What kind of energy should we be researching?

[charlesrixey]

What is the best means of energy you see for running our country in the future, and what should we be exploring further?

Nuclear Power
Wind power
Hydroelectricity
Cold Fusion (a part of nuclear power)
electric engines in vehicles
hybrid fuels (gas+ethanol, etc.)

[DU_stud04]

hydrogen.

nuff said.

[luvhoops34]

Originally posted by DU_stud04
hydrogen.

nuff said.

WORD

[charlesrixey]

i think, to be realistic (since hydrogen fusion is 50+ years away from economic viability on a large scale)

70% nuclear power
15% Hydroelectric
10% Solar
5% Wind

Electric fuel cells in vehicles

this would be a good way to eliminate fossi fuel dependency
in the next 25-30 years

[olddawggreen]

Originally posted by charlesrixey
What is the best means of energy you see for running our country in the future, and what should we be exploring further?

Nuclear Power
Wind power
Hydroelectricity
Cold Fusion (a part of nuclear power)
electric engines in vehicles
hybrid fuels (gas+ethanol, etc.)

First off I think we should continue to try and develop new ways to recover our petroleum reserves. Considering that with the technology developed thus far, we have only been able to produce a portion of the reserves that are in our known fields, leaving an estimated 40 to 60 % still in the ground. This is still one of the cheapest sources of energy that we have available.

Next I would have to go with nuclear power, I think most of the other solutions listed amount to bandaids in the world of energy and that while every little bit will help, they are not true solutions to our energy demands. Conservation will always be an important option to our energy problems. Just my opinion.

:)

[88bobcats]

The problem with many other energy sources is that they don't contain the same energy density as fossil fuels. Most drivers want to feel acceleration and won't be happy with the slower speed-up or lower maximum speeds of electric vehicles.

Hydrogen energy is, in many ways, considered by many to be too dangerous and unstable. I refer you to the Hindenburg disaster.

Geothermal, wind, solar, and nuclear energy sources can be used to create electric power; but alternative combustion fuels might be the only ones that satisfy consumer demand.

The most interesting alternative fuel I've heard of recently is bio-diesel. Willie Nelson is a big advocate of this stuff, and it's already being used to power 18-wheelers. It's produced from agricultural oils that are processed with glycerin. This stuff packs more of a punch. The only question is whether or not we can grow enough crops to have both food and fuel.....

[charlesrixey]

When i say hydrogen, i am referrning to fusion of the hyrdogen atom or 'cold fusion'

burning hydrogen itself is, as you said, inherently unstable

nuclear energy is the only one i can see that can adequately provide power for homes;

fueling our cars is a whole separate affair, given that there is no 100% alternative to fossil fuels right now.

While global warming is a guess right now, polluted air in general is not, and as the growing industrialization of china and other third world countries with burgeoning economies and low environmental regulations continues, the amount of fossil fuel pollution such as NOx, SO2, etc. is eventually going to make the air so bad that people can't live there anymore--we're talking about levels of air pollution factors of ten worse than southern california, if southeast asians remotely come close to the level of automobile use that we currently emply

[rangerjim]

nuclear

[Emerson1]

Give every house a big windmill.