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@TechConnectify So a few clarifications nobody will ever read: 1. Hydrocarbons are dead trees which are renewed but very slowly. The tree is the best solar panel with integrated battery. Just takes say 100.000 years to renew. 2. You cannot replace organic energy with metal energy, because you cannot create metal from scratch without coal, oil and gas; and recycling it is only partly a solution. 3. Nuclear (and fusion) is just boiling the planet with atoms instead. 4. The real problem is food.
@TechConnectify Absolutely brilliant and insightful commentary, both the economics and the politics. Well said.
@TechConnectify Thank you so much for this video. It gave me a bit of faith back into Americans.
Let's not forget, everything happening in the US, is also coming to Europe.
@TechConnectify During the energy crisis of the 70s Sweden went all-in on nuclear. During that period, home owners were told/incentivised (unsure) that they should also throw out their oil/coal/wood furnaces and go all-electric since it was and was going to be _so_ much cheaper. We built out a lot of electrical direct heating back then.
This has given us an amazing situation now. We're already big on heat pumps, giving us 4-5 times better efficiency compared to direct heating, and going solar is just to hook it all up since everyting is already electric.
@TechConnectify I am a longtime follower who also always felt a special connection. Not only because of the interest in technology but because I also own a NeXT shirt (and the computer with which it came).
You open so many people’s eyes. This time it’s more important than ever. Even if it seems long, every minute of the video should be watched. All the way.
@TechConnectify holy shit it is so good to hear this from you. I feel like your politics have always been so clear but hearing you say these things so clearly is still like the opposite of gaslighting. It feels so obvious to me how bad things are getting, and hearing someone whose other opinions I trust saying this with their full chest is lifegiving. Thank you.
@TechConnectify I need you to know every time I put on your videos, my fiance says "Oh is that dishwasher man? I recognise his dulcet tones".
@TechConnectify mate this might be your magnum opus and you didn’t even mention the refrigeration cycle ONCE
@TechConnectify I've followed your channel for a while now and I have to say that this is probably your best video so far! From a European perspective it makes me very happy to hear people speak out about what's happening in your country. Thank you!
@TechConnectify I enjoyed this piece.
@TechConnectify Fantastic video! Thank you for being open and honest about the messed up politics occurring in the country too!
@TechConnectify Thank you so much for making every second of this video.
This was awesome
@TechConnectify you are awesome.
@TechConnectify ❤️ and thank you.
@TechConnectify You're my hero...what a treasure this is, thank you for your hard work! 🫡🖖🤘
@TechConnectify seeing all the "haven't watched it all yet but pretty great so far" comments...
Hrrrrrnnnnnghhhh...WATCH TO THE END! 
@msh @TechConnectify haha, I'm halfway thru after 2 watch sessions
@TechConnectify Thank you for this.
For anyone who wants a link to specifically the partisan politics part, it starts at t=4602s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtQ9nt2ZeGM&t=4602s
@TechConnectify
This is why we love mid-westernest -- wisdom
@TechConnectify I'm glad to see intelligent Americans react to to USA government's actions on its own citizens, a small sample of what it subjected the rest of the world to for decades.
@TechConnectify I said it on the YewTewbs, but I'll say it again here: I wish I had more thumbs so I could give you more thumbs-ups.
It was quite delicious (as I said here) to see you take the gloves off and "explain it like I'm five" to anyone out there who might possibly maybe (hopefully?) be willing and able to listen.
@TechConnectify I was skipping over this one in my YT feed (I prefer <15min videos) but the comments in this thread have convinced me to watch it next chance I get.
@TechConnectify that was fucking great. I wish half of the influencers had the conviction you do to put their neck out. I still think a distressingly large amount of democrats are really just smiling fascist and that's why they continue to vote for and fund trump's stuff, but you may be right on voting lesser evil just one more time.
Keep being dangerous and loud.
@TechConnectify Well said. Thank you.
Tired : let's do this.
Wired : let's do this on Peertube.
@TechConnectify The first 3/4 or whatever was mostly stuff I kind of knew - not the specific figures and examples you give - exactly how much more energy would be available just from converting fields growing corn for ethanol fuel into solar fields, for example.
And then the second part. Fantastic. Blistering. Thank you and from Canada I wish you and all Americans of good conscience success and safety.
