Asteroids can Kill. No doubt about it.
Just ask the Dinosaurs!
Anyone unfortunate enough to be stuck in the path of one --
doesn't really stand a chance.
Unless that "Someone" happens to have the Intellect,
to channel, and re-direct the immense power of Nature,
towards a Better Outcome.
That someone, should be Us.
Mirror satellites 'could divert asteroid'
The best way to divert an asteroid from a potentially catastrophic collision course with Earth is to deploy a "swarm" of mirror-bearing satellites to focus a beam of sunlight onto its surface, scientists say.
Is there a bigger lesson here?
Archimedes said:
"Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth."
Of course Archimedes was well versed in the principles of Physics,
and the prime mover in the concept of ... Levers ...
Leverage
Levers can be used to exert a large force over a small distance at one end by exerting only a small force over a greater distance at the other.
In other words:
Sometimes the smallest actions, can make the largest difference --
when applied with intelligence, to make the most of the resources available
to solve the problem at hand. Including our collective intelligence.
In a similar manner, there are some "wise folks" among us,
are working diligently on Plans to use the Sun
to avert another Catastrophic Problem, facing us all:
the predicted wide-scale disruption to the World's Climate systems,
due to the unabated rise in Greenhouse gases, mostly fallout from the Human "Industrial Age".
In Europe, countries ARE banding together, planning for a Better Future Outcome.
They have realized that we just need to work Smarter, not Harder.
We just need to look to the immense power of Nature,
and somehow tap it, channel it, and re-direct it in ways,
that do not disrupt the complex web of Life, in the process.
In all things -- First Do No Harm!
The DESERTEC Initiative is on course to do just that:
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If only we could take all that Solar Energy baking the World's Deserts,
Bottle it up, (using modern technology),
and send it to the Metropolitan areas, that run on Energy.
Guess what, the ingenious scientists and technicians of European Union are drawing up the plans, to do just that!
BY 2050, THREE EARTHS WILL BE NEEDED TO MEET HUMAN DEMANDS.
In order to meet today's global power demand of 18,000 TWh/year, it would suffice to equip about three thousandths of the world's deserts (about 90,000 km2) with solar collectors of solar thermal power plants. About 20 m2 of desert would be enough to meet the individual power demand of one human being day and night (see below) - all this absolutely CO2 free.
[...]
Over 90% of the world‘s population could be supplied with clean power from deserts by using technologies that are available today.
RED PAPER - AN OVERVIEW OF THE DESERTEC CONCEPT (pdf)
desertec.org -- DESERTEC also has a facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/...
Nature has provided a limitless source of Clean Green Energy -- Our Sun!
It's just that most folks think, moving that Energy from where it's abundant to where it's needed -- is WAY TOO Costly.
Well Think again! Those Red Boxes are the "Solar Footprints" it takes to fuel our Energy needs. It just takes some "smart wiring" to make it happen ...
THE DESERTEC CONCEPT
A MAJOR GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY
The DESERTEC Concept will allow most people in the world to access solar and wind power from the energy-rich desert areas. This would be a useful addition to the renewable energy resources of each region. By using High-Voltage Direct Current transmission lines (HVDC), it is possible to transfer power with losses of no more than 3 percent per 1,000 kms. Given the relatively high intensity of sunlight in desert regions and the relatively small variations between summer and winter, the benefits of generating electricity in desert regions will more than outweigh the cost of long-distance transmission. More than 90% of the people in the world live within 3000 km of a desert and may be supplied with solar electricity from there.
CSP AND HVDC - SUSTAINABLE AND READY FOR USE
Compared with photovoltaics (PV), Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Plants (CSP-Plants) have the advantage that solar heat may be stored cheaply and efficiently so that CSP plants can generate power at night or on cloudy days. Also, gas or biofuels may be used as a stop-gap source of heat when there is not enough sun. These things mean that CSP plants may deliver power on demand whenever it is required.
[...]
