I am a being of electricity. My father built power lines, my grandfather built power lines. Electricity is the power of the universe(along with sound). The worlds energy needs are limited to scavenging electricity from dead dinosaurs. This is very limited thinking. People knock wind, solar, and hydroelectric power generation for very simplistic reasons. The wind doesn't blow all the time, the sun doesn't shine all the time, to dam a river takes too much resources to make it feasible. Bah. What is missing from these arguments is a balanced conglomeration of all possible choices.
Let us start with wind. Large scale natural blowing wind is not necessary for power generation. Man made wind from roadways and buildings would be a good start to generating a significant amount of electricity. If low speed, high torque rotors were placed upon all of the worlds high trafficked roads then there would be a constant supply of electricity(especially in the U.S.) In large cities the vortex of wind that surrounds current buildings could be harnessed for even more generation of power. These generators would not have to be large landscape blighting structures. If the shear number of them were put into place then that would suffice for one segment of the overall energy need.
Solar is the easiest to rationalize. If every domicile around the world had solar power then a complete decentralized power generation system is achieved. I have never been a big fan of solar energy, but this is a no brainer in the new energy economy. Large fields of photovalics are not necessary if all residences and businesses have them installed already.
Hydroelectric is a tinderbox of controversy. I live in east TN, home of the TVA, one of the largest hydroelectric projects on the planet. 80% of our power is still provided by coal. It is not in any way rational or practical for this to be the status quo. The myth of hydroelectric is that we have to dam up rivers and destroy whatever was there just to generate electricity. Decentralize. Electricity can be generated with the natural flow of water in any creek, river, spring, lake, and ocean, without the large ecological repercussions.
All of these "little things" could add up to a lot if people would get out of the way of themselves and adopt a change in the basic structure of living.
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3 comments:
Well spoken, ye of little aptitude for speaking. Are you involved--professionally i mean--in alternative energy?
I am an electrical contractor. I have a license in TN. I have not "broke into" the industry of "alternative energy", but I am working towards it with all my effort. I have built million dollar houses for disposable rich people and gagged on the taste it left in my throat. To answer your question though, I am involved professionally, with people financially and politically minded towards these ends. No names, no references,(on my personal blog anyway) but people that can make this happen.
I am an electrical contractor. I have a license in TN. I have not "broke into" the industry of "alternative energy", but I am working towards it with all my effort. I have built million dollar houses for disposable rich people and gagged on the taste it left in my throat. To answer your question though, I am involved professionally, with people financially and politically minded towards these ends. No names, no references,(on my personal blog anyway) but people that can make this happen. And thanks, by the way for the welcome to blogging.
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