#Solar Power Backup Systems

[seodigital2006]

For Solar Installers Near me, look no further than Voltmatic Energy Solutions! With our products, you can reduce your electricity bills while enjoying uninterrupted power supply. For more information, you can visit our website https://voltmaticenergysolutions.co.ke/ or call us at +254759493610

[owlphaace]

Hhhhh i'm trying to make my stupid Mekanism ore process again in ATM10 and I swear they have made the Electrolytic Separator worse

Why is it draining so much fucking power? My generators can't keep up with it

[amitsm356]

Why Resort Owners Should Consider Powerkavach or Equipower for Electrical Safety

[jamesvince9898]

Comprehensive Solar Energy Solutions for Residential and Commercial Properties

Introduction: As the world transitions toward cleaner, renewable energy sources, solar power has emerged as one of the most reliable and sustainable options for both residential and commercial properties. Earthwise Energy stands at the forefront of this transition, providing expert Solar Panel Installation, advanced Solar Energy Solutions, and innovative Energy Storage Solutions that empower homes and businesses to harness the full potential of the sun. Our services go beyond installation to ensure a long-lasting, efficient, and eco-friendly energy system, featuring Solar Panel Maintenance, Battery Backup Systems, and tailored Solar Inverter Solutions.

1. Why Choose Solar Energy for Your Property?

In today’s environmentally-conscious world, shifting towards sustainable energy is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Solar energy is clean, renewable, and significantly reduces reliance on fossil fuels, which contributes to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. By opting for Solar Panel Installation, property owners can decrease their carbon footprint and potentially save thousands on energy bills.

In addition, technological advancements have made solar power systems more efficient and affordable than ever before. Solar energy is available to anyone, whether you own a residential property or a commercial enterprise, ensuring that both homeowners and business owners can take advantage of the benefits of solar power.

2. Solar Panel Installation: The Heart of Your Energy System

At Earthwise Energy, we specialize in providing professional Solar Panel Installation services for both residential and commercial properties. Our team of certified technicians ensures a seamless installation process that maximizes the energy efficiency of your solar power system. We start by conducting a thorough site analysis to assess the energy needs of your property. After that, we design and install a customized system that is perfectly suited to your requirements.

Our team takes care of everything from planning the layout of your solar panels to handling the necessary permits, ensuring that you experience minimal disruption during the installation. Once completed, our team will thoroughly test the system to guarantee that it's functioning at its peak performance.

3. Residential Solar Power: A Sustainable Solution for Your Home

Residential Solar Power solutions from Earthwise Energy are designed to help homeowners lower their energy bills while reducing their environmental impact. Our team will install high-efficiency solar panels that capture the sun's energy and convert it into electricity for your home.

With Solar Battery Installation, homeowners can also store surplus energy generated during the day for use during the night or cloudy days. This reduces your dependency on the grid and maximizes the benefits of your solar system. Whether you’re looking to power your entire home or just a few appliances, Earthwise Energy can design a system that meets your unique needs.

4. Commercial Solar Systems: Empowering Your Business with Clean Energy

Commercial properties have unique energy demands, and Earthwise Energy understands the importance of reducing operational costs while maintaining efficiency. Our Commercial Solar Systems are designed to reduce energy consumption, lower electricity bills, and help businesses achieve their sustainability goals.

By choosing Earthwise Energy’s solar solutions, businesses can reduce their overhead costs significantly. Whether you have a small retail store, a large warehouse, or an office complex, we provide tailored solar energy solutions that help you save on electricity costs and reduce your reliance on traditional power sources. Our team works with you to create a solution that fits your property’s energy needs.

5. Energy Storage Solutions: Maximize Your Solar Energy Potential

One of the most significant challenges of solar energy is its intermittent nature. Solar panels only generate electricity during the day when the sun is shining. However, Energy Storage Solutions like Battery Backup Systems can store excess energy for use during the night or during periods of low sunlight.

Earthwise Energy provides high-quality Solar Battery Installation that allows you to store energy produced by your solar system for later use. Our state-of-the-art batteries are designed to be durable, efficient, and long-lasting, ensuring that you always have access to reliable power when you need it most.

6. Solar Inverter Solutions: Essential for Converting Solar Power

A solar inverter plays a critical role in converting the direct current (DC) energy produced by your solar panels into alternating current (AC) energy, which is used by most home appliances and businesses. Earthwise Energy provides cutting-edge Solar Inverter Solutions that ensure your solar power system operates efficiently.

Our inverters come with advanced features such as real-time monitoring, optimization, and system performance tracking. We also offer smart inverters that can automatically adjust to changes in sunlight and weather conditions, maximizing the energy production of your system.