@TechConnectify Just happened onto this on YT, had no idea you're here.
Making great points throughout the entire video there and it's nice to see people active in ostensibly far-removed fields to find such clear words.
@TechConnectify I still think it's absolutely crazy how cheap solar panels are
I got my 500w panels, new and unused, for 50-60 a piece, without buying in bulk.
That's cheaper than standard plywood. It's literally CHEAPER to build a house out of SOLAR PANELS than it is to build out of low grade PLYWOOD.
They've gone up a little bit in price since but not much, you can still get 500w panels for around 70 euros a piece, example here: https://www.solar-outlet.nl/zonnepanelen/
@TechConnectify Absolute banger of an episode!
@TechConnectify
This video is a great example of why YouTube remains valuable despite its problematic corporate ownership. Now you just need a condensed version for the people who can't manage the (gulp) feature-film-length runtime.
@TechConnectify Best one ever, both the part about renewable and the bonus about politics.
@TechConnectify doing the lords work.
No.
Doing the peoples work.
✊
@TechConnectify You’re using (coining) the term “disposable energy” — I also like “rental energy”
The age of rental energy is over. We are becoming energy landlords.
@TechConnectify That was _magnificent_. Best post-credits piece ever. Thanks for the excellent educational content pre-credits also.
@TechConnectify Heck yeah, I was looking forward to this ever since the last patreon announcement! Thank you for your amazing videos!
@TechConnectify This is really great content all around. I support solar and wind (and tangentially work in the industry) and this is the most clear description of WHY it is better. Thank you.
@TechConnectify thanks for doing this. I’m glad for both the first part, and the part that we wish you didn’t need to do, because we should’ve all been holding everyone accountable sooner.
@TechConnectify wow, great one 👍
@TechConnectify Brilliant Episode!
@TechConnectify both parts are really good. I hope they make people think.
@TechConnectify other tech youtuber from the rustbelt/south will condemn the pedo in chief & his regime right? Right?. Like the one on Mastodon who had an issue with Mamdani's inauguration banning rPi/flipper zero devices yet has no issue with banning of women's right for their own bodily autonomy... Doubt it.
@TechConnectify It's really refreshing to see a US youtuber addressing what's going on outside their windows with a call to action to his fellow citizens.
The solar part was cool too.
TL;DW
how does the solar panel and battery deterioration affect the calculations? The panels might las 25 years but definitely they don't stay as efficient.
@TechConnectify Thank you. Every segment was awesome.
@TechConnectify Thanks, Alec. I was drawing with you on the background but once you got to the second part, after the fake ending, I had to stop and look up to you. And even not being American, I think all on your message is somehow valid everywhere. You are brave, and you are right. Paraphrasing Terry Pratchett, thanks for converting your anger into militant decency.
@TechConnectify I knew there was a reason I liked you!
@TechConnectify Outstanding. I nearly cried at a few points during the last 15 or so minutes.
Thank you.
@TechConnectify speaking truth to power!
Or do I mean energy?
@TechConnectify thanks for being on Fediverse.
@TechConnectify This is FANTASTIC! Watch the whole video!
@TechConnectify Hell yes, Alec. "There is a duty of care in everything we do."
@TechConnectify
Thank you for your clear words and the elegant solution for the ending.
@TechConnectify Thank you for your clear words and the elegant solution for the ending.
@TechConnectify by the way: even if you don’t have the money or space for roof top solar, you can still do #pluginpv!
3 media
@TechConnectify you have doubled my respect for Americans in one video.
@TechConnectify First I saw Luke Miani. Now Alec. Wow! Much respect to you guys. That takes some courage. I understand your frustration. You should not be silent in light of fascism. I wish the best for all of you. I hope it’s the beginning of real change for the good. Greetings from Spain. 🇪🇸
@TechConnectify thanks for making and sharing this.
In one word: Impressive. Both parts.
@TechConnectify I just watched it.
Good work.
It makes me sad that you (and my friends in the US) have to endure this. Yes: liberty and justice for all!
I already knew most of the information in this video, but I liked the way he organized it to make comparisons between renewable and consumable energy. A lot of food for thought.
@TechConnectify Thank you for this video.
