Clean Energy Technologies Threaten To Overwhelm The Grid. Here’s How It Can Adapt.

Clean Energy Technologies Threaten To Overwhelm The Grid. Here’s How It Can Adapt.

Clean energy technologies threaten to overwhelm the grid. Here’s how it can adapt.

The centralized, top-down power grid is outdated. Time for a bottom-up redesign.

The US power grid is, by some estimates, the largest machine in the world, a continent-spanning wonder of the modern age. And despite its occasional well-publicized failures, it is remarkably reliable, delivering energy to almost every American, almost every second of every day.

This is an especially remarkable accomplishment given that, until very recently, almost none of that power could be stored. It all has to be generated, sent over miles of wires, and delivered to end users at the exact second they need it, in a perfectly synchronized dance.

Given the millions of Americans, their billions of electrical devices, and the thousands of miles of electrical wires involved, well, it’s downright amazing.

Still, as you may have heard, the grid is stressed out. Blackouts due to extreme weather (hurricanes, floods, wildfires) are on the rise, in part due to climate change, which is only going to get worse. The need for local resilience in the face of climate chaos is growing all the time.

Unless old systems are reconceived and redesigned, they could end up slowing down, and increasing the cost of, the transition to clean electricity (and hampering the fight against climate change).

(via Renewable energy threatens to overwhelm the grid. Here’s how it can adapt. - Vox)

More Posts from Copperfingertips and Others

6 years ago

Shit No One Told Me About My Period

I knew the basics before I got it, but I had no clue…

* The blood wouldn’t necessarily be red. When I first got my period, I spent a few min looking at my underwear wondering how I shit myself. I didn’t know the blood could look brown, or be thick.

* That tampons weren’t a good idea yet. I was 10 or 11 when I got my first period and physically smaller than an adult woman. My first attempt at inserting a tampon was very painful and unsuccessful. I wouldn’t use them until I was around 14 or so.

* That when you use pads the blood can get on your bottom and I’d have to occasionally clean off the toilet seat after using it.

* That getting your first period DOES NOT mean you’re fully developed and fully able to bear children. I could have technically gotten pregnant at that age, but I was still a child and pregnancy would have put my life in danger because I was still physically immature.

* That it wouldn’t be regular for another few years.

* That very painful cramping is NOT NORMAL once you reach your 20s and is cause for concern.

* That the blood and tissue you pass can look chunky or stringy and not like blood from a cut.

* That stress can halt your period for months BUT

* That doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant

Feel free to add your own

6 years ago

Actually you know what. Just don’t mow. Get rid of your lawnmower. Turn your whole yard into a wildflower field or an edible garden. Lawns are the invention of the upper class to show wealth through wasted plots of grass that is meticulously tended for no reason other than to be grass. It’s literally an empty plot of land they kept because they had so much money they didn’t need it to grow food. Not using a yard as just a yard is an act of rebellion.

One of the main industries still supporting lawns is chemical pest control companies, and they’re also responsible for the insecticides that crashed the bird populations in the 40s and 50s as well as a lot of what’s killing bees and butterflies now. The herbicides they produce specifically targets “bad” plants like dandelions, buttercups, and clovers, which are plants bees rely on for early spring feeding. Grass is just grass; it would be great for feeding small mammals if people would let it grow more than three inches, but they won’t.

So, yeah. Kill lawnmower culture. Plant some native flowers. Grow some vegetables and fruit trees. Put out bird feeders and bee sugar spots and homes for both. Be kind to bugs and birds and rabbits and opossums and whoever else might wander by. Make your neighborhood a lot more beautiful.


Tags
6 years ago
Powered Exclusively By The Sun, This 16-month Flight Is Promoting The Use Of Clean Energy.
Powered Exclusively By The Sun, This 16-month Flight Is Promoting The Use Of Clean Energy.
Powered Exclusively By The Sun, This 16-month Flight Is Promoting The Use Of Clean Energy.
Powered Exclusively By The Sun, This 16-month Flight Is Promoting The Use Of Clean Energy.
Powered Exclusively By The Sun, This 16-month Flight Is Promoting The Use Of Clean Energy.
Powered Exclusively By The Sun, This 16-month Flight Is Promoting The Use Of Clean Energy.
Powered Exclusively By The Sun, This 16-month Flight Is Promoting The Use Of Clean Energy.
Powered Exclusively By The Sun, This 16-month Flight Is Promoting The Use Of Clean Energy.

Powered exclusively by the sun, this 16-month flight is promoting the use of clean energy.

6 years ago
Self Sufficiency, 1970s

Self Sufficiency, 1970s

6 years ago
Today I Divided Up The Hardy Kiwis I Had Layered In The Fall.
Today I Divided Up The Hardy Kiwis I Had Layered In The Fall.
Today I Divided Up The Hardy Kiwis I Had Layered In The Fall.

