You forgot about fusion. I know it’s always decades away but I saw a very interesting YouTube clip the other day of a non-Tokamak fusion reactor (about 7 or 8 metres long and 2 metres or so in diameter) which avoids all the engineering problems of the Tokamak design. So one never knows what may be around the corner.
Yes, it didn't occur to me that fusion might be counted as 'green'! A plasma at 30 million Kelvin is not something to be trifled with. Nor is it as homely as a log fire.
The problem with advanced tech is that it always needs a lot more effort than is initially apparent. When Calder Hall's Magnox reactor started up in the 1950s electricity was going to become so cheap that it wouldn't even be metered. Reality intervened and I'd be surprised if there weren't some nasty surprises in store for fusion - even if it does manage to get off the ground. I hope I'm wrong.
You're off 3 orders of magnitude. You forget, dieticians call a kcal a "calorie". You're not a shrew, mate!
You're quite right! Well spotted! I'll edit it to correct.
You forgot about fusion. I know it’s always decades away but I saw a very interesting YouTube clip the other day of a non-Tokamak fusion reactor (about 7 or 8 metres long and 2 metres or so in diameter) which avoids all the engineering problems of the Tokamak design. So one never knows what may be around the corner.
This is it - https://globalnews.ca/news/9886924/bc-fusion-machine/
Thanks for the link.
Yes, it didn't occur to me that fusion might be counted as 'green'! A plasma at 30 million Kelvin is not something to be trifled with. Nor is it as homely as a log fire.
The problem with advanced tech is that it always needs a lot more effort than is initially apparent. When Calder Hall's Magnox reactor started up in the 1950s electricity was going to become so cheap that it wouldn't even be metered. Reality intervened and I'd be surprised if there weren't some nasty surprises in store for fusion - even if it does manage to get off the ground. I hope I'm wrong.
Agreed - but exactly the same applies to PV and even the relatively simple wind turbine, never mind electric cars.