Focusing on efficiency as a major shortcoming of PV is silly. When the fuel source is essentially unlimited and free, efficiency is not an important factor. It only comes into play in the form of economics and physical area. As far as economics is concerned, the important metric is dollars/watt, and that just keeps coming down. As far as physical area is concerned, it is of course, very important when it comes to home solar. If you don't have enough roof space (or backyard space for a standing array) to get the power you need, then you have a problem. But in the big picture, the total amount of space that needs to be covered with solar panels to produce all the energy we need is surprisingly small and quite practical. It is not just an interesting fact that the sun provides more energy to the planet in an hour than the human race uses in a year. There are vast tracts of flat, unused land that could be employed and it doesn't add up to any kind of environmental catastrophe, as scare-mongers try to claim. There have been many studies on this topic and you can hunt them down if you'd like. People ranging from Dr. Richard Perez to Elon Musk have beaten this topic to death. The argument that renewable energy sources are a blight on the land is, for the most part, bogus. Comparing some wind turbines or solar arrays to belching smokestacks is frankly stupid.
- Member since Feb 10th 2017
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Posts by interested observer
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To paraphrase Field of Dreams, as far as birds are concerned, if you build it they will fly into it.
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Annual bird deaths in U.S. by cause:
Cats. 2,407,000,000.Buildings. 599,000,000.
Cars. 199,600,000.
Power Line Collisions. 22,800,000.
Communication Towers. 6,581,945.
Power Line Electrocutions. 5,630,000.
Wind Turbines. 573,093.
The concern about bird deaths is perhaps the most bogus criticism of wind power.
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“🤔 fringe? If it is explainable within the basic laws of physics it isn't fringe, simply alternative and new.”
To be clear, what I was referring to as fringe ideas are notions that there is not enough energy available from renewable sources and that they are fundamentally harmful to the environment. Such ideas are espoused either by people with specific agendas or those with basic misunderstandings.As for LENR’s place in all of this, I don’t have an opinion, despite Jed’s insistence that I am not permitted to not have one. All I can say is if it really works, can be developed, and can scale, then it would be the cat’s meow.
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“I understand the shocking truth that this movie shows, but we have to be honest about the reality. Energy density is the key to swapping out away from fossil fuels. And it's just not there with "renewables”
Fortunately, relatively few people who actually know anything share this distorted and false viewpoint. If the fossil fuel oligarchy got the hell out of the way, these fringe ideas would deservingly vanish into the dustbin of history. -
For a different view of Moore’s dangerous BS:
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Rossi worshippers: I am far from perfect and not remotely omniscient. What I am is as much as possible grounded in reality and not living in a fantasy world unfettered by facts and evidence. Try it some time. It could change your life. Or keep hiding in your weird little cult. Maybe it’s the best you can do.
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...I don't see evidence...
Those are the only words you have ever spoken that are clearly correct.
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the atheist persists in proselytizing the believer from his faith
At least Axil seems to have finally realized that Rossi-ism is a religious cult that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with science (or logic, or facts, or critical thinking, etc.)
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I guess it must be fun to live in the fantasy world inhabited by Rossi followers where their strongly-held beliefs are based entirely on their hero’s endless blithering and where there is not a shred of evidence to support any of it. As Mr, Spock always said: fascinating.
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The Rossi supporters could all go
away and you would still follow him.
Not even for 5 minutes.
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When and where did anyone hear from Rossi’s coworkers?
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So....what do you think he is lying about, specifically? That there actually is a third party test, or that it's in Europe, or that he won't receive updates about how the test is going, etc?
Which characteristics of unicorns do you think are false? That they can only be captured by maidens, that they walk very quietly, or that their horns can cure illnesses?
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I was not refering to any researcher or claimed inventor in particular, nor do I advocate for any claims that violate the most fundamental laws of conservation and such. New is not synonymous with psuedoscience in fact stagnation is closer 😉.
All fair enough. New is most certainly not synonymous with pseudoscience. But new is also not synonymous with correct.
Meanwhile, I was referring specifically to the latest E-cat, about which we know absolutely nothing. Therefore, any statements purporting to explain how it works are babble, especially including theories about what could be gleaned by a stethoscope. -
A tongue needs proper interpretation it isn't babbling or confusion. Scientific data is a tongue or language that many outside of frequent exposure to the sciences will hear as babbling but it is sweet to us 😁✌🏽.
Pseudoscientific babbling is a tongue or language sweet to those whose frequent exposure to the sciences comes only from the University of Google.
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I suppose somebody could. But would you understand the answer?
Given that the answer would have to be the functional equivalent of speaking in tongues, I am pleased to say that I would not.
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And that is the most important fact, which shows, that his charade is just a public stupidity test....
I’m sure some of our resident geniuses can explain exactly what Il Douche is listening for inside of his lawn sprinkler parts.
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Because, you know, he is supported by Universities, Industries, Institutions, and Scientists of the highest echelons, as is demonstrated by his frequent associations with them.
Of course, the interesting question is why you choose to believe any of that given the total lack of evidence.
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The interesting question about current Rossi believers is not what would cause them to no longer believe; it is why they believe that he has something in the first place.
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