tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864176.post2317498896434636535..comments2023-12-01T16:56:04.415+11:00Comments on Peak Energy: From Solar Power To The Black DeathBig Gavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00682404837426502876noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864176.post-57776838548480498682007-08-14T20:17:00.000+10:002007-08-14T20:17:00.000+10:00No argument from me - the more I look at it the mo...No argument from me - the more I look at it the more I'm convinced that solar could provide more than half of our power needs - in theory it could provide all our power needs if we built the global energy grid.Big Gavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00682404837426502876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864176.post-69644339780585011362007-08-14T19:57:00.000+10:002007-08-14T19:57:00.000+10:00When most people think about solar power powering ...When most people think about solar power powering everybody’s everyday needs (say that 10 times fast), they are imagining centuries in to the future. Many people believe solar power is unreasonable; it could be cloudy, it doesn’t produce enough energy, etc. But they’re wrong. In reality, solar power may not provide enough energy for ALL of our energy needs. But it could provide be a large percentage energy source. Coupled with nuclear power, wind power and water power, we could stop global warming. I think that this is a good start for the idea of a technology that can be improved with an excellent promising future. Because if we can use the sun as a source of energy for a cleaner and healthier environment why not use it. And by the way the entire earth will thank to those innovative people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864176.post-18497888231104781762007-05-13T23:11:00.000+10:002007-05-13T23:11:00.000+10:00Well - I think this is just another version of the...Well - I think this is just another version of the "baseload fallacy" that I go on about from time to time.<BR/><BR/>Solar thermal could meet a large part of our energy needs right now - Australia is blessed with solar energy and has few areas that are frequently overcast - certainly Perth and Sydney, the 2 cities here I've lived in - are rarely overcast - and in nay case you can transmit power long distances with relatively small losses - I'd stick all the solar plants out past the ranges or in the desert and build a better grid.<BR/><BR/>Then I'd plug in a lot of widely dispersed wind farms and tidal projects, plus some geothermal outback South Australia if those projects work out. <BR/><BR/>I'd expect that by building a smartish grid with good demand management we'd be rid of coal and uranium long before they run out - and we'd be much better off for it.Big Gavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00682404837426502876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864176.post-50730295293603785842007-05-13T22:28:00.000+10:002007-05-13T22:28:00.000+10:00A couple of problems with CSP; first cities tend t...A couple of problems with CSP; first cities tend to be in good rainfall areas not deserts. Second to be a cornerstone energy source it may need days of storage, not hours, because of protracted overcast weather. If this is our best hope when everything from coal to uranium has run out then the future looks precarious.John Newlandshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15692229391203582830noreply@blogger.com