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..is of course one of the mainstays of capitalism. He who controls the power stations has the power. Neither the Industrial Age nor the Information Age could have been born without it.

Fuel Cells were going to be the answer to decentralized energy that would allow Africa to light-industrialize in its own model (rather than taking the W*stern model). Let's see.

While agreeing there is some cause for optimism with this report (above) it has to be counterbalanced by individual houses and communities contributing their own energy savings, combined with feasible moves toward self-sufficiency (Solar, Wind, heat pumps etc). I would imagine that adding together long term personal energy savings of 10% or more, plus personal investment in renewable energy sources that could supply 10% of needs, would go a long way to making a dent in our slavish reliance on centralized energy.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 at 11:17:42 AM EST
has been used because there are what's called economies of scale and you can thus get your stuff more efficiently, and more cheaply, by doing it in a centralised way.

A typewriter "centralises" all your writing where the typewrite is, whereas with a "decentralised" pen, you ca nwrite anywhere...

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 at 11:52:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]
A typewriter!? What's that? ;-)

That was precisely my point. Do we need economies of scale any more?

I was just reading of a new type of enterprise in the US. Offices and industrial premises with roof space can get rather a large amount of energy from a well-designed and large solar array.

The business model is that the entrepreneur analyses the needs of the office and then installs the entire system gratis - but the ordering company then pays for the energy they get, at more or less going rates for electricity off the grid. Where they gain is that when power is generated by the rooftop system surplus to requirements, it is sold back to the grid supplier, and benefits both the entrepreneur and their client.

According to the report, the main bone of contention is the unit price of the sellback which so far has been closer to the retail price (ie the grid utility company becomes a consumer). On the other hand, the utility companies have found these new systems to help quite a lot with peak loading - saving them from starting up expensive reserve generators etc.

But it is an interesting model...

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 at 12:55:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Weird. Have you got the link?

That is almost EXACTLY the self financing "Energy Pool" model I advocate, and which sinks without trace every time I mention it, probably because it's categorised in the "It's just Chris banging on again" box.

Oh well.

It does require smart metering, though, and the sort of IP these guys

ResponsiveLoad

have.

I saw them recently re "partnerising" what they are doing: there's hope for us Brits yet.

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 at 01:08:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I heard a report on NPR while driving, about 7-10 days ago. Sorry I don't remember any more about it.

You can't be me, I'm taken
by Sven Triloqvist on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 at 01:18:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
This sounds like the report I heard. It links to a replay of the original radio report.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11501354

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 at 01:20:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
BTW I'll get back to the Monster model when the Finns get back from summer vacation ;-)

You can't be me, I'm taken
by Sven Triloqvist on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 at 01:21:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Great stuff.

How did the film-making go? There must be a Diary or Two in that?

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 at 01:35:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
There's probably some kind insight to be unravelled, but maybe first I need some perspective.

Today I had my last day of shooting sketches - finally in the inner sanctum - the HQ of Yle. Not so much sketches as tidying up the backstory for the last episode. There's  still one scene where our Gypsy King meets the Channel Director and finally decides to reject the digital world (to which Finland converts, in reality, at the end of the series) The closing line is 'We are analogue people' ;-). But unfortunately one actor is unavailable except when I am away to I have allowed the producer to direct it ;-)

I've also been working on a 45 second animated tribute to our other star who died during production. This is meant to come before the final end credits.

Oh, and today we had one of Finland's leading gangsters on set for a bit part. I've been working with an American colleague on a new comedy series called 'Behind the 8-Ball' which is about a gang of bikers made up of ex-businessmen gone wild. We needed to do some research on 'clubhouses' etc and I asked the Man if he could help. He made one call and I am now booked to spend some time with a rather notorious biker gang in August. I have no qualms - if I go with his recommendation, I'll be safer than out on the streets ;-)

I have described before my interest in people who live outside the law. This guy is charming, intelligent - even wise, and very funny. We had a day of laughs.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 at 05:55:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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