Stupid World

**mashman** · 22nd October 2013, 19:57

Originally Posted by Ocean1

A nuke? Sure, it's an obvious option. Once the technology is sufficiently mature.

Aye, shame the thorium tech wasn't explored further back in the day. Getting funding, pah, is likely a bastard too.

**blue rider** · 22nd October 2013, 20:06

Originally Posted by Ocean1

Feel free to make that easy, eh? Give us the details on how to solar power a freighter.

well human kind has learned to power a freighter with fuel and/or with nuclear energy, so human kind could if it wanted to figure out how to use solar energy....but that is in the too hard basket?

why don't you give me some good reasons why human kind would not want to invest in alternative energy sources?

**blue rider** · 22nd October 2013, 20:14

for Ocean1

http://neglectedbooks.com/?p=45

Roy Lewis, The evolution Man or how I ate my Father.

for some reason you remind me of uncle Vanya.

**Ocean1** · 22nd October 2013, 20:25

Originally Posted by jonbuoy

Ha sorry to throw logic into the mix! Maersk Emma sucks down about 110 Megawatts. That's a lot of solar cells.

30-40 acres in today's money.

At the equator.

At noon.

On a completely cloudless day.

**Ocean1** · 22nd October 2013, 20:29

Originally Posted by mashman

Aye, shame the thorium tech wasn't explored further back in the day. Getting funding, pah, is likely a bastard too.

Possibly, but if the concept was worth much someone would have invested in it. If nobody did, and hasn't since then you can assume the funding isn't forthcoming because it's a shit idea.

**Ocean1** · 22nd October 2013, 20:38

Originally Posted by blue rider

well human kind has learned to power a freighter with fuel and/or with nuclear energy, so human kind could if it wanted to figure out how to use solar energy....but that is in the too hard basket?

why don't you give me some good reasons why human kind would not want to invest in alternative energy sources?

Human kind has already figured out the best way to use solar energy to power cargo ships. With sails. Nowhere near the too hard basket, just not that efficient.

And if you had the barest smattering of history you'd know that human kind has always invested in sources of energy other than conventional options. There's no reason to suggest that will change any time soon.

When making suggestions about possible alternatives the least you could do is form some sort of basic idea of what's required. Powering cargo ships using PV cells is approximately as practical as powering a freight train with the battery from a GN125.

**Ocean1** · 22nd October 2013, 20:45

Originally Posted by blue rider

for Ocean1

http://neglectedbooks.com/?p=45

Roy Lewis, The evolution Man or how I ate my Father.

for some reason you remind me of uncle Vanya.

CBF reading it. Although I note, in passing that it's fiction, historical fiction at that, not usually a useful reference source.

**mashman** · 22nd October 2013, 21:27

Originally Posted by Ocean1

Possibly, but if the concept was worth much someone would have invested in it. If nobody did, and hasn't since then you can assume the funding isn't forthcoming because it's a shit idea.

Well that's a bit fuckin silly given that science and technology has moved on a bit... shame too many short-sighted morons haven't.

**Ocean1** · 22nd October 2013, 21:34

Originally Posted by mashman

Well that's a bit fuckin silly given that science and technology has moved on a bit... shame too many short-sighted morons haven't.

The type of people that advance our civilisation's technical capability are historically the ones that commit their efforts and their resources to their ideas. Universally, the ones bleating that some other stupid cnut orta do something are less useful.

Piss, or get off the pot, dude.

**mashman** · 22nd October 2013, 21:59

Originally Posted by Ocean1

The type of people that advance our civilisation's technical capability are historically the ones that commit their efforts and their resources to their ideas. Universally, the ones bleating that some other stupid cnut orta do something are less useful.

Piss, or get off the pot, dude.

They're also some of the biggest one-eyed self-important fuckwits that poured derision on some of the most important technological advances this planet has ever seen. I know this because I have a book of their quotes in the lavvy that proves it.

I'll get there.

**onearmedbandit** · 22nd October 2013, 23:26

Originally Posted by Ocean1

as powering a freight train with the battery from a GN125.

Calling Edbear!!

**jonbuoy** · 23rd October 2013, 00:17

Originally Posted by blue rider

well human kind has learned to power a freighter with fuel and/or with nuclear energy, so human kind could if it wanted to figure out how to use solar energy....but that is in the too hard basket?

why don't you give me some good reasons why human kind would not want to invest in alternative energy sources?

Even if solar cells were 100% efficient at turning the energy that reaches the ground the area needed to supply enough energy to power something like the Maersk Emma 24 hours a day 7 days a week would be massive. Solar cells are getting up to 30% efficient now. There is a finite amount of energy from the sun per square meter. Sure it could be used in combination with wind power and fossil fuel power/nuclear power to reduce consumption.

Assuming you can keep the salt spray off them which would mean rinsing with fresh water which means running reverse osmosis plants to make the fresh water which use a fair amount of power themselves!