Energy alternatives

1. MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
Of
ENERGY SOURCES

2. MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS of ENERGY SOURCES
GOAL – REPLACE 70-90% of CARBON EMITTING SOURCES
HOW MUCH to REPLACE ?
USAGE RESERVES
ENERGY SOURCE ~2000
EJoules (1018) EJoules Years
Under Earth surface (fossilized)
OIL 140 6,000 40
Natural gas 85 5,000 70
Coal 90 30,000 300
TOTAL 130
On Earth surface (not yet fossilized)
Biomass 55 deforestation/desertification
TOTAL 370
REQUIRED REDUCTION
by 2030-2035 (50%) 185
by 2100 (90%) 333

3. MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS of ENERGY SOURCES
WHAT ENERGY SOURCES are ECONOMICAL?
• From a physics standpoint, this question was answered in the 1970’s by the
Nobelist and Distinguished Membder of Soviet Academy of Sciences Peter
Kapitza (Reserford’s student).
• Using a Pointing vector of energy density and applying it experimentally, he
found that industrial, or large scale, economical sources of energy must
have high spatial rates of energy flow.
• This excludes uses of energy that produce small amounts of energy, like for
personal use (batteries, solar heaters, windmills, earth heat for shelters,
etc.)
• These high rates can be found ONLY when large differences exists in
temperature, pressure, height, etc., anything that creates a high rate of
USEFUL work under the 2nd law of thermodynamics.
• The threshold for modern separation of useful and non-useful energy
sources can be found in the existing uses of fossil fuels – in electric power
plants, in automobile engines, in jet engines.
• This threshold is approximately 1,000 kW/m2 or more.

4. EXAMPLE OF UNECONOMICAL ENERGY SOURCE
Solar Electricity
• Reasonable electric energy monthly bill for an American family is ~$150/mo
• At an hourly rate of $15/h, it takes a breadwinner 10 h/mo to pay for
electricity
• If uneconomic electric energy is used, like solar (that is at least 10 times
more expensive), it will take him 100 h/mo.
• At the average monthly work rate of ~150 h/mo, it will take 2/3 of working
time just to pay for electricity
• Expanded over the society, two (2) people need to work for providing solar
energy to keep only one (1) not doing so
• Just like in Kenya in agriculture, three (3) people in the fields keep one (1)
out of the fields
• There will be the same early industrial socio-economic structure, with very
limited liberty of pursuit
LOWER ENERGY ECONOMICS → SMALLER LIBERTY of PURSUIT!
MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS of ENERGY SOURCES

5. APPLYING KAPITZA’S FINDING
ENERGY SOURCE ENERGY FLOW DENSITY REPLACEMENT
kW/m2 POTENTIAL
CARBON EMITTING ~1,000 or more
to be replaced
by non-carbon
emitting energy
sources
NON-CARBON EMITTING
Solar less than one (1) NO
Wind less than one (1) NO
Geothermal substantially smaller than 1,000 MAYBE
Hydroelectric sometimes comparable to 1,000 YES
Nuclear ~1,000 or more YES
MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS of ENERGY SOURCES

6. REMAINING REPLACEMENT POTENTIAL
ENERGY SOURCE in (1018) EJoules RESERVES
CARBON EMITTING 130 years
REQUIRED
REDUCTION
• by 2030-2035 (50%) 185
• by 2100 (90%) 333
NON-CARBON
EMITTING ~2000 USAGE
Geothermal 0.3 not feasible to increase 1,000 times
Hydroelectric 9 water flow is decreasing due to global heating
NUCLEAR 28
~20 years with known Uranium reserves,
open cycle
~2000 years with known Uranium reserves,
closed cycle
~Million years with seawater reserves, closed cycle
~4 times more with use of Thorium
THE ONLY CHOICE FOR SOLVING THE TECHNICAL
CONTRADICTION IS THE USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY
MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS of ENERGY SOURCES

7. HOUSE OF LORDS
The Economics of Renewable Energy
November 25, 2008
• Renewable electricity is clearly more expensive than fossil-fired and
nuclear generation and leads to higher energy bills for consumers
and businesses
• The Government should not seek to increase further the use of
biofuels
• Full cost of wind generation remains significantly higher than those
of conventional or nuclear generation, even before allowing for
support costs and the environmental impact of wind farms
• Solar generation is more costly than most other forms of renewable
generation
• The most reliable low-carbon alternative to renewables is nuclear
power … and we support measures to include nuclear power
plants as an essential element of the UK’s energy mix