DISQUS

Since he may be casting about for new ways to write for money, and blogging is evidently out, that's something I'd pay to watch: David Bullard in an editorial meeting with Snuki Zikalala i'Afrika.

Since he may be casting about for new ways to write for money, and blogging is evidently out, that's something I'd pay to watch: David Bullard in an editorial meeting with Snuki Zikalala i'Afrika.

The regulatory problems you'll get aren't necessarily with generating your own power. The government might object to your buying a Toshiba mini-nuclear power station, which will cost R21 million and provide 200kVA for 40 years without refuelling or producing waste, but it won't object to solar, diesel or other power, subject to building code restrictions for things like windmills.



The real problem comes when you want to sell power to your neighbours or your block of flats or your cluster complex. Though co-generation deals could be struck between large industrial producers of power and Eskom, I doubt they're going to let small-scale operators into the market, even if they remain entirely off-grid.



I don't know the details of the laws on this subject, though. I guess they're suddenly well worth investigating.

The regulatory problems you'll get aren't necessarily with generating your own power. The government might object to your buying a Toshiba mini-nuclear power station, which will cost R21 million and provide 200kVA for 40 years without refuelling or producing waste, but it won't object to solar, diesel or other power, subject to building code restrictions for things like windmills.



The real problem comes when you want to sell power to your neighbours or your block of flats or your cluster complex. Though co-generation deals could be struck between large industrial producers of power and Eskom, I doubt they're going to let small-scale operators into the market, even if they remain entirely off-grid.



I don't know the details of the laws on this subject, though. I guess they're suddenly well worth investigating.

You're a lawyer. Check out the legality of providing not just your own power (using solar or a backyard nuke), but on-selling capacity to your neighbours. I'd think the state will quite quickly claim that you're usurping its power (thanks, I'm here every Tuesday, when I'm sober). It will present you with a myriad licences and regulations and restrictions. In short, I reckon the barriers to doing this, if it's at all possible, would be very high.

You're a lawyer. Check out the legality of providing not just your own power (using solar or a backyard nuke), but on-selling capacity to your neighbours. I'd think the state will quite quickly claim that you're usurping its power (thanks, I'm here every Tuesday, when I'm sober). It will present you with a myriad licences and regulations and restrictions. In short, I reckon the barriers to doing this, if it's at all possible, would be very high.

I hope Google does a better job at vetting applications, though, or at least creates a directory with ratings and reviews, like Firefox's extension database. Perhaps a "Google Approved" mark would help weed out the dross.

I hope Google does a better job at vetting applications, though, or at least creates a directory with ratings and reviews, like Firefox's extension database. Perhaps a "Google Approved" mark would help weed out the dross.

Good point, Paul. Although, since I won't dictate what other people should and shouldn't use, if *they* want to share my posts on *their* facebook accounts, it's fine by me. But I'll see if I can find some more appropriate replacement for the big facebook link.

Good point, Paul. Although, since I won't dictate what other people should and shouldn't use, if *they* want to share my posts on *their* facebook accounts, it's fine by me. But I'll see if I can find some more appropriate replacement for the big facebook link.

Heh. I mentioned it on my blog too. It's not like we were told *not* to ;-)

Thanks for the link. Just an update, though: I'm now on my very own http://ivo.co.za/



Waited 12 years for that domain... :^)

@Mat: Sure, you don't want to do this just because you're linking.

However, I often research a blog post (which I have a habit of doing, because of a journalism background). Clearly, quoting someone, or making claims that need support, are a good reason to link. But sometimes there are also blogs that have made good points about my subject, and they did so first. So in compiling a good overview of the topic, it makes a lot of sense to link to those blogs or websites, even if only to give credit where it's due.

The result, conveniently, is a post that can generate useful traffic.