#13 Distributed And Private Energy Grids Are The Future
December 18, 2024•231 words
I do not doubt that the future of energy grids will include a mix of state (or monopolistic) grids, many small(ish) private energy grids, and even more off-grids.
Running your off-grid electric system may soon become economical. In sun-rich locations, hacking it off-grid may already be economical. Falling battery and solar panel costs make this a plausible solution.
The problem I see here is that bureaucrats were never good at sensibly changing the status quo, and bureaucrats are what we have in Europe. Our journey from more and more expensive and overloaded central grids to distributed energy grids mix will most likely be very painful and slow. One reason for that is that bureaucrats will try to discourage grid defection to keep the money in the system for state (or semi-state) owned utility monopolies as long as possible. Pretty much no matter the logic or consequences.
I would not be surprised if the US, with its notoriously bad energy grid infrastructure (exceptions exist among states), would end up with a better-functioning grid in the next decades. It's always easier to fix the thing that everyone knows is broken than to fix the thing everyone is/was celebrating as perfect.
What about you? What do you think about running your own energy mini-grid to escape rising electricity costs?
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Till tomorrow! 🤠