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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2013-11-30 13:45, giorgio gaviraghi
wrote:<br>
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cite="mid:1385819134.89231.YahooMailNeo@web171605.mail.ir2.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
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<div><span>we don't need centralize solar farms. Each building
will carry its own, same with roads that will power the
vehicles</span></div>
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HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida
Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent;
font-style: normal;"><span>we must decentralize power
generation get rid of power lines, stations and so on</span></div>
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<br>
The problem is deeper than that. Solar power is inefficient in many
parts of the world - consider Scandinavia, especially above the
polar circle. Worse, it is periodic and has peaks that does not
correspond to peak demand: I assume you do not want to only have
road and rail traffic during summer days. Even 100% efficient cells
would not really solve this. In order to actually work as a major
energy source it requires *much* better storage methods or *much*
better transmission. <br>
<br>
This is also why the lunar ring approach is so problematic: it will
be off 12 hours at a time, and needs to be transmitted from
rectennas (in the imagery located inconveniently and expensively in
the ocean). <br>
<br>
If you want to really help mankind, invent a really good (large
capacity, many cycles) rechargeable battery. The rest is easy. <br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Dr Anders Sandberg
Future of Humanity Institute
Oxford Martin School
Oxford University
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