(rickatech),
October 2008
[edit]
Three type of energy consumption
- Transportation fuels: based
on oxygen burning refined liquid fuels (diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, ...)
- Residential/commercial grid power:
ubiquitous electric power distributed regionally/nationally
via centrally operated power grid
- Self power: esoteric, cottage industries (expensive)
Types of Energy
- Natural fuels: natural gas, coal, oil (stinky, foreign based)
- Large natural works: hydro, wind, solar (intermittent,
not demand based)
- Nuclear (environmental concerns)
- Geothermal (limited total capacity)
New Energy sources
- Hydrogen (horrible choice for transportation)
- Methane capture (excellent way to reduce green house gasses,
limited total capacity)
- Renewables (indirectly based on the power of the sun: solar, wind,
ocean currents)
Time shifting/storage
- There is an increasing need for ways to allow intermittent energy sources (solar, wind, ...) to be better integrate with steady energy demand needs.
Integrated solution: Develop Hydrogen transportation systems that
augment/replace commercial and residential power grid. Hydrogen
can be generated from renewal energy sources and
distributed by pipeline anywhere. Furthermore
homes, offices, industrial uses can replace electric transport gird with
hydrgen pipeline grid. Alloed soalr and wind generation to be ditsur
through out ocmmunicted, p[roduct hyrodeg for local use with excess
pushed into a pipelines to central instury scale storgera.
This is simialr to How a revosltoion with personal computers to become
ubquitou and challenge the main frame origin of computering. With so
many personal computers the Internet srpang up to harness the
latent power of these unatent personal computer power to conntect
and sahare inforateion.
When solor and wind power become minutared and dsitributed in lkoca
communites is married with small scale hydrogen prodcvution you
get a personal engery plant. Where PC's procuding and
consuming information created a vacume that was filled via the Internet, personal energy plants produce and consumr hydoren in a way that will create demand for a Hydrogen piplines gird connecting residentialbia ain the case of personal computers.
Lastly, centralizing large scale technologies project really only
are feable in time of war when all or nothing stakes are in play.
In reasaonbly peaceful times consumer demand drives incremetnal small scale product technologfies and investment. Neclear fusion has been a pipe dream for decades to allegdel supply limitless energy - yet the massive capitcal and technoplofog require of such innovation can only proceed and a snails pace. As Personal powre plant sprk the interest of consumer, incremtnasl technolog y innoavtion like what drovbe PC industry becomes possibel.
Astral Musing
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