Passive Energy Sources. Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere, Biosphere.
This essay examines the passive energy sources available from the Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere, Biosphere in terms of turning mass into energy in relation to human energy consumption levels.
It does not cover renewable sources of energy since these are variables within the maximum and minimum external and internal energy constraints and have been covered in other essays as shown in references at the end of this article.
Theory
If humans account for only 0.021 % of the total Carbon biomass and Carbon biomass production on Earth each year even discounting all of their artificially evolved; designed; artefacts.
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-212---passive-energy-sources-food-chains
There should be sufficient replenish able passive energy sources on the Earth to sustain human existence.
Data
Earth
‘Earth's mass is approximately 5.97e+24 kg (5,970 Yg). It is composed mostly of
Iron 2.1%
Oxygen 30.1%
Silicon 15.1%
Magnesium 13.9%
Sulfur 2.9%
Nickel 1.8%
Calcium 1.5%
Aluminum 1.4%
1.2% trace amounts of other elements.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth#Chemical_composition
Oceans
‘The mass of the oceans is approximately 1.35e+18 metric tons (1.35E+21kg) or about 1/4400 of Earth's total mass.’
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth#Chemical_composition
Atmosphere
‘The atmosphere has a mass of about 5.15e+18 kg’
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth
This is 0.00008% of the mass of the Earth.
The atmosphere is composed of
Nitrogen 78.084%
Oxygen 20.946%
Argon 0.9340%
Carbon Dioxide 0.04%
Neon 0.001818%
Helium 0.000524%
Methane 0.000179%
Water Vapour 0.001%–5%
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth
Total Earth, Oceans and Atmosphere as Mass and Potential Energy
Total mass or potential energy of the Earth, Oceans and Atmosphere
= 5.9713552e+24 kg
As Potential Energy this equates to
= 1.49077e+35 kWh
Source: http://www.calctool.org/CALC/phys/relativity/emc
Total Biomass
The Biomass; Biotic and Abiotic materials; has a combined mass of
= 4Ttc of Carbon
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass_(ecology) (Ttc = Terra tonnes)
This would allow for a total mass or potential energy of Biomass
= 4e+15 kg
This equates to 0.00000006% of the total mass of the Earth Oceans and Atmosphere combined.
As Potential Energy this equates to
= 9.98617e+25 kWh
Taking the total biotic; live; biomass on Earth
= 560 billion t of Carbon
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass_(ecology)
This would allow for a total mass or potential energy of Biomass
= 5.6e+14 kg
This equates to 0.000000009% of the total mass of the Earth Oceans and Atmosphere combined.
As Potential Energy this equates to
= 1.39806e+25 kWh
Taking the total annual primary production of biomass is just over
= 100 billion t/yr of Carbon
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass_(ecology)
This would allow for a total mass or potential energy of Biomass of
= 1e +14 kg.
This equates to 0.000000001% of the total mass of the Earth Oceans and Atmosphere combined.
As Potential Energy this equates to
= 2.49654e+24 kWh
Total Human Energy Use
Humans energy use per year
= 21.36 trillion kWh (2014 est.)
Source: CIA World Factbook 2016
= 21,360,000,000,000,000 wh
Allowing for the habitable area of the Earth
=44,370,000 km2
Source: https://www.universetoday.com/.../what-percentage-of-the-earths-land-surface-is-desert/
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean
Source: https://earth.esa.int/web/guest/-/land-use-4905
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population
= 44,370,000,000,000 m2
Humans Energy Use rate over 1 year
= 481 wh / m2
Human Energy Use Inefficiency
Humans are 1000 times less efficient than the biomass on the Earth at using energy.
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-212---passive-energy-sources-food-chains
Relating the Results
The potential mass into energy available from Earth
= 1.49077e+35 kWh
The combined biosphere energy equates
= 9.98617e+25 kWh
The total live biosphere equates to
= 1.39806e+25 kWh
The replenishing biosphere equates to
= 2.49654e+24 kWh
The replenishment rate of the biosphere
= 1 year
However
The rate of energy flow input to the Earth (Sun and Moon)
= 0.9 w/m2
The rate of human energy use
= 481 wh / m2
= 481 w/ m2
Initial ratio of natural energy input to human energy use
= 1 to 534
Humans use energy 534 times more than the natural system energy flow.
Humans are also 1000 times less efficient than the biomass on the Earth at using energy.
Source: Passive Energy Sources. Food Chains
Total ratio of natural energy input to human energy use
= 1 to 1534
Equating this to the potential energy sources available.
As % of potential mass into energy available from Earth
21.36 trillion kWh / 1.49077e+35 kWh x100
= 0.00000000000000000001%
As % of combined biosphere energy
21.36 trillion kWh / 9.98617e+25 kWh x 100
= 0.00000000002%
As % of live biosphere as energy
21.36 trillion kWh / 1.39806e+25 kWh x 100
= 0.0000000001%
As % replenishing biosphere as energy
21.36 trillion kWh / 2.49654e+24 kWh x 100
= 0.0000000008%
Conclusions
From the analysis it is apparent that there are sufficient replenish able passive energy sources on the Earth to sustain human existence.
These energy sources operate at very low energy transfer rates and so humans will have to alter their society to match the natural energy input levels to use them.
Ian K Whittaker
Websites:
https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles
Email: iankWhittaker@gmail.com
11/07/2017
14/10/2020
913 words over 4 pages
Additional references.
Towards an Architecture without manufacturing web site.
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-027---human manufacturing related to global warming
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-028---the cost of solar energy
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-031---the problem with wind energy
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-047--- The Potential Energy of the Earth
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-049--- The Role of Human Beings in relation to the Bio-Sphere of the Earth
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-051--- Human Passive Energy Systems – Breathing
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-052--- Human Passive Energy Systems – Temperature Control
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-053--- Human Passive Energy Systems – Light
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-054--- Human Passive Energy Systems – Oxidation
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-056--- Human Passive Energy Systems Photosynthesis to Leaf Fall
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-121---human-potential-energy-gain-and-energy-output
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-133---the-inefficient-sun