If they’d bury the power lines and/or install neighborhood batteries, this wouldn’t be an issue. But that costs money.
Why invest in infrastructure when we can give that money to billionaires?
I’m not a small government type, but god am I tired of taxpayer dollars going to big oil, animal ag, banks and arms dealers that are literally trying to speed run the end of humankind.
I’m not a small government type, but god am I tired of taxpayer dollars going to big oil, animal ag, banks and arms dealers that are literally trying to speed run the end of humankind.
It’d seem to me that the problem isn’t with the size of the government but the sort of people elected to run it.
Yeah, I fully agree.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but I just didn’t want to come across as a an-cap or something by complaining about government spending when my issue isn’t that we’re spending taxpayer money, but what we’re spending it on.
I agree and wish they would but the water table in Texas and Louisiana are pretty high so if they attempted to dig the lines, they would hit water pretty quick. For example, there’s a reason they don’t bury people in New Orleans and there are above ground tombs. I live down here and after consistent power failures I finally invested in a home generator. I hope it will increase my home value when I’m finally able to get out of here.
And yet somehow they bury all the water, sewer, and gas lines.
They often don’t. Water runs up through house’s attics.That’s why when it freezes people’s houses get water damage
The water, sewer, and gas lines in my state are all still buried. We don’t have basements, so when these lines enter the house, they are often routed to the attic. But we don’t have big wooden poles that carry water or gas at roof level and get blown down with ever strong gust of wind.
Burying the lines would require an additional expense for home builders and energy/data technicians. Telephone and electricity poles are much cheaper to erect than big trenches for the lines are to dig and insulate. But you’ll notice in Houston that areas in downtown and the Galleria and certain corners of the wealthy suburbs, we’re able to maintain power through even the worst weather because we buried the fucking lines over there. It is absolutely possible to do. It just incurs an upfront cost that these businesses don’t want to pay and the city doesn’t have the authority (or inclination, under our current shitty cheapass mayor) to do themselves.
Can confirm, we had power during Harvey and the two major freezes, but lost power today. First time being without power for more than an hour in 7ish years of being in our current house.
Yep. I’ve invested in multiple forms of self sufficient power because of this risk.
Solar, battery backup, and a generator as a last resort.
Out next home will prioritize or be modified with improved passive solar techniques to maximize what we have.
Microgrid/self sufficient backup is the future.
Unfortunately it is expensive and privileged to be able to do, especially at the home level. This is a highlighted impact of climate change that has unbalanced socioeconomic consequences
Microgrid/self sufficient backup is the future.
Horribly inefficient relative to a large MUD connected to a durable grid and industrial scale green energy production.
But in America, we only know how to build big when we build sloppy. So its the best alternative any individual resident has.
Anywhere on earth, if you want backup power, you need to build it yourself.
I don’t care how many layers of generation the municipality has, if a storm knocks them out, I can’t blame them for shutting the system down to repair it.
Anywhere on earth, if you want backup power, you need to build it yourself.
Large multi-family units can leverage economies of scale to more effectively supply amenities like AC, data, and backup power. Individual residences have big problems with cheap, poorly maintained, and unprofessionally deployed backup generators.
I don’t care how many layers of generation the municipality has
I care quite a bit. A municipality without redundancy is going to have huge problems
Obviously I care…I said it that way to highlight the point of: if the municipal system is down for reasons then having options outside of that is critical.
When considering self sufficiency, grid scale efficiency is obviously a lower order priority, over uptime, and resilience.
Edit further, my generator was installed by a licensed electrician with dedicated panel, circuit and switch.
if the municipal system is down for reasons then having options outside of that is critical.
Having a well-run municipal government mitigates this risk substantially.
When considering self sufficiency, grid scale efficiency is obviously a lower order priority, over uptime, and resilience.
If you want consistent and reliable uptime and a resilient capital stock, you are better off with a fully integrated industrial scale system than a DIY attachment kit. MUDs can (and in higher end developments increasingly do) offer this amenity. And they deliver it at a lower cost than the DIY solution, with far fewer personal risks and expenses.
my generator was installed by a licensed electrician with dedicated panel, circuit and switch.
That’s great. But it isn’t what I’d call “self-sufficient”. You’re entirely reliant on a third-party professional for this system to work.
Ok so you’re just being needlessly argumentative.
My top level comment described choices I took in the system I live in. It doesn’t excuse that system, and doesn’t preclude improving that system.
I’m not claiming I’m some off grid prepper. I’m saying I made choices to improve my power uptime, at my address, which happens to be in a storm fraught area where power goes out often. Edit my goals are fully met, and I’d be no better off with any available option. Suggesting I just magic up a grid solution is fantasy
Your in my comment thread consistently arguing for systemic level changes in a described personal situation at one address.
You’re just moving goalposts and being rude now for no reason. You think I don’t know that larger systems are more efficient? You don’t think I want a well run municipal government?
I’ve made clear the confines of my comment goals, all else is just distraction.
Yeah, I did the same over time. I had a small solar array and a dual fuel generator but fuel deliveries and the power grid weren’t available after a storm so everyone ran out. People were lining up at 5am at gas stations. So, I added a battery and more panels to the array. It was fairly expensive up front but I have a PHEV and am at a latitude where solar works well except in storms or the dead of winter (when it’s pleasant out anyway). And the days after hurricanes are basically always sunny.
It always makes me laugh a little bit when people say solar and wind aren’t reliable. Maybe where you live but for me, the grid and gasoline aren’t necessarily reliable when I need them most. I’d rather have backup.
I suspect it’s also saved me money on appliances and electronics. A lot of people seem to have them die shortly after power grid issues. (It makes intuitive sense that unstable amounts of intermittent electricity coming through would burn out appliances but I don’t know for sure.)
