Global warming

[David Horn]

(08-24-2017, 01:49 PM)Eric the Green Wrote:

(08-23-2017, 02:28 PM)X_4AD_84 Wrote:

(08-23-2017, 12:37 PM)radind Wrote: We really can run the world on renewable energy – here’s how

Quote:https://www.newscientist.com/article/214...heres-how/

… "This week, a new 27-author study in the inaugural issue of the sustainable energy journal Joule sets out roadmaps for 139 countries, representing more than 99 per cent of all emissions. These roadmaps quantify the costs and benefits of transitioning all forms of energy for all purposes to electricity – supplied by 80 per cent wind, water and solar power (WWS) by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050.”…

Yes of course, you can stand up UPSes all over the place, ones that can hold up high voltage AC lines. Everything has a cost. There are many toxic processes needed to produce a portion of the components that go into those types of UPSes. There are other methods some propose, methods that turn the diurnally asymmetrical PV and wind outputs into some other form of energy, such as potential energy (e.g. pumping water uphill behind a hydroelectric producing dam). In power lingo that is horrendously lossy. Some others propose a huge international power grid. Great, you be the first one to step up to fund all the undersea interconnects. Yes, it could be done. But where's the ROI?

acronyms....... hmmmmmmmm UPSes, ROI?????

Very good, radind. I'll look it over. (well I guess I can't look at the New Scientist link unless I want their emails in my box)

All these concerns Mr. X mentions are being addressed. It's just a matter of keeping up with the latest info. The main international power grid is being proposed from Africa to Europe; I don't know where that stands at the moment.

I found one article about a huge plant in Morocco that could help supply Europe. But I also see there are plans for a gas pipeline from Nigeria. Obviously that's not part of a sustainability plan.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20161129...wer-europe

FWIW: UPS = Uninterruptable Power Supply, a common element in any critical on-demand service requiring power.  ROI = Return On Investment, and is self explanatory.

As far as wind and solar providing 100% of all power demand, I have to a agree with Alphabet.  All the options that will actually work today are hugely costly.  We need baseline power to cover the times when intermittent power fails, as the Germans have finally determined by trying to do without.