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

A_fiend_for_life

Wookster wrote: »

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

keep up the good work

A_fiend_for_life

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.

The only exception I can think of is hydro-electric they apperently used cheaper nuclear power to pump the water back up for peak demand.

Masomnia

There have been so many examples where humanity has adjusted, and developed new technologies to cope with problems.

Look at how much technological advancement came from the Second World War, or the industrial revolution. We needed to adapt and progress and we managed it. I see no reason why today is any different.

'Ever going to get better'? Do you honestly believe that humanity and human progress has reached its peak?

A_fiend_for_life

lostinrates wrote: »

re energy from waste, I have a chum in Ohio whose energy is created this way. They have an air exchange system too, and windo opening is strictly frowned upon. The waste use is brilliant,if a little labour intensive in their set up, but the window opening ban for the air thing would kill me. I'd rather live in a tent.

Sounds like a domestic set-up...does this produce 'sludge' that needs removing too?

lostinrates

A_fiend_for_life wrote: »

Sounds like a domestic set-up...does this produce 'sludge' that needs removing too?

Yes, its a domestic/ small farm set up. The ...'sludge' needs putting in before taking out its a duel fuel system. Both the animals and the humans provide fuel.

ETA: I'm assured the taking out is not offensive. The putting in is direct for people and inderect for the animals, but that needs dealing with anyway.

A_fiend_for_life

Masomnia wrote: »

There have been so many examples where humanity has adjusted, and developed new technologies to cope with problems.

Look at how much technological advancement came from the Second World War, or the industrial revolution. We needed to adapt and progress and we managed it. I see no reason why today is any different.

'Ever going to get better'? Do you honestly believe that humanity and human progress has reached its peak?

Maybe during peace time people and government would rather spend money elsewhere.

During war we are forced to be more self-sufficient because it is right in front of our nose.

Delayed gratification maybe.

Politicians need service level agreements.

Masomnia

Kit_Barbary wrote: »

I am not a peak oil maniac , but the problem with oil is its involved in pretty much every aspect of life , especially the growth , harvest, storage and delivery of food.

Society would literally have to change nearly every single aspect of life to survive without oil, and lets face it we cant even keep the hospitals clean!

I don't disagre with you, I'm just saying it's possible. The end of oil doesn't mean the end of civilization.

We can generate power from nuclear power stations, amongst the many other options. It's viable, we found the money to bail out banks so if we really had to we could build more nuclear power stations.

It's viable to run a car on hydrogen in California. There are filling stations there with hydrogen pumps, so again it is possible, and if it became absolutely necessary we could do it.

barrooo

Heres a link to Horizon which was on a couple of weeks ago, I found it really interesting..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hr6bk/Horizon_20082009_Can_We_Make_a_Star_on_Earth/

Really2

I like this one and it looks kind of "arty" too.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6616651.stm

stephen163

Masomnia wrote: »

I don't disagre with you, I'm just saying it's possible. The end of oil doesn't mean the end of civilization.

We can generate power from nuclear power stations, amongst the many other options. It's viable, we found the money to bail out banks so if we really had to we could build more nuclear power stations.

It's viable to run a car on hydrogen in California. There are filling stations there with hydrogen pumps, so again it is possible, and if it became absolutely necessary we could do it.

I know what you're saying but the problem we face requires a co-ordinated response and the development of solutions now that was take many, many years to be implemented. For instance, most people are now agreed that we need more renewables. However, a lot of people don't realise that the current state of the electrical grid would not allow their wide-scale deployment. Reinforcements are needed, taking time and a substantial amount of investment. It's the same for nuclear, they can't simply be placed onto the grid at a whim.

At the moment, the world is at a crossroads. We know there's a problem to be solved and we have a good idea what the potential solutions are. However, because of the massive investment required, the costs of making a wrong decision now are astronomical.