#and the pv is so powerful ...

[reasonsforhope]

African poverty is partly a consequence of energy poverty. In every other continent the vast majority of people have access to electricity. In Africa 600m people, 43% of the total, cannot readily light their homes or charge their phones. And those who nominally have grid electricity find it as reliable as a Scottish summer. More than three-quarters of African firms experience outages; two-fifths say electricity is the main constraint on their business.

If other sub-Saharan African countries had enjoyed power as reliable as South Africa’s from 1995 to 2007, then the continent’s rate of real GDP growth per person would have been two percentage points higher, more than doubling the actual rate, according to one academic paper. Since then South Africa has also had erratic electricity. So-called “load-shedding” is probably the main reason why the economy has shrunk in four of the past eight quarters.

Solar power is increasingly seen as the solution. Last year Africa installed a record amount of photovoltaic (PV) capacity (though this still made up just 1% of the total added worldwide), notes the African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA), a trade group. Globally most solar PV is built by utilities, but in Africa 65% of new capacity over the past two years has come from large firms contracting directly with developers. These deals are part of a decentralised revolution that could be of huge benefit to African economies.

Ground zero for the revolution is South Africa. Last year saw a record number of blackouts imposed by Eskom, the state-run utility, whose dysfunctional coal-fired power stations regularly break down or operate at far below capacity. Fortunately, as load-shedding was peaking, the costs of solar systems were plummeting.

Between 2019 and 2023 the cost of panels fell by 15%, having already declined by almost 90% in the 2010s. Meanwhile battery storage systems now cost about half as much as five years ago. Industrial users pay 20-40% less per unit when buying electricity from private project developers than on the cheapest Eskom tariff.

In the past two calendar years the amount of solar capacity in South Africa rose from 2.8GW to 7.8GW, notes AFSIA, excluding that installed on the roofs of suburban homes. All together South Africa’s solar capacity could now be almost a fifth of that of Eskom’s coal-fired power stations (albeit those still have a higher “capacity factor”, or ability to produce electricity around the clock). The growth of solar is a key reason why there has been less load-shedding in 2024...

Over the past decade the number of startups providing “distributed renewable energy” (DRE) has grown at a clip. Industry estimates suggest that more than 400m Africans get electricity from solar home systems and that more than ten times as many “mini-grids”, most of which use solar, were built in 2016-20 than in the preceding five years. In Kenya DRE firms employ more than six times as many people as the largest utility. In Nigeria they have created almost as many jobs as the oil and gas industry.

“The future is an extremely distributed system to an extent that people haven’t fully grasped,” argues Matthew Tilleard of CrossBoundary Group, a firm whose customers range from large businesses to hitherto unconnected consumers. “It’s going to happen here in Africa first and most consequentially.”

Ignite, which operates in nine African countries, has products that include a basic panel that powers three light bulbs and a phone charger, as well as solar-powered irrigation pumps, stoves and internet routers, and industrial systems. Customers use mobile money to “unlock” a pay-as-you-go meter.

Yariv Cohen, Ignite’s CEO, reckons that the typical $3 per month spent by consumers is less than what they previously paid for kerosene and at phone-charging kiosks. He describes how farmers are more productive because they do not have to get home before dark and children are getting better test scores because they study under bulbs. One family in Rwanda used to keep their two cows in their house because they feared rustlers might come in the dark; now the cattle snooze al fresco under an outside lamp and the family gets more sleep.

...That is one eye-catching aspect of Africa’s solar revolution. But most of the continent is undergoing a more subtle—and significant—experiment in decentralised, commercially driven solar power. It is a trend that could both transform African economies and offer lessons to the rest of the world."

-via The Economist, June 18, 2024. Paragraph breaks added.

[karver518]

"... Just who are you?"

[song-for-an-unborn-sun]

“that picture on the wall you’re scared of looks just like you” is such a beautifully DEVASTATING way to write about abuse and generational trauma DAMN

[1vylili3s]

Shadow Milk, what’s the worst part of being depowered?

powers pt. 51

[nugsanart09-works]

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine 🌻🍦

Consider supporting the speedpaint here‼️💫

[tangents-from-an-awkward-void]

so there's this fan idea where Shadow Milk takes Pure Vanilla's appearance (credit to obernice's CONFRONTATION animatic)

But what if, to add extra misery and silliness, Shadow Milk also made Pure Vanilla look like him?

