How can green energy provide for the future?

Personally, I've been doing some research about the environment, and in particular, what we can do to solve our energy problems for the future. Right now there are a lot of environmentally unfriendly ways of making electricity, but the alternatives aren't efficient enough to power cities.

Wind power, I've been seeing isn't reliable because it relies on wind turning turbines, which is very unpredictable. My friend John sent me this video from the Power Worker's Union of Ontario Canada, and I've had a hard time arguing against it:

http://abetterenergyplan.ca/#/home/cares/video-cares

It basically says that the technology isn't there yet.

-Jones

 

nice, i'm sure, but the most effective way to reduce energy consumption is to END SPAMMING

 

A lot of the technology is not there yet. But it will NEVER get there if we do not work towards it.

"Lets just use gasoline to make our cars run because all the alternatives are underdeveloped and it would cost us money to research and develop the next possible thing we could use" << This simply is not good enough for me.

There are several farm based plants that produce useable oil, and if memory serves me correct, there is even a way to collect the fumes from a kind of moss that they have used to power cars. These might not be the end solution to oil, but if we do not try, then we will never find it. We made cars to run on gasoline, gasoline is not actually a requirement for transportation, we have just made it that way and have refused to change. Gasoline powered cars have only been around since 1885, and at that time it was not exactly a sea of cars from coast to coast like it is now. All things considered, the fact that we have been able to consume as much oil as we have in the time we have is ridiculous and not sustainable, searching for, researching, and developing new methods of energy development is paramount to the survival of our species. Turbines are underdeveloped? Solar power is underdeveloped? Then combine the two maybe? I do not have answers, just rambling.

 

I live amoungst the windtowers. they are gererating to beat hell...Exceeded their expectations actually. All the antiwindtower jargon out there is simply propaganda by the coal industry..

 

Talking of production is a bit of a capitalistic con game.

Its not production that needs to be addressed first it is consumption, saving energy.

The problem is that in a capitalistic context production is the one that is emphasised because its about ‘making money’ doesn’t matter if it’s wind or coal, nuclear or oil, its about selling a product ‘energy’ to people and making - cha-ching - a profit.

But in lessening consumption…well there is little profit in that for a capitalistic investor (although there is for the individual).

Look at virtually every developed city or even individual home with a thermal camera and you will see the waste, and that is all energy being sold at a profit.

In the cold we burn more in the heat we turn up the air-conditioner. I mean we still build towers of steel and GLASS in the middle of deserts, huge greenhouses, that are only then habitable through the use of air conditioning.

If we insulated the buildings we have and built any new ones to suit their environment and with a mind toward low consumption in regard to lighting, heating and cooling, then production would not be such an issue because we would find we were producing way too much – and bang goes the energy sector profits.

I’m all for renewable energy, but we have to get out of the ‘market’ mindset that is generally pushed my most media - that is fixated on ‘production’ (meaning production of profit) and move toward thinking about limiting production (less profit for companies).

 

^ this

 

no politican plan can provide for the future until population reduction is implimented

 

It seems pretty closed minded to say that wind and solar NEED fossil fuel backup. They don't NEED it, it's just they are too cheap to invest on cleaner alternatives at this time. Solar and wind COULD fairly easily generate hydrogen gas to replace our fossil needs. Hydrogen also burns 100% clean. There is virtually no limit on the available space for wind and solar, and therefore no limit on the power potential. Fossil fuels are a filthy crutch, getting off of it and going green and safe will be expensive, but will also create thousands if not millions of jobs. The cost of new technology starts high, the cost of fuel is increasing, eventually there will be a crossing point when green tech will be cheaper than fossil fuels.

 

Wind by itself is unreliable because the wind doesn't always blow. Solar by itself is unreliable because the sun doesn't always shine. These are arguments used by the rich and powerful to maintain the unsustainable status quo.

But the wind often blows strongest when the sun isn't shining and vice versa. Whenever renewable energy is considered, you must look at the entire picture. A grid with a diverse mix of renewable energy backed up with natural gas is sustainable, reliable, and lowest cost.

 

one argument now being accepted by most green parties around the world is that there may be a way to make nuclear power stations much safer. A lot of green energy gurus are coming round to the idea that nuclear energy may be the way forward

 

There's a man a few blocks from me that successfully converts cars to hydrogen. I've seen them. ) Zero polution.I have a friend in California that has been agitating the legislature there for years to allow him to grow hemp to use in diesel engines and if auto companies would co-operate and buld small or mid-size vehicles with diesel engines AT A REASONABLE PRICE, that would be one way to go. I invested a few grand into a small company that has perfected chemicals to spray on windows--any windows(of which there are billions)and they will generate electricity and still be able to be seen thru. Soon they will make them commercially viable. So,really some of the technology is here and ready to go. I think we all know why these aren't used more extensively. $$$$$ & politicians. What is worrisome right now is the fact that if the countries in the middle east stopped oil from coming here suddenly--we'd be down in every way. I read someplace the other day that Canada is now our greatest source of oil-can this possibly be correct???

 

But in the last month, a lot of greens are realizing all over again how dangerous nukes are, and are changing their minds back again.

This includes me. I have been shocked to learn how poor our earthquake predictions are and how dangerous it is to store spent fuel rods on-site with no permanent place to put them.

 

You Americans are so lucky as to discuss such stuffs like discussing which toothbrush is better!!

 

in northern climates artificial life support systems like you would find on a spaceship are necessary, this requires a powersource, and will always result in waste.

even thought hydroelectric power is called 'clean' it isnt
somehow the concrete materials, metals, and comonents have to be mined from the earth

this required industry, industry pollutes

it is said that life began in the tropics [australia/brazil/africa] because
that is the only place warm enough for man to survive without technology
that pollutes.

 

www.planetgreen.com