7. Solar Panel Maintenance: Ensuring Optimal Performance

To ensure your solar energy system continues to operate at peak efficiency, regular Solar Panel Maintenance is essential. Over time, dirt, debris, and environmental factors can reduce the performance of your panels. Earthwise Energy offers comprehensive maintenance services that include cleaning, inspection, and performance checks to keep your system functioning optimally.

Our technicians will perform a thorough inspection of your system, check for any signs of wear, and address any issues that may arise. Regular maintenance can help extend the lifespan of your panels and avoid costly repairs in the future. With our services, you can rest assured that your solar system will continue to deliver the energy savings you expect.

8. The Importance of Battery Backup Systems

Battery Backup Systems are becoming increasingly popular as homeowners and businesses look for ways to enhance the reliability of their solar power systems. These systems store excess energy generated by the solar panels during peak sunlight hours, allowing you to use that stored energy when the sun is not shining.

For residential properties, a battery backup system ensures that you have power during outages or periods of heavy consumption. For businesses, it ensures continuity, keeping operations running smoothly even during power interruptions. Earthwise Energy offers a variety of battery solutions that integrate seamlessly with your existing solar system, providing you with peace of mind and energy security.

9. Why Choose Earthwise Energy?

Earthwise Energy is committed to providing high-quality, innovative Solar Energy Solutions to meet the diverse needs of homeowners and businesses alike. Our team of experts is passionate about helping you transition to solar energy, and we go the extra mile to provide personalized service and solutions that are designed to last.

We offer:

Professional Solar Panel Installation

Custom-designed Residential and Commercial Solar Systems

Efficient Battery Backup Systems for enhanced energy storage

Advanced Solar Inverter Solutions to optimize energy usage

Regular Solar Panel Maintenance for sustained performance

[sundownsolarllcus]

Emergency Solar Power Systems in San Antonio

Sundown Solar LLC specializes in emergency solar power systems in San Antonio, ensuring your home or business stays powered during outages. Our reliable, cost-effective solutions provide peace of mind with renewable energy backup. Whether for residential or commercial needs, Sundown Solar LLC offers customized installations to keep you connected when the grid goes down. Stay powered, stay prepared!     

[xindunpower]

What Is The Purpose Of Uninterruptible Power Supply?

In response to sudden power outages in life, people may start to consider using UPS at home. UPS is backup system that provides power in the event of utility failure. It is a constant voltage, constant frequency uninterruptible power supply with inverter as the main component. The main role of the UPS is twofold. On the one hand, it is to provide a reliable power supply to prevent sudden utility power outages from affecting the normal operation of the equipment and causing damage to the equipment. When the utility input is normal, the UPS will be the utility voltage regulator to supply the load, and it also charges the battery; when the utility power is interrupted, the UPS supplies AC power to the load through inverter conversion to maintain normal operation and protect the load from damage. On the other hand, it is to provide high quality power supply and enhance the quality of power supply by eliminating contamination such as surges, instantaneous high or low voltage and frequency shifts in the mains. Xindun has high-frequency inverters and low frequency inverters that can be used as line-interactive UPS. All our inverters are pure sine wave output. If you are interested in our products, please contact Xindun!

[ecosoch]

Off-Grid Solar Rooftop PV System for Power Backup Solutions.

We provides off-grid PV systems ideal for areas with no grid access or frequent power cuts. Reliable solar power with standalone inverters & charge controllers.

[pvmarketofficial]

Hybrid Inverters: Integrating Solar Power and Battery Storage

A hybrid inverter is a multifunctional device that combines a solar inverter and a battery inverter into one system. It converts DC electricity from solar panels into AC electricity for use in homes and businesses while managing the charging and discharging of battery storage. Hybrid inverters allow users to store excess solar energy for later use, optimize energy consumption, and reduce reliance on the grid. They provide energy independence by enabling seamless integration between solar panels, battery storage, and the grid, making them ideal for both residential and commercial applications aiming for efficiency and sustainability.

[seodigital2006]

Contact Voltmatic Energy Solutions for Solar Power Installation and reduce your carbon footprint. We are a leading company that delivers reliable and affordable solar solutions to all clients. For more information, you can visit our website https://voltmaticenergysolutions.co.ke/ or call us at +254759493610

[ghostflowerdreams]

I've been watching European news channels, and there's been a massive power outage across Spain, Portugal, and southern France. The only reason some stations were even able to report on it was because they had generators to keep their broadcasts running and update the public. No one knows the cause yet — some suspect a cyberattack, while others believe it could be a climatological event.

Restoring electricity is the top priority, since nearly everything depends on it.

