Wind Turbines to smother Wales

[DimPrawn]

By the same logic:

Given that the prevailing winds go in the same direction as the rotation of the earth, won't too many windmills speed up the earth?

Which will make the day shorter and so we will all live longer.

[Spacecadet]

From a common-sense perspective, solar seems the best long-term renewable energy source to me, globally speaking. Before jumping in about pollutants and efficiency and so on, note the key phrase "long-term". The energy is there to be taken, we just need a better way to harvest and distribute it.

Best way so far has been to use plants, trees are best.
Wait for them to grow, then bury them for a substantial period of time, this substantially changes the material making it easier to transport and giving more energy per kilo when burnt.

[d000hg]

Best way so far has been to use plants, trees are best.
Wait for them to grow, then bury them for a substantial period of time, this substantially changes the material making it easier to transport and giving more energy per kilo when burnt.

Yes, apart from you need to be planning ahead how much fuel you need by millennia and we weren't around to make those plans for the usage right now. Plus we're cutting most of them down. Plus they pollute rather badly.

Biology does seem like a good route though. Modify a tree to produce petrol instead of sugar, and so on. Apart from they need water and the hottest places are a bit dry. Pure physics works well in the dry desert by contrast.

[Sysman]

Yes, apart from you need to be planning ahead how much fuel you need by millennia and we weren't around to make those plans for the usage right now. Plus we're cutting most of them down. Plus they pollute rather badly.

Large chunks of the world get by on charcoal.

(OK, they tend to be warm and only need it for cooking)

[Doggy Styles]

Whatever fuel or energy sources you use, usage is rising exponentially. That's your real problem.

[d000hg]

Whatever fuel or energy sources you use, usage is rising exponentially. That's your real problem.

Well that depends how many orders of magnitude more sun-power are available. Considering the sun provides all the energy for tornadoes and such things, there is quite a bit of breathing room.

Moving the earth a bit closer to the sun would also free up loads of energy IIRC.

[shaunbhoy]

We are drifting away from the point here. The whole concept of smothering Wales was reputedly on offer. For me, regardless of the possible environmental damage, that must be a price worth paying...............think of the children!