4 ms·

Can’t you do that today though? ie. Circumvent your meter? It’s illegal though.

robjan 6y ago
If the only way to cheat is illegal and can be done on the Blockchain anyway then why use a Blockchain rather than a database?
- coldpie 6y ago
  Apparently was enough to dupe Woz and get this to the front page of HN. Another blockchain success story.
helsinkiandrew 6y ago
Residential its harder but an industrial/commercial property could possibly have multiple power inlines, a diesel generator for emergency power, and perhaps solar panels on the roof and batteries. It may have agreement to use power within specific ranges during the day for different prices and supply power back to a power company or neighbouring businesses. Under those conditions it's always possible to divert power to 'adjust' the perceived power usage. My point was that block chain doesn't validate anything - a private key will prove that the data (good or bad) is from the specific user, block chain won't validate that its good.
- Apylon777 6y ago
  In most jurisdictions in the USA renewable energy generators are registered and audited by a third party, (like mrets.org where I work). Anomalies with generation data can be compared directly with data from the grid operators. Utilities will also require these commercial operations to have a "commercial energy meter" which are very expensive.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
jpsalm 6y ago
When a meter company catches someone cheating do we want them to be able to rectify in their database or fork an entire blockchain?
- samatman 6y ago
  The potential for fraud which may be tried in civil courts is not a slam-dunk argument for mutability.
lordlimecat 6y ago
If we're relying on "what is legal" for validating data why do we need a blockchain?
DonHopkins 6y ago
If something being illegal is enough to solve your problem, then why do you need blockchain?
fock 6y ago
oooh, it's illegal! but I thought the libertarian blockchain utopia wanted to get rid of any entities enforcing law because that's soooo socialist?

If the only way to cheat is illegal and can be done on the Blockchain anyway then why use a Blockchain rather than a database?

coldpie 6y ago
Apparently was enough to dupe Woz and get this to the front page of HN. Another blockchain success story.

helsinkiandrew 6y ago

Residential its harder but an industrial/commercial property could possibly have multiple power inlines, a diesel generator for emergency power, and perhaps solar panels on the roof and batteries. It may have agreement to use power within specific ranges during the day for different prices and supply power back to a power company or neighbouring businesses. Under those conditions it's always possible to divert power to 'adjust' the perceived power usage. My point was that block chain doesn't validate anything - a private key will prove that the data (good or bad) is from the specific user, block chain won't validate that its good.

Apylon777 6y ago
In most jurisdictions in the USA renewable energy generators are registered and audited by a third party, (like mrets.org where I work). Anomalies with generation data can be compared directly with data from the grid operators. Utilities will also require these commercial operations to have a "commercial energy meter" which are very expensive.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]

jpsalm 6y ago

When a meter company catches someone cheating do we want them to be able to rectify in their database or fork an entire blockchain?

samatman 6y ago
The potential for fraud which may be tried in civil courts is not a slam-dunk argument for mutability.

lordlimecat 6y ago

If we're relying on "what is legal" for validating data why do we need a blockchain?

DonHopkins 6y ago

If something being illegal is enough to solve your problem, then why do you need blockchain?

fock 6y ago

oooh, it's illegal! but I thought the libertarian blockchain utopia wanted to get rid of any entities enforcing law because that's soooo socialist?