Another outdoor decision by Washington

[LongLine]

At least they don't stand 500 ft in the air.  With the way technology has been increasing panels are becoming smaller and smaller with greater efficiency at each step.  The 1st computer was the size of a house...now super powerful computers fit in your pocket. From silicon based to selenium to thin film...nanotechnology makes strides every day.   

[HB2]

Those panels loose efficiency each year . 

 

Every acre of farm land taken is one acre less of food , cattle  produced . And then what happens ? Prices rise.  . 

 

And  what environmental hazards are created producing and installing those panels ? Because there are some .  And what toxic waste will be created when they are decomisioned?   Hopefully there is a bond in pleace  to ensure that the Solar companies don't suddenly go bankrupt and stick the cleanup to taxpayers . 

 

Electric is certainly the future but for now fossil fuels are most economically prudent . Emissions are not nearly as bad as they use to be. And each year get better . 

 

And NY and other states have relaxed the mandate of all electric by certain dates because it's realized it's unsustainable and unrealistic now . And probably the right people got rich enough on the grant money already given out . 

[Gill-T]

I can’t imagine out of state folks wanting to book a trip to NY to go see all the pretty solar panels. The whole environmental benefit argument goes right out the window when you are swapping living plants for solar panels. Put them on the top of buildings, the infrastructure to hook into is already present. NYS says they want to reduce carbon footprint and yet how much gas is used to mow the grass around highways????  I wish there was altruism at work unfortunately it is about a select few getting rich. There are no lines at the gas stations, nor any shortage of gas flowing out of the Americas and Canada and yet we are back to 4$ per gallon. A select few getting rich. Where are the “well I didn’t vote for him” bumper stickers now??

[HB2]

A select few getting rich ? 

Dude  , that's getting old . Is the man keeping you down ? 

Most of us would be considered rich in other countries and even this country  . We own houses boats etc , etc .A lot of us have basements full of fishing stuff and settle  for nothing but the best and in some countries guys wrap line around a beer can with a hook and a rock for a sinker.  The success and fortune is there for the taking if you work hard and are smart and have a little luck 

 

You can fish anytime and do what you want . So count your blessings 

[GAMBLER]

On 4/5/2026 at 10:17 AM, Gator said:

Unfortunately, the existing 350+ solar installations provide only ~6% of NYS's consumption. And we all know what a solar field looks like; that would have been unheard of a decade ago. Some areas you can't drive a mile it seems without seeing a field of panels.

 

If the plan is to triple solar output in the next decade, I shudder to think of how that will impact our upstate environment. If money talks and BS walks, it's probably inevitable. Meli-friggin'-ora.

Keith,

 

1.8% of the power produced in NYS according to the NYISO.  

[Gator]

2 hours ago, GAMBLER said:

Keith,

 

1.8% of the power produced in NYS according to the NYISO.  

 

If I'm wrong, I blame our AI overlords. I think that the higher number includes rooftop and community solar, which IMHO is actually a good thing (much like landfill solar installations). Supposedly these community installations account for >90% of solar in NYS.

 

I had dinner last week with a guy who sold solar to consumers. He convinced me that either solar or geothermal was an environmentally conscientious decision, but having friends who've gone both routes - it's not fiscally friendly.

[LongLine]

WATCH OUT!!!:  WH to dilute gasoline starting May 1st. EPA rules will allow gas stations to sell 15% ethanol.  It is supposed to be labeled as 88 Octane and is supposed to have orange & black labeling.  DO NOT use in marine engines, older vehicles, chainsaws, lawnmowers, etc. Not only will it attack fuel lines, gaskets, choke plungers, fuel pumps but will attack aluminum more than 10%, especially at elevated temperatures. Always check your owner's manual!

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/cars/maintenance/2026/03/26/e15-gasoline-impact-car-fuel-prices/89329770007/

 

https://www.newsweek.com/why-opting-for-epas-new-e15-fuel-may-not-be-a-great-idea-for-your-vehicle-11773860

 

https://engineerfix.com/what-is-e15-gas-and-is-it-safe-for-your-car/

 

[Gator]

3 hours ago, LongLine said:

WATCH OUT!!!:  WH to dilute gasoline starting May 1st. EPA rules will allow gas stations to sell 15% ethanol.  It is supposed to be labeled as 88 Octane and is supposed to have orange & black labeling.  DO NOT use in marine engines, older vehicles, chainsaws, lawnmowers, etc. Not only will it attack fuel lines, gaskets, choke plungers, fuel pumps but will attack aluminum more than 10%, especially at elevated temperatures. Always check your owner's manual!

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/cars/maintenance/2026/03/26/e15-gasoline-impact-car-fuel-prices/89329770007/

 

https://www.newsweek.com/why-opting-for-epas-new-e15-fuel-may-not-be-a-great-idea-for-your-vehicle-11773860

 

https://engineerfix.com/what-is-e15-gas-and-is-it-safe-for-your-car/

 

One thing it seems like you never hear is that ethanol is much less efficient than gas...you'd think that adding 10% ethanol would save 10% of the gas that you'd normally use, right?

 

Nope. You actually lose about 5% off your mpg rating, so you burn more volume to travel the same distance. If a gallon of gas gets you 20 miles undiluted, when you add ethanol you get 19 mpg, so you have to burn 1.05 gallons to travel 20 miles, of which ~0.95 gallons is gas. 

 

Add 10% ethanol to save 5% gas. And ****-can your engines.

 

[rolmops]

Ethanol is politics. It is heavily subsidized and it has always been no matter what political club is in charge.

So why is there a renewed push to produce more?

Due to differences of opinion about import duty, China has decided to buy soybeans and corn elsewhere,leaving our farmers with mountains of corn and soybeans and nobody buying. 

At least the corn can be turned into ethanol and mixed with gasoline , This helps our farmers sell their corn and leaves everybody else holding the tab for the subsidy cost of making ethanol which we don't want to begin with.

But you know that the farmers are a huge voting block in the mid western states and making farmers unhappy is not a good thing for politicians. 

Maybe paying farmers a monthly wage without them having to grow products that we subsidize, will make everybody happier.

Another way to make everybody happier is by turning surplus corn into Kentucky Bourbon instead of ethanol.

Edited April 15 by rolmops

[Gill-T]

Grubby hands will continue to try and sell off our public lands. 
 

https://www.hcn.org/articles/interior-department-crafted-talking-points-for-public-lands-sell-off-agenda/

[HB2]

Seems like what happens , with subsidies , welfare , EBT , Medicade or anything else the gov gets their hands in is it's great for a while . Gets things rolling or through bad times . But then the people that get it begin to depend on it . And when it gets taken away , for what ever reason , those that take it away are the bad guys . When in reality , those benefits should not have been given to begin with . 

Edited April 17 by HB2

[Gill-T]

https://www.hcn.org/articles/the-billionaires-club-at-the-center-of-americas-public-lands-fight/