Difference between revisions of "Energy"
From AdCiv
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[[Image:SOHO solar flare cropped.jpg|right|120px|The sun (image from SOHO spacecraft)]] We have these major sources of energy available to us, in no particular order and not including fossil fuels that we currently rely on for the majority of our energy today: | [[Image:SOHO solar flare cropped.jpg|right|120px|The sun (image from SOHO spacecraft)]] We have these major sources of energy available to us, in no particular order and not including fossil fuels that we currently rely on for the majority of our energy today: | ||
| − | *'''<!--[[Solar power|Solar]]--> Solar''': photovoltaic, solar thermal, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_chimney solar chimney]. Prospective: | + | *'''<!--[[Solar power|Solar]]--> Solar''': photovoltaic, solar thermal, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_chimney solar chimney]. Prospective: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_satellite solar power satellite] and [[stratospheric solar array]] |
*'''<!--[[Wind power|Wind]]--> Wind''': land-based wind turbine, off-shore wind turbine. Prospective: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_wind_turbine jet-stream sky windmills] | *'''<!--[[Wind power|Wind]]--> Wind''': land-based wind turbine, off-shore wind turbine. Prospective: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_wind_turbine jet-stream sky windmills] | ||
*'''<!--[[Ocean-based power generation|Ocean]]--> Ocean''': wave, tidal, ocean currents | *'''<!--[[Ocean-based power generation|Ocean]]--> Ocean''': wave, tidal, ocean currents | ||
Revision as of 18:01, 18 February 2007
- Solar: photovoltaic, solar thermal, solar chimney. Prospective: solar power satellite and stratospheric solar array
- Wind: land-based wind turbine, off-shore wind turbine. Prospective: jet-stream sky windmills
- Ocean: wave, tidal, ocean currents
- Hydro-electric
- Nuclear: nuclear fission. Prospective: nuclear fusion and accelerator-driven thorium-fuelled energy amplifier
- Geothermal: shallow geothermal heat pumps, volcanic related geothermal, deep geothermal
- Biomass: vegetable oil, compost methane, fermented crop waste, algae, sustainable wood, and clean burning of organic waste, animal dung and rubbish
The energy available from solar and geothermal alone far exceed our current and likely future energy requirements and could sustain humanity indefinitely. Also steadily increasing energy efficiency, due to improved system design and increasing cultural awareness should become a significant factor in our energy use.
