Hi,
You should check out Guy Dauncey's books and DVD -- he is located in Victoria. Germany is approaching 12% power from PV and they will probably get to well over 20% quite soon -- they have as much solar as in Washington state; which is just about the worst anywhere in this country.
Denmark is doing very well in wind power.
What is wrong with diversifying? If we can get 33% of our power from wind in South Dakota alone (or 66% if we double our efficiency), and if we can get 100% from solar in 10% of Nevada (200% if we double out efficiency)
and 18% from tidal, and an equal amount from wave power -- add in geothermal, biomass, and if we can cut our losses to transmission... It quickly becomes obvious that renewable energies can easily meet our needs, and then some.
Guy Dauncey estimates that we could collect up to 100X or 300X as power as we need:
Quote:
Does it add up?
2004 global energy use: 120 TWh/year
Global sustainable energy need : 120 TWh/yr
A: Tidal 21 TWh + Biomass 75 TWh + Geothermal 137 TWh * + City Solar 31 TWh = 264 TWh = 2 x need
B: Wind: 628 TWh(Archer, 2005) = 5 x need
C: Solar deserts (120 TWh per 340,000 sq m) = 100 x need
D: Deep Hot Rocks Geothermal: 10 to 200 x need
Total = 100 to 300 x more power than needed
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