Summary
Renewables, such as wind and solar, both with battery backup are predominant and currently being installed worldwide. However, there are some exciting alternatives being developed.
This blog explores nuclear fusion and 24 hour solar transmission from outer space. Both have been around for a while but research has removed many of the problems that have held them back. While they are both more than 10 years away, these longer term solutions have big advantages.
Fossil fuels have been great, but they are old technologies, needed less and less until cleaner technology meets the world’s needs. The low cost, worldwide availability of clean energy clearly outweighs the continued use of fossil fuels.
Many think existing nuclear fission technology should be expanded, but it is expensive, even the new smaller reactors are not an economic or long term solution. Although now much safer, public opinion is generally against it.
As always watching a video helps understand the technology. Below is a good explanation of space based, 24 hour solar power.
Space Based 24 Hour Solar Power
In space, the sun shines without cloud interference, 24 hours a day. Space Energy Initiative (SEI), is a UK collaboration of industry and academics. They plan to assemble and maintain solar panels in space using autonomous robots. Power is then transmitted to Earth by microwaves. Microwaves have been developed to be safe and capable of delivering large amounts of power.
A narrow strip around a geostationary Earth orbit receives more than 100 times the amount of energy per year than the world is forecast to use in 2050.
While it sounds too good to be true, it’s something that could be happening as soon as 2035, according to Martin Soltau, the co-chairman at SEi.
Similar projects are under development elsewhere.
Nuclear Fusion
See also the prior blog, Nuclear Fusion, the Ultimate Power Source.
Fusion works by forcing together hydrogen atoms rather than by splitting them, as is the case of fission used in existing nuclear power stations. It is so appealing because fusion would create abundant, limitless, clean and safe energy. 1 gram of deuterium (a hydrogen component) would power a house for a year and hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe – think water H2O.
In the core of the Sun, huge gravitational pressures allow fusion to happen at temperatures of around 10 million 0C. To compensate the lower pressures possible on Earth, temperatures to produce fusion must be much higher, above 100 million 0C. Some trials are using 150 Million 0C. How is this possible? By working in a vacuum, using powerful magnets and high power lasers. Also, the heat is focussed at an atomic level only for a very short time.
There are 2 major problems
- Creating a continuous fusion output. So far the record is 5 seconds!
- Using less energy in than out. That hasn’t happened yet!
Trial Status
The number of trial companies is large, about 30 private companies with serious funding (billions of dollars) and many government organisations. The market is $trillions per year. Some are small with different methods and some are very large. An example is ITER in France, funded by a consortium of countries. These include the UK, USA, Italy, Germany, Spain, Russia, France, South Korea, Japan, India and China. ITER is to be completed for trials by 2025.
An example of different technology is one private company that has a small fusion device using piston pressure to generate electricity directly. Most use heat to make steam which powers a conventional generator.
This video covers the variety of research projects underway now.
More than 90% of people in the industry believe fusion power will be supplying the grid by the 2030s. Let’s hope they are right.
References
Great piece, Campbell!
I like the orbiting solar panels solution. It is an obvious way to sustain off-world colonies and could be linked with communications networks, I imagine.
Perhaps our focus will soon have to address how to reduce the planet’s temperature (without sending us into another ice age!).
That’s one for the youngsters to take on
Tony
Thanks, Tony
I hope we will have a solution eventually to prevent an ice age. Highly sophisticated AI will by then probably have a fix!? You and I won’t have to face it but our descendants probably will.
Campbell
Thanks! Very interesting
Glad you Liked it, Duncan.
Campbell,
Interesting concept that solves many issues, not taking up areas of the earth for energy production and wars between countries being resolved in space as to who can take out the others energy source.
We could be in trouble if because of the time travel to eliminate the source is considerable all space energy sources could be simultaneously taken out.
Grahame
Good to hear from you.
I suspect there will be many satellites and alternative sources such as nuclear fusion on the ground, so it would be much the same as it is today. Also on the ground, networks connect all energy sources. This is being done increasingly in Europe so that if one or more sources are taken out, the other connected generators will remain on the grid. As always there are bright minds thinking up and preparing for the scenarios you predict.
Also, it would be the same for both sides.
Good thoughts Grahame. I agree we can’t help thinking of what could bring it all undone
Campbell
Well done again Campbell. Interesting and prevocative thoughts. I can’t help thinking of how adaptive the human brain is in adapting to situations and solving problems in times Of need. An old science teacher of mine used to say that “necessity is the mother of invention” -how right is that eh?.
The interesting thing that I find is that in many instances the answer to a problem is out there for us to find. Spaced based power and solar and hydrogen are examples I suppose. Not a new invention as such ,but a resource out there ready to be exploited once mastered. Brilliant!!
As a red herring I would bring up the fact that greed and self interest are often barriers to innovative ideas taking hold. Take, the fuel and fossil interests as examples. These industries see fuel alternatives as a threat to their existence and actively try to stop alternative development from replacing their products. An example is the early motor vehicle industry where the petrol interests bought out the licences and patents of the groups involved in the development of electric motors being developed to power the motor car. I am sure the list goes on!
Thanks Michael
Yes, necessity is the mother of invention and often it happens at 1 minute to midnight! I think with climate change that will be the case. It is a huge ask with the danger being triggering dangerous tipping points.
Campbell
The older I get the more I realise how little I know.Thanks for putting this info out there; I suspect we will be seeing a lot more detail on this subject.Appreciate your introduction to what’s ahead of us.
John
John
Thanks as always. I enjoy reading about how technology is changing so fast. Anyway it keeps me off the streets!
Hoping to catch up next Thursday.