Presto’s Ramblings

I am a big advocate for decentralized renewable energy for several reasons:

• Environmental: Renewable energy is better for the environment than fossil fuels. They are also not a finite resource in the same way as petroleum and coal.
• Decentralist: Renewable energy works very well (perhaps better) when utilized in a decentralized manner: It is often best generated either at home or in small-scale facilities.
• Energy Security: As it is decentralized, R.E. is not easily stopped by terrorists or governments. Blowing up somebody’s garage biodiesel plant is not going to cripple the nation like blowing up a refinery would.
• Anti-Corporate: I am for any idea that weakens the near monopoly that corporations have on energy.
• Coolness factor: DIY renewable energy systems are fun and educational.

Since R.E. is a threat to corporate and governmental power, governments and utilities have made a habit of dragging their feet when it comes to permitting grid-connected R.E. systems. In response, people have 3 choices: 1. Abandon installing a R.E. system. 2. Install a non-grid connected system, which can be prohibitively expensive*, unless you want two power systems in your house, one grid-tied and one not. 3. Where a non-grid system is not practical or desirable, install a “Guerilla Solar,” or similar R.E. system.

Guerilla Solar, simply put, is the installation of an unauthorized solar electricity system that is connected to the electric grid. Home Power Magazine, the magazine of the home renewable energy community, has printed the Guerilla Solar Manifesto:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all energy is freely and democratically provided by Nature, that utilities both public and private have no monopoly on the production and distribution of energy, that this century’s monopolization of energy by utilities threatens the health of our environment and the very life of our planet.

• We, the Solar Guerrillas of this planet, therefore resolve to place energy made from sunshine, wind, and falling water on this planet’s utility grids with or without permission from utilities or governments.
• We resolve to share this energy with our neighbors without regard for financial compensation.
• We further resolve that our renewable energy systems will be safe and will not harm utility workers, our neighbors, or our environment.

signed
Solar Guerrillas of Planet Earth

The page has dozens of examples of Guerilla Solar from the magazine in PDF format. Check it out. For those of you concerned about safety, modern grid-tied inverters (the part of the system that makes alternating current) are designed to shut down when the power on the grid is shut off. So utility workers are perfectly safe working on the utility system that has a guerilla solar system on it.

If you have a mechanical meter, it will literally spin backwards. I don’t have such a system at home, since it is not practical to install it in my apartment building. I would like nothing better than to watch my meter spin backwards. Guerilla solar sounds like a fun method of civil disobedience. I wouldn’t mind trying it someday if the opportunity came up.

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* Grid-tied R.E. systems usually supplement traditional power, rather than completely replacing it. Replacing all of your electricity needs with R.E. all at once requires significant financial investment, which would put it out of the reach of many people. Beginners would also rather try a small system before comitting thousands of dollars in an effort to replace the grid with R.E. entirely.