Demonstration project sending power to earth in less than ten years, profitability shortly thereafter. Cost of electricity five times less than we pay right now.
Oh, and this could have been started in the 90's - requires no new technology.
Dr. David Criswell testified before the U.S. Senate about this in 2003.
Think about it. Cars would run on battery power, just plug them in to recharge. No need for nuclear power plants - takes away all cover for covert nuclear weapons programs. Eliminate most, pretty much all, of the greenhouse gas problem.
Allow poor and developing nations to grow their economies, and to so without as much pressure to damage their ecosystems.
Your precious solar panels can't possibly handle the electrical needs of this planet the way the Lunar Solar Power system can. The current and growing electrical needs are causing environmental and political repercussions, because there simply isn't enough clean, safe generating capacity, and what there is is too expensive for much of the developing world.
The moderators censored a previous post of mine that actually addressed your question, among others. I suppose you can always feed your mind on the article itself, and draw your own conclusions.
Enjoy.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: chicagostonepro,
"By 2050, approximately 10 billion people will live on Earth demanding ~5 times the power now available. By then, solar power from the Moon could provide everyone clean, affordable, and sustainable electric power. No terrestrial options can provide the needed minimum of 2 kWe/person or at least 20 terawatts globally."
There's the crux of the matter. The desperate circumstances caused by unmet need will have serious political, social, and environmental impacts. It's already starting to happen.
According to recent media reports, the powers that be in the U.S. are looking to get a new wave of nuclear power plants approved.
This makes little sense from an ecology or actual power supply viewpoint.
Quotes from a recent article:
"...the Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects a tidal wave of similar permit applications for up to 28 new reactors, costing up to $90 billion to build."
"Even if the projects are successful and building proceeds at breakneck speed, the lead times are so long and costs so high that it's unclear that the US can build enough nuclear plants to make a dent in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050."
Further down that article is the total annual subsidy to nuclear power generation.
Building nuclear power plants isn't about securing the future of our planet, nor the U.S. economy. It has nothing to do with doing what's right. Follow the money.
Nuclear power makes no sense, when the Lunar Solar Power system could actually be up and running in ten years, supplying half the energy needs of the U.S. at that time, becoming profitable shortly beyond that - and then scaled up to easily supply all the electricity needed for the earth by 2050.
Phil, I posted this about the Sundance Channel to tessa in an earlier post. I love reading the Sundance site. Below is what some are doing to lessen the effect. Quote/ tessa, I don't know if this will benefit your area but I think this is a good sign towards going green. Quote/Crazy-looking Solar Panel Array Delivers Shocking Results New Record Set for Solar-to-Grid Conversion Efficiency
A solar thermal dish in New Mexico has set a new solar conversion efficiency record, toppling the previous record, which has stood for nearly 25 years. And southern California energy customers will be the first to be offered power generated by this highly efficient system called SunCatcher./Quote Most of our available power is divided into different quadrants. Blackouts occured in the West Coast area in past years. It's going to be a slow process but I think we as citizens are catching on we need to make our local leaders aware.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lights Out,
I saw that over in the other thread. It's a great contribution to green local supply technology. I believe very much that all these projects have their place, and should be pursued. It's all progress. It's all helpful.
Now, if you zoom out, so your view encompasses the planet, you get to see the scale of what we are facing. We've got population explosions in places that already don't have enough electricity. We've got environmental degradation and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, that can't be mitigated because all possible reductions will be more than offset by increasing population and industrial demand.
We're now almost out of time to act, in any meaningful way, to turn this around.
According to Dr. Criswell: "By 2050, approximately 10 billion people will live on Earth demanding ~5 times the power now available. By then, solar power from the Moon could provide everyone clean, affordable, and sustainable electric power. No terrestrial options can provide the needed minimum of 2 kWe/person or at least 20 terawatts globally. " (emphasis added)
We are facing a catastrophic global situation. I feel it's supremely irresponsible for us to have this practical idea, this feasible solution, and to not be pursuing it. At the very least, the Lunar Power System should be a common topic of discussion.
It will drop our electric rates dramatically, to the point that it makes no sense to run our vehicles on fossil or flex fuels, nor to heat our homes on oil or natural gas.
I hope everyone who reads this thread does their part to include the Lunar Solar Power system in their discussions of what can be done.
But first you have to get people BACK to the moon. And that takes both energy and money. Not to mention an entirely new technology. If this is going to be profitable, then they have to be able to pay for the system to get it to the moon.
How would you like to see China with all the electricity it needs, costing perhaps five times less than it costs today, but charging the rest of the world at today's rates? Or, perhaps, simply refusing service to countries that disagree with it?
This is happening. As good citizens, concerned about our world and country, we should be asking the candidates and news outlets about this lunar solar power system, and making sure they know we know it can be done.
Your precious solar panels can't possibly handle the electrical needs of this planet the way the Lunar Solar Power system can.
by the time solar power becomes affordable for most of today's home owners, I'll be in my grave. IMHO resurrection of nuke generation is dangerous, but some folk insist on repeating history. There were 3 plants in CA; 1 was decommissioned and the 2 older ones construced near the ocean, in active eQuake zone. While moon generated power is theory to be studied & perfected, I find it odd that wind & ocean wave power remain under-utilized in America. I'd like to see some progress sooner than later
(Lights, you posted something about this topic to me??
This message has been edited. Last edited by: tessa89,
Posts: 2063 | Location: NNE of S.F. | Registered: Apr 13, 2006
China is not going to the moon for energy, my friend. They are going for military purposes; and to prevent that is why we are going back. That is the same reason Russia wanted the moon in the 1960's. I lived through it with great passion, and fully expected by the turn of the century that space travel would be as common as an airline flight, with the space station fully staffed and operational and permanent colonies on the moon. The benefit for the US, is that there is as much interest in the commercial development of the moon as there is.
I am day dreaming here. Reflecting with my add mind. The moon is not owned by anyone?. It is free? It cannot be declared anyones or a territory. any regulations on this. Universal agreements. Can the suns power be directed against us, misused in anyway? Is there govenment over this. Agreements of the sharing and regulation of this powerful energy benefit. If one owns something or put the expense there one often feels like it is there. How big is our sharing feeling. Sold as shares or given away. Or a cooperative between nation venture with committees for regulation and agreements. Yes ...they must start all these details now. And nothing to stop others from setting up their own.[ Not that two or three is bad.] I mean if in one neighbor hood there was an exclusive club house. Many more would be started up by others who did not get along with the first or second one. Or gangs. etc. on and on and on. negative day dreams its become. sorry.
All in the name of 'green'. It is all good these message boards. thank you hgtv.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: loverofdesign,
Posts: 1630 | Location: midwest | Registered: Aug 26, 2006
Thank You Phil, this was an interesting article. I read where this was talked about in 1968 guess no one then thought we would ever be in a crisis. 
by the time solar power becomes affordable for most of today's home owners, I'll be in my grave. 
