Ten reasons why decentralized solar is much better-
And this is article does not even mention the negative effects of big solar on wildlife.
Meanwhile, however, GE and others secure largest thermal solar project. Clean Technica
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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The technology improvements in localized alternative energy are phenomenal and still on a steep upward curve. I’ve long subscribed to Home Power magazine and watched it transition from strictly specialized information support for primitive off-grid dwellers (like myself) trying to improve their home brew systems from 12 v batteries, car tail light bulbs, etc. to wealthy suburban folks wanting to be green and cutting-edge (and avoid suffering with the masses during central power outages) — to finally the cusp of cost-effective strategies and broad energy solutions for the masses. The magazine helped lead the way in a pretty successful period of breaking down institutional resistance and unnecessary barriers thrown up by utilities and building departments, by providing technical information on safety, political issues and even civil disobedience, including a monthly section called “Guerilla Solar” featuring people standing proudly (with faces blocked out by the editor) next to their unauthorized, grid-tied installations. There’s so much more available than when I researched and set up my household system tying together hydro, wind and solar in the mid-1990s and even that system would have been far more difficult to set up and manage well under the technology available even 5 years earlier. The private sector is making a lot of progress in the area of decentralized power production — the main challenge seems to be institutional recognition that it’s the best future.