Cell phones aren't working, not even landlines, and there's no Wi-Fi either. There are no traffic lights, no trains, and no metro service. People have been trapped for hours in elevators and on trains. Hospitals are struggling to keep their backup generators running. Airports are at a standstill, and travelers can't even book hotels, leaving them stranded.

Nearly all the stores are closed because cash registers (and security system) won't work without electricity, so people can't buy food, candles, batteries, or even gasoline. Some people can't even access ATMs, and without cash on hand, they're fucked. And of course, food is spoiling in homes, stores, and restaurants, and with no way to heat it, many are being forced to eat it cold.

I can only imagine how much worse it would be if this had happened during extreme winter or summer temperatures, when staying warm or cool would be critical.

This situation really shows how unprepared most people are if something even worse were to happen. It's not a big deal if the power is out for an hour or two, but 10+ hours? That's a different story. This is why it's so important to have an emergency bag or stash. Make sure it includes a first-aid kit, flashlights, candles, fire starters, blankets, canned food, and water — along with a portable radio, ideally one that charges by solar power or a hand crank instead of batteries.

Seriously, it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[amitsm356]

32A 3ph Equipower: Reliable 440V Protection for a Home in Attibele, Near Bengaluru

[medicalweightloss100]

Solar Panel Pole Mounting Guide: Installation, Maintenance, and More

Optimize your solar energy with durable solar panel pole mounting solutions. Learn installation tips, costs, and best options for maximum efficiency.

This guide presents a comprehensive overview of solar panel pole mounts, covering an array of topics including installation procedures, cost considerations, and wind load ratings. Our expert advice is designed for homeowners and professionals alike to ensure safe, efficient, and long-lasting setups for solar energy systems. With thoughtful analysis and practical recommendations, every aspect of mounting—ranging from initial site evaluation and bracket selection to advanced reinforcement techniques—is described in clear detail, providing you with the confidence to choose the right system for your unique needs. Every recommendation is rooted in real-world installation practices.

Delving deeper, the guide discusses essential maintenance tips, common installation mistakes, and selective accessories that can enhance the durability and efficiency of your solar panel system. The versatility of pole mounts is emphasized, especially for small homes and remote installations. Through two balanced perspectives, this write-up bridges technical guidance with practical insights, ensuring a reliable roadmap for your solar project. Whether you are a DIY enthusiast or a seasoned installer, our guide provides a thorough conquest over managing solar panel pole mounts.

Expert Solar Pole Mount Installation Guide and Cost Analysis

This section delves into a step-by-step guide dedicated to the installation of solar panel pole mounts while offering an in-depth cost analysis. Detailed instructions highlight how to evaluate your site for optimal sun exposure, select the appropriate mount based on panel requirements, and properly secure the pole with robust anchoring techniques. Emphasizing practical installation methodologies, we cover the integration of adjustable tilt mechanisms and wiring procedures. The discussion provides clarity on building code adherence, necessary permits, and budgeting tips, ensuring every installer is well-informed before beginning work on their solar energy system.

Moreover, smart budgeting strategies are presented, including cost breakdowns that consider materials, labor, and additional expenses like trenching for wiring. Specific advice on managing installation costs ensures that your project remains within budget while not compromising on quality and safety standards. The cost analysis balances upfront investment with long-term savings, offering clear insights into economic efficiencies and fiscal returns, thereby equipping you with the resources necessary for a successful solar installation.

Evaluating Wind Load Ratings and Structural Safety for Solar Mounts

This section focuses on assessing wind load ratings and ensuring the structural safety of your solar panel pole mount. It explains how wind forces impact installation and why selecting mounts with adequate wind resistance is pivotal, especially in regions with variable weather and high wind speeds. Learn how manufacturers design mounts to endure forces up to specific thresholds and the importance of periodic safety checks for sustained performance. The detailed discussion covers factors such as soil composition, anchoring depth, and reinforcement techniques that bolster the structure against weather extremes.

Additionally, the guide describes testing methods and building code requirements that determine acceptable wind load limits for residential and commercial settings. We discuss the trade-offs between weight, strength, and durability, and provide practical reinforcement tips like using additional support brackets or concrete footings. These insights ensure that your installation not only performs efficiently but also withstands nature’s increasingly unpredictable challenges, making for a safe and resilient solar energy solution.

Top Manufacturers and Advanced Accessories for Pole Mount Systems

In this segment, we explore the market leaders in solar panel pole mount manufacturing and the wide array of advanced accessories available. Leading brands have streamlined installation processes and excel in delivering durable, versatile mounting solutions. The narrative covers criteria for evaluating manufacturers, including product quality, warranty services, and post-purchase support. Gain insights into innovative design trends engineered to adapt to varied installation scenarios, from residential rooftops to expansive remote setups. This discussion presents a curated list of reliable companies that consistently meet high standards in engineering and customer satisfaction.

