Re: the power of junk, Is Parallel Programming Hard, And, If So, What Can You Do About It?

On 5/25/2025 3:24 PM, Lars Poulsen wrote:

On 2025-05-24, BGB <cr88192@gmail.com> wrote:

I am aware though they are apparently building a new aluminum plant /
refinery somewhere in the area (near Inola). Will apparently be the
biggest aluminum plant in the US once finished.
>
Looking it up, seems the current going rate for power (for
commercial/industrial use):
    $0.05 / kWh (general)
    $0.02 / kWh (off-peak)
>
I guess the area is known partly for having comparably cheap
electricity, vs current US average price of $0.19/kWh.
>
Looks it up, most of the local power plants are using natural gas.
>
Looks up more, apparently Oklahoma also has cheaper natural gas, at
around $5 per thousand cubic feet, vs $13 (US average). Apparently
Oklahoma and Texas are among the top producers of natural gas in the US
(well, besides Pennsylvania; which also makes a lot).
...

 I wonder if this is because they are capturing "waste" methane at the
wellhead of fracked oil wells. I know thay used to consider methane
by-product at oil wellheads to be worthless waste, to be flared off
on-site, until EPA started fining them for the practice.

Oil wells are a major source. Also it is a byproduct of processing shale.
Both Oklahoma and Texas are known for oil wells, and for shale. So, presumably this is where most of the natural gas is coming from, and abundant natural gas likely also resulting in comparably the cheap electricity (though, not exactly a whole lot of renewables here; mostly just natural gas-fired power plants).
...