tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798354116282031049.post4848928945693701860..comments2014-02-13T08:11:29.316-08:00Comments on Geopolitics of Energy: Dave Spicer: A Carbonless Electric EconomyHarleyDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596202686730076462noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798354116282031049.post-24456966714479057342009-11-09T15:39:13.231-08:002009-11-09T15:39:13.231-08:00ECC is the wave of the future and yes we have the ...ECC is the wave of the future and yes we have the biggest fusion reactor on our side, the sun. Despite those who seem to continue to live and think inside the carbon based energy box, the world is waking up to giving "power back to the people". So, isn't it time to free ourselves from continuing to be held "energy prisoners"? Visit those issues in groups like <a href="http://push.pickensplan.com/group/energyefficiency" rel="nofollow">Pickens Plan energy efficiency group</a>.hedtke1https://www.blogger.com/profile/18369286343380360175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798354116282031049.post-14304197356478275032008-09-19T10:03:00.000-07:002008-09-19T10:03:00.000-07:00Greg: thanks for the comment. I’ll also be sending...Greg: thanks for the comment. I’ll also be sending this to your email account. My research was driven to find a “Carbonless Energy Economy” architecture that would not require any “Science Projects” and be self-funding. Let me address the issues you raise in sequence, I’ll include some references from my research:<BR/><BR/>1. Our current electrical capacity from ALL sources is 1 terawatt. I rejected solar/photovoltaic for storage reasons. Solar/THERMAL allows us to generate utility grade power and utilize existing steam turbine technology. Here is a list (http://www.nrel.gov/csp/troughnet/power_plant_data.html) of existing solar thermal projects. While the best photovoltaic can do in volume is about 10-12% efficiency, the first site in the reference (Solar One in NV) is running at 18% efficiency, or 180 W/Square Meter. This means it would take 21,000 Sq Miles to generate all of our electricity and we have about 250,000 square miles of this space in the desert southwest.<BR/><BR/>2. While battery technology has made great strides for electric vehicles, I agree that it is not ready for utility grade storage. To generate 1GW of 24/7 power in the desert, we would need storage of 16 GWH, not something we can do today. This is another reason I was driven to solar-thermal generation/storage. We can simply store the 16 GWH as water in underground tanks and use it to directly spin existing steam turbines.<BR/><BR/>3. I agree that fusion is a technology on which we should place a bet. In fact, I’m counting on the largest fusion reaction we have access to today, the sun!<BR/><BR/>4. The issue of short-term horizon gets to the leadership vacuum we have in this country. Our founders were engineers and business men, today we have handed over the reins to lawyers. If you look who runs the country we are and will be competing with, China, they are engineers and business men.<BR/><BR/>DaveHarleyDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13596202686730076462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798354116282031049.post-90389768633123866872008-09-19T08:05:00.000-07:002008-09-19T08:05:00.000-07:00David-I agree with the thrust and essence of what ...David-<BR/><BR/>I agree with the thrust and essence of what you have said. I also agree that the need for oil--with all the political and asset transfer implications--is the root of all our problems! Nonetheless, I fear we are not quite ready to do what needs to be done. Three things concern me, well, four.<BR/><BR/>1. Solar energy of course has, tremendous "energy". What is lacks is "power." Our current technology to concentrate the "energy" into "power" needs to improve drastically if we really want it to be transformative.<BR/><BR/>2. Assuming we can harness the sun and convert it into the electrical current we need, our current battery technology/storage means needs some type of breakthrough. Right now, I feel the operating times and weight of current storage solutions severely hamper our migration to these systems. <BR/><BR/>3. While you are right, fusion is not ready for prime time, we MUST increase our push in this arena. It is truly the holy grail power source. Right now the US has withdrawn from international research projects due to cost. Yet they ask for about the cost of a month in Iraq! What we need is a Manhattan Project for fusion!<BR/><BR/>4. Lastly, democratic/capitalist systems greatest weakness (And I am a hardcore Libertarian capitalist!)is the too-short time horizon they live in, the too-limited vision leaders have who only work to get RE-elected and our "short-term-budget-only" citizens. As a nation we only make big changes when there is a huge crisis. No long term strategic plans. I worry about our will and vision.<BR/><BR/>It would be very interesting to jump 10, 25, or 50 years into the future! <BR/><BR/> Greg Henley<BR/> <BR/> Gasanesthesia@yahoo.comGreg Henleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00429988811462960356noreply@blogger.com