[swiiivet-screamathon]

The ocean splashes in accordance to the great speeds that Smilk is flying trying to catch up to the airship.

A soul piercing stare at the destination before him, with such a focused expression you'd be forgiven to imagine that he had nothing but a singular thought in his head.

Exerting as much magical power as possible he dashes around the propellers and reaches the back of the ship, planting himself firmly on the captain's balcony.

After having made it his attention finally wanes and the glare instead shifts to the landmass they had just been on. The propellers spun slowly enough to block the view occasionally but that didn't stop the glare, not even the chattering that had soon begun above him took his gaze for even a moment. Simply watching everything that he had just lost and abandoned, sailing away from everything.

The few minutes that passed could've been mistaken for hours or even days, and each silent breath he took lasted years. Surely closing his eyes for just a fraction would take even longer, to doubt that notion was foolish.

Eventually though, the conversation above them seemed to near its conclusion, in which he finally managed to break free from his thoughts for just a moment.

With a wave of his wand he-- he...

He...

Nothing happened.

Nothing at all.

It passes across his eyeline with a glow of its orb, and that is all it does.

He takes his deep breath as quietly as he can manage; the ships engines might cause enough noise to let him relax, but best to risk as little as possible on this horrid ship.

He waves his wand again, seemingly with different intention this time, and this new intention did indeed cause something to happen, the summoning of a small paper puppet appears before him, wafting violently in the wind. He quickly disperses it as the fluttering was, as paper normally does in high winds, flapped loudly. Though fortunately it seemed to bring no unwanted attention.

He stares back up to the stern, the hands of that traitor dangling off the edge.

That........ Traitor...

He takes another breath and diverts his gaze, there's no winning with dangerous impulsivity-- any more impulsivity.

With a good look around what's available to him there wasn't much to work with, but there was one option that wouldn't risk being spotted, though it's far from something he'd define as 'ideal' by any means. A seemingly decorative set of railing that went around the hull.

With an annoyed grimace he does his best stretch in the scenario given to him, and then with a moment of concentrated anticipation, flies up and immediately grabs onto the rail, immediately regretting his action but persevering anyways, clawing onto the fixture to the best of his ability. The power of flight does help, but with the ship flying as fast as it is the arms of a poet is not one you want to rely on in this kind of exercise.

But he continues anyways, utilizing his flight to assist as much as possible when looping around from the back to the side of the ship.

With spite, anger and determination the journey from the back all the way to the front is an arduous and terrible one, but that's what he gets for believing that gnat.

But eventually, as gruelling and tiring as it was, as much as his arms sting from the exertion, as much as holding even his wand became an impossible task, he made it. Fortunately for him at the front there was a spot he could recoup at, simply let the wind blow him back into the hull with no risk of falling off. watching the sun set ahead of them.

He massages his sore arms as well as he can whilst relaxing every other muscle in his body. He might be on a timer but there's no land ahead yet, he's got the opportunity to take as long as he needs until the next step of his plan.

The sky was still bright, the light blue transitioning gently into the yellow sun that shone wonderfully in the sky...

He grimaces once more and rolls his sleeves back down, getting ready to enact what he came up here for. With the mimicking of clearing his chest he then belts out a perfect recreation of a whales call, heard loud and clear across the generally quiet ocean. Immediately the pitter patter of the cookies above to check on the noise erupts: 1... 2... 4-- where he then swiftly summons a massive paper puppet, a dark blue whale, and lets it float across the water below. With the plan executed he quickly but carefully returns to the side of the ship he came from, lets the wind drag him backwards and then uses the last of his energy to fly back to the balcony.

Not a lot of time to spare-- The balcony door is of course unlocked, so that's no hurdle. He of course couldn't stay outside as he'd be spotted by any random passenger when they reached their destination, but without any ability to get smaller being inside isn't much better. As he entered he immediately got a glance through the window on the entrance's door, seeing everyone at the head looking at his creation.

After darting out of view of those filth he instinctively raises his wand once more, but realizes quickly the his thought process was flawed, and with a twitch of one eye he scans the options available to him inside.

