We shouldn't be focusing on CONSERVING energy, because of expensive supply. I want to have all the energy I need, and I want it to be cheap! I want you to have the same. I want EVERYBODY to have abundant, cheap energy. Conservation is short sighted, and only gets more expensive, the longer you do it. More production is the solution to more demand!
At the same time, I don't want to pollute more, and I don't want to do this cap and trade stuff. Burning stuff is not the solution.
Fortunately, Nature has provided us with solutions. Ready? Here we go.
When nature wants to grow something, it takes energy. Now, nature usually doesn't do it all at once, it takes it's time, and grows most things slowly. Like trees. They need energy to grow, and they grow slowly. They save energy in their wood, and release it when they burn. Usually this works in our favor. When we burn wood, in a controlled way, it releases energy for us in a nice way, and does good things for us.
When nature grows things fast, it often causes destruction. Like Hurricanes. They grow fast, and they transfer a LOT of energy. I won't get into it here.
So how does nature grow a tree? Slowly. With Sunlight. Shining on LOTS of leaves. I can't think of any trees in nature, that have only ONE, LARGE leaf. Or, that grow well with short bursts of intense light.
The problem, is we need LOTS of energy, quickly, for it to be useful to us. We move faster, and do more, than trees. Or, we just need lots of energy, collected slowly, but on a steady basis. The principle is there. We need to set up solar energy collection cells, in LOTS of places, to collect LOTS of small amounts of energy, but constantly. Like leaves on trees. For example, if we had solar cells everywhere we have shutters on windows on houses. Think about how much energy that would produce.
The second source of energy, that is available to be collected in this way, is Wind. I don't think we need these massive, expensive wind turbine farms, that nobody wants in their backyards. Well, we do need them, but we need more. We should have a small, 4' diameter, 6' foot high wind turbine on top of every telephone pole. It may not turn as much as a 50' turbine on a wind farm, and may not be as efficient, and may not produce as much power, and may not turn 24/7, but if you make them cheap, and make lots of them, and make them easily replaceable, together they will create a LOT of power. Which is what we need. Add to that, every home should have one the same small size, on the roof. Just like every house has a chimney, or every house has a TV antenna/satellite dish. Run the power line to batteries in the basement (or wherever), and have the batteries run the dishwasher, or the dryer, or your nightlight. A light comes on, tells you the batteries are charged, and you flip a switch, and dry a load of laundry. If you need to run a load, and the batteries are not fully charged yet, flip the switch, and run it off the grid, as usual.
I agree with your idea of lots of solar cells. Shingles on roofs could be solar cells. It's all in what people want to do. I have to laugh at what people call a green home. Recycled windows do not make it 'green'. Try more.
ReplyDeleteBraintree has a program where they were trying out heaters that would also make electricity. Pilot program that Japan uses all the time. I've heard nothing more on it. Too different. Why doesn't every new home have it? Hot water heaters that heat the water as you use it, like in England. Lots of ideas, very little of it being used.