Global Warming

Constantin

Indeed...

... if fusion power were to come online, we could very well see a transition from a fuel-based economy to an electrical one. Between the near limitless supply of deutrium and tritrium in seawater combined with no operational safety issues, fusion power plants have a lot that makes them look very attractive.

The main issue is that the R&D has been lagging behind for quite some time. The latest incarnation being built in the south of France may or may not push the research to the point where they have a pilot plant of sorts. The next generation after that may or may not actually go into production, if the test reactor in France is a success.

However, even with the households, businesses, etc. running on electrical power, it does not solve the transportation question. That is where most of our fuel is being used today, over ~60% of the oil, for example.

Tony Conner

Try...

... to build a coal-fired or even a bunker oil fired plant in many jurisdictions. Well, I suppose some places would let you build it - you'd just never get a permit to operate it.

You have to remember that these plants are gigantic. The one I worked in had boilers that were 150 feet high - elevators ran up the sides of them. To run the stairs to the tops of those things was exactly like taking the stairs to the top of a 15 floor building. There were four units like that but even at 500 MW each times 4 units, it was 2,000 MW plant in a system that now needs about 40,000 MW.

Think of each boiler in that plant this way:

3,600,000 #/hr steam production.

Ballpark the heat that must be added to the feedwater by the boiler to make steam as 1,000 BTU/lb. That makes the boiler output:

3,600,000,000 BTU/hr.

So at 85% eff, the input is over 4,235,000,000 BTU/hr.

If you're firing gas, that's 4,235,000 cubic feet of gas, PER BOILER PER HOUR.

Times four boilers in that one plant, to make 2,000 MW, which is a small fraction of the power needed just in Ontario.

I'd bet someplace like California would have at least 2 or 3 times the power requirements of Ontario.

Add to this, the fuel requirement for vehicles, building heating costs for residential, commercial, institutional and industrial operations, plus other misc energy requirements... Anyone who imagines that this black-hole of energy consumption can be fed by biofuels, wind, solar etc. is simply not doing the math. We sure can't keep dumping beautiful fuels like natural gas & #2 oil into producing electrical power. It's like feeding a pack of hungry dogs filet mignon. And there are a LOT of dogs plowing through a limited amount of filet.

Conservation would be the way to go, but look around - we live in a society of electric can openers and cars with power seats, mirrors & windows.

chapchap70_2

Is the earth still getting warmer?

I understand that the average temperature of the earth has decreased since 1998.

I am skeptical of many scientist's findings because I think there is a political agenda to much of their alarmist findings. Where do many scientists get the money for their studies? Weren't we supposed to run out of oil by the 1990's? Wasn't global cooling causing the mass hysteria in the 1970's?

Having said that, I am opposed to nonsensical waste. If people would simply let off the accelerator when a light turns yellow while driving instead of speeding up to slam on the brakes, an average automobile could use 10-15% less fuel. It also takes a lot of energy to replace brakes prematurely. I also think their would be fewer accidents, etc.

Supply House Rick

Good

Comeback Pottsie
Duh duh duh youze so clever

S Ebels

More oil info

Here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12553184/site/newsweek/

Mark Hunt

I had to respond


Fantastic!

"Feet firmly planted on the ground" post sir!

Thank you!

Mark H

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