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> The way modern society is going, a LOT of power is going to be required What do you mean by "modern society"? According to the IEA, "energy demand per capit

> The way modern society is going, a LOT of power is going to be required What do you mean by "modern society"? According to the IEA, "energy demand per capita is likely to remain at current levels for the next 25 years. In other [words], peak per capita energy consumption may have already arrived".[0] Most "modern societies" have less than replacement fertility levels, so energy use is only increasing because the population is living longer, and because of immigration. To give some aggregate numbers for a set of modern societies: "The EU-27’s population is projected to increase from 446.8 million in 2019 and peak to 449.3 million in 2026 (+0.6 %), then gradually decrease to 441.2 million in 2050".[1] [0] https://www.businessinsider.com/bernstein-says-peak-energy-per-capita-is-here-2016-8 https://www.businessinsider.com/bernstein-says-peak-energy-p... [1] https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=People_in_the_EU_-_population_projections&oldid=497115 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php...

jleyank 5y ago
When was this study done, as crypto and ev’s are going to throw a whole lot of strain on the power grid (taken from the gas distribution plumbing). In the kcal aggregate, they might be equivalent, but a whole lot of tanks and pipes have to become wires.
Manuel_D 5y ago
Energy per capita, yes. But electricity per capital not necessarily. Things like smelting, shipping, and air travel, all of which depends on fossil fuel must be electrified.
- zbrozek 5y ago
  I'm actively trying to drive down my marginal cost of electricity explicitly so I can use more of it to make my life better. I am absolutely driving up my total energy consumption, not just switching fuels.
  - PebblesHD 5y ago
    I’m in the process of installing solar panels and storage for exactly this reason. There are things I want to do at home, running servers, air conditioning etc. that are prohibitively expensive and unnecessarily polluting under current conditions that I’d love to be able to run without thinking about it.
    - zbrozek 5y ago
      Yup, exactly! I am up to a little over 6 kilowatts peak and 20 KWh installed and I haven't drawn from the grid in months. My next stop is 14 kilowatts peak and 36 KWh. With any luck I'll be able to leave my pool warm for 6 months of the year and remain off-grid.
      - 2Gkashmiri 5y ago
        Hey. This is interesting for me. I now have a 6 kWh panel that are on grid for reverse metering. Then I replaced the inverter with phocos one so that it will work without batteries in off grid mode. I have thought quite a bit about water batteries, I want to install 200-400 Litre water solar heater so that my electric energy is reduced even more. No batteries yet because they cost a fortune. My idea was to heat say 500 Litre water tank in my basement with solar water + solar electric and pass that water through the central heating piping through he home but installer tells me the heat won't be there in this "water battery".
wbl 5y ago
Demand is a function of cost. There is a lot of things that having energy would permit that right now aren't possible like desalination, giant lasers to launch things to space etc.

jleyank 5y ago

When was this study done, as crypto and ev’s are going to throw a whole lot of strain on the power grid (taken from the gas distribution plumbing). In the kcal aggregate, they might be equivalent, but a whole lot of tanks and pipes have to become wires.

Manuel_D 5y ago

Energy per capita, yes. But electricity per capital not necessarily. Things like smelting, shipping, and air travel, all of which depends on fossil fuel must be electrified.

zbrozek 5y ago
I'm actively trying to drive down my marginal cost of electricity explicitly so I can use more of it to make my life better. I am absolutely driving up my total energy consumption, not just switching fuels.
- PebblesHD 5y ago
  I’m in the process of installing solar panels and storage for exactly this reason. There are things I want to do at home, running servers, air conditioning etc. that are prohibitively expensive and unnecessarily polluting under current conditions that I’d love to be able to run without thinking about it.
  - zbrozek 5y ago
    Yup, exactly! I am up to a little over 6 kilowatts peak and 20 KWh installed and I haven't drawn from the grid in months. My next stop is 14 kilowatts peak and 36 KWh. With any luck I'll be able to leave my pool warm for 6 months of the year and remain off-grid.
    - 2Gkashmiri 5y ago
      Hey. This is interesting for me. I now have a 6 kWh panel that are on grid for reverse metering. Then I replaced the inverter with phocos one so that it will work without batteries in off grid mode. I have thought quite a bit about water batteries, I want to install 200-400 Litre water solar heater so that my electric energy is reduced even more. No batteries yet because they cost a fortune. My idea was to heat say 500 Litre water tank in my basement with solar water + solar electric and pass that water through the central heating piping through he home but installer tells me the heat won't be there in this "water battery".

wbl 5y ago

Demand is a function of cost. There is a lot of things that having energy would permit that right now aren't possible like desalination, giant lasers to launch things to space etc.