A weblog with random thoughts and reflections on society and ecology.
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Saturday, June 19, 2004
Energy
It is a simple point: All our energy comes from the Sun.
Currently, we rely mostly on petroleum (stored solar energy). And we know that the end of the oil age is rapidly approaching, probably sooner than most of us realize.
There is an abundance of free and renewable energy (sun, and indirect solar energy through wind, waves, biomass, etc). But there is a lack of willingness to invest in the technology, research and infrastructure required to make a large scale and smooth transition from a petroleum based energy system to a renewable one. The level of trauma in the transition is determined by the choices we make today...
In the future, we will most likely see a wide range of technologies employed. Cities may rely primarily on larger plants (maybe a combination of fusion and the renewables). Less populated areas may rely more on distributed energy harvesting. In both cases, there will probably be a significant reliance on local/micro-level harvesting through for instance roofing, siding and glazing materials that harvest solar energy.
Done well, it is a solution that everybody benefits from - including future generations.
[Guardian - Are we ready for when the oil runs out?]
13:54
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