6. Renewables
direct mini-link to this page >> http://bit.ly/Renewables46
Full recording available to
M4.6 What Energy Sources are available & how do they work?
Civilizations are based on the fuels they use to power themselves. The fuel determines the technologies used, and the technologies determine the lifestyles, economies, and eventually the entire culture. So the transition to sustainable fuels is critical if we wish to design sustainable cultures.
This class explores which fuels can be considered 'renewable' & under which circumstances.
Also we look into the various transformer technologies which are needed to make this energy available to us, how they are most effectively used and we explore what a truly 'solar-powered civilization' might look like.
Ozzie Zehner - Green Illusions
"Ten years from now, will we think of renewable energy as clean and green? Emerging research on the side effects and limitations of solar cells, wind turbines, biofuels, electric cars and other alternative energy strategies will likely transform conventional wisdom about what's green, and what's not. Which players will be left in the dust? Who will innovate the next green revolution? And how?
The Sunday Times describes Ozzie Zehner an "an academic who is causing shockwaves." He is the author of Green Illusions and a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. He lectures at universities and public policy organizations."
Ozzie's YouTube Channel here & More Ozzie lectures on YouTube here
Renewable energies ... simply aren't.
There's a dialogue in our FB group about this subject (click icon to go there)
What are we waiting for?
Visit http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/efficien... to find out all about decentralised energy.
Two thirds of all energy generated in the UK's nuclear, coal and gas fuelled power stations is lost as waste heat - that's enough heat to meet the whole of the UK's heating and hot water needs.
Greenpeace has launched a new short film, "What are we waiting for?" Made by BAFTA award-winning Memory Box Films and narrated by Clive Anderson, the film answers the crucial energy question facing the UK: how can we combat climate change and ensure energy security without nuclear power.
GreenPeace - report 3rd edition 2010 world energy scenario
A global energy scenario paints a picture of our common future – the picture depicts how the future could unfold. Energy scenarios send important messages on alternative futures to decision makers in political, financial, industrial sectors as well as other stakeholders in the energy market. They paint a picture which can encourage and guide decision makers involved in shaping our energy future.
From an Australia Institute Discussion
on some of the complexity of the energy / technology debates
Solar, and any other kind of energy technology that is regarded as ‘renewable’
(let’s not kid ourselves that solar panels and windmills are self-replicating and biodegradable like plants and animals…) is only of value if society is able to see things as they really are
– if all people in this ‘machine’ we call present society recognise where we need to go and contribute to getting us there.
It means solar panel manufacturers who are actively working towards the day when they are no longer required for that task, and are, like everyone else, spending available time to upskill and cooperate to build a world that can function, as it did for thousands of years before, on real time energy
(but now, on this side of the industrial revolution, it must happen with a vastly larger population base, so far more carefuldesign must go into it).
...
It doesn’t matter how ‘clean’ the energy, if it’s not a positive — wholly regenerative and cyclable — it only delays the inevitable.
I’ve tried to explain Jevon’s Paradox before, which tells us the more efficient in energy we get, the more energy we will use.
We need to think about what we really want, learn to want the right things, and we need to work together to accomplish it.
Some Links
(suggested Oct'14 - yet to be checked by us)
– wikipedia made for clean energy technology advancement: http://peswiki.com/index.php/Main_Page
– free wireless network: Several initiatives are already working and could be replicated worldwide and all time trying to improve it
http://freifunk.net/ and guifi.net ( this last one we are already in contact)
– wiki and forum on open sustainable hardware and related projects http://www.appropedia.org/Welcome_to_Appropedia
DIY
– http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/
– http://hacknmod.com/topics/diy-free-energy/
– Stoves: http://e-goodstovedesign.blogspot.com.es/
other
– http://www.ohwr.org/projects