"You need to wake up and smell the fascism" 🎯 
@TechConnectify This was excellent. I almost stood up and clapped at the end, but my cat would have looked at me funny.
@TechConnectify Sir, your videos are a constant source of enlightenment and entertainment.
This went somewhere I was not expecting but found inspiring and I hope your fellow countrymen heed your words.
@TechConnectify Straight-up came here to share this after watching it just now.
I was moved to tears. Thank you.
@TechConnectify hello, your video is a masterpiece. Thanks for making it.
@TechConnectify
Great video. You changed my mind on many of the concerns with solar panels I've had before. I have some nitpicks about the details, and some of the arguments don't apply to my country which is quite a bit smaller than US, but overall I'm pretty optimistic about solar now.
Thank you!
As for the second part of the video:
Yikes, it does look terrifying.
I hope y'all can turn this around. Good luck!
@TechConnectify A true star! I've watched this guy for ages, I'm glad he is in mastodont
@TechConnectify Amazing video. Absolute aces all around. Some meandering thoughts:
1- The starting discussion around Midwestern values around frugality and investing wisely kept echoing as a corollary of the Vimes Boots Theory of Socieoeconomic Unfairness that I expected it to get mentioned. I'm assuming you know what that is, but that leads right into my next thought...
2- Building off your statement "I kind of already assumed everyone knew what we were trying to do", plainly stating assumptions is one of the most useful tools for solving problems I have found in the past ten years. My day job is supporting some niche technology infrastructure, and when I get pulled into a problem it's because things are seriously, seriously weird. I've had multiple occasions where I've "walked the stack" out loud, and someone else chimed in to correct some component of pile which led to figuring out what was wrong and how to solve it.
I think there's a more advanced theory of mind issue around understanding and addressing the inherent assumptions other people make. I have no idea how that realization will help make better videos, but I'm excited to see it happen.
2a- While I agree that there's a massive capitalist interest in misleading people, my gut says the bigger challenge is people just... not reexamining assumptions that are years or decades out-of-date. Either because it's cognitively expensive (taking time and mental focus off of day-to-day work, which is also an opportunity capitalist interests are happy to exploit), or because they straight up lack the tools to approach the subject. Maybe that's wrong, and fraud/deception are really the impetus behind wasting time and money on disposable energy.
But I really think the Overestimate Short Term & Underestimate Long Term problem does a lot more heavy lifting in that regard. Humans in survival mode (as so many of us have been for the past 10-40 years) need to focus on the short term, and thinking about the long term is an unaffordable luxury.
3- Tangentially related to cognitive expense/load, I process information better with my eyes than my ears. Showing more of the math when you were running the numbers would have made that easier for me to grasp and process.
Yes, Excel is one of my most-used applications of all time. How did you know?
4- There was a dark, gallows laugh when you talked about the First Amendment rights and the press being declared enemies of the people as Donald Trump is racistly arresting four black journalists. (I'm not laughing because it's funny, I'm laughing because it's an easier emotional outlet than crying)
5- We've lost so much from caring too much about what billionaires and cult leaders say, and caring too little for our own neighbors. I don't know how we solve the big problem. I'll do my part with my skills, like the repair café I'm volunteering at next weekend. We need to build more, better fucking community, damnit.
(sorry for spammy edit/reposting. markdown is being an asshole with list formating)
@TechConnectify Amazing video. Absolute aces all around. Some meandering thoughts:
The starting discussion around Midwestern values around frugality and investing wisely kept echoing as a corollary of the Vimes Boots Theory of Socieoeconomic Unfairness that I expected it to get mentioned. I'm assuming you know what that is, but that leads right into my next thought...
Building off your statement "I kind of already assumed everyone knew what we were trying to do", plainly stating assumptions is one of the most useful tools for solving problems I have found in the past ten years. My day job is supporting some niche technology infrastructure, and when I get pulled into a problem it's because things are seriously, seriously weird. I've had multiple occasions where I've "walked the stack" out loud, and someone else chimed in to correct some component of pile which led to figuring out what was wrong and how to solve it.
I think there's a more advanced theory of mind issue around understanding and addressing the inherent assumptions other people make. I have no idea how that realization will help make better videos, but I'm excited to see it happen.
