Today within the UK according to Cambridge physicist David Mackay we consume as individuals on average 1.25 watts per meters square of energy. This is facilitated in the main by having a number of oil, coal and gas fired power stations all capable of producing 2500 watts per meters square of energy.
In a life beyond fossil fuels when these resources reach the peak of their production and start declining or are deemed too dirty and polluting for the sake of our planet. All of which are happening now by the way. They will need to be replaced by other more sustainable forms of energy.
The problem comes when we realize that nothing, I repeat nothing is as capable as these fossil fuels at producing energy to this level and we soon find ourselves dealing with fractions of energy output compared to what we are used to.
If we were to say for instance that we think biofuels are the answer to our problem then the total energy output for biofuels equates to 0.5 watts per meters square so if we want to support ourselves solely through biofuel production we will have to have a biofuel plantation the size of 2 and a half UK's in order to sustain ourselves on our present consumption level and then what would we eat?
If we look at wind, wind produces 2.5 watts per meters square of energy so to provide for all our energy consumption with wind we need to have half the country given over to wind farm production. Today we squabble within our villages and towns with regards to the erection of just one turbine.
With solar, 25% of our land mass will need to be covered with solar arrays giving our landscape a rather different look to the green and pleasant land we view at the moment.
No renewable energy source is capable of matching the output fossil fuels create, the closest, dare I say it, is nuclear at 1000 watts per meters square and do we really want more nuclear power stations within the UK to sustain our present consumption? It is not only the consequence we have to think about of what would happen to all our lives if a malfunction occurred whilst operating but what you need to do with the waste when it comes to the end of its life span with less oil around to mix the concrete to bury it again successfully. Once more Uranium is peaking in production too.
So we have a lot to think about now as regards to what we want for our future, how we want to live and consume, how close that is to how we live today and how that will affect our landscape and lives in the future. Our first priority seems to me to be to consume less in the first place and use less energy if we can. Which ultimately means an end to growth I believe, with the focus switching to how we are going to sustain the people and economies we currently have without creating any more.
If you have any thoughts on this matter yourself why not leave a comment on
my blog or if you want to start to recreate the right relationship to yourself, others and the planet, why not
contact me now to see how I can best help you. Otherwise see you next time Sx.
