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Ukraine is making its infrastructure harder for Russia to destroy by building clean energy sources (www.milwaukeeindependent.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Attacks on two DTEK solar farms last spring is a good example. They destroyed many solar panels and some of the transformers, which step up voltage for long distances or step it down for use in homes. Replacing the transformers and swapping out destroyed panels allowed the farms, which generate 400 megawatts, to be back up in seven days.

Timchenko said an attack on a thermal generating station, which experienced a similar amount of damage, took three to four months to rebuild.

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[–] 156 points 2 years ago (6 children)

Decentralizing energy is the best defense. Solar panels belong on roofs and parking lots. Backup batteries belong in neighborhoods. That way when the power plant is down or the lines are cut off, there’s still local power available.

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  • [–] 19 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Exactly!! Though I don't understand why so many country's and civilians are opposed to clean decentralised power generation such as solar, wind, thermal.

    The fact that you get to generate your own "free" power, and its less likely to fail in times of natural disaster.

    Its essentially "freedom" & "sticking it to the man" in one clean package. Its not what the media or propaganda calls "the green agenda".

    The fact that it also has applications in better national security is a win win.

    Decentralised power generation makes you a american patriot! No a green hippy.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    In fairness, my understanding is that there are a lot of complications with adding distributed power to existing grids. That doesn't mean it shouldn't happen, just that there are engineering and safety challenges when power is coming from "everywhere" vs centrally.

    And of course, there's a lot of energy companies lobbying against clean power sources as well.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    I hear that quite a bit of the power infrastructure in the US is well past its life expectancy with more coming due for replacement over time. If anything, a national energy plan should account for replacing, upgrading and modernizing a lot of the existing electrical infrastructure since its so critical to the foundation of our current society

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Yeah but wind power plants are ugly here instead of even uglier somewhere else that's NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard).

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    In agree there are always those few in a community that feel the need to fight everything, even it may be in their best interest and the best interest of the community as a whole.

    Anecdotally, I used to live in a rural suburban neighbourhood, the type where homes have large yards between them. There was a proposal to finally put in sidewalks along the residential streets in front of the homes, by narrowing the street a little. This would allows children to walk safely to the new school built, and allow people in the neighbourhood to go on walks, or walk their dogs safely.

    Anyways, the amount of push back from some residents saying it will ruin the character of the neighbourhood, or that it would remove vital street parking, or shrink their driveways.

    The neighbourhood street was about 4.5 cars wide.

    In the end the sidewalks got put in after someone (that did not live in the area), ran over a residents dog along the street.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago

    it will ruin the character of the neighbourhood

    "Boy, I sure love the sound and smell of cars! Imagine if people walked quietly instead, that would be awful - who would I yell at for speeding?"

    after someone [...] ran over a residents dog along the street.

    Why does it seem like safety measures only ever get approved after someone died?

    (Visibility bias, probably - a death is just a lot more noticeable than a "would have died in an alternative timeline but didn't because..." - but that doesn't make such deaths any less tragic)

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago*

    Ignoring transmission losses, which could be improved as well, the whole USA could be solar powered by a very tiny fraction of the deserts it has.

    But that'd be a huge target to attack if it was all in one spot.

    Much better to decentralize it

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    • [+] 44 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Absolutely 100% Right now having solar panels on your house is 'branded' as some sort of green save the planet thing.

    Putting enough panels that your house can go totally off-grid with a little cutback and usage, that's as independent as you get. Save money too.

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  • [+] 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 child)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    Yeah but throw some batteries on that solar, which you really should do anyway, and you're good to go. IMHO the batteries are what really makes self-sufficiency possible. With a good size solar array and a good size battery, you can be not only a net exporter but more or less an always exporter, rarely if ever taking power from the grid.

    Run on sunshine during the day and stored sunshine at night. Unfortunately a lot of places it's not legal to have a house with no grid connection, even if one isn't necessary.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    Energy independence is one of my favorite reasons for it. Getting actually invest and own my power generation vs being stuck in a subscription with a corporation who is subject to geopolitical movements on where, how and when they can buy their fuel.

    Crazy to see right winger, pepper types sometimes (not all of them) get sucked into being a liberal thing lol. Like is it a liberal thing to want to own my house or car too? What a weird thing to think

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    • [–] 29 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    The thumb looks like something one would see in Half-Life 2, I swear...

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    isnt the name of one of the hl2 maps "little odessa"?

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  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago

    Real life Little Odessa is in New York (there is a large community of Soviet / post-Soviet migrants there). The Half Life location is New Little Odessa though, so it sounds like it's not where real life Little Odessa is

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    • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Putin does not like renewable energy for this reason and allows decentralization.

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    • [–] 12 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    you know what, how about people start selling renewable resources as a solution to energy independence

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    • [–] 5 points 2 years ago

    Ok I know they're in the middle of a war and all but seriously how much did the guy who installed the solar panels in the thumbnail hate kids? Lol there looks like so much space to put those couple panels and they're just like hmmmmmm howabout right here on top of the seesaw lol.

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    [–] 5 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Europe should sell ukraine energy at discounted prices.

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