- While I agree that there's a massive capitalist interest in misleading people, my gut says the bigger challenge is people just... not reexamining assumptions that are years or decades out-of-date. Either because it's cognitively expensive (taking time and mental focus off of day-to-day work, which is also an opportunity capitalist interests are happy to exploit), or because they straight up lack the tools to approach the subject. Maybe that's wrong, and fraud/deception are really the impetus behind wasting time and money on disposable energy.
But I really think the Overestimate Short Term & Underestimate Long Term problem does a lot more heavy lifting in that regard. Humans in survival mode (as so many of us have been for the past 10-40 years) need to focus on the short term, and thinking about the long term is an unaffordable luxury.
- Tangentially related to cognitive expense/load, I process information better with my eyes than my ears. Showing more of the math when you were running the numbers would have made that easier for me to grasp and process.
Yes, Excel is one of my most-used applications of all time. How did you know?
There was a dark, gallows laugh when you talked about the First Amendment rights and the press being declared enemies of the people as Donald Trump is racistly arresting four black journalists. (I'm not laughing because it's funny, I'm laughing because it's an easier emotional outlet than crying)
We've lost so much from caring too much about what billionaires and cult leaders say, and caring too little for our own neighbors. I don't know how we solve the big problem. I'll do my part with my skills, like the repair café I'm volunteering at next weekend. We need to build more, better fucking community, damnit.
@TechConnectify Simply wonderful. Your analysis and prose are both so well crafted. Thank you for all you do.
@TechConnectify Amazing video. Absolute aces all around. Some meandering thoughts:
The starting discussion around Midwestern values around frugality and investing wisely kept echoing as a corollary of the Vimes Boots Theory of Socieoeconomic Unfairness that I expected it to get mentioned. I'm assuming you know what that is, but that leads right into my next thought...
Building off your statement "I kind of already assumed everyone knew what we were trying to do", plainly stating assumptions is one of the most useful tools for solving problems I have found in the past ten years. My day job is supporting some niche technology infrastructure, and when I get pulled into a problem it's because things are seriously, seriously weird. I've had multiple occasions where I've "walked the stack" out loud, and someone else chimed in to correct some component of pile which led to figuring out what was wrong and how to solve it.
I think there's a more advanced theory of mind issue around understanding and addressing the inherent assumptions other people make. I have no idea how that realization will help make better videos, but I'm excited to see it happen.
2a. While I agree that there's a massive capitalist interest in misleading people, my gut says the bigger challenge is people just... not reexamining assumptions that are years or decades out-of-date. Either because it's cognitively expensive (taking time and mental focus off of day-to-day work, which is also an opportunity capitalist interests are happy to exploit), or because they straight up lack the tools to approach the subject. Maybe that's wrong, and fraud/deception are really the impetus behind wasting time and money on disposable energy.
But I really think the Overestimate Short Term & Underestimate Long Term problem does a lot more heavy lifting in that regard. Humans in survival mode (as so many of us have been for the past 10-40 years) need to focus on the short term, and thinking about the long term is an unaffordable luxury.
- Tangentially related to cognitive expense/load, I process information better with my eyes than my ears. Showing more of the math when you were running the numbers would have made that easier for me to grasp and process.
Yes, Excel is one of my most-used applications of all time. How did you know?
There was a dark, gallows laugh when you talked about the First Amendment rights and the press being declared enemies of the people as Donald Trump is racistly arresting four black journalists. (I'm not laughing because it's funny, I'm laughing because it's an easier emotional outlet than crying)
We've lost so much from caring too much about what billionaires and cult leaders say, and caring too little for our own neighbors. I don't know how we solve the big problem. I'll do my part with my skills, like the repair café I'm volunteering at next weekend. We need to build more, better fucking community, damnit.
@TechConnectify one of my key takeaways from the video, aside from what already is stated in the video itself,, is how easily i am personally affected by propaganda and how important keeping my own voice alive is.
for a while now, i felt it was rather useless to put my own views out, and i would stay content thinking/knowing that i am right. and that's one thing a well crafted propaganda intends to achieve, to put enough noise out that people start thinking that they can't change anything.
your videos inspire me to see things more clearly, to not ignore things because i am used to them, and as a consequence to make more informed decisions. and today i was able to see how easy it was to steer me away from some obvious truth.
great video, as usual.
