The Caveman, the Devil’s Tools, and the Grid (Encore)

Explicit content warning

04/24/24 • 25 min

Two teenagers are having a private moment in the hills above a utility substation when suddenly they happen upon a terrorist intent on bringing down their local grid. Will the teens escape and defeat the terrorist? Yes, but only with the help of modern-day cleantech resources...
True Solar Takeaways

Terrorists have been attempting to disrupt the grid by firing rifle shots at the transformers of utility substations. Here are some news clips about these incidents:
Yes, indeed. There is a "Smart Summon" mode on your Tesla, but you need to be close by. Behold.
The smart homes of the future are here, not in the future. There are many, many companies that offer app connections that can control just about anything in your house through wi-fi and smart plugs, including the coffee maker, the TV, lights, stereos, and of course garage door openers. Pretty much everything.
If you've only installed solar on your roof, you will generally not be able to use the solar generation, even if the blackout occurs when the sun is shining. That's because your solar power will backfeed into the grid and endanger the line-people who are fixing transmission wires, so your inverter will cut off your solar production. There are a few inverters that will "island" and route power to your home and not the grid. Check with your installer.
If you want your solar power to back you up, day or night, you'll need to install a battery.
However, whole home backup is rare--and expensive. Instead, you can tell your solar+battery installer about the "critical loads" that will be available during a blackout, and he'll configure your battery to keep those things running. Typically, it's the lights, refrigerator, and other small appliances. The size of your battery will partly determine how many hours those things will stay on. Of course, the more things you use during a blackout, the fewer hours of backup battery usage you'll have. Also, if you include high-intensity loads like air conditioning or a pool pump, you'll quickly use up your battery power in very few hours.

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Terrorists have been attempting to disrupt the grid by firing rifle shots at the transformers of utility substations. Here are some news clips about these incidents:
Yes, indeed. There is a "Smart Summon" mode on your Tesla, but you need to be close by. Behold.
The smart homes of the future are here, not in the future. There are many, many companies that offer app connections that can control just about anything in your house through wi-fi and smart plugs, including the coffee maker, the TV, lights, stereos, and of course garage door openers. Pretty much everything.
If you've only installed solar on your roof, you will generally not be able to use the solar generation, even if the blackout occurs when the sun is shining. That's because your solar power will backfeed into the grid and endanger the line-people who are fixing transmission wires, so your inverter will cut off your solar production. There are a few inverters that will "island" and route power to your home and not the grid. Check with your installer.
If you want your solar power to back you up, day or night, you'll need to install a battery.
However, whole home backup is rare--and expensive. Instead, you can tell your solar+battery installer about the "critical loads" that will be available during a blackout, and he'll configure your battery to keep those things running. Typically, it's the lights, refrigerator, and other small appliances. The size of your battery will partly determine how many hours those things will stay on. Of course, the more things you use during a blackout, the fewer hours of backup battery usage you'll have. Also, if you include high-intensity loads like air conditioning or a pool pump, you'll quickly use up your battery power in very few hours.

-----

Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.
Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt!
Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories.
Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodes
Don't forget to:
- Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming service
- Rate
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Previous Episode

Why Solar Man Joined the Ultra League of Super Defenders (Encore)

There's a new superhero in town. His name is Solar Man, and he's here to help the world, but not in the way you might think. To defeat his arch-nemesis, Solar Man reluctantly decides to join the Ultra League of Super Defenders, a band of superheroes that are beyond the law. But will Solar Man be able to show his Super Solar strengths and pass the audition?
True Solar Takeaways

The U.S. solar industry installs the equivalent of a residential solar installation every 39 seconds.
All solar projects require some type of local permitting and utility connection ("interconnection") approvals.
Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) are the catch-all name for the county, city, and utility approval bodies that oversee solar permitting.
A "PE" is a licensed Professional Engineer. Some AHJs require their review of a solar installation design. Some don't.
Sadly, there are no national standards or building codes for installing solar on a home, business, or utility-size project. Each county, city, and state has its own special rules, regulations, codes, and official requirements.
As a result of different permitting codes and standards, solar's installation and interconnection processes can get slowed down. Local differences also increase the costs and time to install solar.
AHJs and utilities can also be slow to approve projects due to the increasing number of solar projects being installed. AHJ staff need to be updated on the latest solar and battery products and new technologies.

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Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.
Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt!
Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories.
Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodes
Don't forget to:
- Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming service
- Rate
- Review, and
- Share!

Next Episode

We Have a Pigeon Problem (Encore)

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we have a pigeon problem. When a new solar owner sees that a pigeon is unrelentingly shit-bombing her brand-new solar array, she calls in a critter pro to do the dirty work. But then she discovers that her pigeon also has a problem, and the solution becomes complicated...
Indeed, it's a probably true solar panel pigeon poo-poo problem that's probably more problematic than precisely pronouncing this preposterous sentence 10 times fast.
But instead of doing that, just listen all the way through. Then ask yourself, "What would I have done in the same situation?"
Two small warnings about this episode: 1) Characters say some naughty words, so keep your earbuds on in front of the little ones. 2) I sing part of a Rolling Stones tune, so I beg your forgiveness in advance. It's brief, but it still might be painful for both Stones fans and non-Stones fans.
True Solar Takeaways:

Cleaning solar panels can be dangerous, even if it's simple. Hire a pro to clean them once every few months. Bonus: They may find other problems that need attention.
Critters may make a home under your solar panels. Once again, hire a solar O&M pro to prevent nests and warrens from being set up.
If you clean your own, use a mild soapy water solution with a soft cloth or brush. Never use anything sharp. You may cause damage to the solar panels--or even yourself.

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Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.
Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt!
Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories.
Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodes
Don't forget to:
- Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming service
- Rate
- Review, and
- Share!