If we don't turn the
lights off, the lights are going to go out.
THE ENERGY IN OUR
FUTURE?
Solar and wind energy
capturing devices are extension of the fossil fuel supply system and the global
industrial infrastructure. This has been
a theme in many of my essays. Imagine
beginning at the earth resources –the mine and the well- and the subsequent
flow of these products. This creates a tremendous picture in motion of
"energy" and resources flowing around the world.
I
have provided essays with videos and charts from the industries themselves that
show the manufacturing of various parts of solar and wind energy capturing
devices.
All the things in our world have
an industrial history. Behind the
computer, the T-shirt, the vacuum cleaner is an industrial infrastructure fired
by energy (fossil fuels mainly). Each
component of our car or refrigerator has an industrial history. Mainly unseen and out of mind, this global
industrial infrastructure touches every aspect of our lives. It pervades our daily living from the
articles it produces, to its effect on the economy and employment, as well as
its effects on the environment.
There are those that
promote large installations of these devices and those supporting small, individual,
distributive systems.
How will we use this electric energy?
This must be one of the mantras for survival now and tomorrow. Imagine
beginning at an earth resource –the mine, the well - and the subsequent flow of
these materials. This creates a tremendous picture in motion of
"energy" and resources flowing around the world.
There are multiple
questions that a realistic assessment of the future of these devices
requires. Each of these questions, asks
about the future of “renewable” devices.
As stated above with charts and videos
available, at present solar and wind energy collecting devices including their
auxiliary components and the majority of tools and toys in our techonogical
environment are extension of the fossil fuel supply system and the global
industrial infrastructure.
First
and foremost:
What
do we need the energy for?
Not,
why: What do we want this electricity
for.
This
must be one of the mantras for survival now and tomorrow.
When it comes time to replace these devices:
Where will the energy and resources come from?
To replace components of these systems:
Where will the energy and resources come from?
As we need to manufacture the tools and toys we want the
electricity for:
Where will the energy and resources come from?
Will we sequester/store the energy to provide for these
future needs?
How will we do that?
or
Will dedicated devices be built simply to facilitate
replacement?
Who will manage these dedicated devices?
What will stop society from using this sequestered energy?
Will the need to protect this sequestered energy create an
even more constrained and draconian social environment?
How will this electricity be equally shared globally compared to the present unequal energy availability?
How will we mine and transport all these raw resources:
the basic material for fabrication, the actual devices, the
various auxiliary equipment, the tools and the toys?
In
1975 because of the oil embargo there was a great interest In “simple”
living. I lived off the grid at that time, with no electricity. I did have a car. I taught a night
continuing ed class at one of the local college. In my naivete (and
arrogance), I thought I knew what simple living was (not in anyway like the 3
billion or more people in the world that lived that way not by choice but by
circumstance.)
Having
said the above, there was an exercise that was interesting.
The
first class I suggested that for a couple of days whatever they touched, they
would ask:
What is it made of?
Where does it come from?
Do I need it?
Can I make it myself?
How much energy is in it?
This
has charts of various electrical energy requirements.
So I sit here at my computer looking out the window. It is cool outside so the window isn’t
open. During the summer, with the window
open the screens keep the bugs out. I would have a small fan blowing air around
the room. I ask how do I get these
comforts and devices from a total “renewable” world?
How to manufacture window insect screen
1.24 minutes
Stainless steel wire mesh manufacturing
(stainless steel
weaving machine)
.56 minutes
Float Glass Manufacturing.
4.08
Minutes
How a CPU is made
10:15 minutes
How Electric Motors are made
4.50 minutes
Electric fan production process
https://youtu.be/pH95KZos-q0
2.14 minutes
We haven’t even considered growing food !
Big farming machines
1.38 minutes
OR
Horse Plowing
https://youtu.be/NlsgbRmnV6Y
1.43 minutes
“Modern” farming is an energy sink that
can't go on.
These works talked about it decades
ago.
Energy Basis for Man and Nature by Howard T. Odum and Elisabeth C. Odum
Energy Basis for Man and Nature by Howard T. Odum and Elisabeth C. Odum
The Fires of Culture
by Carol E Steinhart.
Or recently
CAN WE
REALLY HAVE A WORLD BASED ON
SOLAR AND
WIND ENERGY COLLECTING DEVICES?
This is, I believe,
an attempt to maintain business as usual - a one time shot.
The remaining fossil fuels would be wiser used to insulate homes, clean up nuclear waste, clean water, and clean up industrial waste for the next generations to come instead of one time electrical devices
The remaining fossil fuels would be wiser used to insulate homes, clean up nuclear waste, clean water, and clean up industrial waste for the next generations to come instead of one time electrical devices
Nice article.
ReplyDeleteI love documentaries like "How it is Made" and "Modern Marvels". The fossil energy infrastructure behind everything we rely in modern life is mind boggling, and mostly invisible to most people.
Yes, nice article. You don't have a reblog button on your site. I'd like to post it to my blog. Would you mind if I copy/pasted it there?
ReplyDeleteYes! Emergy is a good lens through which to evaluate the enormous embedded energy in the simplest of our devices, and how much wind and solar it would take to fully replace fossil fuels. (It ain't happening! ) Thanks for digging up the videos on various "simple" commodities and reminding us how high a house of cards we've built on fossil fuels.
ReplyDeleteI struggle with deciding how much personal change I can make, and what is a reasonable level to shoot for. Even knowing that solar is not renewable, and highly dependent on the fuel driven industrial ecosystem, I still plan to put some PV on the house next year.
Steve - I agree it is struggle how deeply to prepare. Most of us aren't able or willing to move way down the energy/resource use pyramid.
ReplyDeleteI have solar although bought it before realization and research, I still would put up some just as a buffer. Hand tools of all kinds are very important. Take care.