It really sucks how management can currently close two major attractions that make up the upper west side of Disneyland for almost a year but you can’t close down a couple of attractions in Tomorrowland and spruce the land up.
Timeline.
Here's the most hysterical part of this Autopia virtue signaling thing...
Once they do replace the cars with electric models, they will be powered almost entirely by natural gas and coal.
Anaheim currently gets 72% of its electricity from gas and coal, and after sundown that increases to nearly 100% of the supply.
The cars will need to be charged up overnight to be ready for the next day. That's exactly when solar power goes away, and Southern California's grid switches over almost exclusively to interstate lines bringing in electricity from gas and coal powered plants in Arizona and Utah. Which is why SoCal Edison power rates are so much cheaper from 9pm to 8am; it's run off of coal power from Utah's Rocky Mountain Power Company. Utah makes a lot of money selling electricity to Southern California utility companies, so Utah recently extended its coal powered plants an extra decade to 2042.
Autopia, Presented by Utah Coal!
Here's the most hysterical part of this Autopia virtue signaling thing...
Once they do replace the cars with electric models, they will be powered almost entirely by natural gas and coal.
Anaheim currently gets 72% of its electricity from gas and coal, and after sundown that increases to nearly 100% of the supply.
The cars will need to be charged up overnight to be ready for the next day. That's exactly when solar power goes away, and Southern California's grid switches over almost exclusively to interstate lines bringing in electricity from gas and coal powered plants in Arizona and Utah. Which is why SoCal Edison power rates are so much cheaper from 9pm to 8am; it's run off of coal power from Utah's Rocky Mountain Power Company. Utah makes a lot of money selling electricity to Southern California utility companies, so Utah recently extended its coal powered plants an extra decade to 2042.
Autopia, Presented by Utah Coal!
The city of Anaheim has its own electric utility service, and obviously Disneyland is its biggest customer.
Here's the breakdown of the sources and amounts of Megawatts (MW) of where Anaheim Public Utilities gets its electricity from. After sundown, it switches over almost exclusively to natural gas and coal sources.
247 Megawatts come from Utah. You're welcome! And please don't bump the car ahead of you.
Solar = 40.1 MW or 5% of supply
Methane Gas = 48.2 MW or 6% of supply
Hydro/Thermal = 60.7 MW or 8% of supply
Wind = 67 MW or 9% of supply
Coal = 236 MW or 31% of supply
Natural Gas = 318 MW or 41% of supply
I just wanna chime in and say that going electric isnt virtue signaling imo...
My next car will be electric and not because environmental reasons, I want one because they are fast and fun to drive. I dont care if they are good or bad for the environment
everything doesnt have to be virtuos or political or an attack on your beliefs or whatever.....Electric cars belong in tomorrowland, they are here to stay, every car manufacturer makes fully electric cars now, they are the future and updating the old gas powered go carts to electric ones is just keeping up with the times and very fitting with tomorrowland...they shoulda done this 10 years ago imo.
And coal usage for electricity in the entire state is expected to end completely in 2026.
"As a result, essentially all imports of coal-fired generation In CA from other states are expected to end by 2026."
Just because Rocky Mountain power in a completely different state extended its coal plant doesn't mean CA will use it. In 2026 CA will end its use of coal as a source for energy, that is based on a 2006 law passed. The article from the EIA I posted is about CA energy uses, not other states.That article is exactly one year old as of tomorrow. It's no longer accurate. Because...
Earlier this month, Utah's Rocky Mountain Power extended its coal plants out another 15 years, from 2026 and 2030 closure dates to a new 2042 closure date.
'Continuance of coal': Rocky Mountain Power updates energy plan, pushing back on renewables
Among the updates to Rocky Mountain Power's long-term plans released Monday were some impactful, Utah-specific changes related to the rollback of renewable energy initiatives and recommitment to coal.www.ksl.com
Just because Rocky Mountain power in a completely different state extended its coal plant doesn't mean CA will use it. In 2026 CA will end its use of coal as a source for energy, that is based on a 2006 law passed. The article is about CA energy uses, not other states.
i disagree with most of your points but to each their own.I agree. But in this LA Times/Autopia case, it's fairly obvious this was virtue signaling.
The LA Times "climate reporter" was doing a hit piece on Disneyland, so they had to say something and make vague statements about "considering a path forward" or some such meaningless drivel. There is no concrete plan, and Disney has said nothing about the gas powered Autopia attractions in Paris and Orlando.
Paris and Orlando are on the same planet as Anaheim, for the record.
I have driven and ridden in friends Teslas, and they are very fun to drive! I am contemplating replacing my older SUV with a new electric Dodge Charger coupe next year when I have to take money out of my IRA for tax purposes. I will keep my newer gas powered convertible however, because it just makes me smile. So far, there are no electric convertibles, and I like to make an entrance at the valet stand.
That would seem to be an argument that electric cars are no longer futuristic, which they really aren't. They belong in Todayland, not Tomorrowland.
20 years ago Hong Kong Disneyland's electric Autopia was still futuristic. But in the 2020's? Nope.
Anaheim currently gets 236 Megawatts of electricity from a coal plant operating in Utah, and 318 Megawatts of electricity from Natural Gas plants located in Burbank and Anaheim (coincidentally Disney's two towns!). That is 72% of Anaheim's daily use, and almost all of it exclusively after sundown when Autopia cars would be charging for the next day.
Where do you propose Anaheim replaces 72% of its electricity from?
That is not for me to decide, that is up to Anaheim to decide. But if the whole state is requiring no coal use even from out-of-state sources by 2026 then they better do something about it soon.Anaheim currently gets 236 Megawatts of electricity from a coal plant operating in Utah, and 318 Megawatts of electricity from Natural Gas plants located in Burbank and Anaheim (coincidentally Disney's two towns!). That is 72% of Anaheim's daily use, and almost all of it exclusively after sundown when Autopia cars would be charging for the next day.
Where do you propose Anaheim replaces 72% of its electricity from?
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