Power everywhere 1.0
Our whole society would collapse without electric power. We completely rely on our computers, phones, refrigerators, TV, lamps. It has changed our way of living completely. And it is strange to realise it only became mainstream since the mid 20th century…
Growing numbers of power-gadgets
Since the 50s waves and waves of new must-have gadgets began to flood the market. What began as an electric system for simple lamps now powers almost everything in our home. With the coming of the global net, more and more stuff gets chips and ‘needs’ to become intelligent. We ‘need’ our media consoles, smartphones, intelligent cars, plasma TVs, LED lights etc. But now it seems an age of convergence of devices is happening with as prime examples the iPhone, the coming of the online cloud as our information store and the rise of netbooks together with more and more efficient chips.
But the cloud data centers to save our virtual lives already take more energy than all air traffic together. To sustain one Second Life avatar it consumes as much power as one Brazilian in a year. Now add up every social account you have. Maybe you should cancel some…
Constant flow of power
Power reaches us in 2 ways: electrons from a power outlet and gas for mostly heating and cooking. Electric power can be generated from multiple sources and gas comes from huge gasfields formed through the ages below the earths surface from organic remains.
Most electric power these days is generated from coal and natural gas and in some countries from nuclear reactions. It is impractical to store power after production in batteries like in our small gadgets so it needs to be constantly generated. So power companies need to constantly anticipate demand and adjust their generators. On hot airco days and during business hours more is needed. Also a lot of power is used just by empowering all those power networks transporting it.
If one node in the power network fails the whole network can come down because the pressure (voltage) drops. This can cause the power-failures which has happened before in Europe and the USA/Canada.
Powerful companies
Now power comes from a few powerful companies/countries mostly from sources like coal, gas, plutonium or petroleum/oil. With a growing world population and thus demand these energy sources are depleting. The prices will rise together with the power of influence of the companies and countries behind the energy sources.
Most of the conversions to power have unwanted side-products like CO2 or nuclear waste. These products will stay in our climate for years to centuries. With the deforesting smaller and smaller amounts of CO2 are converted back to Oxygen (O2) and organic carbon building blocks (C) for the plants. The planet takes a huge hit by our growing energy demands.
Challenges
We need our power for our current way of life. This information age is here to stay. But our current power system is reaching its max. It uses finite sources from centralized powerful companies and countries. We need to use more sustainable ways of generating power. Luckily they are just around the corner!
Read on about the bright future of power: Power everywhere 2.0
Creative Commons photo of power outlet by splorp
Uncle B Said,
February 15, 2009 @ 4:27
As oil gently prices itself off the market, Solar, Wind, Wave, Tidal and nuclear power will replace it, and since none of them produce a convenient, cheap, liquid fuel for automobiles, they will gradually become too expensive to drive, except for short distances. The cost of oil will make flying very expensive and unpopular, and fast trains will once again cross the prairies and run intercity lines. G d has not forsaken America, he is only changing it a little. We will learn to love buses run on methane from our poop and wastes as the Norwegians and Swedes do now. We will enjoy little carbon fiber roadsters acting as shuttle cars to and from busy train terminals and our homes, and we will still go on expensive but affordable intercontinental flights, but less often than we do now. Our business folk will learn to use computers and telecommunications for their work, as flying will price itself out of practical reach. The (GRD) great republican depression, driven by oil shortages and lack of ready cash, will help to transform life into something better, more fair, and complete with free medical care for all the boys and girls in America, just like in the richer countries! Americans will soon be proud of themselves and the good work they do in the world because Mrs., Clinton is representing us and behaves nicely with others. It will take Mr Obama, our new President a long time to get things going in the right direction again in America, and everyone except a few Uber-rich republicans, who behave badly towards others anyway, will support him. Soon, you will be able to visit all over America, going from city to city in very fast trains, just like the Chinese, Koreans, Japanese and Europeans do now! Your moms and Dads won’t have to spend all their money on rusty old cars anymore, and will be able to spend more time at home and have more money in their pockets for fun things too! Life, Post (GRD) after we take our medicine, and learn our lessons about the Uber-rich capitalist exploiters, will be democratic – that means that the only vote that counts will no longer be at the board of directors meetings for major stockholders, but the votes your mom and dad have will count too!