At present, the cost of power generated by solar-thermal power plants including its transport via HVDC transmission lines amounts to 10 to 20 euro cent per kilowatt-hour – depending on the location, technology and form of operation. However, these costs will drop significantly with economies of scale and refinements in the technologies. If environmental and hidden costs are properly accounted for, it is likely that electricity from CSP plants is already cheaper than electricity from coal-fired or nuclear power plants.
(from Red Paper pdf listed eariler.)
In any case it is the low-loss HVDC electric transmission grids, that is making this importing/exporting of Sunlight possible, TODAY.
HVDC IS the Cost-effective Lever that Archimedes, could have only dreamed of.
Well Europe is doing more than just Dream about it. They are actually doing the wiring!
They are putting the 'Smarts', into Smart Grid!
Larger
The technical details about WHY Electricity moves more efficiently with HVDC, compared to AC, are quite interesting. The Supergrid Initiative pdf goes into a lot of detail about it, but briefly:
Traditional low voltage AC lines lose large amounts of electricity in long distance transmission, because electricity is dissipated as heat due to the resistance of the conductors. High voltage lines require less surface area for transmission, which results in less heat being created, and therefore less transmission loss. [Howerver] High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) lines remain inefficient over long distances.
The Economics of HVDC, vs traditional Low Voltage AC lines (18th Century Tech), is a much more relevant factor.
THE Limiting Factor for moving Green Energy long distance NOW -- is the AC, Alternating Current Power Grids, due to the "heat loss" of all that jostling back and forth:
This IS the Lever that CAN Nudge that 'Energy Impact' Asteroid, into our favor.
The Supergrid Initiative - e-Parliament (pdf - earlier version)
HVDC lines are already economically attractive when used over
long distances, costs are likely to decrease even further as the cost of
static inverters and other hardware comes down.
Larger
America too IS taking the first fledging steps, into making such long-term Investments, in our own Supergrid HVDC Infrastructure, like Europe and China are already doing.
DESERTEC gets serious -- Teams up with First Solar
We just need some longer Levers, and several many more "places to stand", in this friendly HVDC "energy race" of the future. And perhaps a bit more awareness about Energy Transmission physics, too?
Those costs CAN be ratcheted downward, with the right technology.
AC Power Grids are SOOO ... Last Century!
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Dinosaurs were NOT smart enough to avoid their Fate. (That Asteroid, with their Name on it!)
Fortunately Humans are. ('smart enough', in theory anyways.)
Now if only we could learn to channel and re-direct that other immense force of Nature --
The intellect of the Human Mind, the creativity of the Human Spirit, the persistence of the Human Species. Then maybe like Archimedes, we could "Move the Earth"?
Maybe there's more than one way, to tweak that Space-Time course were on?
If we could "nudge" ever so slightly the Carbon Course were stuck on, we just might avert the "ton of bricks" in our future. The European Union thinks so.
If only their creative power could be focused like a Mirror on our pending Energy Crisis -- if only they can blaze the trail to a better world ...
Perhaps then, we can still avoid the Fate of the Dinosaurs? ie. side-step that Asteroid of our own Inaction.
We have 'Dominion' of the Planet for a reason --
It is about time we figured out, really WHAT those reasons are ... ???
or at least what they should be?
If only our "Manhattan Projects" -- actually were focused on making the World a Better place. a Safer Place. One that strives for Peace ...
Instead of on Endeavors focused on finding the most efficient ways to "Do Harm", to our planetary companions, to find ways to leverage their will, to ours.
Imagine the kind of world we'd have. If the "king of the Species Hill" were actually 'Good Landlords' of the Planet, too!
The Possibilities are endless ... if only ... we could get in tune, with those forces of Nature greater than ourselves ...
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Of course, that means reaching the awareness of our Role, in our Planetary Web of Life ...
It would mean that as a Species, we would first have to learn the first rule of "Life Club":
In all things -- First Do No Harm!
Imagine the world we could have, if we each, just learned to "get in sync with Nature".
and take the time, to experience Nature's Immense power, while its still there to behold ...
Larger
Somehow, Life, always finds a way ...
She's one tough customer.