Comments on: Turn Off the Lights! http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2010/03/turn-off-the-lights/ Ideas, innovations and discoveries from the world of science Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:06:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Vegemite sandwitch http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2010/03/turn-off-the-lights/comment-page-1/#comment-1780 Vegemite sandwitch Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:38:28 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/?p=3374#comment-1780 As an awareness tool and marketing gimmick, Earth Hour is a great idea. In reality, it dosen't really save too much power. Coal-fired generators take days to heat up and cool down, so for an hour demand dip, they just earth the oversupply. Same with most mid-range plants, they tend to take a couple hours to spin up. Hydro is almost instant, but that's about it. If you want to make a real impact, try to run your appliances (dishwasher, electric clothes dryer,etc) after midnight, when demand is down. A lot of power is generated and wasted during that time. Hopefully the new smart metering technology will provide some economic incentive to better utilise our existing power supply without having to radically change our lifestyles. As an awareness tool and marketing gimmick, Earth Hour is a great idea. In reality, it dosen’t really save too much power. Coal-fired generators take days to heat up and cool down, so for an hour demand dip, they just earth the oversupply. Same with most mid-range plants, they tend to take a couple hours to spin up. Hydro is almost instant, but that’s about it.

If you want to make a real impact, try to run your appliances (dishwasher, electric clothes dryer,etc) after midnight, when demand is down. A lot of power is generated and wasted during that time. Hopefully the new smart metering technology will provide some economic incentive to better utilise our existing power supply without having to radically change our lifestyles.

]]> By: Lights Out at the Smithsonian Castle for Earth Hour | Around The Mall http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2010/03/turn-off-the-lights/comment-page-1/#comment-1773 Lights Out at the Smithsonian Castle for Earth Hour | Around The Mall Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:35:00 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/?p=3374#comment-1773 [...] The hour “symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight,” the fund says. Most times, even at night, the world’s most populous areas are still bright with light, but most of it is just wasted energy. [...] [...] The hour “symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight,” the fund says. Most times, even at night, the world’s most populous areas are still bright with light, but most of it is just wasted energy. [...]

]]> By: John Farrier http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2010/03/turn-off-the-lights/comment-page-1/#comment-1757 John Farrier Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:56:33 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/?p=3374#comment-1757 No. I'm going to celebrate Human Achievement Hour by turning on every light in my house. It's a way to mark the greatness of human ingenuity, which brought light into the darkness of the world. No. I’m going to celebrate Human Achievement Hour by turning on every light in my house. It’s a way to mark the greatness of human ingenuity, which brought light into the darkness of the world.

]]>