Rethinking Energy: Beyond Fossil Fuels | SLICE SCIENCE

Over the last two centuries, human civilization has thrived on fossil fuels, a powerful yet flawed engine that is polluting and finite. While nuclear power offers an alternative, disasters like Fukushima reveal its dangers. Fortunately, recent innovations in geothermal, solar, and wind energy present sustainable solutions. However, these clean technologies challenge the wasteful structures built by fossil fuels, urging us to rethink our future.
Documentary: : SPACESHIP EARTH, The engine
Directed by: Kevin McMAHON
Production: NHK
#SustainableEnergy #RenewableResources #CleanPower #ClimateAction #FossilFuels #NuclearSafety #GreenTechnology

[@douglasengle2704]

The video is titled:"Rethinking Energy: Beyond Fossil Fuels" Then never makes any reference to that statement. The only means to greatly continue to increase economic output which increases energy use without having that mirrored in fossil fuel use would be with nuclear electric power generation for the vast majority of the regions on earth. Nuclear power is never discussed. The video states only 1/3 of hydro-electric sources have been developed. That is a misrepresentation. Overwhelmingly accessible hydro-electric sources have been developed in the world. There are a couple major rivers that could be damed and create vast hydro-electric power year round. In the African Congo over 10 GW of hydro-power could be developed and upgrade the region for ocean going ships to come much farther inland. The generation capacity maybe at the level of the Three Rivers Dam in China at 22.5 GW. The Congo doesn't have 10 GW of electrical demand and the project would need to sell much of the electricity to neighboring countries that even though cheap may not have strong market. The cheap wholesale year round supply of electricity should attract large industrial users of electricity with access to ocean going navigation. The other major river is running out of Tibet. China is developing it greatly for hydro-electric power. It is highly remote and the transmission lines are going to need to go hundreds km to get to their demand. This river if fully hydro-electric developed would be the largest source of hydro-electric power on earth by far. It has very high heads of water and lots of water. Other possible sources of hydro-electric power that might make up the vast majority of the 2/3 not developed are from low head small rivers that don't generate much power. They are far too disturbing to the local river and expensive to be justified on hydro-electric generation alone. Even staffing them is economically questionable for the small amount of power they generate. There would need to be vast amounts of these low output hydro-electric projects disturbing most rivers on earth at high expense and not capable of supplying year round power. They are far below what is considered viable especially when disruptions to the river are considered. This concept was tried in the US around 1900 with most of those small hydro-electric dams found to be not worthwhile and starting to be decommissioned in the 1920s or when a major revision of the dam were needed. The Belo Monte hydro-electric power project in Amazon Brazil is a relatively low head dam with the approved reservoir not of sufficient size for year round hydro-electric power output for lack of water. It should provide ample amounts of electric power, but a few months of the year electric power will need to use other sources. Most reservoir creation needs to have drinking water supply, flood control and agriculture irrigation as its major goals to justify the taking of land and relocating the people that live there. The Belo Monte hydro-electric project could supply year round power and more of it if the reservoir was expanded greatly which planning has been done for. The locals see that as taking much of their land and it would, but it is extremely attractive for year round hydro-electric power production. Persons outside the area would likely see it as a major improvement creating huge long reservoirs with abundant year round water that acts as large lakes for recreation. Year round cheap electric wholesale electricity in the region should attract large industrial users of electricity with jobs increasing the economy of the region. It would seem almost inevitable with land being of little value relative the vast increase in cheap year round power it would provide. That is what the local people understand and are trying to get grantees it does not happen. It would likely happen a generation from the time the current dam became a reality where many people have moved on and those remaining know it is likely to happen.