Alongside manufacturer profiles, this section highlights essential accessories that further improve system efficiency. Accessories such as adjustable tilt brackets, secure clamps, and specialized mounting hardware are discussed in detail. Their integration not only simplifies installation but also enhances long-term performance and safety. Practical recommendations and user experiences help you choose the products that best complement your system, ensuring optimal performance and an extended service life for your solar panel setup.

Small Home Solar Panel Pole Mounts: Tailored Tips and Tricks

Targeted specifically at small homes, this section provides tailored advice on selecting and installing solar panel pole mounts under limited space constraints. Compact installations demand precision and flexibility, offering specialized setups that maximize energy capture while residing within smaller footprints. The discussion includes evaluating available space, managing shade from surrounding structures, and choosing mounts that can be seamlessly adjusted for optimal orientation. By simplifying the technicalities, the section makes it accessible for homeowners without prior solar installation experience to achieve efficient and aesthetically pleasing solar setups.

Our practical tips also extend to cost-effectiveness, ensuring that small-scale installations meet energy needs without a heavy financial burden. Guidance on buying compact, durable mounting solutions, along with an emphasis on ease of maintenance, reinforces the notion that solar energy is both scalable and sustainable. Through precise, actionable measures, this guide helps transform limited space into a powerhouse of renewable energy, fostering efficient energy independence for any small home setting.

Partner with Link Solar Electric Group Co. Ltd. for Advanced Solutions

This section introduces Link Solar Electric Group Co. Ltd., a trusted partner renowned for its advanced solar panel pole mount solutions. Emphasizing their commitment to quality and innovation, the discussion highlights how the company offers comprehensive mounting systems, including custom and portable options, designed to address varied installation needs. Their products are engineered to balance durability with ease of installation, tailored for both residential and commercial applications. Detailed insights into their product range reveal the integration of best practices such as adjustable tilt mechanisms, robust reinforcement options, and top-notch mounting brackets that ensure efficient performance.

Link Solar Electric Group Co. Ltd. not only supplies high-quality hardware but also provides exceptional customer service and technical support throughout the installation process. Their commitment to sustainability and renewable energy has made them a standout in the solar industry. By partnering with them, users gain access to innovative solutions backed by industry expertise, making every step of your solar installation both reliable and future-proof. This collaboration promises enhanced efficiency, longevity, and overall satisfaction with your solar energy conversion system.

Essential Maintenance, Reinforcement, and Mounting Accessories Guide

This final section consolidates essential guidance on maintaining, reinforcing, and upgrading your solar panel pole mount systems. Focus is placed on periodic maintenance techniques that protect against wear and tear, including regular cleaning, inspection of mounting hardware, and timely replacement of critical components. The importance of following manufacturer guidelines and local building codes is reemphasized to ensure long-term system stability. Through detailed strategies, you learn to identify potential issues before they compromise performance, ensuring your installation remains safe and highly efficient.

Moreover, the guide introduces an array of mounting accessories tailored to improve system robustness and flexibility. Tips for reinforcing mounts through extra support brackets and customized solutions are provided to withstand environmental challenges such as high winds or heavy snowfall. These enhancements not only boost the system’s resilience but also optimize solar panel performance, truly marrying innovation with practicality. Investors and homeowners alike can thus expect an enriched operational lifespan, ensuring a solid return on investment in renewable energy initiatives.

[gallusrostromegalus]

The Van Has Officially Declared It Spooky Season

---

I've got my parent's van for the week and it seems determined to establish my status as The Local Cryptid by terrorizing an innocent 7-11 clerk.

...I might need to back up a bit.

My mother is an eminently sensible woman who knows herself well, and when The Plauge hit, she knew she'd need some sort of mentally and physically engaging craft project to keep herself from going insane and massacring the local zoning and water management boards (even if they have it coming). So she and Dad acquired a utility van and converted it into a camper van because while they love camping, they're past the age where their joints and immune systems will tolerate sleeping on the cold ground in a nylon tent.

They did a terrific job of it and my mom taught herself woodworking and carpentry and now the van has it's own cabinets, fold-away dining table, and removable queen-sized bed with memory foam mattress. My Dad was already a computer engineer, but he learned the dark magics of automotive software and electronics to install after-market backup cameras, a media player that would take a terabyte hard drive and a solar-powered battery and outlet so they could wake up and just turn on the kettle and griddle for breakfast without having to exit the van into a cold morning on an empty stomach.

Truly, the height of Camping Luxury.

My parents are both in their mid-seventies and my primary life goal is to be at least half as cool and hale as they are when I get old.

