Saver switch and gas vouchers?
I have a switch on my A/C electricity line which can turn off my A/C under times of high demand. This allows my electric company to reduce electricity demand in high peak periods by cycling users on and off. This could mean keeping the highest cost electricity sources off line, and also help avoid "brown outs". For my allowing the switch, I get a 10% reduction in my electricity bill. This happens whether or not I use any A/C.
Similarly busineses which use a lot of electricity get a special rate in exchange for voluntary shutdowns of their electricity in the worst peak demand times when the system is in danger.
I wonder if any sort of similar system could exist in the gasoline supply? I mean as a nondriver, I consume no gasoline myself, and I benefit by not paying for gasoline, but no "reward" for helping to keep consumption down and avoiding shortages.
Electricity is an unstorable energy source, so avoiding peak demand is more important. Electricity is also harder to properly bill based on time-of-day usage, while costs vary based on time of day. If we had time-of-day metering, that would allow voluntary reduction of consumption under peak times.
Gasoline is easier to store, although under FEAR of shortages, can encourage hoarding and make matters worse. Since we don't want to allow "demand pricing" for gasoline (calling it gouging), the reality we'll get is long lines for gasoline and running out.
I guess with a "voucher system", everyone would get a base quota of gasoline, and people who don't need them could sell extra, and people who need more can buy surplus. That's one way I could benefit as a nondriver.
I'm not even defending an "equal rights" to gasoline necessarily. I mean even if you are patriotic and said equal for all Americans, we consume 5 times more oil than the average world citizen, so we're sitting on top of the world.
Interesting, if I had gas quotas, and would only sell them for 10x market value, people would say I'm "hoarding" or "price gouging". Probably better that the government could offer either vouchers with a fixed cash value. Technically it should be illegal to sell above face value, even if a "black market" can't ever be avoided.
I mean as a nondriver, I'm happy to sell my vouchers at face value, although I might as well reduce to sell them at all, but that's sort of like refusing to spend money.
I suppose vouchers can't promise anything if shortages really happen. I mean local shortages will always happen in dangerous times. PLUS vouchers really can't be "saved" since it would allow hoarding that can cause future shortages.
Say vouchers are added to debit cards quarterly. Different cards could have different expiration times to avoid harsh boundaries, but basically anything left at the end is lost.
Oh well, fun stuff, sounds too complicated... Someday we might need it!
Similarly busineses which use a lot of electricity get a special rate in exchange for voluntary shutdowns of their electricity in the worst peak demand times when the system is in danger.
I wonder if any sort of similar system could exist in the gasoline supply? I mean as a nondriver, I consume no gasoline myself, and I benefit by not paying for gasoline, but no "reward" for helping to keep consumption down and avoiding shortages.
Electricity is an unstorable energy source, so avoiding peak demand is more important. Electricity is also harder to properly bill based on time-of-day usage, while costs vary based on time of day. If we had time-of-day metering, that would allow voluntary reduction of consumption under peak times.
Gasoline is easier to store, although under FEAR of shortages, can encourage hoarding and make matters worse. Since we don't want to allow "demand pricing" for gasoline (calling it gouging), the reality we'll get is long lines for gasoline and running out.
I guess with a "voucher system", everyone would get a base quota of gasoline, and people who don't need them could sell extra, and people who need more can buy surplus. That's one way I could benefit as a nondriver.
I'm not even defending an "equal rights" to gasoline necessarily. I mean even if you are patriotic and said equal for all Americans, we consume 5 times more oil than the average world citizen, so we're sitting on top of the world.
Interesting, if I had gas quotas, and would only sell them for 10x market value, people would say I'm "hoarding" or "price gouging". Probably better that the government could offer either vouchers with a fixed cash value. Technically it should be illegal to sell above face value, even if a "black market" can't ever be avoided.
I mean as a nondriver, I'm happy to sell my vouchers at face value, although I might as well reduce to sell them at all, but that's sort of like refusing to spend money.
I suppose vouchers can't promise anything if shortages really happen. I mean local shortages will always happen in dangerous times. PLUS vouchers really can't be "saved" since it would allow hoarding that can cause future shortages.
Say vouchers are added to debit cards quarterly. Different cards could have different expiration times to avoid harsh boundaries, but basically anything left at the end is lost.
Oh well, fun stuff, sounds too complicated... Someday we might need it!
posted by Ares Olympus at 11:07 PM
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