Quote:
Originally Posted by Win1894
My point was that solar energy is a very diffuse source of energy and only works for part of the day. At all other times you need a backup source of energy - either a utility or battery system. Unfortunately, batteries are not a solution because it would require a massive amount of batteries to provide backup energy. For example, you would need a battery the size of your car to run your AC at night and on a cloudy day. A Tesla battery weighs 1200 pounds and only provides a range of ~250 miles. The same weight of gasoline takes my Audi almost 7000 miles.
Whether you buy into the climate change/global warming arguments is irrelevant. My point was to obviate all this windmill and solar nonsense by building 3+ and 4th generation nuclear power plants. Zero carbon footprint, walk-away safe, cheap energy, uses existing infrastructure, tiny manageable waste stream, non-proliferative, and a virtually unlimited supply of fuel. These power plants can produce so much energy in addition to supporting the power grid they could produce ultra pure water from seawater and can chemically reduce carbon dioxide from the air. It would also relieves us on any dependence on foreign oil sources. Other countries are doing this now (India, Russia, China).
|
I agree with everything. But, the comparison about the WEIGHT and range of a Tesla battery to the WEIGHT of the gasoline for an INFERNAL combustion engine - that's BOTH irrelevant and apples and prunes (in that case)! And if one would compare the weight in an electric car by adding battery plus drive train and then comparing that weight to the gas or diesel engine plus the massive drive train - I think that the ELECTRIC vehicle would win., And be quieter, and accelerated faster. But the big advantage is the ZERO pollution at the vehicle and charging station. It is a question of whether a person LOVES their mother.......MAMA EARTH! I certainly do!