• Pyr@lemmy.ca
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    8 days ago

    For me the main benefit is the ability to still feed yourself if the power goes out for any length of time, and heat your house if it’s in winter.

    Otherwise you are eating cold canned beans and freezing. Power goes out fairly frequently at my place. We could electrify and install a backup generator but then you are still using gas just a different kind.

    • BastingChemina@slrpnk.net
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      7 days ago

      Plug in Batteries backup and solar panels are being quite cheap today and more interesting than a gas powered generator since you can use then even when there grid is up to lower you electricity bill.

      I don’t know the situation in the US but in Europe you can get the Zendure solarflow for example.

      For less than 3000€ you get 5KWh batterie + 4 solar panel. The battery AND solar panels whether the grid is up or down.

      • boonhet@sopuli.xyz
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        7 days ago

        That’s good for 2 or 3 hours in the middle of winter. Tf you doing for the other 12+ until the sun is hopefully back and the linesmen might go to work and fix the issue? If power goes out at 5 PM and sunrise isn’t until 9 AM you’re still kinda fucked

    • gusgalarnyk@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      That seems like a clear and obvious niche scenario. The majority of the US does not have frequent power outages and the majority of the US would be wiser to go to Solar (or wind locally) than get a backup generator (and that only gets more true every year). I only say this because I wish people creating minor social friction to the movement, like your comment, would remove that friction with a small “I know this is a niche scenario but…”

    • speculate7383@lemmy.today
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      7 days ago

      Sure, you’re still using fossil fuels in that case-- for a few hours or maybe a few days a year, not every single day forever.

    • poleslav@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      Yep. I’m in an apartment with all electric now, but the city had a massive snow storm and power outage that lasted a week 3-4 years ago. 30-40 people died. The roads were so bad it was illegal to try and drive (travel ban) so a lot of people ended up freezing to death. I’m fortunate enough to have both a 23000 btu kerosene heater for emergencies and do a lot of camping so butane stove canisters for days, but all electric still has its downsides.