> From: Dan Minette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > From: "The Fool" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> . > > > > I am sure our brilliant engineers can load balance all heat production, > > and find ways to convert remaining additional heat into usable energy > > (electricity). > > One needs to remember that the real problem has never been energy; there is > tremendous energy available in the heat of the earth, even on a very cold > day. The problem is a source of low entropy energy. In "The Emperor's New > Mind," Penrose gives a brilliant intuitive explanation of this. If one > thinks of the difference between the surface temperature of the earth and > the sun, and the increase in entropy that occurs when many infrared > photons are emitted by the earth for each visible photon received by the > earth, and how the whole of the biosphere makes use of a "water wheel" in > this entropy stream. > > I live in Houston, and the problem here is that one needs to cool the > buildings below the outside temperature most days. So, one needs to add > energy to get rid of the heat, not run engines off the heat. Think of the way they used to cool cpu's (or nuclear power plants). Put a layer of water next to the heat source. That water heats. Then you use this hot water to turn turbines. It cools and it creates electricity.
