Difference between revisions of "Energy"
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We have these major sources of energy available to us, in no particular order and not including fossil fuels that we currently rely on for the majority of our energy provision: | We have these major sources of energy available to us, in no particular order and not including fossil fuels that we currently rely on for the majority of our energy provision: | ||
Revision as of 12:47, 29 August 2006
We have these major sources of energy available to us, in no particular order and not including fossil fuels that we currently rely on for the majority of our energy provision:
- Solar: photovoltaic, solar thermal, solar chimney. Prospective: solar power satellite
- Wind: land-based wind turbine, off-shore wind turbine. Prospective: jet-stream sky windmills
- Ocean: wave, tidal, ocean currents
- Hydro-electric: reservoir-fed, small river water mill
- Nuclear: nuclear fission. Prospective: nuclear fusion and accelerator-driven thorium-fuelled energy amplifier
- Geothermal: shallow geothermal heat pumps, volcanic related geothermal, deep geothermal ('hot-dry-rock')
- Biomass: vegetable oil, compost methane, sustainable wood, burning of organic waste, animal dung and rubbish
These sources of power far exceed our current and likely future energy requirements. Also steadily increasing energy efficiency, due to improved machine design and increasing cultural awareness, will become a significant factor in our energy use. Having power generation located much more locally to end use will help reduce current grid transmission inefficiencies.
