Alternative Energy

[Mojlnir]

Lets talk alternative energy. Everything from hybrid vehicles to wind power is fair game here. What are your opinions about different sources of energy? Are these technologies viable? What kinds of political and economic rammifications are involved? It is my understanding that states in the Midwest (ie. Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota) could produce as much as 4 times the total energy requirements of the the entire U.S. from wind power alone! There are of course problems, but nothing that can't be overcome. I'm also curious to see if anyone knows much about fusion power. Last I heard the various tokamak reactors were able to create limited fusion reactions. With oil supplies that may be beginning to dwindle, what are our options?

[Zmid]

Well, in my view, we could certainly do a lot more about alternative forms of transport with a little investment. Electric cars are viable if investment was put into a network of recharging points. The only downside (if it even is a downside and not an added benefit) is that we would no longer be able to go stupidly in excess of the speed limit.

 

As for alternative forms of electricity production, they are certainly viable. Wind power has great possibilities, if implemented correctly, and, of course, hydro-electricity. When you also take into account tide powered turbines, solar power, etc, etc, you realise we certainly have the capability to produce enough power from these alone now and could scrap the use of oil and coal entirely. Fusion power, if we can ever get it working on a large scale, would do this far more efficiently, but the only thing stopping us from not using oil immediately is that too many powerful people have too much money invested in the oil industry.

[Shakkara]

There was a workable design for a hydrogen powered car, however some oil company bought it, patented what they could, and shelved it permanently.

[Switch]

Whoa seriously Shakkara? That's just low.

 

Anyway, I think alternative power has big possibilities, if only the powerful people at the head of industries that produce pollution could see past their greed. Like has been said.

 

All I know is, we need to figure out an alternative power system soon, or we won't be able to stay on this planet for much longer :P

[Ancalagon]

Again, I am not surprised to Shakkra's post. I mean, only until we actually run out of oil will we see that Hydrogen Car concept again. I honestly would love to take flamethrower to the entire Oil Industry and then make those bastards find another resource that isn't so wasteful and could have other uses than for driving a ******* SUV. :angry2: Feh, I need to calm down. It seems that all the people in positions of power in the world never listen to Logic or Reason. <_<

[Zmid]

It seems that all the people in positions of power in the world never listen to Logic or Reason. <_<

Apparantly not when there's the potential to make huge amounts of money anyway. Maybe someone should tell them that they can make money by buying shares in some of the alternative energy companies then using their positions of power to influence government policies to encourage the growth of that industry. Maybe then we might see something happen. Or am I just being too cynical?

[Nevermore]

Has anyone else heard about NASAs wet dream to biuld an elevator into space? I have and read a book related to the topic (whom I kidding I read a book ABOUT the topic), and it gave me an idea.

 

Solor panales provide, what? Like 1000 BTUs per square yard or somthing. But the problem is that clouds cover the sun and blah blah blah.

 

So if/when the elevator/tower comes to reality we could throw some cables Up (down?) and have them connected to massive solar panels. 12 houra of sun light on say a square mile of panaling... that's about 5 Million BTUs for 12 hours! Now THAT'S alternate energy.

 

As for the money mongers that sell oil: I could picture myself being them. Granted I wouldn't buy, panate, then shelve a mjor advancment to man kind, but I would feel no remorse whatso ever about how much oil screwed the human race already. What with the wars, pollution, and such.

[Mojlnir]

Yeah, the space elevator idea has been floating around for a while now. I think its a really cool idea. If you ever happen to read the Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson...we colonize Mars and eventually use nanotechnology and change a carbon-based asteriod into a space elevator and then some rebel colonists knock it down. The whole thing is very cool. If we could get into space with a reliable platform like that, we could probably also harness solar wind for power production. I think that we are only several years away from really serious advances in alternative energy due mostly to increasing environmental concerns. The fat cats will always be fat cats, they'll just be the fat cats of alternative energy.

[Nevermore]

Well Fountins of Paradise by Arthur C. Clark suggests using hyper-filiment fibers (1D wires) to make the tubes leading into space. The capsuls that drop to earth would creat enough energy to power the capsuls going up, so it was completly self sefficent.

 

Granted though that the elvator would need to be near the equater and stuff (part of the story but also not far from the truth), the space elevator would be an insurpassable in the efficency and advancments it would cause. Less of course we manage to harnest negitive-gravity (another one of einstiens bad ideas).

 

Go on and fly your kite high Doc. :bye: (FOP refrence)

[Jopo1980]

I just read about a new emerging technology; Artificial Photosynthesis. The name says it all. The ability to mimic the natural process of photosynthesis can provide us infinite amounts of carbon neutral fuel.

As for other sources of energy, Wind and solar power have enough potential to power the entire world several times over plus we´re getting closer to achieving nuclear fusion, so there will be plenty of energy to burn in the future.