Let's see, no more jet fuel for aviation. Maybe put solar panels on the wings? How will commercial shipping power huge cargo carriers? Maybe add a few sails and make them wind powered just like the real olden days?
Nobody is thinking this through.
Wait … can’t an airplane use solar to take off and then the wind turbines take overLet's see, no more jet fuel for aviation. Maybe put solar panels on the wings? How will commercial shipping power huge cargo carriers? Maybe add a few sails and make them wind powered just like the real olden days?
Nobody is thinking this through.
Although I cheer for the UK and Europe for their alternate energy efforts, I keep looking at the graph of world energy supply. We have to, its not like we live in the no-peeing section of the world swimming pool. Hydrocarbons will not be displaced by a significant amount for great many years. China and India's inability to get off coal will slow everything down. Sure you can move the coal plants away upwind of Beijing but it still pretty futile.
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When I was teenagerLet's see, no more jet fuel for aviation. Maybe put solar panels on the wings? How will commercial shipping power huge cargo carriers? Maybe add a few sails and make them wind powered just like the real olden days?
Nobody is thinking this through.
It is important to keep in mind that the petroleum and coal based economy is quickly becoming obsolete. As it turns out, it's happening much faster than nearly anyone realized or even thought possible.
IIRC, the percentage of global energy not produced by fossil fuels a year or two ago was in the order of 2%.It is important to keep in mind that the petroleum and coal based economy is quickly becoming obsolete.
When will all plastics (like all the PPE the medical folks use) be made out of solar energy? Clothing? Auto parts? Electronics?
Heck, when will the solar panels themselves be made out of solar energy?
Cheers!!!
The idea that renewables are replacing or can replace fossil fuels is pure fantasy. The idea that renewables are cheaper is even more ludicrous. It is not. Growth in renewable production has been entirely the result of government subsidy and direct payment, not market driven forces. What's more, a whopping zero percent of fossil fuel consumption has been replaced by renewables because the rate in growth of energy consumption has outstripped all the newly developed renewable energy capacity.The number of buggy whip salesmen posting here is, unfortunately, not all that surprising.
And the well worn tropes about not being able to replace all petroleum consumption have followed on their coat tails.
It is important to keep in mind that the petroleum and coal based economy is quickly becoming obsolete. As it turns out, it's happening much faster than nearly anyone realized or even thought possible.
Now, that doesn't mean that 100% of coal/petroleum based energy production is going electric. That would be silly to think so. There will always be a carbon based segment of the economy, it will just keep getting smaller and smaller.
The irony of it all is that the change is cost based instead of pollution based. We're not doing this as a benevolent act for our kids amd grandkids. We're doing it because it is cheap.
For years and years the traditionalists have touted the advantages of cheap coal and oil based electricity. Now we have reached the tipping point where renewables are the best economic choice and they will continue to be a better economic value going forward.
With that in mind, I am very much looking forward to all of those that stated that renewable weren't a good choice because of the economics to now tout the value of cheap renewable resources.
Cheers!!!