On Sun, Jul 27, 2008 at 04:54:38AM -0400, Tony Smith wrote:
> > > 1)  Development of hydrogen production, distribution and the use of
> > > Hydrogen as a fuel.
> >
> > Not feasible. Feasible solutions have to use existing
> > infrastructure. There are other reasons why hydrogen is not a
> > feasible alternative to gasoline.
> >
> > > 2)  Various methods of producing electricity  ( Solar, wind
> > and yikes
> > > nookies )
> >
> > Nookies.
> >
> > Vitaliy
> 
> 
> Yeah, screw hydogen, fire up the nukes and build electic cars (or ride your
> bike).

Personally I think we should be working towards solar power satellites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_satellite

With 10x the radiation energy out in geostationary orbit, a couple of
square miles of solar collectors can power a significant amount of
infrastructure.

The problem with nuclear is virtually all political. People believe that
it's inherently unsafe, and so will insist that the government overregulate
the industry to make the public feel safe. This drives up the cost to a
point where it's unprofitable to build. That's why there have been no new
nuclear plants built in the US in nearly 30 years.

If I were the guy, I'd do extensive testing on an integral fast reactor
design:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_Fast_Reactor

then build the heck out them with fast track approval as long as it follows
the well tested design. Since IFR reactors consume 99+% of their nuclear
fuel, the waste issue disappears as very little waste leaves the site.

> Nukes is the only 'alternative' that is known to work.

But like all the others it's not cost effective. Oil and coal continue to
be used because they are cheap. You make nuclear cheap, or solar cheap,
then folks will switch.

> 
> Tony
> 
> (yeah yeah, electric cars suck, I know, but ok for most uses)

Electric cars are limited. They don't suck. If they had the same
infrastructure in place that gas vehicles have now, then no one would drive
a gas vehicle.

It's going to require massive infrastructure changes to get EVs up to
speed. That's the problem. If EVs could pick up power from off the road
using induction so that you never had to plug them in, then everyone would
switch.

BAJ
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