This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
The more our grid moves to solar and wind, the more people who pray should pray for not a single day of calm wind with rain or overcast skies in the forecast.
as long as our collection / distribution systems remain earth-bound, yes. If we can get orbiting collectors and beamed power, then we're all set.
As long as our collection / distribution systems remain earth-bound, yes. If we can get orbiting collectors and beamed power, then we're all set.
Though it seems to me that geothermal and fusion would be much better sources than solar, all else considered.
aaaaarrgh!
pleasebekiddingpleasebekiddingpleasebekiddingpleasebekiddingpleasebekidding.
Really long extension cords. Orange ones.
Robert Goddard. Did it all without government involvement. Guggenheim Foundation provided a lot of the $$
His best rocket made it to ~8500 ft. He was brilliant and a fantastic inventor, but let's not go overboard by insinuating that he actually achieved space flight without public funding. Paul Allen was the first to privately fund a space flight, long after the technology had been developed by NASA and the military.
aaaaarrgh!
No, I did. Thought the smile would indicate that I was just playing along. Maybe two next time?okay so my sense of irony is so subtle as to be nearly undetectable sometimes. I thought you'd know for sure I was kidding with the "collect solar energy in outer space" part.
...but at least makes sense from a physics point of view! Heat in the earth's mantle is highly concentrated and not all that far away (compared to crazy moon or asteroid mining schemes). Geo doesn't need to pretend that the invention of a more efficient pipe or pump will unleash magic results upon us. If I had to invest in geo or solar, I'd bet on geo any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
No, it's just that some of us have moved PAST the point in time when people thought technology was magic. I fully agree that PV and other solar technologies will continue to advance - but they can't go past 100% efficiency, and even 100% efficiency doesn't work given the fundamental diffuseness of solar radiation. I don't know how many times and ways I can say it: technology will not solve the solar energy problem even though it will continue to advance.
Isn't Iceland heavily invested in geothermal? With all the hot springs and mild volcanoes on their island, I thought they saw it as a solid, long-term, financially viable option.No, I did. Thought the smile would indicate that I was just playing along. Maybe two next time?
...but at least makes sense from a physics point of view! Heat in the earth's mantle is highly concentrated and not all that far away (compared to crazy moon or asteroid mining schemes). Geo doesn't need to pretend that the invention of a more efficient pipe or pump will unleash magic results upon us. If I had to invest in geo or solar, I'd bet on geo any day of the week and twice on Sundays.