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I think the key takeaway from the laws of thermodynamics is that we can pull all the CO2 out of the air once we have fusion power. Before that point, it's not g
by selectodude 6y ago
I think the key takeaway from the laws of thermodynamics is that we can pull all the CO2 out of the air once we have fusion power. Before that point, it's not going anywhere.
- adrianN 6y agoThere are plenty of carbon free power sources that will be cheaper than fusion for the foreseeable future.
- cogman10 6y agoI know I'm being a smart ass, but technically those are all fusion powered ;) Solar and wind are the result of the solar radiation which comes from fusion.
- ben_w 6y agoIf we’re being pedants: Tidal power is from the initial formation of the solar system. Geothermal is a roughly 50-50 mixture of the initial formation heat of the Earth’s creation and the decay of radioisotopes in the core. (I was going to add something about the crystallisation of liquid outer core onto the surface of the solid inner core, but Wikipedia implies that’s not a big source of heat).
- orwin 6y agoYes, and those energy are very mineral intensive and the current number of new installation per year need to triple to avoid creating new coal or gas plants altogether. Is it sustainable? And i agree, fusion is at least 50 years away of a working ITER unless a breakthrough in supraconductor is done
- ben_w 6y ago> Is it sustainable? Yes. Unlike coal, oil, and natural gas — which are dug out of the ground and burned — the stuff you dig out of the ground to make PV and wind turbines can be recycled into more PV and wind turbines when the products reach end-of-life.