Another totally EXCELLENT column! Thanks Bill for your insight, intelligence, and stick-to-it-iveness. You're an inspiration to keep going in these challenging times!
This is the first substack of yours that I read thoroughly. Not being familiar with many climate programs I found the plug in solar panel article understandable and enchanting. It appeals to me. Thank you and I will contact this company. Living in NYC wouldn't make their product a shoe in but there are new buildings with roof top panels and plenty of conscientious people wanting energy independence.
Bill McKibben!! This newsletter is a powerful reminder to be open to all possibilities. Cora Stryker is the genuine article. How cool that she first read about portable panels in one of your pieces. And built from there. As you have said before, a writer doesn't have to have all the answers. But damn, you do the job well. Merciπ±ππ
Thank you for the segment on Bright Saver ("balcony" solar). Good news!
Many of us on sailboats have solar panels attached to the taffrails. They could be tilted to maximize angle of the sun and augmented power on the boats for lights, etc. I think ours were Siemens. They could also be folded down when in a marina (or transiting the canal)! Very efficient.
Bill, your work is so important and useful, as another writer who has tried to focus on the climate emergency, I have no words that can completely express my admiration and thanks.
After reading 2 free articles, you are the best journalist/analyst/explorer in these realms.
And so I've got to thank you for being free ! I got an honors degree in history back in the day,
the free website I've been running for 14 years now has doubled traffic recently, I need quality reading material. And it costs Money ! My family is in the lower half of American incomes as we're both of retirement age now but working harder than ever at very small businesses to keep pretending to be middle class, and I am dying of subscription fees! I am spending more than $500 a year on high class material, but I've dropped the local news and am resisting the new flood of Substacks, I really enjoy the monthly Funny Times for a beak and their renewal notice just came in !
So to have your excellent material -- which I do intend to tout and promote for all my liberal/radical friends -- without a subscription fee is truly a huge contribution by you to the cause of building a better world, and I give you huge thanks.
I've lived off the grid for over ten years, using a system I put together myself. It's really exciting to see that there is a fast building effort to introduce many more people to this experience at an approachable scale. Most people seem intimidated by the prospect of handling electric power in this way, even though we have all grown up using electricity every day. Designing equipment for safety is really simple, and new technology makes it safer all the time.
As for the idea of massing batteries by linking them in large numbers of homes, I find it hard to see the idea as a 'decentralized system'. Although the storage units are dispersed, the grid connecting them has the same liabilities as the centralized systems. It remains to be seen what size of a microgrid has the optimum balance for reliability. We still will have to pay for maintaining hundreds or thousands of miles of copper wire, a major reason large utilities exist.
Re "Despite strenuous efforts to blame renewables for Spainβs big blackout last week, it turns out that wasnβt the problem": It seems to me renewables WERE the problem, or more precisely, its inadequate management. Being 70% of Spain's supply, one would think they had thought this through.
I've long wondered whether in the forever declining cost of renewables (esp. solar) the need for batteries is accounted for. (Even so, battery costs are declining as well.)
A new report by βEnergy Futures Groupβ for the Ontario Clean Air Alliance appears to admit my point. The report compares the cost of offshore wind, onshore wind, solar, and nuclear resources on a levelized cost of energy (βLCOEβ) basis. Its summary states:
βOne important note about the LCOE results is that these systems are not entirely comparable. In order to compare wind or solar as a full replacement on a capacity factor or capacity accreditation basis, one would need to pair wind/solar with battery storage or develop a portfolio of resources including renewables, battery storage, and demand side management (βDSMβ). Developing alternative portfolios of resources requires a more detailed analysis and was outside the scope of this report.β
Erwin, I suppose I am hoping for new battery technology that is less extractive. We have solar panels that feed into the grid and have decided for now against a battery unit because the choice is complicated by the environmental impacts and human rights implications of using batteries at this scale.
Here is an in-depth perspective on the Reuters embedded April 30 piece βDonβt blame renewables for Spainβs power outageβ you linked to in the other news:
Did Renewables Cause the Blackout in Spain? with Pedro Prieto | TGS
The Great Simplification - with Nate Hagens
(Conversation recorded on May 1st, 2025)
Last week, Europe experienced its worst blackout in living memory, which plunged tens of millions of people across Spain and Portugal into darkness for up to 18 hours. Life screeched to a halt, with trains, traffic lights, ATMs, phone connections, and internet access failing. In the aftermath, many important questions have arisen, including: what caused such a widespread grid failure, and how can Europe and other nations prepare for the next time an event like this happens?
In today's episode, Nate is joined by Pedro Prieto to discuss the recent blackout in the Iberian Peninsula, exploring its causes, impacts, and the role of renewable energy in the stability of the electric grid. Prieto highlights the societal and infrastructural challenges that his home country faced, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to energy management, as well as the interconnectedness of energy systems and societal resilience. The discussion delves into the complexities of energy demand and supply, the importance of backup systems, and the future of renewable energy in Spain.
Are developed countries more vulnerable to blackouts than those that are still developing?
