09/21/09 - What's Next

What’s Next?       By Bob Bruggner

Call it what you wish; The Information Age, Computer Age, Digital Revolution, That Stuff Young People Do, Whatever.  The facts are that our current economy did a rapid shift during the 1900s from one comprised mainly of traditional industry to an economy based on the manipulation and transfer of information. The explosion of information and technology necessary to drive this transition didn’t just suddenly happen overnight; rather it evolved steadily over the past 100 years.

The age of electronic technology was first jump-started in the early 1900s with the introduction of the Vacuum Tub. For the first time scientist and engineers could amplify, switch, and modify electrical signals, controlling the movement of electrons in a low-pressure space. This new device ultimately provided the mechanism that lead to the expansion and commercialization of radio broadcasting, television, radar, large telephone networks, and industrial process controls.   During the early 40s when engineers tried to build complex circuits using the vacuum tube, they quickly became aware of its limitations. In fact, the first digital computer ENIAC, weighed over thirty tons, consumed 200 kilowatts of electrical power, and contained over 18,000 vacuum tubes that were constantly burning out making processing a bit of an adventure.

The next giant leap forward occurred around mid-century at the AT&T Bell Laboratories with the development of the first transistor. These new devices were soon being combined and connected to resistors, capacitors and diodes to build advanced electrical circuitry that we now call integrated circuit. Integrated circuits, such as the microprocessor that is checking my spelling as I write this article, are now found in almost all electronic equipment and have revolutionized the world of electronics as they continuing to become smaller, faster, and more affordable.

If the 20^th century was characterized as the Age of Information, then the 21^st century may well be remembered as the Era of Greening.  Today, many leading economist point to green technology as the next major growth sector emerging in our economy with the development of renewable energy sources leading the way.

Currently, eighty-five percent of all energy produced in the United States today comes from oil, coal, and natural gas, which we collectively classify as fossil fuels. The reason fossil fuels are relied on so heavily is due to simple economics - supply and demand. Coal is currently an abundant resource, and the US government has worked to keep a steady supply of oil flowing to the United States, which has kept costs down for consumers. But it is becoming increasing clear to governments and businesses that the problems associated with fossil fuels, most of which stem from the by-products created when they are burned to create energy, cannot be sustained in an expanding world economy. The amount of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in the air today are thirty-five percent and eighteen percent higher, respectively, than they were before the industrial revolution.

The world’s insatiable appetite for abundant, clean energy is now making some of those futuristic alternative energy ideas seem a little more plausible if not necessary.  Here are six new innovative energy technologies that may serve to help wean us off our reliance on fossil fuels during the coming years.

1.    Enhanced Geothermal Systems are being designed to inject cool water two miles or deeper under the earth surface returning as geothermal power or steam that could be used to generate electricity.  This system could be set up almost anywhere and could become a major sustainable and reliable source of power.

2.   High Level Wind Turbines – Terrestrial wind turbines stop when the wind dies and are very regional in nature.  Turbine-bearing balloons or rotors could be floated 1,000 to 15,000 feet above the earth’s surface intercepting powerful, reliable winds that could potentially generate enough energy to power the planet many times over.

3.   Algae fuel – Biofuels made from plant matter require multi-steps for harvesting and processing.  Experimentation with genetically engineered algae that continuously secret oil suitable for refining into transportation fuel is now underway. Although not yet economically viable, this process holds great promise and scores of companies are currently investing heavily in this area.

 

4.   Wave Energy – The world’s first commercial wave farm was introduced off the cost of Portugal in 2008.  Each of the individual 13-foot-diameter wave machines that comprise the farm is capable of capture enough energy to generate the electricity necessary to power 500 homes.

5.    Nuclear Fusion  - for more that 50 years scientist have been working on generating fusion power … that is igniting a fusion reaction that will yield more energy than the energy required to create the reaction.  Next year scientist at the U.S. National Ignition Facility will focus 192 lasers on a tiny hydrogen-filled capsule in an attempt to generate fusion power for the first time.  This source of power may be many years down the road but offers many intriguing possibilities.

6.   Solar Satellites – clouds, dust, and the hours of daily sunshine they receive limit land-based solar collectors.   Orbiting solar collectors could generate power and beam it back to earth 24 hours a day.  Not surprisingly, NASA and The Department of Energy are actively exploring these concepts while California’s Pacific Gas and Electric has contracted to receive its first electricity from space starting in year 2016.

Your comments, ideas and suggestions are always welcome. (bbruggner@gmail.com)