BajaNomad - Baja Climate Change Initiatives

Any suggestions on what we can do to move ahead, or what is holding you back?

The denialists are in denial, their minds are set.

Those of us who drank the koolaid are already living piously, in harmony with nature.

JDCanuck - 11-10-2022 at 09:16 AM

So you are saying you are not installing more solar panels or buying an EV and ceasing burning gasoline in your vehicle at 20% efficiency because of the climate deniers?

My reasoning for not buying an EV is it keeps getting more expensive to replace my gas vehicle with an EV. Climate deniers have nothing to do with how I direct my limited funds.

David K - 11-10-2022 at 09:54 AM

Nobody here is denying the climate changes. It has always changed.
Nobody here is against a cleaner environment, either.
What is ludicrous is believing humans are more powerful than Nature and can change a natural event with money from taxpayers. It's like thinking you can change the direction of a hurricane by sneezing towards it.

JZ - 11-10-2022 at 11:00 AM

Solar for home use is great. Same for camping, etc.

For on grid, nuclear is the best.

John Harper - 11-10-2022 at 11:41 AM

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

And no, it's nothing like blowing on a hurricane to make it change direction.

Everyone knows you can make a hurricane change direction by using a Sharpie. The most stable genius ever born proved it a few years ago.

John

JDCanuck - 11-10-2022 at 12:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Solar for home use is great. Same for camping, etc.

For on grid, nuclear is the best.

For those in Baja or the southern States, I have to agree that solar is by far the best way to utilize your personal savings and reduce energy use and also carbon footprint.
Wind power is now far cheaper long term than nuclear and does not hold the equivalent long term risks which explains why investors are far more likely to invest in offshore wind or solar than Nuclear at the utility level.

https://energyunderstood.com/wind-power-vs-nuclear-energy/

[Edited on 11-10-2022 by JDCanuck]

David K - 11-10-2022 at 01:33 PM

MTGoat:

Let's make it personal: Why are you not driving an EV or at least a hybrid now? On my end they have reduced incentives, taken the climate taxes to subsidize their favourite startups in competition with existing EV producers and actually increased the costs of EV's overall. The explosive inflation partially caused by climate taxes has driven the likelihood of me buying one out of reach

[Edited on 11-10-2022 by JDCanuck]

Why? Havent bought a new vehicle since 2016. Waiting for our current vehicles to wear out. Next vehicle will be plug in hybrid.

If it needs to be plugged in, what does the hybrid part do? Can you drive 300 miles, camp, and then drive home, without needing to plug in? That would be the ticket, if so... and for under $60,000... a lot under, hopefully!

JDCanuck - 11-10-2022 at 01:42 PM

Why? Havent bought a new vehicle since 2016. Waiting for our current vehicles to wear out. Next vehicle will be plug in hybrid.

You have a plan...congrats. I keep saying that same thing, but the reality is it is always far more financially rewarding to invest in solar or wind power and reduce the cost of those necessities further. In 2016, we had a choice, buy a 15000 car that gave 42mpg or buy a 38000 Hybrid that gave 53mpg. The 23000 difference paid for 1/2 a fully electric solar house.
In 2020...53000 for a Bolt, or 25000 for a 42mpg gas vehicle. 28000 difference paid for the rest of the solar.

JDCanuck - 11-10-2022 at 01:50 PM

David: If you are looking for a truck....nothing I know of fits those specs yet. If you want a crossover vehicle there's the Niro. But the hybrids have limited fuel savings and studies claim due to the increased weight and complexity they are not in practical use saving hardly any hydrocarbon use over the gas only vehicles they replaced from cradle to grave.

mtgoat666 - 11-10-2022 at 04:26 PM

If it needs to be plugged in, what does the hybrid part do?

Dk:
Here is an article for you: “How Do Plug-In Hybrid Electric Cars Work?” https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-plug-in-hybrid-elect...

Toyota makes some nice hybrids - aren’t you a Toyota fan boy?

David K - 11-10-2022 at 05:03 PM

If it needs to be plugged in, what does the hybrid part do?

So you can't tell me in your own words? I know how to find data.

mtgoat666 - 11-10-2022 at 09:06 PM

If it needs to be plugged in, what does the hybrid part do?

So you can't tell me in your own words?

Less work to provide a link to you. Conservation of effort, it is the way to be green :light:

bajadogs - 11-10-2022 at 09:07 PM

I know how to find data.

