India joins rush to renewables, but its rural solar systems fall off grid
https:// www.washingtonpost.com /world/2023/07/31/india-solar-energy/ India joins rush to renewables, but its rural solar systems fall off grid
A cautionary tale for a world racing into renewables: The large majority of mini-grids in India no longer work, an environmental group found.
About 4,000 solar mini-grids have been installed in India, of which 3,300 are government financed and owned. Only 5% of the government grids are operational.
I just woke up and thought that read: “Indiana Jones: Rush To Renewables” and was confused for a second.
24I asked ChatGPT to write a movie summary based on this:
Indiana Jones and the Rush to Renewables
In the film "Indiana Jones and the Rush to Renewables," famed archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is called upon for a mission unlike any he has undertaken before. The Indian government, which has recently initiated a massive renewable energy project, is on the verge of a crisis. Newly installed solar panels in rural areas across India, the linchpin of this green revolution, are failing mysteriously and rapidly, jeopardizing the country's sustainable future and the livelihood of millions.
The government, suspecting foul play, invites Jones, renowned for his problem-solving abilities and knack for adventure. He embarks on a journey through the colorful landscapes of rural India, exploring age-old temples, bustling markets, and breathtaking mountain terrains, all the while attempting to solve the riddle of the failing solar panels.
Along the way, Jones uncovers a nefarious plot by an unscrupulous corporation intending to sabotage India's renewable energy efforts to maintain their monopoly over the energy sector. With the help of a brilliant young Indian scientist, an energy activist, and a troupe of loyal friends, Jones must outsmart the corporation, decode a series of cryptic clues rooted in Indian history, and unravel the technical mystery behind the solar panel failures.
In a thrilling climax, Jones and his team confront the corporate villains, exposing their plot and finding the solution to restore the solar panels, ensuring a brighter and greener future for India. "Indiana Jones and the Rush to Renewables" weaves together the charm of classic Indiana Jones adventure with modern environmental issues, reminding us that sometimes, the greatest treasure is a sustainable future for all.
12Was the solution him going around and cleaning them all?
3Did you feed it the article as well? Just wondering how it got the details of a recent article
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Are these problems unique to solar? From the article:
Young village boys have rejiggered the wires so a few phones at a time can be charged. The solar panels still generate energy, but the batteries to store the electricity and the network to distribute it no longer function.
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A team of Dutch researchers reported in 2017 that in a sample of 29 solar systems in sub-Saharan Africa, only three were fully working. “The reasons cited for failure always point to the same challenges: an absence of local maintenance expertise and a lack of acceptance,” researchers said in an article published by the Conversation.
It seems like these are problems that would crop up with any form of intermittent power generation. And a broken distribution network is an issue for everything and anything to do with power at all. It seems like this could be less an issue with renewables requiring maintenance, and more an issue with renewables enabling rushed implementation of power generation.
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