permaculture

[Rain Tenaqiya <raincascadia@yahoo.com>]

No matter which renewable energy source is used, storage seems to be the main 
problem.  I heard that making and recycling a battery uses as much energy as 
it puts out during its lifetime.  That basically means that whenever you are 
using electricity during the time that your photovoltaic panels, wind 
generator, or whatever aren't capturing energy, you are using a fossil-fueled 
electric generator (the battery).  Hydrogen is inefficient, but it could 
overcome this problem for stationary power systems.  The only other thing I 
know of is to pump water uphill into tanks for microhydro generation later- 
also inefficient.
   
  Plug-in hybrid and electric cars encounter the same problem.  Until we have 
more efficient and renewable batteries, there is no way we can even dream of 
maintaining a fraction of our rich lifestyles after oil.

       
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