Anyway, they take it out at least a dozen times a year and it works fabulously, but, being as I am on good terms with my parents and also finishing the process of moving house, I've been borrowing it to move large and cumbersome objects that will not fit in the back of my equally lovely but minuscule Honda hatchback.

It's a Great Van. Very easy and comfortable to drive. Stunningly good MPG for it's size. The best cruise control I've ever had in a car.

It's just also. Quirky. Mischievous, even.

---

If this van has a fault its that it bears the unfortunate affliction that all lightly used white utility vans have in that the combination of an utter lack of branding features and the large dent/scrape I accidentally put on it while trying to escape a Denny's last Thanksgiving means that this vehicle is one addition of a Badly Spray-Painted "FREE CANDY" on the side away from being the sort of vehicle you see in an edgy horror movie.

It's got the same issue that Doberman Dogs have where they look like the sort of creature that likes to snack on toddler's faces whilst actually having personalities made of marshmallow fluff. This vehicle is unnecessarily menacing and I think nothing short of an airbrushed Epic Van Wizard will correct this. People see this van pull up and lean over and squint suspiciously at me when the driver's side door opens, and then look moderately confused when, instead of Charles Manson, a small, potato-shaped creature with neon purple hair and a statistically unlikely assortment of dogs emerges.

My own two dogs, Herschel the Hanukkah Goblin/Corgi and Charleston Chew The Taco Dumpster Dog, Do Not Like The Van. Even with the bed in it, they have a tendency to slide and roll around in the back, and both WILL chew through dog saftey belts or other attempts to secure them in there.

On the other hand, my house mate's dog, an exceptionally tall standard poodle whom we lovingly call "The Creature", loves the Van because SHE wears her doggy seat-belt with only mild complaining and gets to sit up in the passenger seat like A People.

Also like A People, The Creature likes to stand and walk around on her hind legs. It doesn't hurt her and it's entirely voluntary, but every so often I will feel a hand on my arm and instead of my husband or friend, it's a canine that's taller than I am on her hind legs who wants to stare at my face with soulful, concerned eyes. The Creature's favorite thing is that she is exactly the right height for me to hold her arm in Genteel Fashion and walk around the pet food or hardware store with her like I'm a count escorting a debutante around a royal ball.

---

As it stands, I am set to inherit this vehicle whenever my Honda gives up the ghost, and I fully intend to paint an Epic Van Wizard on it when that time comes.

The other peculiarity of The Van is that while Dad did manage to successfully install all his after-market electronics, not all the electronics get along. Sometimes, they fight for Dominance. The Terabyte Music Player and the Backup Camera have a particularly contentious relationship, and turning on the music has about a 25% chance of turning on the backup camera as well, and turning on the Backup Camera is equally likely to turn on the music.

Firthermore, The Van has a favorite song.

I am not kidding that Dad filled an entire terabyte hard drive with music and the software to sort it via the radio controls, but of all the Early Boomer Dad Rock (Kingston Trio over The Eagles) and Irish Folk and Symphonies and the entire discography of Weird Al Yankovic, The Van's favorite song- The one it picks to play as victory music every time it beats the Backup Camera at their weird electronic game of rock-paper-scissors -is The Liberty Bell March by John Phillip Sousa.

You all know this song already.

...but in case you've forgotten the tune:

Yeah.

The Van's favorite song is the goddamn Monty Python's Flying Circus Theme Music.

It does not play this song at a normal volume.

Every time I turn on the Backup Camera and it manages to turn the music player on as well, The Van insists on absolutely blasting this nonsense on at the maximum volume it's physically capable of producing, which I know is loud enough to be heard from the Denver International Airport's Pickup zone when they Van decided to start playing it from the economy lot about half a mile away.

Perhaps it's The Van's way of honoring the aesthetic sensibilities and sonic enthusiasm of Mr. Sousa.

...I can't help but wonder if the purpose of an Epic Van Wizard is to control this sort of faerie-like malarkey, and channel these chaotic energies into things like Spell of Don't Break Down In Nevada or Enchantment Of Always Have Good Parking.

---

So last Friday the 13th, I get a call from my friend and housemate, at said airport.

It's roughly 11PM at night, and I have already retired for the evening. I am in the exact minimum of clothing required to be a decent housemate and not scandalize the neighbors should I happen to walk by a window. My feet are up. There is a cat in my lap and fictional British people murdering each other in highly inventive fashion on the tv. -But my friend has returned from her friend's wedding,and either American or United Airlines has managed to lose her luggage, including, among other valuable possessions, the keys to her car. ...So she cannot just drive home as originally planned.

There are, as luck would have it, her spare set of keys not eight feet from me.

Being a good and decent person, I agree to bring the spare keys to her so she may get home before daybreak and not spend a semester's worth of tuition on an uber across the greater Denver traffic jam.

