When it comes to the field of energy, I’m clueless and scare. Just like most people, I know we need various sources of energy to power our economy and retain our ways of life. Unlike the experts, most people and I do not understand the mechanics of the technologies that harness various sources of energy. Nonetheless, in this day and age (i.e., the information age), it’s pretty hard to ignore the confusion mass of information which flows endlessly over the world through tubes and wires and the air (i.e., the Internet), and this confusion mass of information has abundant amount of useful information on energy that we can tune into so one day the world might just need to be saved by such information.
The confusion mass of information at now is clearly showing us that using the wrong types/sources of energy too much can lead to global warming. Whether global warming was started out by humankind or just a natural phenomenon which meant to be repeated over the cycles of the many mega-annum, it really doesn’t matter at this point since scientists are suggesting that we might be ever nearer to so called the tipping point of global warming if we can’t stop releasing more greenhouse gases into the atmospheres.
The idea is to use energy sources that are producing cleaner energy and yet abundant enough so our country and people do not have to depend on someone else. Depending on someone else for our energy needs can pose great risks to our nation. Such risks can negatively affect the economy or military or the encompassment of all industries. This is why promoting clean energy isn’t so simple. We have to calculate the available means but yet be prudent with such means in ways that we can ensure there won’t be a situation where kamikaze would occur in our future, the future of our nation.
People have been suggesting that clean energy can be in the forms of wind, trapped heat within earth, water, and from the sun. Totally workable! Then there are folks who suggest even all of those sources of clean energy to be combined together, the world still won’t have enough of energy to sustain unless nuclear power is included into the list. Then, then there are folks who say nuclear power is super dangerous and plain unhealthy. Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster gives the more reasons why people are not so fond of nuclear technology. Still, we have this one problem, the problem of global warming if we do nothing to improve the way we use our sources of energy. So what should we do?
Here come a pinch of like minded folks who think nuclear power is the key, but they aren’t talking of nuclear power that relies on Uranium (92-U). Instead, these folks promote something much safer and much much more abundant. Have you heard of Thorium (90-Th)? Scientists suggest that Thorium element is so abundant that we can find it to be in most rocks. Well, I’m not sure if that is the fact, but if it is then I would be damn. Well, if it isn’t, then I might have heard it wrong somehow. But, in any way we look at, Thorium technology is being promoted as safer nuclear technology where it won’t go exploding (i.e., Kaboom Kaboom) if something goes wrong. Some scientists suggest that instead of exploding when something goes wrong, Thorium nuclear technology might just have the waste to be drained away safely.
Scientists suggest that United States has knew about Thorium for more than thirty years, but the technology was never promoted and developed since the military wants to make bombs. Well, they say that, and I’m not sure if that is true. Perhaps, thirty years ago Thorium wasn’t so easy to work with, but now it isn’t the case? Anyhow, the video right after the break suggests that Thorium is much safer source for nuclear energy, to be energized the world thousands of years to come.
I do have an inkling feeling deep down that as technologies gets so proficient, there will be large group of people who do not want to promote proficient technologies for the fear of being less profitable. I don’t think it’s the case for all technologies, because some technologies are more profitable when proficiency matters. In the case of energy though, I fear that proficiency isn’t a welcoming element! Let just hope there are enough folks who push on to accomplish energy proficiency so there will be a day when global warming won’t even be worthy enough to creep into humankind’s energy conversations.
According to the video below, Europe has the first solar plant in the world that generates energy 24/7. It means this solar plant will generate power even the sun goes to sleep. They call this plant as Gemasolar, and it took $410 million to build it.
The magic for Gemasolar to keep on going throughout the night, when the moon shines romantically up high and the stars naughtily light up the sky in shapes of astrological beasts and what not, is that it has a backup giant thermal energy storage (i.e., thermal battery) in a shape of a tall, vertical tower which stands in the middle of the plant. This giant vertical shape thermal storage tower stores molten nitrate salt tank, and then huge amount of gigantic, high quality mirrors that surround the tower would beam rays of solar energy onto the top of the tower to generate enough heat so the steam turbines would be activated.
In a nutshell, the molten nitrate salt would store enough heat to drive the steam turbines throughout the night time. According to Gizmodo, Gemasolar can power up to 25,000 homes and reduce around 30,000 tons of carbon dioxide that got released into the atmosphere per year. To know more about Europe’s first solar plant which runs 24/7, please check out the video on Gemasolar right after the break.
I don’t know enough about solar technology in general to know better, but I be bold even though I might be so wrong! I think it would be better to erect buildings to support mirrors such as Gemasolar that surround Gemasolar-like thermal storage towers so the environment can be enhanced with architectural aesthetic and practical applications such as housing and the like. Why not construct buildings of relevant sections of towns and cities in circles of mirrors and thermal storage towers in the center of each such architectural circle to create free energy for everyone. I be darn, even the tower could be useful somehow such as a hotel in a shape of a skyscraper which also acts as a giant thermal storage tower. Nonetheless, such architectural marvels need to be safe so the inhabitants won’t have to worry about health risks! What do you think?
Vinh Nguyen
