Another "you can't make this #### up" story

SamSpade

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
PsyOps said:
I remember learning about how people fueled their lamps before electricity. The whale population was nearly destroyed providing the fuel for lamps. That was, until kerosene was invented. Now we have electricity, which is provided primarily by fossil fuels. The first power plant was coal-driven. Our power plants have been run by fossil fuels for nearly 140 years.
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That's just it though - you can BUILD a windmill and set it up - or you can walk outside and pick up a piece of coal with your two hands. You can build a solar array and hook it up to a grid - or you can dig in the ground and get the energy lickety split in an easily transportable form.

To make it happen - you've got to make it BETTER. You didn't get people to watch TV so they could WATCH some guy tell you the news you already got for free with a radio - you put shows and movies on it. You didn't get people to buy a car just so they could struggle to go a mile or two - people bought them when they learned you could drive 50 or more miles in an afternoon ride - with your whole family.

This is a part of the problem we're facing when getting people to adopt technologies - no one had to strong arm the public to purchase smartphones - they do so much for so little, comparatively - and they do some things other things don't do at all. And they're affordable. Too many of the wonderful technology the government is so determined for us to adopt is still cost prohibitive with poor ROI. If they can get me a solar array that I can afford and will eliminate my electric and heating bill - you wouldn't be able to STOP me from signing up.
 
SamSpade

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
GURPS said:
if green energy was viable - it would not require Gov Subsidies
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Government subsidies are a good way to keep people using what they're already using, or making stuff they're already making.

It is GROSSLY insufficient to get people to START using it. Would you bet the life of your business or financial future on the government ALWAYS subsidizing something?
 
TPD

TPD

the poor dad
Hijinx said:
Everyone in a electric car is a pipe dream.
How much rare earth will it take to make batteries to fit in all of these cars, and worse WTF do you do with them when they die?
Then how do we make a power grid to charge them all.

When they make an electric car that will charge itself with a solar panel on the roof let me know.
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glhs837 said:
Everyone in a gas car instead of riding in buggies is a pipe dream. Where will we find the steel and rubber to make them? Where will they fill them up with gas? Who will employ all the people making buggy whips?

The answer of course is gradually, like all change. The use of rare earths in batteries is out of date. Cobalt is being reduced drastically, lithium is plentiful, but hard to extract, but new methods are on the horizon. And unlike gasoline, the materials in these batteries can and will be recycled. Hasn't been a big push on that yet because we really have not deployed that many, and the lifespans look really good so far, with usage even after not being suitable as a car battery anymore in home storage even better.

The grid needs to beef up, and part of that needs batteries also, it's not just more capacity as in leveling/shifting demand. When you can balance demand and fill the peak loads from batteries, you need less peak. With the right climate and efficient use, you can indeed run off of panels, in some places. No everywhere. But where you can, it reduces grid load. Change takes time. And no, I dont agree with govt forcing it. But it will happen.
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GM one of the first to commit to all electric....by 2035!! :oops:

https://apple.news/A8zwvNnLERmu1h2_cTxVyXQ
 
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