tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148797755731444630.post6127780228379468624..comments2024-03-26T04:38:44.333-03:00Comments on Ecological Sociology: Bill Gates on Energy and ClimateGaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01594415948430315779noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148797755731444630.post-19587109340518532502010-02-28T10:26:41.650-04:002010-02-28T10:26:41.650-04:00Yes, you're right. He's got a stake in the...Yes, you're right. He's got a stake in the product and still thinks like a business person. And, like many techno wonders, it may come to nothing. However, my view is that the shit is going to hit the fan. And that we need to be actively exploring all alternatives, including those that fit within the paramaters of a large, centralized and heavily capitalized distribution system, not just those that can be decentralized to the household level.Garyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01594415948430315779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148797755731444630.post-6355750915018550042010-02-24T08:27:05.112-04:002010-02-24T08:27:05.112-04:00The price of electricity is hugely important, of c...The price of electricity is hugely important, of course, especially when I pay my NB Power bills every month.Shaun Bartonehttp://www.urbpharm.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148797755731444630.post-77827452775062015402010-02-24T03:40:01.939-04:002010-02-24T03:40:01.939-04:00The article cited states that development of Gates...The article cited states that development of Gates invention (he owns the company that is developing it) will take 10 years, mass production 15 years. That puts us out to 2025, about the time that 2+Celsius rise in temperature becomes a reality.<br /><br />The Oil Drum is pushing another techno-wonder, the Bloom Box, one of several designs for a fuel cell. <br />http://anz.theoildrum.com/node/6242<br />It works great, only it costs $800,000. Bill Gates will probably buy one--only billionaires could afford it. <br /><br />Another idea was publicized recently--small nuclear reactors that you could put in your back yard, or link together in a distributed power network. Only problem is, where's the local nuclear physicist in your neighbourhood that could fix one of those things?<br /><br />Sorry to be skeptical about all these wonderful gadgets but we're wasting time when we have a number of simpler and less expensive technologies that already work well enough. Not perfectly mind you, but better than most of what's out there: wind, solar, geothermal, wave tech, hydro, etc. <br /><br />When the final wonder-gadget finally gets produced and mass-marketed at under $2000 per household--the cost of a water heater--then I'll tune in. Meanwhile, it's just interesting. . . .<br /><br />I feel the same way about "new discoveries of oil--or shale gas,etc.--or depleting sources of xyz." Can't get excited about it any more. The only thing that matters is the price of gas, because that's the only thing that has a large-scale effect on the structure of our economy. I find out the price of gasoline/oil on the evening market report, and that's all I need to know. The rest is just interesting. . .Shaunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00819386247211202874noreply@blogger.com