Think things are ever going to get better ?, think again.

Conrad

The energy contained in oil is merely compressed organic mattter that derived its energy from sunlight.

Can we not cover parts of the Ocean and deserts with solar panels and then store the electricity in giant capacitors? Yes, yes I know its cloudy often.

Wookster

A_fiend_for_life wrote: »

I think we should have looked at gas / energy from human waste. It would still generate revenue though it would be run by water boards.

My gas should be harnessed. Heaven knows, there is a lot of it :rotfl:

Wookster

Conrad wrote: »

Can we not cover parts of the Ocean and deserts with solar panels and then store the electricity in giant capacitors? Yes, yes I know its cloudy often.

The main problem with this is storage - energy consumed in the national grid is generated as it is consumed afaik. One of the problems with transporting energy is that you lose more "juice" as the distance the electricity travels increases due to resistance in the copper cabling.

The most efficient solar panels are 22% efficient with the average being <14% so there is still a long way to go before solar becomes a reliable source.

Conrad

In Dupont they already have created geneticaly modified organisms that expel ethanol as waste. This is harvested in large silos. In principle there is nothing to stop us having small versions of these at every Esso station.

We have a choice in life; We either throw our hands up and declare armageddon is upon us[URL="javascript:add_smilie("][/URL]
or we open our minds to the ingenuity of the Human mind.

StevieJ

Wookster wrote: »

The main problem with this is storage - energy consumed in the national grid is generated as it is consumed afaik. One of the problems with transporting energy is that you lose more "juice" as the distance the electricity travels increases due to resistance in the copper cabling.

The most efficient solar panels are 22% efficient with the average being <14% so there is still a long way to go before solar becomes a reliable source.

What is that ever so true expression ' Neccessity is the Mother of Invention'.

purch

governments are burying their heads in the sand, hoping that someone will come up with a 'Eureka' moment

That policy has worked pretty well so far..........:eek:

kabayiri

Really2 wrote: »

With some of the !!!!!! posted on this forum by some posters you would think the supply would be endless:)

And you thought we posted just to look clever

I've set myself a personal target to produce enough raw brown material on here to keep a town the size of Lincoln afloat!

zappahey

What I find interesting is that everyone focuses on oil as an energy source but you rarely see any reference to the significant part that oil plays in all of our lives in just about every manufactured item. Oil is used in all sorts of things such as plastics, paints, clothing, lubricants, gels, creams and even toothpaste.

What is going to replace the oil component in all of these things?

Wookster

zappahey wrote: »

What I find interesting is that everyone focuses on oil as an energy source but you rarely see any reference to the significant part that oil plays in all of our lives in just about every manufactured item. Oil is used in all sorts of things such as plastics, paints, clothing, lubricants, gels, creams and even toothpaste.

What is going to replace the oil component in all of these things?

Good point.

I reckon there will have to be extensive recycling.

A_fiend_for_life

Really2 wrote: »

Good point I remember Bio-Mass when at school it is strage how it as not really pushed forward that much. but I belive projects are runing in africa etc.

I tried looking for percentage harnessed in uk the nearest I get so far is 6% in Jan 2008 but if fully utilized would produce enough biofuel for 17% of road transport.

Seems there is more focus on energy from food waste which sounds like the wrong approach imho. surely the idea is to reduce food waste.

agree with amount of sh-one-t.