Taylor Dinerman calls for space solar power in this week’s The Space Review. He trots out hydrogen as an alternative energy source. No–it’s an alternative energy delivery method. Last time I checked, to get hydrogen, we had to use another fuel source and lose energy to crack the hydrogen. To make space solar power viable, we need an advance that will advantage space solar power to terrestrial solar power. Does this meet the objective:
One technology that might radically reduce the weight requirements for these systems is the technique pioneered at the University of Notre Dame where single-walled carbon nanotubes are added to a film made of titanium-dioxide nanoparticles, doubling the efficiency of converting ultraviolet light into electrons. Any solar cell technology that could reach conversion factors of over 50% or even higher would reduce the size and weight of an SPS and thus make it easier and cheaper to build and launch.
It also makes terrestrial solar power potentially reach conversion factors of over 50% too. To make space solar better than terrestrial solar, we need launch costs to be no more than 3x manufacturing costs per kg if space solar is 4x as efficient. With manufacturing costs $350/kg, we need launch costs $1000/kg to make space solar viable.
I’ve never been very thrilled with the idea of converting food to fuel. This article explains why:
President Bush has set a target of replacing 15 percent of domestic gasoline use with biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel) during the next 10 years, which would require almost a fivefold increase in mandatory biofuel use, to about 35 billion gallons. With current technology, almost all of this biofuel would have to come from corn because there is no feasible alternative. However, achieving the 15 percent goal would require the entire current US corn crop, which represents a whopping 40 percent of the world’s corn supply. This would do more than create mere market distortions; the irresistible pressure to divert corn from food to fuel would create unprecedented turmoil.
Thus, it is no surprise that the price of corn has doubled in the past year
An explanation. And good advice. It’s not new, but too many people (particularly in the inner cities, due to a dysfunctional culture) haven’t yet figured it out.
An explanation. And good advice. It’s not new, but too many people (particularly in the inner cities, due to a dysfunctional culture) haven’t yet figured it out.
An explanation. And good advice. It’s not new, but too many people (particularly in the inner cities, due to a dysfunctional culture) haven’t yet figured it out.
Eastern Market apparently burned down over the weekend. I had many a good crab cake there, but I agree that the government should not be involved in rebuilding it.
Good for Congressman Campbell.
I also think we need to look into this suspicious event. Were there government documents buried underneath? Were the Jews warned away? Where was Dick Cheney? Was it made of steel?
Brink Lindsey is blogging again, to help promote his new book, which looks quite interesting. He’s thumbing his nose at the socialists on their holiday by celebrating freedom.
[Update in the evening]
Take back the day. Here’s a web site dedicated to the remembrance of the millions of people who died in the hoped-for furtherance of a naive and well-intentioned but ultimately vile and evil (hmmmmm…I just noticed that those two words are anagrams) totalitarian ideology, and one that stood in utter defiance to human nature, and was therefore the most inhuman of all.
An interesting argument. I know that a lot of people are being priced out of the housing market here in south Florida by outrageous and rising insurance costs. Basically, it’s another form of outlawing gambling. Of course, the mortgage companies are driving this as well, for obvious reasons. The question is whether or not they’re properly assessing the actuarial risk, and how much federal regulation is preventing the market from working by not allowing an insurance company to take a flier by offering offering lower rates. Or maybe, the market is finally recognizing the risk of building in such places.