How does renewable energy act as a double-edged sword, adding stability or fragility to energy infrastructure, depending on how it's used? How might developed countries learn lessons from this widespread blackout, including policy changes or reducing energy dependence in the face of future energy challenges?
This isnβt just about gunsβitβs about selective vision. From a heliogenetic lens, the inability to learn from others isnβt cultural prideβitβs systemic blindness. When the social fabric is shaped by extraction, competition, and isolation, anything that suggests collective coherence feels threatening.
Gun violence isnβt an anomalyβitβs the logical outcome of a society optimized for separation. A society that rejects relational responsibility, that fears any policy requiring mutual care. And so it mocks βforeign landsβ while ignoring the fact that some of those lands actually fixed whatβs killing us.
The real βforeignβ concept in America isnβt regulation.
Itβs interdependence.
Until we choose to build systems that protect life itselfβnot profit, not egoβweβll keep repeating this loop.
Even when the world has already shown us a better way.
Great article, Bill! Thank you for being a bright light during these times. Awesome to see Cora and her team at Bright Saver were inspired by your posts about Germany's balcony solar movement. I hope they can help it catch on here in North America, it could be a real game changer.
Another totally EXCELLENT column! Thanks Bill for your insight, intelligence, and stick-to-it-iveness. You're an inspiration to keep going in these challenging times!
This is the first substack of yours that I read thoroughly. Not being familiar with many climate programs I found the plug in solar panel article understandable and enchanting. It appeals to me. Thank you and I will contact this company. Living in NYC wouldn't make their product a shoe in but there are new buildings with roof top panels and plenty of conscientious people wanting energy independence.
Thank you for the interview with Cora Stryker. Excellent news.
Bill McKibben!! This newsletter is a powerful reminder to be open to all possibilities. Cora Stryker is the genuine article. How cool that she first read about portable panels in one of your pieces. And built from there. As you have said before, a writer doesn't have to have all the answers. But damn, you do the job well. Merciπ±ππ
Thank you for the segment on Bright Saver ("balcony" solar). Good news!
Many of us on sailboats have solar panels attached to the taffrails. They could be tilted to maximize angle of the sun and augmented power on the boats for lights, etc. I think ours were Siemens. They could also be folded down when in a marina (or transiting the canal)! Very efficient.
That is so cool!!
Bill, your work is so important and useful, as another writer who has tried to focus on the climate emergency, I have no words that can completely express my admiration and thanks.
After reading 2 free articles, you are the best journalist/analyst/explorer in these realms.
And so I've got to thank you for being free ! I got an honors degree in history back in the day,
the free website I've been running for 14 years now has doubled traffic recently, I need quality reading material. And it costs Money ! My family is in the lower half of American incomes as we're both of retirement age now but working harder than ever at very small businesses to keep pretending to be middle class, and I am dying of subscription fees! I am spending more than $500 a year on high class material, but I've dropped the local news and am resisting the new flood of Substacks, I really enjoy the monthly Funny Times for a beak and their renewal notice just came in !
So to have your excellent material -- which I do intend to tout and promote for all my liberal/radical friends -- without a subscription fee is truly a huge contribution by you to the cause of building a better world, and I give you huge thanks.
I think Trump is rightβ send all the foreigners and immigrants home!
signed... Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island
Or, as we in the American Indian Movement used to say: "U.S. out of North America!" It was tongue-in-cheek.
I've lived off the grid for over ten years, using a system I put together myself. It's really exciting to see that there is a fast building effort to introduce many more people to this experience at an approachable scale. Most people seem intimidated by the prospect of handling electric power in this way, even though we have all grown up using electricity every day. Designing equipment for safety is really simple, and new technology makes it safer all the time.
As for the idea of massing batteries by linking them in large numbers of homes, I find it hard to see the idea as a 'decentralized system'. Although the storage units are dispersed, the grid connecting them has the same liabilities as the centralized systems. It remains to be seen what size of a microgrid has the optimum balance for reliability. We still will have to pay for maintaining hundreds or thousands of miles of copper wire, a major reason large utilities exist.
Re "Despite strenuous efforts to blame renewables for Spainβs big blackout last week, it turns out that wasnβt the problem": It seems to me renewables WERE the problem, or more precisely, its inadequate management. Being 70% of Spain's supply, one would think they had thought this through.
I've long wondered whether in the forever declining cost of renewables (esp. solar) the need for batteries is accounted for. (Even so, battery costs are declining as well.)
The neglect in using tidal power here is glaring. The more robust machines due to their situational position, far outweighed by no storage required.