I'm not so sure you do. Why did you ask how plug-ins work? Trolling again? Let me give an example in my own words. I have a friend who has a plug-in hybrid in Bonsall. He commutes to work ~ 48 miles per day. His home solar charges enough to get him to work without the ICE kicking on and the solar panels at his work charge him enough to get home. ZERO gas! If he needs to drive farther the gas kicks in and he has a huge range, but of course you know all about hybrid tech. It's on the internet.

JDCanuck - 11-11-2022 at 01:23 AM

JZ: Quote: EV's are a very good idea for some scenario's. I.e. dense urban areas.

Not ready for prime time in other scenario's.

Forcing EV's down ppl's throat's is bad. End Quote

I have to agree with this at present. The closest we could come at present is some type of hybrid, maybe hydrogen fuel cell if CO2 reduction is the primary target. Baja, with next to no rapid charge stations and the rugged construction needed will likely be one of the last areas to convert. We are probably looking at two vehicles for our use, one solar rechargeable electric for commuting and one gas or hybrid for the foreseeable future.
I am still waiting for a reasonably priced jeep type EV with a range of 250 miles to become available. The 2023 GM Equinox EV in AWD so far is the closest I've seen.

[Edited on 11-11-2022 by JDCanuck]

surabi - 11-11-2022 at 09:11 AM

So you can't tell me in your own words? I know how to find data.

Then why did you ask, when you could have researched it yourself?

JDCanuck - 11-11-2022 at 10:51 AM

I don't think anything compares to the damage done by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it will take years to recover from that one event and the consequential damage done to climate change plans.

We can still do what we can as individuals, despite the various failures of global leaders. The one thing it tells us is do NOT get dependent on unreliable partners under false promises....ever.

We supposedly had in place an agreement between Mexico, Canada and the US which was supposed to provide mutually beneficial trade agreements giving us autonomy from our enemies' energy supply manipulation. Maybe we can learn from this once again, as we did in the 1970's and 1980's.

[Edited on 11-11-2022 by JDCanuck]

JZ - 11-11-2022 at 11:55 AM

John Stossel just did an interesting piece on EVs. I think EVs are very good for some applications, but not all.

[Edited on 11-12-2022 by JZ]

mtgoat666 - 11-11-2022 at 12:36 PM

Meanwhile, in China, they laugh at us while filling the sky with high sulfur coal smoke!

“China Reduced Air Pollution in 7 Years as Much as US Did in Three Decades”
According to https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-14/china-s-c...

Perhaps China will get on board, eh? They sure have been adopting e-vehicles…

Perhaps it is more complicated issue than the right wing talking points you regurgitate, DK.

[Edited on 11-11-2022 by mtgoat666]

surabi - 11-11-2022 at 01:34 PM

Your mind is puzzling, amigo. I am the one who is questioning that stupidity!

Sun spots and volcanoes can change climate and no amount of American money will change them or the climate.

Meanwhile, in China, they laugh at us while filling the sky with high sulfur coal smoke!

You're the one questioning what stupidity? No one has claimed humans can prevent those things, so there is nothing to question in that regard (your denseness is ongoing), nor has anyone said those things don't add to climate change.

And why do you keep deflecting to China? Just because your neighbor throws garbage in his yard, does that mean you should, too, and that is a valid excuse for doing so?

Lee - 11-11-2022 at 03:41 PM

I am still curious how spending billions will reduce sun spots or volcanic eruptions.... real climate changing events.

DK goes with party line. GOP is against spending. If Dems are for it, he's against it. Just predictable.

Climate denier, election denier, believes Big Lie, will vote for the former Presidential loser if he can. His mind is made up. Spending billions and billions of $$$ won't fix the problem so why bother?

Personally I thinking researching something that's a given is a waste of money. Still, some need more proof that sooner or later, we're all going to h*ll in a hand basket. Won't be in my lifetime, so I'm good.

Relax Dave. Won't happen in your lifetime either.

JDCanuck - 11-11-2022 at 07:54 PM

RFClark: When you compare your two very low fuel consumption vehicles, which do you feel is the most practical from a total cost to savings viewpoint including depreciation costs from cradle to grave? Both as practically useful in your environment? Niro unfortunately would not fulfill our needs in Baja, but a couple years back before we moved to Baja it would have been ideal for our use in a more developed road environment up here. Cost however was not justifiable compared to benefits of solar for the same outlay.

Secondly, what do you think about the newer applications of using an EV like the Ford Lightning as a backup battery supply to your solar system rather than buying an equivalent amount of storage batteries(120kwh)?. Overnight use of an EV truck would be very rare.

