In Part 1 of this series on “Solving the World’s Energy Problem,” I made the case that fossil fuels are finite and must ultimately be replaced. Biofuels are a suitable substitute for fossil fuels, as both fossil fuels such as coal and oil, and biofuels such as alcohols and biodiesel, are essentially equivalent: both are energy from sunlight stored in a concentrated form. However, since our capacity to produce biofuels is unlikely to ever be at the level to replace more than a fraction of the fossil fuels now in use around the world, the development of alternative energy technologies is essential to enable human civilization to replace fossil fuels at some point in the future. Part 2 focused on possible alternative energy technologies that were based on converting energy from the sun into usable energy. Included on the list were solar heating technology, solar photovoltaic power, and wind energy.
But in addition to energy from the sun, there is another source of energy that could help fill the energy gap created by the reduced availability of fossil fuels. This other possible source for sustainable, renewable energy is energy derived from the earth itself.
There are three earth-generated technologies that, I believe, can serve as large-scale energy sources. Continue reading “Solving the World’s Energy Problem – Part 3”
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