As stated above, COVID lockdowns and mandates killed labor in trucking industry. Price of crude oil increases based on demand and supply line disruptions, caused by Biden policies. Other factors ignored by the media is the fact that Democrats and the Biden Administration want oil prices (and thus gas prices) higher. That way electric vehicles and renewable energy sources don't look so bad in comparison. Without oil prices high, alternative energy and EVs have very little chance to compete even with the substantial government subsidies they receive. Democrat policies are purposely designed for this result.
4. A global energy crunch. Other types of fuels, including natural gas and coal, are also growing more expensive. Natural gas prices have shot up more than 150 percent in recent months, threatening to raise prices of food, chemicals, plastic goods and heat this winter. Why have those prices gone up so much? The media says it is a global energy crunch. Broad statement designed only for cover. #1, 2 & 3 above answer this question. Plus, on Natural Gas, the Administration can't even get its lies & narrative straight.
Your chart ends at 2020. I see a huge increase from 2016 until 2020. Who was president? https://t.co/7faAVBI6qC
5. The U.S. response. To combat soaring prices and their effects on inflation, President Biden ordered the release of oil from the nation’s emergency stockpile. He also asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate possible “illegal conduct” by oil and gas companies. Classic. Biden did order strategic reserves released, enough for 3 days. Wow! The fact that he had to do that reveals that lack of leadership, see #1 above. Then, the political narrative enters, investigate the oil & gas companies. Lets see if we can blame increased pricing on greedy businessmen, a standard Democrat political narrative. No reasonable cause for such a claim, but none is needed, the media will not call them on blaming the oil companies.
6. In the short term, President Biden has little choice but to turn to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela for more heavy crude oil. This statement means that he has done nothing to protect against supply shortages and now ids at the mercy of dictators and tyrants. That is poor leadership.
Net, net, the Democrats and the media want you to believe that Russia, a global energy crunch, COVID and inflation have caused the rise in gas prices. Biden is doing all he can to help. The opposite is true.
Plus, Democrats & the media don't understand ( or purposely ignore) how oil and gas pricing works with in supply & demand. Cavuto explains the facts of oil on Tuesday in this clip.
Always check the 'fact checkers' in the media. They give only half truths at best and call lies anything that does not match their political narratives. WaPo admits the technique in this article about 'biolab research facilities', while blaming it on the opposition media. Russian disinformation often begins with a speck of fact, which is then twisted into a full-blown conspiracy theory. The technique makes it easier to spread and take root among the country’s supporters.