Sue is Writing Solarpunk 🌞🌱Mar 14

One of the pleasures in life is being known as having knowledge that might help folks and they ask... because any nerd will tell you sharing knowledge is one of their fav things to do.

Brought to you by (another) power outage & requests for backup power info: https://susankayequinn.com/2024/11/backup-power-battery-options-for-the-climate-crisis.html

Backup Power/Battery Options for the Climate Crisis

I’m a huge advocate for solar and will make a separate post for that (SOLAR: How to Get Started and Why You Should), but whether you have solar or not, having backup power is going to be more…

SUSAN KAYE QUINN
Show threadSue is Writing Solarpunk 🌞🌱Mar 14

After I wrote up the general backup power options post, my kiddo had to evacuate from the LA wildfires. So I found myself doing another round of calculations and seeing if the new Jackery I'd got them would run the air purifier (answer: yes).

https://susankayequinn.com/2025/01/backup-power-for-air-filters-water.html

Backup Power for Air Filters + Water

Learning From Climate Disasters You absolutely should get the Watch Duty app if you or anyone you love is in a wildfire zone. I paid for the annual fee upgrade because I want to support their impor…

SUSAN KAYE QUINN
Show threadSue is Writing Solarpunk 🌞🌱Mar 14
I can't talk about backup power without talking about solar, because unlike the brittle and expensive gas supply chain, the sun just relentlessly keeps coming up every morning... which is very convenient for recharging your battery: https://susankayequinn.com/2025/04/solar-how-to-get-started-and-why-you-should.html
#climatechange
SOLAR: How to Get Started and Why You Should

I put solar on my roof three years ago, and since then, I’ve helped plenty of solar-curious friends figure out the options—there are plenty (and you don’t need a PhD in Environmental En…

SUSAN KAYE QUINN
Show threadSue is Writing Solarpunk 🌞🌱Mar 14

I also recommend folks check out (and support!) Solar United Neighbors-- they're a US advocacy group that helps navigate issues around solar install regulations and they run solar co-ops to get cheaper pricing by having people go solar together!

https://solarunitedneighbors.org

#solar #climatechange

Home - Solar United Neighbors

Solar United Neighbors is a national nonprofit that represents solar owners and supporters. We help you go solar, join together, and fight for your energy rights.

Solar United Neighbors
Show threadSue is Writing Solarpunk 🌞🌱Mar 14

every time I look at a solar irradiance map of the US, I think

"everyone in the red should have solar, every last person"

"the electric companies are terrified of this"

Show threadSue is Writing Solarpunk 🌞🌱Mar 14
I mean, I have solar in Pennsylvania and it totally works economically for me, so if I can make it work in PA, I can't even imagine how it *wouldn't* work in the high irradiance zones -- this is why the utilities are desperate to handicap it there, and they'll absolutely collude with corrupt politicians (hello TX) to make it seem like it's not "economical" (which is a lie)
Show threadBujoldMar 14
@susankayequinn also, can we just appreciate how close the two ends of that scale are? The "<4" is pretty open-ended and I'm sure there's specific places with dreadful numbers, but overall you're not looking at a 10x difference in irradiance between the best and the worst places in the continental US. "Oh no, we'll only get two thirds of the free energy people in ideal conditions get! The horror!"
Show threadSue is Writing Solarpunk 🌞🌱

@bujold that's an excellent point! I will will make sure to point that out when I share this graph in the future!

I like it because it *feels* correct to people's experience of sunnier/less sunny places... but pointing out the scale is an excellent way to shift that perception!

Mar 14 at 4:23pmWeb