Author Archives: lukefrugalev

As long as there have been automobiles, buyers on a budget, have always faced a dilemma: Should I get yester-years flagship, or buy a new(er) mass market brand? Looking at our last used EV survey we see a similar trend. Your 30k could get you a 2024 Nissan Leaf plus, or a 2016 Tesla modelContinue reading “Old flagship or newer so so EV?”

As October rolls around, and I start rummaging around the attic looking for the Halloween box containing various front yard ornaments, its time to look back and reflect on the home battery system. Overall we went into this with two main goals. Energy security and economics. We have succeeded on both fronts, with the homeContinue reading “A year with a home battery”

Lately, signs have been popping up in my neighbourhood “Retire the Portlands gas plant”. Presumably referring to the gas power plant in the Toronto Portlands, and its 600 MW of rated power. I live in a fairly left-leaning neighbourhood, even by Toronto standards, and the few politically charged materials I have stumbled across have failedContinue reading “Can we retire the Portlands gas plant?”

Well, seems the inflation ghost is finally creeping into power pricing in Ontario. To little fanfare, the Ontario energy board announced a price increase for residential electricity rates in Ontario. On the ultra-low overnight rate (which I use), the peak rate went up a whopping 38% (from 28.4 to 39.1 c/kWh). Lets look at theContinue reading “Pricing update for Ontario”

A common complaint when it comes to funding the EV charging network, is that just like gas it should pay for it self and be left to the private sector. The fallacy here is that well, gas retail sales are not really profitable. In fact there is usually a convenience store onsite where the profitsContinue reading “Fancy EV charging economics”

Having had solar for six months or so, three of which my utility has given me credits for excess solar, lets look back and see how the financials are stacking up. Primarily the assumptions we made during the system design phase. They key design numbers are “revenue” per kWh, and if you have the capacityContinue reading “Return on your solar investment”

As we start waxing the skis for the upcoming ski season, its time to have a peak at the used EV market. While new EVs can be quite expensive used ones can be quite a bargain, to a point where the whole ownership equation changes financially putting EVs in the lead. As before we setContinue reading “Fall 2025 used EV survey”

About a two hour drive east of Edmonton, AB is the town of Hardisty, AB. Vast majority of Alberta’s oil goes past Hardisty on its way to markets in Ontario, Quebec and the US Mid-west. By some estimates, $90 B/year worth of oil moves through the town of Hardisty. Yet it is a town inContinue reading “Why is the town of Hardisty not booming?”

A few hundred kilometers from Toronto sits one of the worlds wine-making regions. The Niagara peninsula is a wonder well worth a visit. With that, and leaving he teenagers at home, we set out for some high-culture. We had a early evening theatre reservation, which left the better part of a Saturday to go exploreContinue reading “Niagara, Wine and Theater”

An RV park certainly seems like an unlikely allay. There are lots of pickup trucks, perhaps some right leaning political signs. But hidden beneath a frosty face is genuine hospitality, and more importantly, lots of 50 A RV outlets that can charge your car, perfect for some L2 grazing along your journey. There are quiteContinue reading “RV park, a hidden allay in your electric journey”