• idegenszavak@sh.itjust.works
    375·
    4 months ago

    These are not synchronous grids, but some other kind of boundaries. With synchronous grids the US should be split to only 3 zones, and most of Europe would be colored the same. So I think the kind of map you used is not the best for this joke.

    World map of all synchronous grids:

    From the website it sounds like that is a map of electric companies or something like that. So this map is not directly related to the Texas crisis. Most of these companies share electricity between each other.

    Tom Scott video about synchronous grids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bij-JjzCa7o

    More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide_area_synchronous_grid

    • Artyom@lemm.ee
      131·
      4 months ago

      I think the main point here is that it’s a map of CO2 production, not that the american electrical grid is split.

      • idegenszavak@sh.itjust.works
        7·
        4 months ago

        The part about the texas crisis made me think it’s about why the USA is not a single grid, while Europe is one.

        Iirc one big reason made the crisis that severe was their grid is separate, so they couldn’t buy electricity from other states.

        Also if that’s the case than using screenshots from that webside is quite misleading. That site uses live data, so if the 2 screenshots were taken at the same time, one of the continents was at night, so solar panels were not working… An avarege or aggregate map should be used, not live data

        • lone_faerie@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
          3·
          4 months ago

          I’m not sure how it works in Europe, but power grids being privatized is a big issue in USA. It’s essentially a monopoly where one company owns and operates the grids in one or a few states. There’s no incentive to maintain the grid because there’s no competition and they receive government funding whenever a crisis like this occurs. It’s cheaper to just eat the fines than it is to buy electricity from neighboring states.

          • uis@lemm.ee
            41·
            4 months ago

            because there’s no competition

            I think competition is not part of problem here. Privatization is.

        • uis@lemm.ee
          2·
          4 months ago

          Iirc one big reason made the crisis that severe was their grid is separate, so they couldn’t buy electricity from other states.

          There was video on Practical Engieneering about this. They could and did until power line protection tripped.

    • uis@lemm.ee
      23·
      4 months ago

      I like how there is this giant Russian-Belorussian-Georgian-Azerbajanian-Kaxah-Uzbeki-Tajikistans-Kirgizian grid.

      Who said something about USSA being “too big”?

      • idegenszavak@sh.itjust.works
        72·
        4 months ago

        The US eastern grid alone generates more than two times electricity than the former SU grid, and they are both dwarves compared to the chinese one. What do you mean, what is the point of your comment? Most of russia is just taiga forest, it’s big, but doesn’t need electricity.

        • uis@lemm.ee
          21·
          4 months ago

          Most of russia is just taiga forest, it’s big, but doesn’t need electricity.

          There are lots of small cities and villages in that taiga. They require some wires anyway.

          Similar argument can be made about US.

          • Rakonat@lemmy.worldEnglish
            3·
            4 months ago

            I don’t see how your post refutes his? Russia is big, but it’s sparsely populated, especially anywhere east of Moscow until you get to Vladivostok. Countries other than Russia in their grid equally if not more so sparsely populated. Top that with disparities in Quality of Life between the two grids, and you find the larger one using less power because it’s services less clients who use less electricity.