Today I divided up the hardy kiwis I had layered in the fall.

I made four new 1 gallon kiwi plants.

6 years ago
Https://www.democracynow.org/2018/12/13/you_are_stealing_our_future_greta

https://www.democracynow.org/2018/12/13/you_are_stealing_our_future_greta

You Are Stealing Our Future: Greta Thunberg, 15, Condemns the World’s Inaction on Climate Change
Democracy Now!
Fifteen-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg addressed the U.N. plenary last night in Katowice, Poland, condemning global inacti
6 years ago
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee
DANDELION JELLY! !! It Tastes Like Honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Been A Busy Bee

DANDELION JELLY! !! It tastes like honey! 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 been a busy bee last few days harvesting flowers, plucking petals, extracting nectar, straining and canning this delicious jelly! Very Tideaous work but it’s worth it!

3 cups dandelion tea (made from 4 cups of petals in boiled water overnight ) 4 cups of sugar 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 6 tbsp of regular ball fruit pectin Water bath can for 10 minutes Makes 6 - ½ pints

4/20/16


Tags
6 years ago
Floating A-frame, Submitted By Martino

Floating A-frame, submitted by Martino

  • bumblebeeappletree
    bumblebeeappletree reblogged this · 2 years ago
  • edtheled
    edtheled reblogged this · 3 years ago
  • edtheled
    edtheled liked this · 3 years ago
  • bumblebeeappletree
    bumblebeeappletree reblogged this · 3 years ago
  • cirrusin
    cirrusin reblogged this · 3 years ago
  • bumblebeeappletree
    bumblebeeappletree reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • creeping-shadow-heralds-storms
    creeping-shadow-heralds-storms reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • wandering-storm-lost-shadow
    wandering-storm-lost-shadow liked this · 4 years ago
  • wunkosaurus93
    wunkosaurus93 reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • bumblebeeappletree
    bumblebeeappletree reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • bumblebeeappletree
    bumblebeeappletree liked this · 4 years ago
  • tallyinggoldstars
    tallyinggoldstars liked this · 4 years ago
  • extavaganza
    extavaganza liked this · 5 years ago
  • bunkbed-junction
    bunkbed-junction liked this · 5 years ago
  • ceterostimming
    ceterostimming reblogged this · 5 years ago
  • seekingsystems
    seekingsystems reblogged this · 5 years ago
  • rizu-not-risu
    rizu-not-risu liked this · 5 years ago
  • teh-repository
    teh-repository reblogged this · 5 years ago
  • kamenridercomrade
    kamenridercomrade reblogged this · 5 years ago
  • butterflyawayfromhere
    butterflyawayfromhere liked this · 5 years ago
  • and-the-king-fell
    and-the-king-fell liked this · 5 years ago
  • mistreeusadults
    mistreeusadults reblogged this · 5 years ago
  • searchforsustainability
    searchforsustainability reblogged this · 5 years ago
  • vanikerch
    vanikerch liked this · 5 years ago
  • eriscomplex
    eriscomplex liked this · 5 years ago
  • decayingdarlings
    decayingdarlings liked this · 5 years ago
  • makeshift-prepper
    makeshift-prepper liked this · 5 years ago
  • nuriakendo
    nuriakendo liked this · 5 years ago
  • 13pointer
    13pointer liked this · 5 years ago
  • witch-boy-666
    witch-boy-666 liked this · 5 years ago
  • edmiar
    edmiar liked this · 5 years ago
  • speedypalacecreatordean-blog
    speedypalacecreatordean-blog liked this · 5 years ago
  • ipurpleudarlingtae
    ipurpleudarlingtae liked this · 5 years ago
  • pickledcarrotsandradish
    pickledcarrotsandradish reblogged this · 6 years ago
  • solarpunk-alpaca
    solarpunk-alpaca reblogged this · 6 years ago
  • kingdom-of-alpacas-blog
    kingdom-of-alpacas-blog liked this · 6 years ago
  • lastnightkiss
    lastnightkiss liked this · 6 years ago
  • cringecandy
    cringecandy liked this · 6 years ago
  • ecobatt-energy-cambodia
    ecobatt-energy-cambodia liked this · 6 years ago
  • disruptmovie-blog
    disruptmovie-blog liked this · 6 years ago
  • riptide-rabbitholes
    riptide-rabbitholes reblogged this · 6 years ago
  • crazy-joy-forever
    crazy-joy-forever liked this · 6 years ago
copperfingertips - Represent The Human Race
Represent The Human Race

For my Solunarpunk ass

198 posts

Explore Tumblr Blog
Search Through Tumblr Tags