Ricky

On a mission to help people think like an engineer when it comes to the complex stories of our time

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Batteries go through hell to prove they are safe. From extreme temperatures to high-power underwater stress tests, engineers push these cells to the breaking point to expose hidden fire risks before they ever reach a product. #Engineering #TechTesting

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

A 40 kWh home battery for just $695. The catch? You don't own the hardware, but you gain the energy storage. It’s a massive shift in how we think about home power infrastructure. Would you trade ownership for that price point? #EnergyStorage #Sustainability

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

True energy independence means never worrying about the next grid outage. The Base Power system offers seamless whole-home backup, ensuring your lights stay on when it matters most. Have you considered upgrading your home's resilience? #EnergyStorage #HomeBackup

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Home battery ownership is changing. Understanding how utility partnerships impact installation costs and long-term system reliability is key before you buy. Is the model worth the trade-off? #EnergyStorage #SolarPower

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

A 40 kWh battery system fully installed in just 20 minutes. As Texas electricity demand continues to climb, these rapid, efficient energy solutions are becoming the new standard for home power. #EnergyStorage #SolarTech

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Robert Stirling invented his iconic engine in 1816 not for power, but for safety. By moving the fire outside the machine, he eliminated boiler explosions and engine-clogging carbon buildup. Sometimes the best solutions come from a desire to protect. #Engineering #Innovation

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Stirling engines sound like the perfect power solution, but physics gets in the way. Scaling laws mean the heat transfer capacity can't keep up with the engine's volume, keeping them limited to small outputs. It's a brilliant design that just can't scale. #Engineering #Physics

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

The US has over 10,000 closed landfills leaking methane for decades. While traditional generators stop when gas levels drop, Stirling engines offer a solution. Because they are external combustion, they bypass the corrosive damage of landfill gases. #Sustainability #Innovation

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

The Stirling engine was patented in 1816 but took 200 years to reach the mass market. It runs on almost any heat source and requires virtually no maintenance, yet cost kept it sidelined. Now, one company is finally finding its perfect use case. #Engineering #TechHistory

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Qnergy's business model relied on EPA regulations to force methane reduction. Those mandates were recently repealed, yet the company persists. It is a striking example of a tech ecosystem surviving even when the primary market catalyst disappears. #EnergyTech #Innovation

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

When no supply chain exists, you build it yourself. Qnergy is scaling Stirling engines because they solved the ultimate business problem: extreme reliability. In remote oil sites, downtime costs $50,000 daily. They aren't selling parts; they sell uptime. #Innovation #Engineering

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Landfill gas is notoriously hard to process—it's sour and full of siloxanes that turn into sand inside engines. Traditional generators clog in months, but Stirling engines offer a solution by avoiding internal combustion issues entirely. #Engineering #Sustainability

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

A Stirling engine left uncontrolled will literally hammer itself to pieces. It took until the 1990s for power electronics to become fast enough to safely regulate its piston travel. Without modern tech, this 1816 invention was essentially uncontrollable. #Engineering #TechHistory

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Oil wells often vent methane directly into the atmosphere—a massive climate oversight. Using that same gas to power onsite tools instead cuts waste and generates reliable electricity. A simple switch with a massive impact on efficiency. #Sustainability #CleanEnergy

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

The Gotland-class submarine proved that silence is a lethal advantage. By using Stirling engines, these subs can stay submerged for weeks, even slipping past US carriers undetected in war games. Efficiency matters less than being impossible to find. #MilitaryTech #Engineering

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

@Thornbackforeva @PebbleRV @chevrolet Oh yah! Surprisingly well

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

So begins my adventure towing a @PebbleRV in my @chevrolet Silverado EV to burning man! Range efficient full deep dive coming! Huge thanks to the amazing pebble team, for saying yes :)

[ElectroPig™ ᐰ🍁 @ElectroPig]

The Company that FINALLY Figured out the Stirling Engine
https://t.co/3a2NfcYS3i
via @TwoBitDaVinci

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Centralized control (CPU) bogs down large tasks. Central planners get clogged. Unified Bus NPUs access data directly, eliminating bottlenecks. Fetching data takes time away from your answer. #AI #TechExplained

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Faster chips are great for top speed, but better communications clear the real traffic. High MFU means machines spend less time waiting, finishing sooner & using less energy. Compute per watt must go up, not just raw chip count. #AI #Efficiency #AI #Efficiency

[Ricky @TwoBitDaVinci]

Data centers will more than double electricity use by 2030, surpassing Japan's total. AI drives this surge, with 80% of energy in AI clusters spent moving data. Huawei's new Perium architecture optimizes this, saving significant power. #AI #DataCenter #EnergyEfficiency