[Edited on 11-12-2022 by JDCanuck]

RFClark - 11-11-2022 at 08:23 PM

JD,

I did that breakdown here before. The IRS has raised the per mile deduction to $.625/mile currently if we drive from where we’re staying to where we’re building we use no gas and charge on solar. Figuring that the Niro is 50% deprecated at 150K miles that’s $.10/mile at 20K miles/year insurance is .06/mile. Maintenance is about $.10/mile or $.26/mile total. If we use gas we average 50MPG on long trips. So add $.15 for fuel and oil changes. That’s $.41/mile against a $.625/mile deduction.

The biggest advantage is in stop and go traffic during hot weather. Like crossing the border at Mexicali when it’s 114 degrees. Since the AC is electric and the motor only runs to charge the battery the car stays cooler and the electric AC runs at 100% output. The other big advantage is the milage is as good or better in stop and go traffic, because the motor only runs part of the time..

We just sold the Ioniq PHEV deprecation was about $.10/mile

My feeling is that it’s potentially a great idea. One of the great things is any PHEV can be used as an emergency power ( 1KW) and heating/cooling source. The cars/trucks that can store more electricity and feed it back to power the grid or your home are even better.

[Edited on 11-12-2022 by RFClark]

JDCanuck - 11-11-2022 at 08:28 PM

JZ: I think Stossel's report is overly pessimistic. EV's are a major part of the solution, not the total one. There is a lot of development in less environmentally costly and polluting batteries, faster charging batteries including super capacitors, solid state and flow, and also grid supplied power sources. Coal power is definitely rapidly on its way out, carbon capture and storage on its way in as well as a huge amount of wind and solar power presently in development globally.

JDCanuck - 11-11-2022 at 08:35 PM

RFClark: So in the US, the government gives you a tax rebate for the miles you drive the Hybrid? I was hoping for Baja you might compare to the imported truck you also drive? I suspect if we remove the US based rebates, there isn't much difference between a hybrid and an 800cc used import truck. Just wondering

RFClark - 11-11-2022 at 08:36 PM

The energy and water problems are social and not generally engineering problems. Since 70% of the earth’s surface is water and the sun shines most every day, it comes down to the will to do what is necessary.

JZ - 11-12-2022 at 08:22 AM

They told us in 2017 that 93% of the Great Barrier reef was dead. In 2021 they found out it had the biggest coral cover ever.

Next are they gonna say coral is bad for other species?

I mean they did have to take down all their signs saying all the glaciers were going to melt by 2020.

Question any thing that has financial ramifications for special interest groups.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRx7BFjm/

[Edited on 11-12-2022 by JZ]

RFClark - 11-12-2022 at 08:57 AM

JD.

I didn’t include the rebate as a part of the calculation. That is applicable to taxes owed currently. The $.625 is the per mile standard deduction for business or work miles driven based on gas or diesel powered cars, SUVs and light trucks. It represents what the government thinks it costs as a comparison.

Our 660CC imported truck only gets about 30mpg and goes 55mph on a flat road. It’s a fun car not really transportation. Not comparable.

We had a Nissan Rogue a few years ago. It did 28mpg and had a useful life of about 150K miles. It cost double for fuel and more for maintenance.

My point was we drive electric because the costs are lower. If it’s good for the environment that’s great.

[Edited on 11-12-2022 by RFClark]

JDCanuck - 11-12-2022 at 10:00 AM

Gotcha RFClark, apparently in Europe they are finding it cheaper to purchase and operate EVs as well and this is leading to the far more rapid adoption of EV's there. I am just not finding our comparison here or in Baja close to equivalent yet. As both you and I have surplus solar availability during the day we can both write off the charging costs at home.
Baja negatives are mainly because of the high prices on durable 4wd EV trucks including import costs and also very limited charge points. The Ford Lightning Pro changed this significantly if purchased in the US by a US citizen and assuming the retroactive installation of the 2-way charger at a decent cost.

My biggest motivation would be if we can replace future installed lithium 30kwh (cost about 15,000 at present) of solar system batteries with a plug in 2-way EV battery and additionally have the EV available for trips to/from town. This would also let us eliminate the need for a backup propane generator which is proving problematic at present both on obtaining fuel deliveries and noise when it starts up early in the morning.

[Edited on 11-12-2022 by JDCanuck]

elgatoloco - 11-12-2022 at 01:14 PM

JZ: I think Stossel's report is overly pessimistic.

Pessimism is his 'brand' and his followers suck it up. :rolleyes:

Don Pisto - 11-12-2022 at 02:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by elgatoloco