B.S. 7671 Compliant Installation but

Hi Chris, yes I guess it was a bit bleak! 


You're quite right that we're a very innovative species  and will find solutions to the numerous challenges we've created. Geological timescales are so vast that it's quite difficult to appreciate how all our accumulated knowledge and understanding has been achieved in the "blink of an eye" in comparative terms.


​​​​​​I Guess we've gone off script from Zoom's original post but the narrative seemed to be suggesting that the renewable energy sector was too expensive compared with existing generation technologies. My contention is that we have to look for more long term sustainable forms of energy that have a much reduced impact on our natural environment. It is difficult to completely iliminate all impact as illustrated by the new Cumbrian mine to produce coking coal for steel production. We will need steel for all these newable energy projects and I prefer we mine in our own back yard than import from questionable regimes half way around the world. The question of affordable electricity is more to do with inequality in society than the cost per unit of the capped rate.

There are many innovative approaches to energy storage being stimulated by the need to balance the grid. With regard to pump storage Rhe energise are a company proposing lower cost smaller scale pump storage using high density fluid giving 2.5 times the energy of water. The systems proposed do not require the large scale infrastructure and mountainous terrain typical of conventional pump storage. Alternatives to battery technology includes systems based on vertical weights in disused mine  shafts using gravity (see Gravitricity). These would help address short term peaks in demand. Probably some of these technologies will fall by the wayside but optimistically the challenges posed by renewables will be solved through.such innovation.

Anyway until the sun ceases energy production in 4.5 Billion years I guess solar energy will continue to play a part! ?

Andy

" Legh, it's actually Plate Tectonics that drives geological processes including vulcanism. You'll be reassured that in 100 million years (just a short interval in geological timescales) when humans are long extinct the insects and newly evolved lifeforms will be enjoying planet earth without our toxins and pollution to contend with "


I agree but the short term damage to the greening of the planet is not directly related to the movement of large slabs of rock bumping into each other but the release of magma and poisonous gases into the atmosphere. Having said that, there are many organisms under the sea that depend on the sulpherous heat that is released through volcanic hydrothermal vents.


I found this article that some may find interesting.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190213090812.htm


Legh

Legh. Very interesting article and makes you realise how little we understand. I was aware of the hydrate deposits and that has been known about for a long time and had been of concern with regard to the possible impact of release into the atmosphere. What is interesting is the rapidity (in Geological timescales) of the changes although put in to perspective the present rates are worrying. 

With regard to plate tectonics it's not really a case of large rocks bumping in to each other. The plates either via spreading zones or subduction zones are the root source of most hydrothermal and other volcanic activity, with mantle hotspots (not well understood) accounting for the other vulcanic activity such as Hawaii and Galapagos Islands. Plate tectonics revolutionised our understanding of earth science in the 1960's. Even though Wegener's continental drift theories were the precursor many "experts" ridiculed him at the time as is often the case with new ideas!

Cheers Andy