Energyville Discussion
When I played the game on January 20th, there were 504 posts. Some of the posters were very knowledgeable and proposed certain solutions that will help with energy supply. For example one user talked about using waste heat for combined cycles and co-generation. Another talked about reducing the amount that we use instead of striving for eternal growth. In my opinion, this is what will happen, whether it is voluntarily or forced due to energy decreases resulting from peak oil. However, not all of the comments were intelligent and I would like to highlight a few.
Popular Science and God
The next quote is from one of the posts in the Will You Join Us Discussion Forum: "There are so many innovative products cited in POPULAR SCIENCE every issue for the past two years...can't we tap into some of those now? It seems to me that God is providing many new resources to help us through such emergency times...they need to go into mass production while we are able to do so."
The first thing that concerns me is that he believes everything in Popular Science. My biggest problem with Popular Science is that they look at "emerging" technology that is often not commercially or even technically proven. It is definitely great material for a curious reader to think that these technologies are on the cusp of being realized, but in reality, most of these ideas are years down the road or won't ever be developed.
For example in this article, The Two Day Battery, from Popular Science, the author reports that scientists have discovered a way to make batteries last longer, going from 4 to 40 hours. Those who aren't skeptical probably think that it's just around the corner, but the author of the article makes the following concession his last sentence:
"Of course, this is still in the lab stage, and there are undoubtedly quite a few steps and hurdles between the campus and commercialization, but we're optimists."I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but we do not have the time or the resources to be optimists. We can't hope for the next emerging technology to magically save us. We need to be REALISTS and understand the the current problems and the current (however incomplete they may be) solutions that exist and begin to implement them.
My second concern is relating to god. If we are relying on god to provide us with energy then I think we have a rocky road ahead. I think it is highly unrealistic to hope for divine intervention when the laws of thermodynamics and physics are at work.
What the !@#& are you thinking?
The user who commented above might have some issues with what the next person has to say about creating mechanical life to use it to provide energy. (Disclaimer:the quote below has NOT been modified in any manner from the original text)
"perhaps genetically modified biomechanical , half creature half mechanical,feeding it neutritous water could produce a sercetion to then power the mechanical part. Is this possible yet or do we not no about it yet?"Spelling and grammar aside, there are significant problems with the ideas the person presents. Where would we get this "neutritous water"? Assuming there is an ample supply of "neutritious water", does the reader not understand that much of the caloric value of this water would be used in the biological process and less energy is available in the secretion than there was originally?
What I think, is that many people don't realize that energy just can't be extracted from anything. There are only certain sources of matter or energy in this world and universe that are useful and can be economically harnessed.
My Thoughts
I think that The Economist Group has focused on the wrong issue. They continue to work with the idea that we must continually provide more energy for mankind. However, thermodynamic laws and supply sets limits. I will admit that increased efficiencies and new technologies will provide some "free" energy that was previously not harvested due to inefficiencies.
But the overall picture is that we are already consuming more energy than is sustainable. As China and other developing countries continue to industrialize and copy the Western high-energy lifestyle, the pressure on energy supply and the environment will be even greater.
The reader who had a comment on Popular Science and God did have one nugget of wisdom: "...they need to go into mass production while we are able to do so." We must begin to acting today while we still have cheaper fossil fuels. Once peak oil hits, we will not have the extra energy to spend on infrastructure.
What Can You Do?
The Energyville game and discussion forums offer a great starting platform for learning more about energy. The game does a pretty good job of discussing the pros/cons of each energy and what technical or economical limitations may exist.
As always, education is the key. Educate yourself and your friends about the issues. We can't start making changes in this world until we know what needs to be changed.
- Energyville Part I: How will you Power it?
- Shell CEO Virtually Admits to Peak Oil
- The Party's Over - Richard Heinberg: Book Review
- Fuel of War: Article Review
- The Long Emergency: Surviving the End of Oil, Climate Change, and Other Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-First Century
- James Howard Kunstler
- Resource Wars - Michael Klare
- The Party's Over: Oil, War And The Fate Of Industrial Societies
- Richard Heinberg
- PowerDown - Richard Heinberg
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