Technology has brought the world closer together, with its many innovations, that didn’t exist 25 years ago. Technology created millions of jobs and saved countless lives. Today, global climate change is of vital importance to humanity. Against this uncertain backdrop, the world is looking at technology to, understand the rate of climate change, as well as, adopt systems that will modify the rate of global climate change.
The fact that the planet is, undergoing some climate change, is apparent in 2020. Further, preliminary meteorological data indicates, this is one of the hottest summers on record. Technology innovations are vital to achieving this goal of reducing overall carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, the old standbys of wind, solar, and nuclear energy, have a role to play, in reducing global carbon dioxide emissions. The ideas are visionary but will reacquire investments in renewable energy, with uncertainty, in time frames of scalability. One visionary idea is the notion of space solar satellites.
This new technology is stellar power. Briefly, the idea involves using solar panels on satellites, that will harness sunlight energy, for energy consumption on earth. The power is downloaded to earth via microwave energy to large receiving stations. Amazingly, these types of solar panels can produce, 40 times the energy, as a land-based solar panel system. The biggest impediment is the cost of rocket technology to place these satellites.
On the other side of the energy continuum, the concept of using existing carbon dioxide to, power renewable energy, is feasible in 2020. Further, the idea of using stored underground co2 to geothermal power sounds like something out of science fiction. Amazingly, scientific researchers have experimented with using co2 to power geothermal power plants.
Science has continued to research nuclear fusion. There continue to be advancements in wind turbines technology. There is no magic bullet with these renewable energy technologies. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages.
I believe technological capabilities exist to address the issue of climate change in our lifetimes. The one thing that been lacking is a concentrated global effort, to solve this problem. Einstein once famously remarked,” you can’t solve a problem with the same thinking that created the problem.” Cheap fossil fuels powered the industrial revolution. The digital age with its, high energy demands, needs alternative energy sources.The issue of climate change has no natural solutions in 2020.
I like to thank you for taking the time to read this article today. Please feel free to comment and share your insight on this issue.
Solar panels on satellites is a great concept! That opens my thinking about future possibilities for better care of our planet.
For example, I’m guessing that the gas-pumps of the future will be the batteries developed to store that satellite solar panel generated energy.
Passing craft might refuel. Both for themselves. And to bring back energy with them, much as the California gold-rush miners of old dug up and brought back gold from their travels.
blessings,
Cynthia
Great article Phillip. When President Kennedy said we will put a man on the moon and safely return him this decade, we had no idea how to get it done. But that mandate drove the best scientists and engineers to innovate and discover previously unknown technologies. We can do the same now with a mandate and the associated action by multiple countries to work together and find a way. It can be done…It must be done…It will be done.
I agree with your insights Frank Zaccari. This nation is lacking true leadership to solve this climate issue.