Following up on the most recent video, the Real News Network again asked me to flesh out some details. Could be a trend.
In response to some rather unkind, although funny, comments last time, I tried to find a better setting, like, not in my basement, but ran into a wi-fi deadspot in my chosen place. At times like these, I have to remember that “This ain’t PBS” is still a guiding esthetic principle of the Climate Crocks series.
=> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_Germany
Solar and wind capturing devices are not alternative energy sources. For the physical devices – for wind, photovoltaices, solar hot water, hot air panels – the sun and wind are there, are green, are sustained. The devices that are used to capture the sun and wind’s energy are an extension of the fossil fuel supply system.
There is a massive infrastructure of mining, processing, manufacturing, fabricating, installation, transportation and the associated environmental assaults. There would be no sun or wind capturing devices with out this infrastructure. This infrastructure is not green, sustainable, or renewable. The making of the these devices inadvertently but directly supports fracking, tar sands and deep ocean drilling because of the need for this infrastructure.
In addition, the Energy Returned on Energy Invested (ERoEI) is very low for all solar devices. It takes years if ever to repay the energy it took to make, install, and maintenance these devices.
I invite you to view these essays.
This essay has diagrams and pictures of how we get copper, aluminum, glass, black chrome – the chemicals, heavy machinery, and industrial processes that are necessary to make the devices to capture the energy of the sun and wind.
http://sunweber.blogspot.com/2011/12/machines-making-machines-making.html
and this one has similar information and includes research on ERoEI
http://sunweber.blogspot.com/2014/03/reality-again.html
And even if you could get around the environmental degradation, the low ERoEI and could amass enough extra energy to reproduce the capturing devices and their equipment, then how about the rest of the STUFF of high tech, high energy society?
http://sunweber.blogspot.com/2011/10/to-make-light-bulb.html
and
http://sunweber.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-small-fan.html
And you can never run a hundred feet! First you have to run halfway there, then half the remaining distance, then half that and so on. It’s impossible!
Of course, we don’t actually have to eliminate fossil fuel use entirely but whatever we DO have to eliminate we’ll have to start by eliminating half. Then half that…
Wind has some of the highest EROI figures of any energy source. Solar improves as manufacturing and module efficiency improves. Thin film has higher EROI than crystalline.
http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2013/03/energy-return-on-investment-which-fuels-win/
Peter, this an excellent, short video explaining changes taking place in energy. Your video standards are indeed high. The Yale series and other venues are quite good. You have a knack for combining skills. The ability to make easily understood descriptions and graphics in an enjoyable fashion is unique. There is a place for different forms. The info graphic video, the interview, the blog entry with text and clip. Is there anyone else doing it better or for less? Don’t think so. You are needed.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/01/3449868/renewables-soar/