My post series on Generating Electricity without Fossil Fuels has gotten some interesting comments. I would like to respond to them here.
Highlights from the Comments on Generating Electricity without Fossil Fuels
Tag: Energy
Mining the Heat of the Crust?
Next generation geothermal power claims to be a potential game changer in electricity generation. I knew nothing about it until recently. This post is a summary of the field for the people who know nothing about it and some questions for the people who do.
Generating Electricity without Fossil Fuels. Part IV: Comparisons and Policy Recommendations
How should we generate electricity?
Last post, we described a simple model of an economy that uses 100 GW of electricity. The economy was assumed to initially be predominantly fossil fuels. We got order of magnitude estimates for various scenarios of how to transition from fossil fuels to either solar / wind or natural gas.
This post directly compares the results from last post. It concludes with my own opinion of which strategy we should pursue.
For this model, I will state numbers for both the 100 GW model economy and numbers for a 500 GW economy – about the size of the US.
Generating Electricity without Fossil Fuels. Part III: A Simple Model
How should we generate electricity?
Last post, we discussed the various power sources from the perspective of the grid and briefly discussed energy storage. This post will put together the results of Parts I & II in a simple model to test different strategies for moving away from using fossil fuels to generate our electricity.
The simplifications in the model will make the transition away from fossil fuels look easier than it is. But they should be a fair comparison between the different strategies we might use.
Generating Electricity without Fossil Fuels. Part II: The Perspective of the Grid
How should we generate electricity?
Last post, we discussed various alternatives to fossil fuels. In this post, we will take the perspective of the grid. How do each of these power sources impact the functioning of the grid?
How scared should we be of nuclear power?
This is a companion post to the Generating Electricity without Fossil Fuels series. For many people, safety is the primary concern for nuclear power. I should address nuclear safety before analyzing it as one of the main possible strategies for moving away from fossil fuels.
Generating Electricity without Fossil Fuels. Part I: Overview of Alternative Power Sources
How should we generate electricity?
Currently, the majority of our electricity comes from fossil fuels, especially coal and natural gas. Burning fossil fuels has given us access to tremendous amounts of energy and has made modern civilization possible. Without them, we would have had trouble feeding ourselves, let alone obtaining our current standard of living.
Unfortunately, burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases that warm the global climate. And they will run out eventually. What other sources are available?