Opinion Distributed electrical power is going to massively disrupt electrical businesses

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I am convinced the current business model of how we get our electricity is going to massively change in the next decade. It's not about bigger is better its about micro-grids an nano-grids.

Right now if you have the resources having your own nano-grid makes tons of sense an some money.

To make a nano-grid "define by me under 50 kW of energy production per second. You need a few things solar panels and/or windmill with between 5kW to 50 kW of energy production an 14 to 50 kWh of battery storage. In the future 25 kWh of storage will be minimum for storage.

Microgrids are larger an have larger batteries to handle more hours of operation. Microgrids can share power to multiple homes or provide local power an can be operated by independent paid operations or larger power companies these microgrids by definition will run larger solar arrays "already many towns use them" an range from 50 to several hundred kW of power.

These microgrids in many cases are adding upwards of 1 megawatt hours of battery storage. These systems are popping up everywhere an forcing electric providers to come up with new business models to support them.

Changing to this distributed model offers the benefit of more stable grid that has a number of redundant backups an greatly reduced chance of cascade power failure.

Southern Australia been rolling out a system like this for some time with success. At first few did not understand it but as more an more it's rolled out it's gaining popularity.

It's very software heavy as complex AI systems with redundant backups monitor each home power usage to predict how much power should be directed to the home or to the grid. It's a complex balancing act that ownly powerful computers an AI software can handle.

Point being the next decade will upend how we get safe an effective power as well as stable uninterrupted power.
2 year old video.




 


Tesla trying to get a jump on others in the US but there are many like generac are racing to deliver similar AI based management systems.
 
A very interesting topic, although not sure why it’s in the war room. I’ve not looked into this too much, but the future is definitely distributed and decentralized
 
A very interesting topic, although not sure why it’s in the war room. I’ve not looked into this too much, but the future is definitely distributed and decentralized
The war room because a lot of people still are convinced solar an wind is to costly an inefficient vs nuclear an coal.
 
Well, it is on a large scale. Nuclear is a fantastic option and should be continually explored.

Mircogrids are an interesting concept but only have a small use case.
Nuclear offers advantages the issue many promising technologies like using spent materials to a point that their less dangerous to store not here yet. We are making progress but building new reactors are becoming increasingly expensive. Again new technologies like the ones backed by Warren Buffett an Bill Gates calls for making smaller more cost effective reactors still a time left to prove. Fusion looks even more difficult to solve.

Micro-grids are really improving situations in Southern Australia where the very conservative government is now calling to expand the project.
 
It’s good to see a new approach being embraced, as I think that decentralization increases energy security.

I just retired in the countryside, and thinking of adding solar array with a good battery bank, as I have great southern exposure. Less reliance on the grid makes sense for me.
 
Needs a massive breakthrough in battery tech for this. Batteries are still way, way too expensive to be practical as a true power “source” during non renewable hours
 
The war room because a lot of people still are convinced solar an wind is to costly an inefficient vs nuclear an coal.
Try living in something as small as a van with solar. Its nearly impossible to run a heater or AC off a reasonably sized solar system.

Living small is about as efficient as it gets. You scale up to heating and cooling a house you got a headache if its entirely solar.
 
Try living in something as small as a van with solar. Its nearly impossible to run a heater or AC off a reasonably sized solar system.

Living small is about as efficient as it gets. You scale up to heating and cooling a house you got a headache if its entirely solar.
New AC system design offer 30 to 40 percent reduction in power used vs the original design and that is available today or very soon. It effects both heating and AC without massive change in the way people heat or cool their houses. Then there are new ways of improving efficiency. The issue like everything costs and work involved to update ones system.

 
New AC system design offer 30 to 40 percent reduction in power used vs the original design and that is available today or very soon.


Im all for it bro. I want solar to be viable. But the power draw on current technology of heating and air conditioning is immense. Heating and AC power consumption improvements will be mandatory for solar to play a larger part in modern society.

This is a step in the right direction.

Also as previously mentioned, battery technology will also have to be massively improved. To match a grid 200 amp service with solar it would probably cost more than the house itsself, still be subject to power failures in inclement weather and still be subject to performance decays over decades.

Nothing comes close to grid power production.
 
Needs a massive breakthrough in battery tech for this. Batteries are still way, way too expensive to be practical as a true power “source” during non renewable hours
They are finding new types of batteries that are not lithium but use dry battery technology from your original car battery offering considerable cost savings and more efficient for use in the home. Lithium while great for cars you don't need the current loads to drive the motors and run your electrical outlets. New batteries are being developed for that specific function lowering costs and increasing the size. Currently the average Tesla Powerwall installation is 14 kwh enough for running the fridge, TV and AC overnight but future we could have batteries in the 25 kWh level that will cost less then the 12,000 dollar Powerwall while being safer and having longer life.
 
Im all for it bro. I want solar to be viable. But the power draw on current technology of heating and air conditioning is immense. Heating and AC power consumption improvements will be mandatory for solar to play a larger part in modern society.

This is a step in the right direction.

Also as previously mentioned, battery technology will also have to be massively improved. To match a grid 200 amp service with solar it would probably cost more than the house itsself, still be subject to power failures in inclement weather and still be subject to performance decays over decades.

Nothing comes close to grid power production.
Southern Australia has desert like conditions and people have AC's running all the time seems to be working fine with a large enough solar setup. Interesting coverage over solar powered home from a Youtuber I follow.



This is in very different weather situation.
 
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