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Source: 9 to 5 Mac

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RE: Baby step
By testerguy on 2/23/2012 3:23:46 AM , Rating: 2
All recycling and renewable energy is "lossy."

Don't group recycling with renewable.

Recycling, in the case of heat, light, radiation escaping the earth, is not just lossy - it's actually impossible to achieve any net gain in energy using current technology. If you drive your car up and down the country with your headlights on - you can't recapture the energy you used in doing that. It's simply outside what is possible right now.

Renewable energy, on the other hand, can (and does today) provide massive amounts of additional usable energy (within the context of the earth) which will not run out for the forseeable future.

The sun isn't renewable, the energy from it comes at a loss to the reserved energy of the sun.

The level of energy at the sun reducing is not of concern to us until the billions of years later when it runs out. Indeed, the level of energy at the sun reducing is essential to our survival. Within the definition of 'renewable energy' - the sun is indeed renewable. Contrast this, if you will, to oil - which will run out millions of times faster. To use your own quote, burning oil comes at a loss to the reserved energy of the oil. The difference is, the sun has far, far more which will last a lot longer.

And theories make everything more understandable. Newton's theories on motion didn't only describe what existed at the time, but helped people create more useful things that Newton never imagined could exist. The engine for example. "Theoretically" is one of the things that does help the real world, and quite significantly at times.

Your own comment describes how 'theoretically' only becomes useful or relevant when it is ACTUALLY implemented in a practical way, and at that point it is not theoretical at all. Theoretical methods of energy are of no use to someone who needs energy right now - unless you think that every scientist in the world is embarking down the wrong path and that you know better ways to capture energy.

Remember, solar power was 'theoretical' at one point - it's now reality - and that's why it's useful.

Honestly, I don't think even you know what your point is in all of this - you say that society has to adapt, going from oil, to nuclear, to renewable - yet when society does exactly that, you start banging on about the sun not being renewable, as if that has any relevance whatsoever? So really, what exactly is the point you're trying to make? Should all of the world ignore any renewable energy?


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