Yeah, from a stats standpoint you can make any story you want. I just know the anecdotal stories from friends and colleages that managed to make it work and are quite happy with their choices. Especially because the grid kept fucking the up in the past. For instance, now in Mass we pay 2x for distribution than for the energy itself.
Discussion
Again, it's not sufficient for peoples' low density homes to be self sufficient to get rid of the electricity grid. You need decentralized power for the entire economy, which is a pipe dream in most places.
I've been to countries that are forced to do that due to incompetence, lack of investment, or in the case of Ukraine , a genocidal invasion. They use a hell of a lot of expensive diesel generators.
E.g. even though South Africa is very sunny,
businesses in the wealthy, white areas supplement their solar panels with diesel generators.
Finally, paying more for the grid than the electricity itself isn't a bad thing. It just means that the market price of power is cheaper than actually distributing it. Lots of commodities are like that: the majority of the cost of gravel, sand, concrete, water, etc. is often transport and distribution.
I am not pitching getting rid of the grid. I am just pitching more freedom for users. The grid will always be there as backup for households that want to truly be free from that system.
Yes exactly, been saying this for years - just cover roofs and anything already concrete like parking lots with solar.
and Peter is missing the trees, for the weeds.
Solar adoption would increase innovation & all the electric use cases he laid out are becoming more efficient as well.