Chapter: 2727

Charlie Wade noticed that Hamid seemed worried and asked, “Brother, what’s the problem you’re facing?”

Hamid replied, “When I visited your place last time, I saw that you’re relying on diesel generators for power.”

“Yes,” Hamid continued, “diesel generators are convenient, but they can be expensive.”

Charlie corrected him, saying, “They’re not just a little expensive; they’re several times more costly than coal power.”

Hamid quickly defended his approach. “I’ve been trying to save electricity here. During the day, we hardly use any power, and at night, the soldiers only use electricity for lighting. So, our overall consumption is low, and the costs are manageable.”

Charlie replied, “But you need to think long term. If you plan to have many fortifications in the future, each one will need its own power system for lighting, ventilation, communication, and cooking. Relying on diesel generators won’t work then, and the fuel costs will skyrocket.”

Hamid realized his mistake. “You’re right, I hadn’t thought about that. But I don’t have any good alternatives right now. The government can’t supply me with electricity, and I don’t have the resources to build a thermal power plant. So, I’m stuck with diesel generators.”

Charlie suggested, “Even if you can’t develop thermal power, you should consider setting up some solar power systems. The Middle East gets plenty of sunlight, and while the initial costs might be high…”

Photovoltaic power generation is efficient, with low ongoing and maintenance costs. You can invest two to three million US dollars to set up several solar energy systems that operate independently. These systems can generate electricity and store it in batteries, allowing you to stop relying on fuel power generation. The electricity produced each day will be enough for your two thousand soldiers.

You can install solar panels directly on roofs or on hillsides next to fortifications, which helps protect them from enemy attacks. Your diesel generators can be kept in a secure cellar, where they only need regular maintenance and can be restarted in emergencies for backup power. This way, you have two reliable power supply systems.

Charlie Wade spoke seriously, saying, “When it comes to war, you must always have an emergency plan. If one system fails, you need to switch to another right away. This is how you improve your chances of survival. Many of your team members lack education, and you haven’t studied military tactics properly, so your group has some weaknesses. If you don’t push yourself to learn and think critically, it will be difficult to survive the ongoing war.”

Hamid understood the importance of Charlie Wade’s advice and replied, “Thank you for the reminder. I will work on improving my knowledge in this area.”

He continued, “I will also start working on photovoltaic power generation as soon as possible. One hundred million dollars is a significant amount, and it can solve many problems. In the future, I will do my best to upgrade and improve everything.”

**Living Up to My Brother’s Expectations**

Charlie Wade felt a bit relieved by Hamid’s attitude. He didn’t want to expect too much from Hamid, especially when it came to dealing with Hou Baixiang. Just surviving the situation would be a small victory in Charlie’s eyes.

Then Charlie remembered something important and asked, “By the way, your team hasn’t read any books. Do you really think they can operate machinery to build fortifications?”

Hamid quickly responded, “No, they definitely can’t do it. Just thinking about it makes me mad. The last time I asked them to dig a cellar, eight out of ten collapsed! Expecting them to build strong fortifications is impossible.”

He smiled and continued, “But I know a friend in the construction business in Iraq. He has many workers who are used to tough conditions. As long as we pay them well, they’ll do anything, even dig a hole on the moon. I’ll contact him soon and have him send some workers over.”

Charlie said, “That’s great to have that connection. The permanent fortifications I’m talking about don’t need to be expensive or too complicated. You could look for an old Chinese movie for inspiration. It could be really helpful because it deals with highland warfare, just like your situation. You can use the high ground and the tunnels to your advantage. Even if the enemy has powerful artillery, it will be hard for them to defeat you.”

Hamid replied confidently, “Okay, I’ll figure something out.”

to download it from the satellite network and examine it closely.