Being also that she Loves Activities, and it's her mom we're going to pick up, I elect to take along The Creature.

I am primarily focused on remembering how to get to the airport and not leaving my friend's spare keys on the counter, so I throw on a pair of flip-flops, step outside, remember that it's AUTUMN and my minimal evening attire is not sufficient thermal protection, step back in, grab the first coat in the closet I lay hands on, pull it on, check that I have her keys again and leave.

The trip to the airport is largely unremarkable, save that it becomes necessary for me to put on sunglasses to drive, despite it being nearly the witching hour and almost entirely darker than the inside of a cow.

It's necessary because this blissful darkness of night is violently punctured by a startling number of cars that seem to have installed miniaturized but no less powerful lighthouse bulbs in where their headlights ought to go so the oncoming traffic and sports cars that insist on tailgating me in the slow lane alike illuminate the road and my mirrors with the kind of radiance I'd normally associate with the arrival of a Seraphim.

I arrive at the distant highly discounted airport car lot where my housemate is waiting, deeply apologetic. It's nothing. I say. Once I see that your car starts up, I'm gonna go to that 7-11 across the way that I parked in front of, get a slurpee or something and I'll see you at home.

While she is retrieving her vehicle (an equally eccentric but much more stately Subaru that is old enough to be elected to congress) I rifle through the loose change in the glove box and discover that I have exactly $6.66 in small bills and coins. The Subaru, continuing it's long voyage into vehicular immortality, immediately starts up.

Upon her return, we all remember that my friend had all her camping gear in the backseat of the car and there is no room for The Creature to ride home with her parent, so I again assure her it's nothing, and will just take The Creature into the 7-11 with me. She is trained as a service animal and needs the practice after the plague.

I wave my friend off and turn to enter the 7-11.

I promptly trip over the jutting back bumper of The Van and fall, cartoonishly, face-first onto the sidewalk.

Fortunately, I have a lot of practice falling on my face, and have learned not to throw my hands out but instead cover my face, so my unexpected self-inflicted attempted curb-stomping lightly scrapes my hairline and nothing else -my sunglasses even stay in place- and I get up and resume my quest for a slurpee.

It's well known that the airport is a lawless place, and the 7-11 across from the discounted airport parking at the stroke of midnight is no exception.

I know it's the stroke of Midnight because there's one of those Audubon society bird-call clocks that makes bird noises, and my arrival is heralded by the twittering call of a Summer Tanager. I am almost charmed enough by the unusual choice of chronological device to excuse the exorbitant Airport-adjacent mark-up of Slurpee prices. I stand at the machine for some time, trying to decide on a size for the price and guess what the fuck "Blue Lighting Blast" is supposed to taste like.

The Creature is being Very Polite but is somewhat agitated, I assume because she *just* saw her mother for the first time in three days and then she LEFT with no explanation, so The Creature is on her hind legs, staring woefully into my eyes, asking to be escorted around the 7-11. Even though that's not what she's not supposed to be doing, there's nobody else in here, so I let her hang off my arm and discuss various Slurpee Flavor options with her.

We eventually decide on an experiment in which I try a Small Blue Lightning Blast, and discover it tastes a bit like licking a nintendo cartridge but in a pleasantly satisfying way.

I go up to pay and realize something is amiss.

The Cashier is a young man staring at me with wide eyes, one had over the register and the other wrapped up in his rosary.

I look down at myself.

In my haste to reunite my friend with her spare keys and service animal, I had left the house in the following accoutrements:

Flip Flops. Not matching. It's below freezing outside. That last part is not particularly odd footwear for the weather in for Colorado, but it's an important detail for the rest of the ensemble.

Assorted scrapes, bruises, cuts and welts on my arms and legs that come with doing outdoor work and living in a house with three dogs and a fully-clawed cat that all want to be in my lap all the time. It's cold out, so vasoconstriction has pulled the blood away from my skin, a trait that served my ancestors well during the last Ice Age, but leaves me with pale skin to contrast the various wounds and I look like a corpse that fell out of the back of a pickup truck.

The black Bootyshorts with "CRYPTID" painted in bright red gothic font across my ass, that @theshitpostcalligrapher gave me for my wedding present.

A peculiar but extremely comfortable garment that straddles the line between "Lacy Camisole" and "Industrial-Strength Sports Bra" like the Ever Given straddling the Suez Canal. It is also Bright Red. with black accents.

The Jacket I had grabbed out of the closet, which is in fact, a black Velour Dinner Jacket.

The Tokyo-Ghoul inspired reusable anti-covid mask a friend made me with the set of Coyote Teeth.

