[Guardian]

Read this article today: https://www.sfgate.com/business/technolo...338976.php 

What are your thoughts on fracking, and more specifically your opinions of its impact on the environment (to include geologic events)?



In summary, in case it disappears  in the future:

 The only company drilling for shale gas in Britain temporarily suspended fracking Friday after a mild earthquake.
Cuadrilla said it halted drilling for 18 hours after a tremor was detected at its site in Little Plumpton, northwest England.

The British Geological Survey recorded the 0.8-magitude quake just after 11:30 a.m. Friday. It followed several smaller tremors earlier in the week.
Under U.K. rules, any tremor over 0.5 is classed as a "red event" and sparks a temporary shutdown while monitoring continues.
Cuadrilla said the tiny tremor was "way below anything that would be felt at surface, much less cause any harm or damage."
Fracking in Britain was halted after two tremors in the same area led to legal challenges. It resumed on Oct. 15.

Environmental activists failed in early October in Britain's High Court to keep Cuadrilla's fracking from proceeding.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves pumping water and chemicals at high pressure to fracture shale rock and release gas.

[SpookyZalost]

I think fracking is a waste of time.

we should be focusing on renewable resources and such... and FYI, for lubricants and such we can produce that stuff using genetically modified algae.

I wouldn't be surprised if oil was supplanted only holding on because the companies are so large.

[Guardian]

I think fracking is a waste of time.

we should be focusing on renewable resources and such... and FYI, for lubricants and such we can produce that stuff using genetically modified algae.

I wouldn't be surprised if oil was supplanted only holding on because the companies are so large.

I agree... and I truly believe so.

[SpookyZalost]

well give it time... after all hydrogen/electric hybrids are probably the way of the future anyway.

[Guardian]

Can't wait. I really don't get why we don't slap solar panels on the roof of all vehicles at a minimum. They sit outside all day, what easier way to generate power?

[SpookyZalost]

Guardian, actually that one's an easy one to answer.

efficiency.

solar panels are great when they are stationary and the sun is directly on them.

but the greater the angle the less photons can be captured by the photovoltanic array.

driving a car around produces all sorts of inefficencies and makes it not worth while.

photovoltaic paint on the other hand...

well that's something worth looking into in the future but my point is, solar panels aren't really very efficient because they can only capture as much solar energy as reaches the surface area they cover.

and while you can help mitigate this with a layer of microprisms which allow panels to collect more light from more angles you only boost the efficiency by a factor of 8, which is not very much in total.

however the best way to use the sun would be to create a dyson swarm, beam that energy back to earth via a ring of receiver satellites in lagrange point orbits, then wirelessly transmit that power to vehicles via the road they're traveling on.



^^^^ dyson swarm.

[Guardian]

Guardian, actually that one's an easy one to answer. efficiency.
solar panels are great when they are stationary and the sun is directly on them.
but the greater the angle the less photons can be captured by the photovoltanic array.
driving a car around produces all sorts of inefficencies and makes it not worth while.

The majority of cars sit outside all day parked, whether you're at work or at home. Driving, for most, only takes up a fraction of their day. The difference would be the solar parking covers that a few places have now, or those that park in garages. Otherwise, there's still a good chunk of the day they're sitting outside. 

however the best way to use the sun would be to create a dyson swarm, beam that energy back to earth via a ring of receiver satellites in lagrange point orbits, then wirelessly transmit that power to vehicles via the road they're traveling on.

...and that's not inefficient?   The COST alone would be insane.

[SpookyZalost]

@Guardian, Gigastructures usually are lol.

but if you develop asteroid mining and space manufacturing first well it becomes less of an issue...

at least you only have to pay once, and the benefits would be more cheap available energy that we know what to do with lol.

the sorta power that could run a Eucomenopolis like say... coruscant?

[Guardian]

@Guardian, Gigastructures usually are lol.

but if you develop asteroid mining and space manufacturing first well it becomes less of an issue...

at least you only have to pay once, and the benefits would be more cheap available energy that we know what to do with lol.

the sorta power that could run a Eucomenopolis like say... coruscant?

You mean Mars....

[SpookyZalost]

sure mars... venus... jupiter... but I mean, basically, you expand a dyson swarm over time to meet your needs, mine asteroids for it on the cheap once you have the setup, and you literally cannot outpace your energy input so long as you do everything right...

getting back on topic though... Fracking bad and outdated.

[Guardian]

sure mars... venus... jupiter... but I mean, basically, you expand a dyson swarm over time to meet your needs, mine asteroids for it on the cheap once you have the setup, and you literally cannot outpace your energy input so long as you do everything right...

getting back on topic though... Fracking bad and outdated.

I'll just say... YES.

[SpookyZalost]

so far fracking has been reported to poison water tables, cause faucet combustion, and also cause fault slippage and minor earth quakes as we try to squeeze quite literally blood from stone...

I'd say it's not good.

[Guardian]

I really can't wait until we find something economically feasible enough to replace fossil fuels entirely. I think we'd be fine if we just stopped and went to solar. I don't even think wind is the answer as it's dangerous to wildlife.

[SpookyZalost]

true, though hydrogen is a pretty great alternative... and standard car engines can actually run off hydrogen with a relatively simple conversion.

fuel cells are more efficient than standard hydrogen combustion but at that point you basically have electric cars anyway.

[Guardian]

Hydrogen as a fuel source, with Oxygen as a byproduct would be a game changer.

[SpookyZalost]

speaking of, I've done some research, and yeah because of how hydrogen fuel cells work I had a great idea for a long durration quadrocopter.. what if I powered it with a fuel cell, and boosted the initial lifting capacity by using hydrogen baloons that double as it's fuel tank, that way you can haul stuff up somewhere, and still have 90 min once they run out and the thing switches to battery.

for use in something like a construction drone.

[Guardian]

speaking of, I've done some research, and yeah because of how hydrogen fuel cells work I had a great idea for a long durration quadrocopter.. what if I powered it with a fuel cell, and boosted the initial lifting capacity by using hydrogen baloons that double as it's fuel tank, that way you can haul stuff up somewhere, and still have 90 min once they run out and the thing switches to battery.

for use in something like a construction drone.

Patent that. Make it happen! 

[SpookyZalost]

can you imagine a quadrocopter drone for construction work... it'd be crazy!
solve the problem with solar cell installation in one fell swoop.