[ExI] EP and Peak oil.

[John K Clark]

"Keith Henson" <hkeithhenson at gmail.com>

> Plan B is that something like 90% of humans starve.

I don't think power satellites are the only hope the human race has, and I
certainly hope not!  Earlier I listed 5 technologies:

1) Coal
2) Tar Sands
3) Oil Shale
4) Methane Clathrate,
5) Nuclear Fission

I believe all of these are far more feasible than power satellites, even
Methane Clathrate. I know you said they weren't renewable, but if you want
to be that way neither is solar power. Let's just say they would all last a
very long time.

The trouble with power satellites is it could take a couple of trillion
dollars just to build a prototype and then you could learn for sure that the
idea just isn't going to work. The best ideas are those where you can start
small and learn by doing; and then when you really develop some skill in
the area you can scale it all up with some confidence you can make it all
work. With Power satellites you've got to start gigantic from day one, and
that seldom works out very well for a radically new technology; but I
hope I'm wrong.

  John K Clark