4 ms·

I have absolutely zero knowledge which would qualify me to talk about this topic. But based on what I know about our world and its ecosystems, I just can't imag

by 4ggr0 4y ago

I have absolutely zero knowledge which would qualify me to talk about this topic. But based on what I know about our world and its ecosystems, I just can't imagine that drilling holes into earth and extracting it's heat can be a good idea when done in large scales. I could imagine that this seems reasonably safe right now, only for us to find out that it's actually a horrible thing to do. As has happened lots of times before. This is just a gut feeling and I'm not anti or whatever, it just feels...weird to me. No idea what the bad effects could be. Loss of internal heat, destabilization, sinkholes, loss of pressure, volcano eruptions back-firing through these holes. Admittedly, these examples sound like apocalypse movie scenarios. Which just validates my initial statement about me actually not knowing very much.

sparsely 4y ago
I haven't done any maths but I bet the order's of magnitude in terms of energy flows are wildly different for human usage vs solar + geothermal flows.
- cassianoleal 4y ago
  Wouldn't the availability of energy at this scale drive people and organisations to use it?
- 4ggr0 4y ago
  That could very well be, yes. Could also be like deforestation. Trees do die just like that, without our intervention. This benefits the forest. A couple of humans can chop wood in said forest and it will not affect it too much. But if whole cities and countries suddenly have to get their wood from this forest, it will disappear very fast. So maybe geothermal energy is not a risk when a couple of plants exist. But if humanity starts to rely on it too much and starts building geothermal plants like crazy, the damage could show. Maybe the damage only appears locally in the vicinity of these plants, which would still be worrying. I just want to disclose again that I am just spit-balling here.
tresqotheq 4y ago
> it just feels...weird to me. You are one person, and is sensible. Humanity as a whole, not so much so, sadly.

by 4ggr0 4y ago

sparsely 4y ago

I haven't done any maths but I bet the order's of magnitude in terms of energy flows are wildly different for human usage vs solar + geothermal flows.

cassianoleal 4y ago
Wouldn't the availability of energy at this scale drive people and organisations to use it?
4ggr0 4y ago
That could very well be, yes. Could also be like deforestation. Trees do die just like that, without our intervention. This benefits the forest. A couple of humans can chop wood in said forest and it will not affect it too much. But if whole cities and countries suddenly have to get their wood from this forest, it will disappear very fast. So maybe geothermal energy is not a risk when a couple of plants exist. But if humanity starts to rely on it too much and starts building geothermal plants like crazy, the damage could show. Maybe the damage only appears locally in the vicinity of these plants, which would still be worrying. I just want to disclose again that I am just spit-balling here.

tresqotheq 4y ago

> it just feels...weird to me. You are one person, and is sensible. Humanity as a whole, not so much so, sadly.