Alternative climate
A recent study (1) shows that there is 22 times as much harvestable energy from surface winds and over 100 times from high altitude winds than total World demand. Studies in other alternative modalities such as solar has also shown harvestable energy of similar magnitude. World consumption of energy (150,000 TWhr / year), thus, is a small fraction of available energy from clean sources such as Wind and Solar. Innovation in these areas can move us closer to a fully renewable energy future quickly, rendering fossil fuels toxic, with negative value.
As the amount of energy harvested from these sources increase, however, there has been concerns on overall climatic impacts. This concern is misplaced if the problem is approached systematically and globally. Inconsistent, patchy and badly designed subsidies have resulted in a hodgepodge of photovoltaic, concentrating solar and wind turbine based production around the world. If alternative energy production is designed in a systemic way across the world, considering sources and sinks, it can result in not only low impact production but also higher control over the climate. A worldwide network of alternative energy sources, each harboring sufficient flexibility to turn harvesting on and off, will provide a mechanism to design weather, rather than affect it. Further, developments in storing the excess energy in well designed and strategic bins at various points on the Earth may provide a mechanism to divert the path of asteroids on a collision course.
Segmented policies and developments continue to cap the potential of humans on the well endowed blue planet. If it were designed by extra-terrestrials, they will be holding their antennas in shame, just observing the nightmare.
(1) Enough wind to power global energy demand. Published: Sunday, September 9, 2012 - 15:02 in Physics & Chemistry. Source: Carnegie Institution
As the amount of energy harvested from these sources increase, however, there has been concerns on overall climatic impacts. This concern is misplaced if the problem is approached systematically and globally. Inconsistent, patchy and badly designed subsidies have resulted in a hodgepodge of photovoltaic, concentrating solar and wind turbine based production around the world. If alternative energy production is designed in a systemic way across the world, considering sources and sinks, it can result in not only low impact production but also higher control over the climate. A worldwide network of alternative energy sources, each harboring sufficient flexibility to turn harvesting on and off, will provide a mechanism to design weather, rather than affect it. Further, developments in storing the excess energy in well designed and strategic bins at various points on the Earth may provide a mechanism to divert the path of asteroids on a collision course.
Segmented policies and developments continue to cap the potential of humans on the well endowed blue planet. If it were designed by extra-terrestrials, they will be holding their antennas in shame, just observing the nightmare.
(1) Enough wind to power global energy demand. Published: Sunday, September 9, 2012 - 15:02 in Physics & Chemistry. Source: Carnegie Institution
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