Talk:Energy

From AdCiv
Jump to: navigation, search

http://www.kurzweilai.net/the-world-can-be-powered-by-alternative-energy-using-todays-technology-in-20-40-years - Study by Stanford professors showing that we can meet energy needs using wind, solar and hydroelectric power, without even factoring in advances in solar technology.

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=110648&org=NSF&from=news
"By perfecting the environment for the bacteria to do what they already do in nature, the new approach can be three to ten times more efficient than standard electrolysis."

Less then $1 per watt water-cooled fresnel focussing sun-tracking unit

Solar

Desertec

Solar raft

Thought: Solar rafts floating on oceans near equatorial regions, more efficient than OTEC and wouldn't tak up land area. Sea conditions there are generally benign. Rafts in grid could be spread out a bit to let in light underneath. Underneath they would also create a floating habitat as happens naturally with large floating objects in the ocean. This provides an anchor for plants which allows fish to hide in an otherwise open ocean. It could perhaps be an automated site for liquifying hydrogen that could be split from seawater, aiding the hydrogen economy. This could be shipped or piped around the world. See also Stratospheric solar array. --CharlesC 16:01, 18 July 2010 (CEST)

Good idea. SolarLab are working on a plant to generate hydrogen from seawater [2] --Balatro 18:39, 18 July 2010 (CEST)
Ah - good find! --CharlesC 00:58, 19 July 2010 (CEST)

Price of solar

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/39771/ - MIT study comparing price of solar to coal and projecting forward. I see no wayu around two simple facts: the price of solar will definitely go down and the price of fossil fuels will definitely go up. It seems to me absolutely certain that we will reach a tipping point, probably before 2020, where solar is just obviously the right choice for business. I know AdCiv isn't really about market forces, but this one will have a big impact on the world. --Balatro 01:01, 9 March 2012 (CET)

Geothermal

Wind

Biofuel

Thorium as a nuclear fuel