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> In the first quarter of 2023, South Africa imported five times as many batteries as it did in the whole of last year. > It shows South African households and

> In the first quarter of 2023, South Africa imported five times as many batteries as it did in the whole of last year. > It shows South African households and businesses are becoming energy-independent and kissing Eskom goodbye. I know this is kind of painted as a humorous article, but things are pretty dire in South Africa. You are seeing a lot of hallmarks of a failing state - there's just an overwhelming lack of faith in the government to provide basic services. Either providing utilities or deterring crime. An underrated aspect of what is going on in the solar market is the enablement of off-grid living. This is HUGE right now, around the world. And while there is a positives that can come with individual self-sufficiency, it's important to note that it's not necessarily for the betterment of society. The people doing this are going to live in further remote areas - cutting down green spaces and consuming more fuel and resources than they would living on a city grid. This particular green revolution is going to be privatized and inegalitarian.

woodpanel 3y ago
A hen and egg problem? Are people to blame to flee density in failing states? Enabling them to do so doesn’t fix the core issue, but so doesn’t blaming them for their needs (in case of SA: blaming a minority for their needs already is the de-facto core ideology of the political establishment).
- legitster 3y ago
  > A hen and egg problem? A lot of Why Nations Fail covers this - collapsing or failed developing countries deal with multiple runaway problems. I do not begrudge individuals doing the best for themselves. But in the grand run of history, democratic free markets with robust middle classes are mostly historical accidents where there is a critical mass of people mutually invested in collective success.
laputan_machine 3y ago
> This particular green revolution is going to be privatized and inegalitarian. It's never good enough for some people is it? :)
jandrese 3y ago
Off grid is especially appealing when your power lines keep getting stolen for their copper.
- deleted 3y ago
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woodpanel 3y ago

A hen and egg problem? Are people to blame to flee density in failing states? Enabling them to do so doesn’t fix the core issue, but so doesn’t blaming them for their needs (in case of SA: blaming a minority for their needs already is the de-facto core ideology of the political establishment).

legitster 3y ago
> A hen and egg problem? A lot of Why Nations Fail covers this - collapsing or failed developing countries deal with multiple runaway problems. I do not begrudge individuals doing the best for themselves. But in the grand run of history, democratic free markets with robust middle classes are mostly historical accidents where there is a critical mass of people mutually invested in collective success.

laputan_machine 3y ago

> This particular green revolution is going to be privatized and inegalitarian. It's never good enough for some people is it? :)

jandrese 3y ago

Off grid is especially appealing when your power lines keep getting stolen for their copper.

deleted 3y ago
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