@TechConnectify I was gonna make a joke about I hope he explains the refrigeration cycle again but that last 30 minutes was everything I could ask for
google won't allow me without tracking, get a better video site.
@TechConnectify Just watched it, thanks for all the effort, this gives me hope and strength to keep on. There must be more people that share this values
@TechConnectify As a German that part about learning from history hit home.
@TechConnectify omg someone using math and basic common sense to discuss renewable energy - immediate follow!
If anyone wants to dive deeper into the land use/biofuels discussion, Oxford just recently published a good analysis
TLDR - if we put solar on the land currently used for biofuels, we would have enough electricity for ALL vehicles to be electric
Biofuels for transport is straight nonsense
https://ourworldindata.org/biofuel-land-solar-electric-vehicles
@TechConnectify Fuck yeah, love from Minneapolis my friend.
@TechConnectify
The technology stuff in this video was awesome, as usual.
The rest was.. well.. even better!
@TechConnectify In regards of your closing statement, you are still too nice about it. Whatever ICE has become resembles the Sturmabteilung which became quite powerful in German in the mid 1920s. It's paramilitary terrorising journalists, opposition and people deemed unworthy.
I'm not certain, if peaceful resistance is going to suffice.
And please get yourself solar cells on your roof. That is an opportunity for multiple videos and rants against dongled inverters and similar bullshit.
Thanks:)
@TechConnectify That rant was absolutely necessary. Thank you for daring to speak up.
Thank you so much for this.
@TechConnectify yaaaay, feature film length!
@TechConnectify Hero. So much respect.
@TechConnectify That was a very nice summary about all the economics of renewable energy, and a very personal comment on the end. Thanks for making and sharing it.
@TechConnectify The last 30 minutes are so damn important. Thank you.
@TechConnectify Dude its so nice to see sane Americans and be reminded that they are just victims of really nasty minority.
@TechConnectify I watched about half of this while eating lunch. I gotta say, not only is this one of your best videos ever, this is the clearest explanation of the renewables value proposition I have ever heard.
@TechConnectify This is a powerful (pun intended) video. It makes me sad seeing history repeating itself, specifically as a German.
I hope your fellow YouTube colleagues chime in to use their reach as well.
@TechConnectify what a powerful statement in the post credit part!
As we have finally the technology to mitigate the climate disaster, fascism is back again, threatening everything. And this not just in the USA.
@TechConnectify that last 30 minutes is an absolutely amazing coda to an already great video! Thank you for standing up and speaking the truth.
@TechConnectify this is so good, so well argued, so laser-targeted both rhetorically and culturally at the victims of the fascist disinformation machine that the petrochemical industry has constructed, that about halfway through I stopped feeling like "yeah! right on!" and started feeling more like "Gosh I hope Exxon doesn't try to assassinate him."
This is *amazing* work, stay safe out there.
@TechConnectify Thank you! I could not stop watching until the very end.
Great video!
Whereas #biofuel is considered a #renewableenergy, it's mostly true in the longer term, and won't be as helpful with solving the #cllimatecrisis here and now. I want to buy my electricity from solar, wind, and hydro energy only. No nuclear fission or plant burning sources, thanks.
![Robert [KJ5ELX] :donor:](https://media.infosec.exchange/infosec.exchange/accounts/avatars/115/833/042/784/456/710/original/6c4929fda05c7451.gif "Robert [KJ5ELX] :donor:")
@TechConnectify ah, solar. The amazing technology to save the planet, turned into a grift by business bros.
@TechConnectify Oh, my favorite YouTuber who sits in the front of my socks with a great video again! (About 50% through and need to make a break for Formula E in a minute.)
Thanks for all you do, this is great!
Great story, we need to look forward and embrace the future, not the past...
@TechConnectify post-👏credits 👏applause👏
@TechConnectify oh nice just in time, i was looking for something to listen to over dinner
@TechConnectify *looks at the total time* OK, 3× speed it is… :D
@TechConnectify Heck yeah Midwestern frugality!
@TechConnectify Haven't watched the video yet, but have you ever considered uploading your videos to #peertube? I think if anyone has an audience that would carry over pretty well to Peertube it's you. And one of the biggest issues with Peertube at the moment is a lack of high quality content and creators.