3 ms·
Energy density doesn't seem all that relevant as long as you have a decent area collection system. Indeed, high energy density can create more problems than it
by photochemsyn 5y ago
Energy density doesn't seem all that relevant as long as you have a decent area collection system. Indeed, high energy density can create more problems than it solves (major problems with confining D-T fusion comes to mind).
I also have no doubts about running human civilization on sunlight and wind as long as you have robust electrical storage / chemical conversion / distribution systems. By conversion I mean using sunlight to reduce H2O to H2, then CO2 to CH4 or longer hydrocarbons. Notably this also works for fertilizer production, i.e. nitrogen + hydrogen -> NH3 etc.
- q1w2 5y agoBuilding millions of solar panels is an ecological disaster waiting to happen. ...not only for the destruction of natural habitats, but the CO2 emitted in manufacturing and replacing all those panels, and the garbage disaster of disposing of them.
- photochemsyn 5y agoThe solar breeder factory was proposed in 1978. A solar manufacturing facility powered by, yes, solar panels. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1978pvse.conf..825L/abstract https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1978pvse.conf..825L/abstra...
- q1w2 5y agoThis does not include the energy needed to mine and manufacture the raw materials needed to build the solar panels. Most of those rare-earth elements in photovoltaics comes from vast mining operations in China.