&gt; at which point we&#x27;ve re-invented the utility company, just at much smaller scale<p>Perhaps so, but that smaller scale enables vastly more flexibility and resilience (provided the nearby homeowners are sufficiently involved), and pretty much zero reliance on miles &amp; miles of electric wire on poles, which would be a big improvement in many communities.<p>Ultimately I see this as a way to get more reliable power to more places, more easily.  Most parts of bigger cities aren&#x27;t going to benefit a whole lot, but IT or hospital operations within them that already use huge battery backup systems and&#x2F;or generators will.<p>I for one would much rather have a next gen battery array and some solar panels while working or playing in a remote location than have to rely on those diesel burning monstrosities.