Comments on: Energy Strategy before Energy Policy http://www.strategydevelopment.net/energy-strategy-before-energy-policy.php Strategic Planning & Training Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:32:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: APO http://www.strategydevelopment.net/energy-strategy-before-energy-policy.php/comment-page-1#comment-51 APO Wed, 07 May 2008 18:43:47 +0000 http://venturist.com/wordpress/?p=25#comment-51 Integral to the 'energy problem' is distribution and storage. Reduced to basics, there is plentiful energy available --- just not in the places where it is needed. So the problem is one of distribution and storage. Because we are abysmal at storage, we store energy in chemical bonds --- hydrocarbons rather than devising a mechanism which is more efficient and has fewer byproducts (CO, CO2). Also because we are a mobile society, fixed distribution is not feasible --- which leads us back to storage. In the industrial age it was no accident that aluminum smelters, and chloralkali production was based near waterfalls; or that smelters were based near dams. Processes requiring large energy input were built next to large energy sources. So in any strategic vision, some regard for future energy densities, in generation, storage and use needs to be considered. Integral to the ‘energy problem’ is distribution and storage. Reduced to basics, there is plentiful energy available — just not in the places where it is needed. So the problem is one of distribution and storage. Because we are abysmal at storage, we store energy in chemical bonds — hydrocarbons rather than devising a mechanism which is more efficient and has fewer byproducts (CO, CO2).

Also because we are a mobile society, fixed distribution is not feasible — which leads us back to storage.

In the industrial age it was no accident that aluminum smelters, and chloralkali production was based near waterfalls; or that smelters were based near dams. Processes requiring large energy input were built next to large energy sources.

So in any strategic vision, some regard for future energy densities, in generation, storage and use needs to be considered.

]]> By: slapout http://www.strategydevelopment.net/energy-strategy-before-energy-policy.php/comment-page-1#comment-50 slapout Sun, 04 May 2008 00:06:49 +0000 http://venturist.com/wordpress/?p=25#comment-50 Hi Colonel Warden, the first three are a good future picture but the last two listed below seem more like guiding principles? accesses energy without creating global political instability, and acquires its energy with due regard to cost-effective, economically viable environmental considerations. Another comment is I grew up during the Race to the Moon. There was a certain Wow factor in that kind of National Goal that I think somehow needs to be Incorporated into any National Energy Goal. Like you say it must be clear and Compelling! so it grabs peoples attention. Just a few initial thoughts on a very large problem. Hi Colonel Warden, the first three are a good future picture but the last two listed below seem more like guiding principles?

accesses energy without creating global political instability, and acquires its energy with due regard to cost-effective, economically viable environmental considerations.

Another comment is I grew up during the Race to the Moon. There was a certain Wow factor in that kind of National Goal that I think somehow needs to be Incorporated into any National Energy Goal. Like you say it must be clear and Compelling! so it grabs peoples attention. Just a few initial thoughts on a very large problem.

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