Are Greenies the new fundamentalist nutjobs?

[Torurot]

Another Anti-hysteria post from Lewis Page

Fukushima fearmongers are stealing our Jetsons future
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011....f_facts
Hysteria now completely disconnected from reality

By Lewis Page €¢ Posted in Physics, 31st March 2011 11:35 GMT

"PLUTONIUM FOUND AT FUKUSHIMA!! Probably from old weapons tests thousands of miles away, but hey, let's wet ourselves anyway"

As the situation at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear powerplant slowly winds down, the salient facts remain the same as they have been throughout: nobody has suffered or will suffer any radiological health consequences. Economic damage and inconvenience resulting from the quake's effects on nuclear power have been significant, but tiny in comparison to all other human activities €“ the nuclear power plants in the stricken region have suffered less damage and caused less trouble to local residents than anything else that was there.

Despite this background, the details of which are now largely uncontested, hysteria continues to grip large sections of the news media and the internet.

The latest events at the plant itself:...

More here:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011....f_facts

[Tomcat]

My guess would be that in the longer term , Solar Power is probably the only way Humans will carry on passed this century ( which i doubt, after 3K only bacteria and a Ratuss Norvidicus will be around IMO).

renewables like Wind and Wave power are overated and even if you constructed enough of them to suck 17 Terawatts out of the planet you would fuck it up pretty quickly due to the fact that they kick heat back into the system at they are not 100% efficient due to the law of thermodynamics. ( 17 terawatts is what we use now in Fossil fuels.)

If you planted a zillion wind turbines, or whatever you would need to get 17 TWAtts, the wind would actually decrease quickly as would precipitation etc etc. The climate would end up being even more fucked up .

The total available energy for wind/water power is around 70 TWatts and if we actually tried for this we would actually double carbon emissions in one swoop.(half of the human race would be underwater before this happened)

Solar Power is the only free lunch

[f0xxee]

(Tomcat @ Apr. 02 2011,18:03) Solar Power is the only free lunch

BUT:

To use Solar you need batteries. To make batteries you need industry.
To use Solar you need glass and cells that convert light into engery. And for that you need industry. And you need steel or aluminium. And for that you need industry.

Assuming you have no coal and you use what is basically an overgrown arch welder to smelt and make steel. You CANNOT get enough energy ever never ever from Solar for heavy industry or transport needs.

Yes for your home.... No for everything else.

So? There is no free power.

Nuclear.

[Tomcat]

The Science of Solar Power is moving a lot quicker than you think.

In 10 years time the cells will be 100 times more efficient and made very cheap from Zinc . There are Billions being spent on this take my word for it . Also solar power from space will be a reality within 30 years , beamed back by microwave. The Russians already have six designs and this is not in doubt IMO

Storage is a problem but this is just a matter of time.

[Tomcat]

remember that all energy ultimately comes from the Sun. no where else