Yet More Grid Grunge

A few days ago I wrote an email about ‘The Case Against The Grid’ that went into some basics about our electrical grid and some vulnerabilities.

If you haven’t seen the movie/video “Grid Down Power Up” and you aren’t afraid of a little prepper-esque type scary stuff I think it is a good thing to watch:

https://vimeo.com/760108157

Today’s discussion isn’t about grid vulnerability, though.

Instead, I’d like to share some thoughts on the politics and upgrading of the grid.

Unfortunately , power generation has been entangled in the global warming/green/renewable political clash that makes progress near impossible without significant (unnecessary) drama.

Bottom line, any time a new power plant, distribution line, solar farm, wind turbine- whatever is proposed, it causes a battle from whichever ‘opposition’ the thing proposed might have.

Can’t do a wind farm without legacy oil battling it.

Can’t do a nat gas plant without some kind of carbon warriors attacking.

Can’t do a transmission line without green/conservation groups objecting.

Nothing in the ‘grid’ can be done without ‘fighting’ these battles.

And that’s o.k.- our system needs these disagreements to make sure we get it right…

But it can also really hinder progress, and that’s where this recent article comes from:

“Wind and solar power generators wait in yearlong lines to put clean electricity on the grid, then ice huge interconnection fees they can’t afford”

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/06/outdated-us-energy-grid-tons-of-clean-energy-stuck-waiting-in-line.html

(note- this is published on a CNBC website- so no telling what kind of narrative is added into the story)

Now, there’s a lot to take away from the article, here’s mine.

A homeowner relies on the grid that their home is attached to. For Tucson, that’s TEP. As TEP adds solar farms to the grid, we may have access to ‘cleaner’ power.

But, we get what we get from the grid. There is no choice, that is, until we make a choice to investigate rooftop solar.

If a homeowner prioritizes getting a bit ‘cleaner’ with their energy use, reduce their ‘carbon footprint’, or whatever other green catchphrase that tickles their fancy- they’ll have to do it on their own. Obviously can’t wait for TEP or any other utility to do it (too much ‘red tape’).

Same goes for those who prioritize trying to gain as much self-reliance (or ‘divorce’ from the utility) as possible. TEP (or any other utility) will certainly NOT do that- so the homeowner needs to take that upon themselves as well.

Rooftop solar is viable, reliable, and in many cases affordable- but it won’t happen for any homeowner until they become interested and investigate what it might look like for them…

If that’s you and you’re considering rooftop solar, I have an upcoming book Tucson Solar Insider Desk Guide for Buying Solar that aims to help you identify where all the red tape is so you can avoid the delays and headaches. Click here to get notified when I release it.

Be Good!

Curtis