My sunglasses, which are shaped like a Halloween Bat. The lenses are the wings and the body is the nose bridge. It is ALSO bright red.

A Very Large and remarkably Humanoid Poodle that I have been audibly affectionately calling "Dear Creature" who is hanging off my arm like she's my Prom Date.

The Very Large and remarkably Humanoid Poodle is ALSO dressed up in a black Dog Sweater that has white bones printed on it to look like its an X-ray jacket showing off her skeleton.

I look like I am taking my Very Fancy Werewolf Girlfriend to a particularly casual Dinner Party for Vampires, but the thing that's really selling it and probably alarming the kid the most is the fun accessory I acquired in the parking lot not five minutes earlier:

The "Small Scrape At my Hairline" is actually a painless but PROFUSELY bleeding head wound that I had somehow entirely failed to notice covering my face, neck, decolletage and magnificent cleavage with blood like a Tarantino Film Extra.

This does explain why The Creature has been delicately trying to use her bodyweight to push me down onto the floor for the last ten minutes. So I don't injure myself while we wait for the paramedics she hoped this kid called to arrive, you see.

The Creature has such a High and Naive Opinion of humanity.

I decide this social situation is already fucked, and the only way out is through, and with haste, before I start dripping on the floor.

"Hi there!" I say cheerfully, to indicate this is a visually alarming but not terribly serious situation. "Just a Small Slurpee!"

The Cashier has entered the relevant code into the register before I finish the sentence. His gaze flicks off me just long enough to look at the total, and he grips his Rosary harder.

$6.66

"Oh cool! I have exact change!" I say, taking the money out of my as-yet-unsanguined pocket without looking and slap it down on the counter. "You have a good night and be safe out there!" I wave, leaving.

I get in The Van, mortified, buckle The Creature up, and as I make to leave, I have to put it in reverse, which automatically turns on the backup Camera.

It also turns on the music player.

I make eye contact with the cashier as the dulcet tones of John Phillip Sousa boom from the van hard enough to make the windshield and the windows of the 7-11 rattle for the nine-and-a-half seconds I have to wait to be able to turn the volume back down. Not knowing what else to to, I give him a thumbs up, and leave.

Anyway, now I know what my Future Van Wizard has got to be dressed like, and what their familiar is.

---

If you enjoyed this story, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi or Pre-ordering my Family Lore Funny Stories book on Patreon

[reasonsforhope]

"The man who has called climate change a “hoax” also can be expected to wreak havoc on federal agencies central to understanding, and combating, climate change. But plenty of climate action would be very difficult for a second Trump administration to unravel, and the 47th president won’t be able to stop the inevitable economy-wide shift from fossil fuels to renewables. 

“This is bad for the climate, full stop,” said Gernot Wagner, a climate economist at the Columbia Business School. “That said, this will be yet another wall that never gets built. Fundamental market forces are at play.”

A core irony of climate change is that markets incentivized the wide-scale burning of fossil fuels beginning in the Industrial Revolution, creating the mess humanity is mired in, and now those markets are driving a renewables revolution that will help fix it. Coal, oil, and gas are commodities whose prices fluctuate. As natural resources that humans pull from the ground, there’s really no improving on them — engineers can’t engineer new versions of coal. 

By contrast, solar panels, wind turbines, and appliances like induction stoves only get better — more efficient and cheaper — with time. Energy experts believe solar power, the price of which fell 90 percent between 2010 and 2020, will continue to proliferate across the landscape. (Last year, the United States added three times as much solar capacity as natural gas.) Heat pumps now outsell gas furnaces in the U.S., due in part to government incentives. Last year, Maine announced it had reached its goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps two years ahead of schedule, in part thanks to state rebates. So if the Trump administration cut off the funding for heat pumps that the IRA provides, states could pick up the slack. 

Local utilities are also finding novel ways to use heat pumps. Over in Massachusetts, for example, the utility Eversource Energy is experimenting with “networked geothermal,” in which the homes within a given neighborhood tap into water pumped from underground. Heat pumps use that water to heat or cool a space, which is vastly more efficient than burning natural gas. Eversource and two dozen other utilities, representing about half of the country’s natural gas customers, have formed a coalition to deploy more networked geothermal systems.

Beyond being more efficient, green tech is simply cheaper to adopt. Consider Texas, which long ago divorced its electrical grid from the national grid so it could skirt federal regulation. The Lone Star State is the nation’s biggest oil and gas producer, but it gets 40 percent of its total energy from carbon-free sources. “Texas has the most solar and wind of any state, not because Republicans in Texas love renewables, but because it’s the cheapest form of electricity there,” said Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth, a climate research nonprofit. The next top three states for producing wind power — Iowa, Oklahoma, and Kansas — are red, too.

