Thin Grid their calling it. India, Africa, and the rural 3rd world is beginning to show us they may not be competing for resources like we earlier imagined. Rural grids are popping up in isolated parts of India, a few small wind mills or a few PV solar panels wired into a village. Inside the mud walls of these small homes the power is used primarily for a couple of 1 to 9 watt LED lights and a charger for cell phone and radio batteries. A very few have a small fan. If lucky the village may have one or two mini-fridge in a clinic or a store, it may have a community owned TV. Thats about it.
Recent region wide power outages in India did not effect these thin grids, some were unaware the rest of the nation was in the dark. Being independant has benefits.
Why the term thin grid? Wire gauge. Such a small electrical load means they can buy and use small gauge wiring in the lines and homes, fuses, transformers, etc. The grid is lower cost, safer, and took fewer resources to manufacture and transport to site.
*In addition to the "thin grid", India has far more solar powered homes than the US, I believe it is near a million, they are small panels powering lights and a few small appliances.
Yep, a lil bit of something is a better than a whole lot of nothing!
ReplyDeleteHey Pop, Yes it is, I think much of the west will find a way to get by just fine on a little less, that would be better.
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