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by SoftTalker 721 days ago
Utilities get a local monopoly and guaranteed tariffs in exchange for the considerable investment in building out the supply grid and generating capacity, and the obligation to maintain it.

If individuals are allowed to opt-out, that changes the financial promises made to the utilities. Of course this was mostly done at a time before it was economically feasible for anyone to go off-grid with solar and batteries.

I quite honestly prefer this arrangement. I have zero desire to own and be responsible for the maintenance and safety of tens of thousands of dollars worth of on-premises solar/battery/electrical transfer switch gear. I'm quite happy to pay the local utility to run a cable to my electrical panel and have them be responsible for everything outside the walls of my house.
3 comments
skybrian 721 days ago
Or perhaps someday the utility will give you a battery:

Vermont utility proposes to install battery storage in most homes https://environmentamerica.org/updates/vermont-utility-propo...

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defrost 721 days ago
Locally in Western Australia we're having discussion between residents, council and state power about distributed small shipping container sized batteries, one per 200 homes.

There's a lot of solar power here in the state and a good argument for locally "shared" batteries in terms of maintainance, fire safety, etc.

Not much to say on that ATM, back of envelope looks good, there's a report in the works.

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jonathanlydall 721 days ago
I agree it would be much more efficient on the whole if the grid manages energy storage in bulk.

Unfortunately over here we have a monopoly awarded state owned power producer which has a history of incompetence and corruption.

Maybe at some point our grid can be trusted to be reliable, but in the meantime everyone is either installing their own batteries or having no electricity for hours at a time. Tragic, but what else can you do.

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Dylan16807 720 days ago
They said it's illegal to install a grid-charged battery backup.

How is that opting out of the grid?

Are you sure you're answering the question that was asked?

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