Off the grid

[Lamplighter]

Here's a nice story about technology off the grid.

As I read the article, I was first impressed by the impact of the cell phone.
It seemed paradoxical that these Kenyen villagers were without electricity,
yet they had already adopted the cell phone into their daily lives and depended on it.

This made a good impression on me, because they had adopted what worked for them:
the small solar panel, a cell phone recharger, and a few LED lights.
But of course, to the outsiders it was a matter of how to build a business model,
how to build a "bigger" mouse trap, how to make more money.
Yes, refrigeration is needed, but first steps first mean using whatever
gives the biggest impact for the smallest cost and is available now.


NY Times
African Huts Far From the Grid Glow With Renewable Power

Since Ms. Ruto hooked up the system,
her teenagers’ grades have improved because they have light for studying.
The toddlers no longer risk burns from the smoky kerosene lamp.
And each month, she saves $15 in kerosene and battery costs
— and the $20 she used to spend on travel
[Edit:to sell eggs and get her cell phone charged ! ].
In fact, neighbors now pay her 20 cents to charge their phones,
although that business may soon evaporate:
63 families in Kiptusuri have recently installed their own solar power systems.

In Kiptusuri, the Firefly LED (light) system purchased by Ms. Ruto is this year’s must-have item.
The smallest one, which costs $12, consists of a solar panel that can be placed in a window
or on a roof and is connected to a desk lamp and a phone charger.
Slightly larger units can run radios and black-and-white television sets.

[wolf]

Once they get past shitting into a hole in the ground, they might manage civilization, there.

It's usually left out of such articles that these people desperately WANT to be on the grid. They're not environmentalists, they're alarmingly poor, with few resources. What minimal pennies they can scrape together is going to the trappings of modern life ... not for light or heat or cooking, but for cellphones.

Aint' humanity grand.

[skysidhe]

I read that this morning lamp. Makes me think we should all have $80 dollar solar panels.

[TheMercenary]

My long term goal is to live off the grid.

[skysidhe]

It would be amazing to live off the grid.

That doesn't mean I want to be a family of 5 and go live in a 4x4 trailer on the coast.
My neighbors did this in October. It bothers me still. I worry about the little kids. Home schooled and no access to tv and home church. I was told it was to keep the government out of their business. I didn't ask what that meant.

I should say, I think homeschooling is great. I don't think it is great if it is a way to keep a weird way of life. I didn't think that until they took a great plunge into isolationism without the ways and means to be comfortable.

I thought about them this Christmas morning.

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by wolf

Once they get past shitting into a hole in the ground, they might manage civilization, there.

It's usually left out of such articles that these people desperately WANT to be on the grid. They're not environmentalists, they're alarmingly poor, with few resources. What minimal pennies they can scrape together is going to the trappings of modern life ... not for light or heat or cooking, but for cellphones.

Aint' humanity grand.

I have to agree. What good does this really do in an existence that is so far under-civilized that we can't even imagine it? These are toys that aren't really pointing them in the correct direction to make things better for them. They're skipping infrastructure because they're so infatuated with the trappings (and yes, trappings is such a great word in this context that I am parroting the eloquent wolfish word) of magic. Toilets were magic once, to someone. Food shouldn't be magic. If it's easier to get on the grid than it is to build a better environment then I think there is a problem.

[Lamplighter]

I'm frustrated because my impression of this story was so different from Wolf's and Shawnee's.
For me, this was about people actually doing something to improve their lives without waiting
for some mega-plan and development that would be years away, maybe even if ever.

I don't believe these Kenyans are living an existence that is so far under-civilized that we can't imagine it.
It was not that long ago that my grandparents were living on farms in rural Tenn and Kentucky "off the grid".
Remember the TVA ?

This article has a slide show that presents images of people in a village with bicycles, cars,
modern (clean) clothing, schools for the kids, making use of biogas (manure) to cook with, etc.
The article talks about two women (in orange) making a business of selling inexpensive biogas stoves.

I apologize if my comments and quotes gave an inadequate or wrong message about these Kenyans.

But here are another few of links...

Slide show and http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/...-the-grid.html

[Lamplighter]

Sorry, the link above to the video seems to be broken.
Please just go to the original article via this link

[Griff]

My reaction is more like yours Lamp. I approve of the idea of skipping over unneeded infrastructure. In the States, our decaying grid is a burden to us especially considering that home power production is viable. I only hooked to the grid because the COOP power lines run within one pole of my building sight. We've only had grid power here since the 1950s. Before that, there were a lot of gas engines running stuff so it made sense to hook up. If clean power can be developed on site, you have a durable system in place that is not susceptible to wholesale failure when man-made or natural disaster takes place. These people are not hanging around the welfare office texting, they are using communication and lighting to make their lives better.

Since Ms. Ruto hooked up the system, her teenagers’ grades have improved because they have light for studying. The toddlers no longer risk burns from the smoky kerosene lamp. And each month, she saves $15 in kerosene and battery costs — and the $20 she used to spend on travel.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Griff

My reaction is more like yours Lamp.

I agree for different reasons.

First a fundamental reality posted repeatedly: We must do more with even less energy. Going off grid is a classic example of myopic destruction. A Troglodyte attitude.

First man had his own power sources (ie trees outside the house). Advancement meant living better with less power. So coal was delivered. Then later a grid. Today, the innovative integrate the grid with their own power generation.

Doing more with less means massive power generated by very expensive and local sources (ie solar cells) is mostly wasted. The true heros of all people generate their own power while consuming from the grid. And power the grid when not consuming. Only then does something closer to 100% of all power get used usefully.

Again, we must always do more with less. Otherwise cause harm to mankind.

First those Kenyans generate their own power. Then become more prouctive when a very inexpensive grid is also implemented. Yes, inexpensive. And then do what American might have been doing 20 years earlier - integrating local power generation with a bi-directional grid.

Second, America does not have a decaying grid. That myth comes from America's greatest enemies - extremists. America has a grid that must continue advancing.

You were using telephones 20 years ago. Today you are using telephones that are now portable, are on cable TV wires, and finally replaced 1980 modems in 1996 with a 1981 technology - broadband.

We did not have a decaying communication network. Our grid is no different. It must innovate just like our communication networks innovated. That means converting a world's best power grid to become bidirectional and smarter.

IOW we must innovate again. And then innovate byond those inonvations that will be obsolete when implemented. The Kenyans are simply playing catchup. Other anti-humanity natiions are not even doing that.

Third, the Economist cited Keyna as an example of a patriotic American nation. M-PESA is a pioneering mobile money-transfer service. Why we need more nations with that patriotic American attitude. An example of what we can all prosper from as more nations take different paths to advance mankind.

Going off grid is an example of being less productive – more anti-American – the stifling of innovation.