Re: Frack Off!
Originally Posted by
Besoeker
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Fossil fuels including that extracted from shale took millions of years to form and are getting towards depletion within about a century.
Our expectations are on demand availability. Renewable sources like wind and solar are on availability of the resource. Making the two match would require storage on a national scale. We are not there.
So yes, I agree. The next few decades could be a challenge.
Yes, fossil fuels will run out, although shale gas has yet to be fully exploited at present.
A longer term solution is nuclear fission. Yes, there is the problem of disposal, but that is perfectly achievable.
Nuclear fission could keep us going for many decades or possibly even centuries, because the quantities of fissionable materials are enormous compared to the quantities actually used.
Nevertheless, that too is bound to run out eventually and the next great means of energy production for the very long term future is nuclear fusion.
This has yet to be made to work in practical applications, but I am convinced that it will happen and, of course, the 'fuel' - water - is all around us.