How clean (dirty?) is my Maryland Pepco electricity?

[Anonymous]

I am curious how my electricity is generated. Solar, wind, coal, gas, etc. The Pepco website only talks about how much better everything is getting. Sure, right. But what is it right now? Anyone know how to find out? I’m in Md suburbs.

[Anonymous]

When I looked at some point, I got this: https://www.pepco.com/MyAccount/MyBillUsage/Documents/Pepco%20MD%20Enviro%20Fuel%20Mix%20Insert_11.20_ADA.pdf

No idea if that's current though.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for giving me the right words to search on. I found the 2021 document.

https://www.pepco.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Pepco%20MD%20Enviro%20Fuel%20Mix%20Insert_5.22_final_ADA.pdf

Coal has increased by 2%, nuclear has decreased a bit and renewable has increased a bit. CO2 emissions have gone up. So it looks like the grid in Maryland is becoming dirtier, not cleaner. Big surprise.

[Anonymous]

I've tried looking at the alternatives and every time I do I give up in confusion and frustration. If anyone has an alternative to Pepco that's comparably priced and much better green-generation wise, please share!

[Anonymous]

Neighborhood Sun sells shares in solar installations, you pay them and get a credit for what you bought from them on your Pepco bill.
I think Pepco also has a green choice option (wind and solar) that costs a little extra.

[Anonymous]

We got solar but it’s only replacing about a third of our electricity usage. We just don’t get enough sun here for it to be a viable full replacement. Still, if everyone could replace 25-50% with roof solar that would be significant on the residential side. Businesses are a whole different problem.

[Anonymous]

We have a townhouse that gets decent sun exposure but our roof is 18 years old and not in great shape. Not sure it makes sense for us to spend $15k on a roof plus another $20k on solar as we are approaching our 60s and May move. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you so much for giving me the right words to search on. I found the 2021 document.

https://www.pepco.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Pepco%20MD%20Enviro%20Fuel%20Mix%20Insert_5.22_final_ADA.pdf

Coal has increased by 2%, nuclear has decreased a bit and renewable has increased a bit. CO2 emissions have gone up. So it looks like the grid in Maryland is becoming dirtier, not cleaner. Big surprise.

The most consequential thing we can do to reduce carbon emissions is support more nuclear power.

Also, to OP's question, it rarely makes sense to wonder from where one's individual electricity electrons come from, even by a specific utility. The grid is all connected among providers. Nuclear runs 24 hours per day, unless it's being refueled. Solar and wind, when it's sunny and windy, put some power on the grid when they're able, which is always going to be intermittent. Next up is natural gas, and this makes up the bulk. When demand peaks on hot summer afternoons and cold winter mornings, more gas gets burned. Throughout that whole process, a little bit of coal will be burned, and moreso during peak demand times.

Point is, it's a little bit like analyzing marginal tax rates. These things move in steps. Also, regardless of how much wind or solar or nuclear Pepco, or any utility has, when you're making decisions on the margins, you are deciding to burn more gas and coal, or less gas and coal. That's like your marginal tax rate. Nobody says "oh, demand just went up a little bit, put that fifth wind turbine online."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We got solar but it’s only replacing about a third of our electricity usage. We just don’t get enough sun here for it to be a viable full replacement. Still, if everyone could replace 25-50% with roof solar that would be significant on the residential side. Businesses are a whole different problem.

Our solar panels cover over 100% of our electric bills

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got solar but it’s only replacing about a third of our electricity usage. We just don’t get enough sun here for it to be a viable full replacement. Still, if everyone could replace 25-50% with roof solar that would be significant on the residential side. Businesses are a whole different problem.

Our solar panels cover over 100% of our electric bills

net metering is not sustainable. the states, localities, and countries that have experienced the largest uptake in solar have all eliminated net metering. economically, you are being subsidized by other ratepayers, including poorer people, and it will not last.

[Anonymous]

We installed solar panels during the 1st Obama administration. We also replaced our roof and put shingles that can withstand strong storm winds. We are East-West facing and we generate more than we use so it gets back to the grid. Since we do not have a battery to store what our panels generate, at night we buy from Pepco. However, we still sell more than what we buy and every now and then, we will get a refund of a few dollars that makes my DH insanely happy.

We did not buy our panels, instead we leased it for 30 years. We expect that by the time the lease runs over, we will be in the market for a new roof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We installed solar panels during the 1st Obama administration. We also replaced our roof and put shingles that can withstand strong storm winds. We are East-West facing and we generate more than we use so it gets back to the grid. Since we do not have a battery to store what our panels generate, at night we buy from Pepco. However, we still sell more than what we buy and every now and then, we will get a refund of a few dollars that makes my DH insanely happy.

We did not buy our panels, instead we leased it for 30 years. We expect that by the time the lease runs over, we will be in the market for a new roof.

What is the total cost you pay each month to lease them?