Dear Russell, please allow me to address your contribution after so much of emotionally impaired and poorly adjusted hoopla in this discussion. Let me join your considerate way - if I am capable of - and speak about SOME details only. I spent a lifetime in environmentally 'infected' science/technology R&D so my conclusions are not just hot air - I hope.
We are not ready to switch from the polluting practices into 'clean' (not RENEWABLE, please) energy. JohnK's remark on 'geotherm' are unfounded. The methods he visualizes are in the obsolescence of one method. What I was hintig at, is a lowered (deepened?) double-tube in types like ongoing oil wells in a closed system, pumping down ultrapure deionized water and letting up high pressure steam into turbines. I have nothing against solar applications with certain caveats I explained lately. Hydro-applications depend on the subsistence of ground water (questioned after the snowcaps melted away). Main point:* we will need a multiple production of energy *and are not ready to choose what kind. Maybe all of them? I consider the energy domain as 'second' - we still manage as well as we can. The first biggest concern is water, for* irrigation*, for *potable* (human - animal) for *industry* and *ENERGY purposes*. There is plenty in the oceans (*ref: *Liz asking about a bigger energy source nearby than the sun). Desalination to different levels may take care of all the listed problems. It is a question of willingness! as long as our well established capitalists insist in reaping profits from existing plants, (fossil that is). Their 'owned' governments will do nothing. It is (and will be) a long struggle and a successful research. Those people of goodwill who want to 'set' the problem by today's knowledge/means are doing a disservice to all. Then, - when new results are available, the third biggest problem can be addressed: food from available sources, no matter if synthesized from fossil products, plants, or purely synthetic basis (atmospheric) for a population on Earth (hopefully in reduced numbers, both as human and animal counts.) I would not go into dreamlike prophecy of millions of years. We have not the foundation of thinking ahead so far. Besst regards John Mikes Ph.D., D.Sc. ret. scientist On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 6:32 PM, Russell Standish <[email protected]>wrote: > On Sun, Mar 02, 2014 at 01:31:28PM -0500, John Clark wrote: > > On Sat, Mar 1, 2014 at 2:50 PM, John Mikes <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I wanted to ask 'why the closed mind FOR solar? > > > > > > > I have nothing against solar and I'm in favor of anything that works, > but > > there is a reason it hasn't taken over by now and its not because of a > > sinister secret ruling cabal that enjoys kicking puppies and breathing > > dirty air, it's because with current technology solar energy is just too > > dilute and unreliable for most (not all) applications. What I'm saying is > > that energy supply is a very important matter an unrealistic expectations > > can be downright dangerous and with current technology solar can't even > > come close to replacing fossil fuel. I wish it were otherwise but wishing > > does not make it true. > > > > Solar PV only reached cost parity with oil in the last couple of > years, and is still a year or two away from doing the same with > coal. That is a combination falling prices of PV, and rising prices of > fossil fuels. > > One wouldn't expect PV to have replaced fossil fuel yet - but it looks > like it will do so fairly shortly. > > > > > No Windfarms? > > > > > > > If they ever became really common environmentalists would fight to the > > death to stop them. Windfarms are ugly, they're noisy, they disrupt > global > > wind patterns, and they kill little birds. > > > > That seems to depend on the country. In Denmark, they're quite > popular. In the UK, there is some resistance from environmental > groups. Here in Australia, it is still a small, but growing segment of > energy provision (coal is still really cheap here). One problem (being > worked on) is how to predict accurately what the weather will be at > the turbine blades (accurate micro-weather simulation) so as to > optimise the spot market contract prices. That is being worked on > right now. > > > > no Geotherm? > > > > > > > If it ever became really common environmentalists would fight to the > death > > to stop it. Geothermal smells bad, if fouls the groundwater, and causes > > earthquakes. > > Aside from places like NZ which are already set up for geothermal, I > suspect this is still not ready for prime time. > > But the disadvantages you mention above also apply to fracking, and > that seems to be a full-speed juggernaut in spite of the environmental > objections! > > > > > Environmentalist love any new energy source as long as it's just on paper > > and is never put into practice; they prefer the solution of freezing to > > death in the dark. > > > > John K Clark > > > > -- > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prof Russell Standish Phone 0425 253119 (mobile) > Principal, High Performance Coders > Visiting Professor of Mathematics [email protected] > University of New South Wales http://www.hpcoders.com.au > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Everything List" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. 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