State regulators are also pressuring utilities to slash emissions, further driving the adoption of wind and solar power. As part of California’s goal of decarbonizing its power by 2045, the state increased battery storage by 757 percent between 2019 and 2023. Even electric cars and electric school buses can provide backup power for the grid. That allows utilities to load up on bountiful solar energy during the day, then drain those batteries at night — essential for weaning off fossil fuel power plants. Trump could slap tariffs on imported solar panels and thereby increase their price, but that would likely boost domestic manufacturing of those panels, helping the fledgling photovoltaic manufacturing industry in red states like Georgia and Texas.

The irony of Biden’s signature climate bill is states that overwhelmingly support Trump are some of the largest recipients of its funding. That means tampering with the IRA could land a Trump administration in political peril even with Republican control of the Senate, if not Congress. In addition to providing incentives to households (last year alone, 3.4 million American families claimed more than $8 billion in tax credits for home energy improvements), the legislation has so far resulted in $150 billion of new investment in the green economy since it was passed in 2022, boosting the manufacturing of technologies like batteries and solar panels. According to Atlas Public Policy, a research group, that could eventually create 160,000 jobs. “Something like 66 percent of all of the spending in the IRA has gone to red states,” Hausfather said. “There certainly is a contingency in the Republican party now that’s going to support keeping some of those subsidies around.”

Before Biden’s climate legislation passed, much more progress was happening at a state and local level. New York, for instance, set a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 40 percent by 2030, and 85 percent by 2050. Colorado, too, is aiming to slash emissions by at least 90 percent by 2050. The automaker Stellantis has signed an agreement with the state of California promising to meet the state’s zero-emissions vehicle mandate even if a judicial or federal action overturns it. It then sells those same cars in other states. 

“State governments are going to be the clearest counterbalance to the direction that Donald Trump will take the country on environmental policy,” said Thad Kousser, co-director of the Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research at the University of California, San Diego. “California and the states that ally with it are going to try to adhere to tighter standards if the Trump administration lowers national standards.”

[Note: One of the obscure but great things about how emissions regulations/markets work in the US is that automakers generally all follow California's emissions standards, and those standards are substantially higher than federal standards. Source]

Last week, 62 percent of Washington state voters soundly rejected a ballot initiative seeking to repeal a landmark law that raised funds to fight climate change. “Donald Trump’s going to learn something that our opponents in our initiative battle learned: Once people have a benefit, you can’t take it away,” Washington Governor Jay Inslee said in a press call Friday. “He is going to lose in his efforts to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, because governors, mayors of both parties, are going to say, ‘This belongs to me, and you’re not going to get your grubby hands on it.’”

Even without federal funding, states regularly embark on their own large-scale projects to adapt to climate change. California voters, for instance, just overwhelmingly approved a $10 billion bond to fund water, climate, and wildfire prevention projects. “That will be an example,” said Saharnaz Mirzazad, executive director of the U.S. branch of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. “You can use that on a state level or local level to have [more of] these types of bonds. You can help build some infrastructure that is more resilient.”

Urban areas, too, have been major drivers of climate action: In 2021, 130 U.S. cities signed a U.N.-backed pledge to accelerate their decarbonization. “Having an unsupportive federal government, to say the least, will be not helpful,” said David Miller, managing director at the Centre for Urban Climate Policy and Economy at C40, a global network of mayors fighting climate change. “It doesn’t mean at all that climate action will stop. It won’t, and we’ve already seen that twice in recent U.S. history, when Republican administrations pulled out of international agreements. Cities step to the fore.”

And not in isolation, because mayors talk: Cities share information about how to write legislation, such as laws that reduce carbon emissions in buildings and ensure that new developments are connected to public transportation. They transform their food systems to grow more crops locally, providing jobs and reducing emissions associated with shipping produce from afar. “If anything,” Miller said, “having to push against an administration, like that we imagine is coming, will redouble the efforts to push at the local level.” 

Federal funding — like how the U.S. Forest Service has been handing out $1.5 billion for planting trees in urban areas, made possible by the IRA — might dry up for many local projects, but city governments, community groups, and philanthropies will still be there. “You picture a web, and we’re taking scissors or a machete or something, and chopping one part of that web out,” said Elizabeth Sawin, the director of the Multisolving Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that promotes climate solutions. “There’s this resilience of having all these layers of partners.”

All told, climate progress has been unfolding on so many fronts for so many years — often without enough support from the federal government — that it will persist regardless of who occupies the White House. “This too shall pass, and hopefully we will be in a more favorable policy environment in four years,” Hausfather said. “In the meantime, we’ll have to keep trying to make clean energy cheap and hope that it wins on its merits.”"

-via Grist, November 11, 2024. A timely reminder.