XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.sf.science   
   From: rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com   
      
   Robert Bannister  wrote   
   > Rod Speed wrote   
   >> Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor)  wrote   
   >>> Doc O'Leary wrote   
   >>>> 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.   
      
   >> I doubt it will if energy does become hard get.   
      
   >>> Solar power has come a **LONG** way in the last 20   
   >>> years, and the ONLY real hurdle it has left is storage.   
      
   >> That is no hurdle now with national and sub national   
   >> grids and others that are close to that like the EU etc.   
      
   >>> If someone figures out a high-density storage medium,   
      
   >> We already have, pumped water.   
      
   >>> or is willing to install 2-3x base capacity so that the "storage   
   >>> medium" is synthesized hydrocarbon fuel of some sort,   
      
   >> I doubt that will ever make sense.   
      
   >> The most that is likely is that for the most convenient   
   >> transport fuel once natural gas and coal seam gas is   
   >> no longer economic as a transport fuel.   
      
   >>> the energy issue would be settled pretty well.   
      
   >> It already is if you don't mind using coal and brown coal.   
      
   >>> 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.   
      
   >> Cant see solar power satellites being viable myself.   
   >> Bet we use safe thorium nukes instead. MUCH cheaper.   
      
   > Denmark and Spain now produce well over 25% of their   
   > total electricity with wind power and that is set to increase.   
      
   Pity about the cost of doing that and the need to have all that   
   coal fired power to handle the situation where the wind isnt   
   blowing much.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)