I didnβt think it was possible to be a *bigger* fan of #solar than I already was, but Day 3 of a city wide outage where I not only have power but I have more than I can use/store and can give it away to the neighbors? Thatβll do it. #Pittsburgh #energysky
@tinker I'm a HUGE fan of microgrids β I really think they're a big climate solution that we need to accelerate the adoption of, which I think mostly is going to involve clearing regulatory hurdles, which unfortunately is tough (even more so now). But yes--putting power gen where it makes the most sense and sharing local is 100% on target.
If I haven't already recommended this episode of Volts to you, it's really good (about microgrids): volts.wtf/p/envisioning-a-moreβ¦
BTW my little jackery battery is coming into unexpected use β long before I had my solar + home battery +EV outage backup solution, I got a little Jackery battery to deal with the frequent outages in my old house. They would only last a couple hours, but having that battery to charge phones and laptops saved my sanity. Once we moved here and had the larger system, it was useful on occasion for power at the lake, etc, but now... now we have portable power to share with others and that's HUGE.
My writeup on all kinds of backup battery solutions (including Jackery-type batteries, that's just one brand but I like them): susankayequinn.com/2024/11/bacβ¦
Iβm a huge advocate for solar and will make a separate post for that, but whether you have solar or not, having backup power is going to be more important going forward (especially with a cliβ¦
Another unsung hero of the outage: my phone's hotspot. I long ago got a plan w/ a hotspot because we would use it ALL THE TIME (on travel, in the car on the way to wherever, especially when the kids were home).
Most of the power outages I've been in *haven't* had the internet go down β those are separate (generally) and I specifically planned for backup power to run the router/modem so we could have wifi in an outage. But this storm was BIG... and took out the internet.
Our local cell network offered speeds like a 56Kbps modem and their batteries lasted for about 18 hours before we were fully out of service. From then it was a battery powered radio and neighbours.
So that's how long the net will last in a more serious crisis. Less than 24 hours, and for those hours, the net will be borderline useless anyway.
@alan it very much depends on WHY/WHERE your power is out whether the cell network (or internet cables) will be out.
Our cell network has been fine (high speed) despite 400k people w/out power for 36+ hours now. I've had shorter outages when the internet cable wasn't interrupted because the power outage was local. Outages in this storm have been hyper local (a downed tree) but widespread (storm throughout the city).
@Susan Kaye Quinn π±(she/her) need the grid for make it run. and it has alifetime end as well any EMP would disable it all. Searching for solutions to cure is not the way, the way is searching for solutions to prevent.
The thing is that your imagined scenarios are imagined and mine is actually real. Just saying... this situation is what it is. Others will be different. It all depends on the particulars and you're not helping people by telling them that mobile hot spots will be useless when they're clearly useful in this case (and many others).
@Susan Kaye Quinn π±(she/her) back in time I've ran on 3G a playstation MMORPG The Elder Scroll's for like 4 to 6 hours day with less then 5GB data/month so it was free or included by recharge those times are over.. Tethering.
Thanks, we have a tornado warning in my area and I am considering a Jackery 1000 Plus or similar for the future. Also, I looked up your books and my library let me check out the e-audio book of *When You Had Power*!
Tinker βοΈ
in reply to Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± • • •Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ±
in reply to Tinker βοΈ • • •@tinker I'm a HUGE fan of microgrids β I really think they're a big climate solution that we need to accelerate the adoption of, which I think mostly is going to involve clearing regulatory hurdles, which unfortunately is tough (even more so now). But yes--putting power gen where it makes the most sense and sharing local is 100% on target.
If I haven't already recommended this episode of Volts to you, it's really good (about microgrids): volts.wtf/p/envisioning-a-moreβ¦
Envisioning a more democratic, bottom-up energy system
David Roberts (Volts)Tinker βοΈ reshared this.
Tinker βοΈ
in reply to Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± • • •Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ±
in reply to Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± • • •Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ±
in reply to Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± • • •Backup Power/Battery Options for the Climate Crisis
SUSAN KAYE QUINNplan-A likes this.
Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ±
in reply to Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± • • •Another unsung hero of the outage: my phone's hotspot. I long ago got a plan w/ a hotspot because we would use it ALL THE TIME (on travel, in the car on the way to wherever, especially when the kids were home).
Most of the power outages I've been in *haven't* had the internet go down β those are separate (generally) and I specifically planned for backup power to run the router/modem so we could have wifi in an outage. But this storm was BIG... and took out the internet.
Hotspot is saving us.
plan-A likes this.
Alan Langford π¨π¦π§€π§ζ
in reply to Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± • • •Our local cell network offered speeds like a 56Kbps modem and their batteries lasted for about 18 hours before we were fully out of service. From then it was a battery powered radio and neighbours.
So that's how long the net will last in a more serious crisis. Less than 24 hours, and for those hours, the net will be borderline useless anyway.
plan-A likes this.
Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ±
in reply to Alan Langford π¨π¦π§€π§ζ • • •@alan
it very much depends on WHY/WHERE your power is out whether the cell network (or internet cables) will be out.
Our cell network has been fine (high speed) despite 400k people w/out power for 36+ hours now. I've had shorter outages when the internet cable wasn't interrupted because the power outage was local. Outages in this storm have been hyper local (a downed tree) but widespread (storm throughout the city).
400k w/out power and 3 dead is a "serious crisis" cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/piβ¦
3 deaths reported after severe storms batter Pittsburgh area, knocking out power for more than 400,000 homes
Madeline Bartos (CBS Pittsburgh)plan-A
in reply to Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± • •mobiles as hot spots.
Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± likes this.
plan-A
in reply to plan-A • •need the grid for make it run. and it has alifetime end as well any EMP would disable it all.
Searching for solutions to cure is not the way, the way is searching for solutions to prevent.
Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ±
in reply to plan-A • • •@zer0unplanned
The thing is that your imagined scenarios are imagined and mine is actually real. Just saying... this situation is what it is. Others will be different. It all depends on the particulars and you're not helping people by telling them that mobile hot spots will be useless when they're clearly useful in this case (and many others).
plan-A
in reply to plan-A • •back in time I've ran on 3G a playstation MMORPG The Elder Scroll's for like 4 to 6 hours day with less then 5GB data/month so it was free or included by recharge those times are over..
Tethering.
plan-A
in reply to plan-A • •but there was grid for all things.
and grass was greener etc..
Scarab (Sarah)
in reply to Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± • • •Kim Possible
in reply to Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ± • • •Sue is Writing Solarpunk ππ±
in reply to Kim Possible • • •Alan Langford π¨π¦π§€π§ζ
Unknown parent • • •