[ExI] Automotive problems

[hkhenson]

At 01:32 PM 2/1/2009, Robert wrote:

snip

>It is a particularly hard sell against other (cheaper) solutions.  I 
>worked out the numbers circa 2001.  You do not need SPS.  You need 
>solar ponds, potentially salt water solar ponds, growing 
>cyanobacteria or algae producing biodiesel or equivalent 
>feedstocks.  Produces many more jobs here on Earth and is 
>sustainable.  The agricultural land available in the SW US could 
>support the entire U.S. energy requirements without the need to launch SPS.
>
>And obviously, such technology once developed could be exported to 
>the Middle East where they have ample supplies of sea water and 
>ample solar energy without the need for launching god knows how many 
>rockets.  You have to ask yourself (when you've got a great 
>high-tech solution) Is there a low-tech solution?

I want to see the energy problem solved, I don't care how it is 
done.  I just got back from a conference on military fuels where they 
were talking in great detail about algae oil and how oversold it has 
been.  The fixation of sunlight energy in algae oil is around 3-4 
percent.  You can do almost twice that with 15% ground solar, using 
the energy to make hydrogen and reducing CO2.  If you don't think 
this is right, show me the numbers.

Keith Henson