A new report by βEnergy Futures Groupβ for the Ontario Clean Air Alliance appears to admit my point. The report compares the cost of offshore wind, onshore wind, solar, and nuclear resources on a levelized cost of energy (βLCOEβ) basis. Its summary states:
βOne important note about the LCOE results is that these systems are not entirely comparable. In order to compare wind or solar as a full replacement on a capacity factor or capacity accreditation basis, one would need to pair wind/solar with battery storage or develop a portfolio of resources including renewables, battery storage, and demand side management (βDSMβ). Developing alternative portfolios of resources requires a more detailed analysis and was outside the scope of this report.β
I.e., the comparisons are invalid.
https://www.cleanairalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EFG-Report-5.8.2025.pdf
Erwin, I suppose I am hoping for new battery technology that is less extractive. We have solar panels that feed into the grid and have decided for now against a battery unit because the choice is complicated by the environmental impacts and human rights implications of using batteries at this scale.
See eg and cf: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/IPOL_IDA(2023)740064
This is actually so funny, I just used that source in a paper I wrote about this topic. Check it out and tell me what you think! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dzMNpzGqSql5dZ2jxq5da8ta9_F5oCUwJgooW6iHyq4/edit?usp=sharing
Thank you for the work you do!
I think it IMPERATIVE best policy practice be fiercely advocated in any and all Transportation and Climate discussions.
Nationwide high speed rail, integrated with local light rail, powered by renewables is that politcy,, zctrrΓΊiΓΔ«
Thank you for desperately needed perspective!!!
Further to my earlier comment, here is another explanation in laymanβs terms, everyone here should listen to (audio) in Substack | POWERLINES
βThe Pain in Spain - Ideology doesn't generate inertia.β
BLACKOUT ON THE IBERIAN PENINSULA
A WARNING FOR AUSTRALIA'S ELECTRICITY SYSTEM
https://open.substack.com/pub/chrisuhlmann/p/the-pain-in-spain?r=r590f&utm_medium=ios
Here is an in-depth perspective on the Reuters embedded April 30 piece βDonβt blame renewables for Spainβs power outageβ you linked to in the other news:
βDespite strenuous efforts to blame renewables for Spainβs big blackout last week, it turns out that wasnβt the problemβ [https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/dont-blame-renewables-spains-power-outage-bousso-2025-04-30]
Itβs simply more complex and is an insidious system failure designed by humans.
Please watch this 56 minute conversation: https://youtu.be/UX815YnSt0k?si=eMMQBk_cNIMOq4uv
Description:
Did Renewables Cause the Blackout in Spain? with Pedro Prieto | TGS
The Great Simplification - with Nate Hagens
(Conversation recorded on May 1st, 2025)
Last week, Europe experienced its worst blackout in living memory, which plunged tens of millions of people across Spain and Portugal into darkness for up to 18 hours. Life screeched to a halt, with trains, traffic lights, ATMs, phone connections, and internet access failing. In the aftermath, many important questions have arisen, including: what caused such a widespread grid failure, and how can Europe and other nations prepare for the next time an event like this happens?
In today's episode, Nate is joined by Pedro Prieto to discuss the recent blackout in the Iberian Peninsula, exploring its causes, impacts, and the role of renewable energy in the stability of the electric grid. Prieto highlights the societal and infrastructural challenges that his home country faced, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to energy management, as well as the interconnectedness of energy systems and societal resilience. The discussion delves into the complexities of energy demand and supply, the importance of backup systems, and the future of renewable energy in Spain.
Are developed countries more vulnerable to blackouts than those that are still developing?
How does renewable energy act as a double-edged sword, adding stability or fragility to energy infrastructure, depending on how it's used? How might developed countries learn lessons from this widespread blackout, including policy changes or reducing energy dependence in the face of future energy challenges?
About Pedro Prieto:
Pedro is the vice president of the AsociaciΓ³n para el Estudio de los Recursos EnergΓ©ticos (AEREN). AEREN is an open space for debate and communications on energy issues and their role in demography, development, economy and ecology. Pedro was a member of the board at ASPO International with AEREN representing ASPO in Spain. Since 2004, Pedro has led several solar photovoltaic projects in Spain, a leading world country in solar PV penetration. Pedro co-authored Spain's Photovoltaic Revolution. The Energy Return on Investment, that challenged the conventional energy boundaries considered up to the moment for calculations.
###
I hope the energy wonks among the commenters will listen to Nate Haganβs and Pedro Prietoβs assessment.
This isnβt just about gunsβitβs about selective vision. From a heliogenetic lens, the inability to learn from others isnβt cultural prideβitβs systemic blindness. When the social fabric is shaped by extraction, competition, and isolation, anything that suggests collective coherence feels threatening.
Gun violence isnβt an anomalyβitβs the logical outcome of a society optimized for separation. A society that rejects relational responsibility, that fears any policy requiring mutual care. And so it mocks βforeign landsβ while ignoring the fact that some of those lands actually fixed whatβs killing us.
The real βforeignβ concept in America isnβt regulation.
Itβs interdependence.
Until we choose to build systems that protect life itselfβnot profit, not egoβweβll keep repeating this loop.
Even when the world has already shown us a better way.
Great article, Bill! Thank you for being a bright light during these times. Awesome to see Cora and her team at Bright Saver were inspired by your posts about Germany's balcony solar movement. I hope they can help it catch on here in North America, it could be a real game changer.