If you want to know how foolish the world is...just consider this:?
Question:
Solar power IS the answer, tell me why exactly it isnt being utilized to its true capacity. 4 hours of sunlight on any given day could solve most residential power usage needs and leave ZERO carbon imprint.
Answer:
I agree that solar power is good, but it cannot yet account for all energy sources. Current solar panels are highly inefficient and can only absorb something like 10 to 40% of the solar energy. Furthermore, it would take up a massive amount of land. Likewise, wind is not constant so wind farms aren't the solution either. You are right however about the stupidity of the oil argument. It is all because the oil industries lobby against green propositions. A combination of various green energy i.e. wind, solar, aqua, biomass, etc. could significantly reduce the amount of oil used, but current technology cannot yet eliminate the use of oil
Because solar panel technology isn't currently very efficient at converting solar energy to electricity. The technology is improving fairly rapidly though, and soon it will be a more utilized power source.
Am with you on that one .. i already use as much solar power i can .. but for now .. it does cost a lot man :( ...
Oil is cheaper in the short run. It would take a lot of time and effort to convert to solar power, and right now there is no one in office who is willing to shoulder the load. Doing it individually is great, but it is spendy. I am all for it however, and for anyone who is reading this I would suggest converting to solar power. The price isn't that bad (most states give nice tax breaks), and you are taking a positive step to improving our environment.
I cannot add much more than what Dana stated, other than something to support his comment.
If you haven't noticed, 40-45% efficiency solar cells are the newest and best technology for obtaining solar energy.
I am in total agreement that we need to start utilizing it, but we need to pump up the research funds for technology of solar energy collection and storage.
It may end up being, that more than one system of renewable energy processing will have to be coupled together to obtain better efficiency, and that is what we need to fund rather than oil based technologies.
The problem with solar power is collection of radiant energy. Photovoltaic cells aren't very efficient. Focusing sunlight to boil water to make steam to power turbines is also inefficient. It requires huge mirrors or lenses to focus the radiant energy of the sun.
The other problems with the use of radiant energy is what does one do on a cloudy day? You might say have battery back-up but batteries are going to last only for so long. Several days of rain, say for instance and your batteries would go dead before they could be recharged. Some might say, "ok then put the power plants in deserts or something." That would mean long transmission lines to some areas (say people who live in the wetlands). These long lines would require very high voltage and current to reach their destinations with enough power ( power = voltage X current) to run a load like a coffee maker. It's not "undoable" using solar power it's just not the complete answer to all of our energy woes.
For some interesting reading see Tom Beardens website. also google the Cassimir effect. Some will say the zero point energy may be a viable solution. Some say not. Dr. Bearden says he ahs patented several devices that tap the energy of the vacuum. He shows proof that some of these patents have been seized by the the US government "for national security reasons"
Another promising design to check out is to google MYT. This engine has promising applications. it's an improved Wankel engine. Imagine powering a city the size of Houston with an engine that weighs 1000 lbs, produces 17, 000 hp to turn a generator. Imagine an engine that weighs 150lbs, produces 850 hp! and gets 150 miles to the gallon while producing 1/8 the pollution!--the MYT engine
No one uses solar because solar cells are so expensive. We looked into putting solar on the house roof to "sell electricity back to the grid" and it was going to be $40,000. It would take 40 years to make up for the cost. Until we get a realistic Federal funding program to back up energy saving efforts by citizens and businesses we are going to be at the mercy of the big oil companies. (which also profit from higher electric bills, because electricity is generated mostly by oil, gas and coal.)
Could having a Texas oil man as president have anything to do with it...?
because people are lazy, I really cant see why people in cities need cars, they can walk to most places, and use a bike to the rest
The world is foolish indeed . What about yourself Are you foolish as well ? Do you have solar panels or are you one of the people on hear pointing the finger at everyone saying we should do this and that . Me I'm building my own panels from from junk cells . I have a few pics in my blog how i do it cheap but i am doing something besides crying about what nobody is doing .
One good way to get more solar out there would be instant lottery tickets . I would love to win $ 20 thousand or so in solar panels . We just have to think of ways that the public would pay for it and have fun doing it . The governments to damn slow or they have something better in mind there not telling us . I cant believe there just sitting back doing nothing
How will you harness this power? Theory is much different than the facts as they exist.
Solar powerelectric panel, use silicon to convert the sun's energy to useable electricity. Silison can be a toxic, nasty susbstance which today would require good old fossil (old fossil...get it?) fuel to produce.
Solar electric panels would have to cover the earth's surface in order to power half the world's population.
So, although there are benefits to, say passive solar power, using it to power a toaster, or your car, is a tad more complicated.
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