<DrumBeat: April 30, 2007The Oil DrumRussian gas and European energy security>

203 comments on Our World Is Finite: Is This a Problem?

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memmel on April 30, 2007 - 12:10pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

The system is closed basically as far as mass goes but its a open system for energy primarily from the Sun but in general fusion creates a open system vs energy and breeder style fission effectively creates a open system. Also mining of solar system creates a system that is effectively open for critical raw materials also of course nucleotide synthesis can be used if needed and if energy is abundant. A element synthesizer orbiting close to the sun can provide effectively unlimited amounts of elements for a price at a finite rate.

I know it sounds like science fiction but nothing I said is not doable starting with todays technology it a engineering problem.

The problem is EROEI cannot be solved simply and constrains the system. The real constraint is thus EROEI which is constrained by...

E=mc^2

This constrain is one we don't know how to beat yet.

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LeGorfou on May 1, 2007 - 12:28am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Surely you mean, "....is constrained by the Second Law of Thermodynamics...."

E=mc^2 has nothing to do with the case. In fact, if we ever get Fusion working (which we almost certainly wont) then E=mc^2 will solve our energy problems.

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Dezakin on May 1, 2007 - 1:19am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Surely you mean, "....is constrained by the Second Law of Thermodynamics...."

We're depleting the capacity of the sky to act as a heat sink?

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Segeltamp on May 1, 2007 - 1:21am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Yeah yeah he knows, it was just to get you out posting! Welcome :)

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