The most ideal place to be would be a spot where he doesn't risk being spotted by anyone who's either on or off the ship and has a decent enough exit strategy that he can take advantage of quickly once the ship does dock. There are two small windows he should be able to fit himself through once the time comes, though figuring out which direction the ship will dock in is going to be a risky one. All that leaves is somehow ensuring that either no cookies enter into the room or that he disguises himself as to not be spotted... He prefers the former, a little more.

He grabs whatever looks the most like a sturdy thin object and discretely hides himself under the window, sliding it into the handle, hopefully keeping it locked enough for his needs.

After all that, it's now just a waiting game.

[thebiscuitlabryinth]

something something pure vanilla learning more about shadow milk, digging up his past and finding the remnants left behind, connecting the legends around the academy back to this Beast and slowly unearthing more and more fragments until he can put together a haphazard image

something something shadow milk acting less erratic around him in their mind encounters, engaging him in intelletual debate and philosophical questions, almost seeming to settle every once in while with the enrichment of conversation. pure vanilla slowly starting to gather hope that, maybe, the Beasts can be saved, even if he doesn't tell anyone

something something pure vanilla falling in love with a version of someone that is long dead, a heartache he knows too well but can't seem to prevent, and paying for it

(something something shadow milk loving pure vanilla, but not in a way that would ever be compatible with pure vanilla, the way he is now)

[k1ttygam3r]

Wait people are still shipping Shadowvanilla? After this update?? I thought that was like. a joke

[roboyomo]

btw. Crumbling is a metaphor for Dying in cookie run

[awesomesnailguy]

i think working on the animatic did something to my gacha luck... i've gotten APV at least 2 or 3 times since the HB update started AND a regular one?? one SM at one point on the sugarfly banner but i forgor to take a picture

[mephiles-the-jester]

new fankid ideas have finally entered my brain,,,,,,and i havent decided genders for any of them,

[reveriekeyz]

Damn Shadow Milk actually lost the first round.. 💀

On one hand that's funny but on the other hand I feel like we know that there's like a 25% chance of him winning against Pure Vanilla unless people decide to vote him again out of spite

[matchacreamlatte]

Lu Guangs watch location

Lu guang always wears his watch on his right hand in Season 1 + his birthday art

In the scene where cxs is dying, the watch is on his left hand

When he’s dives back the watch is back on his right hand

In the Yingdu promo art + etc it’s on his left hand

Does the location of his watch matter? I always assumed he swapped his watch after cxs death, because he can’t bare to look at his left hand because it will remind him. But then why is the watch on left hand in the overseas trip material? Does the trip take place before cxs dies, or is it showing that LG dived into a photo taken after the overseas trip? If you think he has been looping multiple times maybe he swaps it every timeline to remember.

[cheezyharu]

DLC to the World Ender post: There's Infinite Strife now! They're best friends 😌

[swiiivet-screamathon]

"rr-aaaarrrggggggg--- Is there NEVER a time where he isn't surrounded by those stupid- friends of his!? And why does he never take off his souljam!??" Punches nearby tree and does a very good job at totally not feeling hurt by it

"That liar has to pay for what he's done but--- rargh-- he just won't--- mmmmmmmhn >:((("

"Hoho--phew, calm down there buddy; don't want to risk anyone seeing you like this do we? Shadow Milk Cookie, a level-headed, Beast of Deceit; you do not freak out, that is unprofessional for the stage. What are our options?"

He waves his wand and his souljam shakes a bit, surprising Smilk for just a moment.

"No construction still, fan-tastic. What about..."

With another flick of the wand he successfully does conjure up a disguise.

"... ... ... No, no that won't do. I can't just, be out in the open walking around all those pesky cookies. Why'd he have to lie, why'd he have to take my power."

"How do I take hi- it back, I need it back, I need my powers back-- He can't just have it, he can't just lie to me and take it-"

"Groan, I can't just take him head-on, he took all my magic, what can I do, what are the options??"

"Wanting to be my friend... is stupid and a lie-- but to take advantage of his foolishness puts me too far into enemy territory. Must think critically about it; if I've been rendered so pathetic and powerless I must do what I do best-- But how do I lie my way into getting them back..."

"... ... ... It doesn't hurt to scout further, gather more intel, find whatever weak point exists-- just anything to show a crack in him, to get it all back... I must try, I'll never get them back if I don't."