[ExI] Wind, solar could provide 99.9% of ALL POWER by 2030

[spike]

From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of John Clark
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2013 10:45 AM
To: ExI chat list
Subject: Re: [ExI] Wind, solar could provide 99.9% of ALL POWER by 2030

 

On Sat, Dec 15, 2012 at 4:56 AM, BillK <pharos at gmail.com> wrote:

 

> Wind, solar could provide 99.9% of ALL POWER by 2030 Even better: It could
do so at the same cost as fossil fuels


In just 17 years? Hmm, let's see what it would take to run a 100 horsepower
motor 24 hours a day, that's about what a small compact car would have. 100
hp is equal to 75000 watts and solar cells produce about 10 watts per square
foot at peak solar around noon.  John K Clark

 

 

John 100 hp is a typical peak power rating for our Detroits, but a really
important point here is that cars don't use that kind of power continually.
They use a lot of that when accelerating hard, but a typical power use for a
typical Detroit is in the 25 to 30 hp range, but even that has some
assumptions.  If we accept cars that don't accelerate as hard and don't have
the absurd top speeds that we so dearly love (hey, I am not pointing any
fingers, I too love to tear around like my ass is on fire) then we don't
need such high power ratings.  If we accept lower acceleration and lower top
speeds, we can have far lighter cars, which aren't safe at the higher speeds
anyway.  This encourages us to use our electronic transportation more.

 

That being said, the venerable V8, of which I own three and love them all,
helps us in a way: these thirsty beasts give us something to give up should
the need arise.  It is analogous to the sincere believer with no vices, who
must grudgingly take up some disgusting habit at the end of Lent, so that
she will have something to give up next time Lent rolls around.  We have our
V8s.  Maintaining those gives us plenty of room to reduce our energy
consumption, plenty, while still being able to maintain what we really like
the most.

 

spike


  

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