XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.sf.science   
   From: seawasp@sgeinc.invalid.com   
      
   On 1/23/14 12:05 PM, Doc O'Leary wrote:   
   > In article ,   
   >   Greg Goss  wrote:   
   >   
   >> Modern North Americans just cannot fathom the scale of a horse-based   
   >> society.   
   >   
   > s/horse-based/sustainable   
   >   
   > And, sadly, the problem isn't just limited to North American.  The   
   > majority of sci-fi hand waves abundant energy into the future, but the   
   > reality is that, so far, that appears to be the hardest hurdle we have   
   > facing us.   
   >   
      
      
   	Only hardest in a political sense. There are designs for (relatively)   
   inexpensive and easily-manufactured safe nuclear reactors which wouldn't   
   require the super-billions of dollars or the many, many years to   
   construct, but NOOKYOULAR PHEEER! pretty much kiboshes those.   
      
   	Solar power has come a **LONG** way in the last 20 years, and the ONLY   
   real hurdle it has left is storage. If someone figures out a   
   high-density storage medium, or is willing to install 2-3x base capacity   
   so that the "storage medium" is synthesized hydrocarbon fuel of some   
   sort, the energy issue would be settled pretty well.   
      
   	Farther into the future you have SPS, which has the advantage of no   
   interruptions of service and no losses due to atmosphere or clouds. And   
   the standard designs avoid the MICROWAVE DEATHRAY!!! problem.   
      
      
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                         Sea Wasp   
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)