The grid
by Gretchen Anna Bakke · first published 2016
7mentions
6recommended by
6HN commenters
2016–2023first – last mentioned
100% recommend
Why HN recommends it
Accessible look at how the electrical grid came to be, how it operates, and the regulatory forces around it; suits readers curious about infrastructure, energy policy, or how utilities shape reliability.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
"The grid is an accident of history and of culture, in no way intrinsic to how we produce, deliver and consume electrical power. Yet this is the system the United States ended up with, a jerry-built structure now so rickety and near collapse that a strong wind or a hot day can bring it to a grinding halt. The grid is now under threat from a new
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I'd recommend the book The Grid as a primer on how stuff like this can happen. Energy is strange, in the sense that everything produced needs to be used more or less immediately. Maintaining the energy grid is a careful balancing act…
on “UK sees longest period of negative power prices” ↗The book The Grid by Gretchen Bakke is a great primer on why this is such an important problem. Energy is strange, in the sense that everything produced needs to be consumed more or less immediately — it's not like other…
on “Wind and solar are cheaper than thought, admits UK government” ↗I fully recommend The Grid by Gretchen Bakke. It goes over this subject in great detail. Link: https://smile.amazon.com/Grid-Fraying-Between-Americans-Ener...
on “Californians are paying billions for power they don't need” ↗A good read on the topic of electricity production and distribution in the age of renewable, distributed sources: https://www.amazon.com/Grid-Fraying-Between-Americans-Energy...
on “Global shockwaves from electric cars will be here sooner rather than later” ↗"Honorable mention: The Grid, by Gretchen Bakke. This book, about our aging electrical grid, fits in one of my favorite genres: “Books About Mundane Stuff That Are Actually Fascinating.” " The author of this book was on NPR/Fresh…
on “My Favorite Books of 2016” ↗Have a look at the grid The Grid by Gretchen Bakke. It describes how transmission has stagnated. Particularly the tactics used by large utilities and how they lead to a degraded and unreliable grid.
on “Trump’s F.C.C. Pick Quickly Targets Net Neutrality Rules” ↗The Grid[1] by Gretchen Bakke. May not get as low-level as you like (physics of electricity) but great for learning about how the grid came to be, the operation of it, and the regulatory environment surrounding…
on “Ask HN: Best Layman's Book on Electricity” ↗