The stricken islands of Japan offer an unique view of the fundamental flaw of a centralized power grid, namely the fragility of the transmission lines and pipelines. In a centralized system when a power plant like Fukushima DaiIchi goes down hundreds of thousands, if not millions of homes and businesses are affected and without a functioning transmission grid, power cannot simply be rerouted. Even if a means of distribution is available other power plants may not be able to increase output to meet the increased demand. In Japan this is especially true because the country is divided into two separate grids, one operates at 60 hertz just as the US does while the other runs at 50 hertz.

The worst thing about the central grid is it is old technology and its existence only perpetuates old, dirty technology. Power generation from coal, natural gas or nuclear still just creates heat to boil water to turn a steam turbine based on 17th century technology. That’s it. We have developed ever new and increasingly dangerous ways to extract coal, oil and gas and radioactive elements to do nothing more than boil water.

Even using fossil fuel powered generators in a distributed system producing power at the point of consumption is more efficient, cost effective and offers greater redundancy than the centralized grid.

Centralized power production also concentrates control of an essential service into the hands of the very few capable of building hundred million dollar power plants and even though two thirds of the fuel consumed to generate electricity is lost as heat, the ratepayer is compelled to pay for this inefficiency by the PUC.

Community owned microgrids offer independence from the wasteful business practices of investor owned utilities. Whereas most corporations are loathe to change how they operate or retool or innovate, small businesses and local groups can work together to implement existing and emerging technologies that move society into the 22nd century instead of perpetuating the worst of the past. Decentralized power allows local dollars to be reinvested to improve local infrastructure and social services which bring about real jobs and improve the quality of living.