tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199410.post9211297146493487297..comments2023-12-27T08:02:59.927-05:00Comments on Energy Outlook: Sacramento's Role in California's Gasoline Price SpikeGeoffrey Styleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18047970229068397492noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199410.post-88693814396401298492012-10-19T08:53:40.778-04:002012-10-19T08:53:40.778-04:00That would normally preclude any significant sales...That would normally preclude any significant sales of that product, but when exceptional conditions arose, it would limit the cost spike to about0 or0 cents. I think that would be better than the disruption they have seen here in Calif. over the last week.50stateautoloanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06982593944191542834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199410.post-92231675660517265792012-10-16T16:44:20.515-04:002012-10-16T16:44:20.515-04:00Don,
From analysis I saw in the '90s, the regu...Don,<br />From analysis I saw in the '90s, the regulations passed the point of diminishing returns years ago, at least on local air pollution. After the first few iterations, each successive ratcheting down on fuel specifications ends up chasing smaller benefits at higher costs--sometimes exponentially higher costs. Geoffrey Styleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18047970229068397492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199410.post-65329651156997712502012-10-16T12:53:10.902-04:002012-10-16T12:53:10.902-04:00It would be interesting to know how much better (i...It would be interesting to know how much better (if any!) the special fuel formulations work at reducing NOx, hydrocarbon emissions, etc. in California. We could compare any incremental reductions in pollutants with the incremental cost of the fuels, as get a cost for the increment. I am guessing that drivers in California are paying quite a bit for a small reduction in pollutants. Looking elsewhere to make reductions might make more sense.donbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199410.post-9870489049580566952012-10-13T10:47:53.481-04:002012-10-13T10:47:53.481-04:00Ed,
And isn't that the essense of federalism? ...Ed,<br />And isn't that the essense of federalism? I'm pleased to watch from Virginia, though I have a bit more skin in the game via family connections. Like Germany, California is testing the boundaries of how quickly renewable energy can be adopted, and whether the net result is a cost or benefit to the measurable economy, and how large. What concerned me during recent initiative campaigns was that voters were being assured that it was a foregone conclusion that the economic benefits outweighed the costs. If only that were true.Geoffrey Styleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18047970229068397492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199410.post-70210368962987376662012-10-12T19:04:53.675-04:002012-10-12T19:04:53.675-04:00California appears to be anxious to provide large ...California appears to be anxious to provide large scale demonstrations of the risks associated with a number of elements of environmental, energy and fiscal policy. I applaud California's enthusiasm; and, I am very grateful California has volunteered, rather than North Carolina. I prefer to observe from the bleachers, rather than be on the field. :-) Ed Reidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199410.post-13515414110862011602012-10-11T17:50:26.460-04:002012-10-11T17:50:26.460-04:00You'd still have to get it there quickly; any ...You'd still have to get it there quickly; any delay contributes to the spike, because until more supply arrives, demand has to fall, and pretty sharply. <br /><br />I see several longer-term solutions: <br />1. More local supply, which could include biofuels to whatever extent they could safely be blended in, or produced as "drop-in" fuels fully compatible with gasoline.<br /><br />2. More efficient cars and/or cars running on other fuels, such as natural gas (CNG), propane, or electricity.<br /><br />3. Reduced driving by various means--carpooling, mass transit, telecommuting (highly recommended), etc.<br /><br />4. A pipeline from Texas, which would probably have to be subsidized by the state, because if it were attractive on its own it would already have been built (or repurposed; there are already several pipelines between CA and TX, but as I recall they are for crude oil.) That's been looked at before, and rejected: http://www.energy.ca.gov/releases/2003_releases/2003-08-20_pipeline.htmlGeoffrey Styleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18047970229068397492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199410.post-75482253285252920832012-10-11T16:42:32.292-04:002012-10-11T16:42:32.292-04:00Suppose CARB allowed the standard gasoline that th...Suppose CARB allowed the standard gasoline that the rest of the US uses to be sold in California, but with a fee that is ten or twenty cents per gallon higher than the cost difference between California's blend and what the rest of the US uses. That would normally preclude any significant sales of that product, but when exceptional conditions arose, it would limit the price spike to approximately ten or twenty cents. I think that would be better than the disruption we have seen here in Calif. over the last week.Jim Melendynoreply@blogger.com