As many of you now know, we're currently in the middle of the so-called green revolution. I say so-called, because I believe that it is dubious to say that any of the current methods of most greenies are even close to effective. Rant at me if you will, but for the most part, it is optimistic hooplah on unproven and so far incapable technologies and systems.
A clear example of this in my mind is the mighty Prius. Almost the symbol of this revolution with it's .29 drag coefficient that is so bragged about, compared to... what...a .30 drag coefficient, hardly worth mentioning. But that's the least of my concerns. The real concern lies at the heart of that little machine. The battery. That Prius is totally incapable of being mass produced for less that it currently costs. In fact, it and any other electric vehicle will increase in price if produced for the general consumer. Why? the materials that are available for these purposes are in fixed supply, a very fixed supply, and increasing demand is only going to make prices double/triple/quadruple. It's basic economics. If you think technological increases are going to save it, you are mistaken, 96% of the costs of these batteries is in said rare raw materials.
Besides, the only advantages of the technology are regenerative braking (helps in stop in go traffic) ability to turn off when idle, and high efficiency at low rpm (ie starting moving) of electric motors) Steady state on the freeway, you're just driving a normal car buddy.
Just go buy a turbo-diesel and get better mileage anyway.
Follow this up with what currently is my second favorite mockery of the intelligence of the human race. The Windturbine. Sure it's cheap easy electricity...but your as much at it's mercy as 16th century sailors were to the doldrums. So you've got a 1.21 gigawatts of capacity, that is generating... let's see 0 Watts. What a great way to step into the 21st century, by jumping back 4 centuries...
I get's worse, most of what is "generated" by wind turbines isn't actually used anyway, because they never power down the base-load station just because the wind picked up a couple mph's. Seriously, I think wind can have a big effect on our energy security, but not for generating electricity on demand for the grid. Not unless a sufficiently good storage technology comes along...and, oh wait most high tech batteries are out (if you don't understand why, you should probably just stop reading and start over again). Lead-acid batteries, although not ideal, could do at least part of the trick, but ironically are not "green" enough.
Which brings me to my last thought, who chooses to spend money on this stuff anyway... oh yeah politicians, who really have no business making these decisions. Or alternatively self-interested and clever scientists who are more interested in preserving their jobs through government funding than doing actual work to benefit society.
My Solution:
Jeremy for President 2030
Scratch that, Jeremy-- Dictator-for-Life...whenever I get around to it. ;)
In all honesty, I don't care for the tea-party movement or a lot that junk, but I sincerely think the world needs help, environmentally, morally, socially, economically, pretty much all around the board. Unfortunately, too many people are content to check out and let things go on because they don't know any better. Don't be those people.
A good succinct version of what I looked through the data myself for:
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/09/alice-in-evland-six-impossible-things?cmpid=rss
The wind stuff... I'll get around to posting stuff that I looked up on that sometime, if you come up with some good info let me know, I'd be happy to see it.
