I am not a Scientist or Engineer, I try to power my brain with common sense...so many questions do arise, especially in a world of all electrical needs, means and uses. The following of my Imagination and what I Envision.
..What happens to the Oil, Oil-Workers, Plants Onshore and Off Shore...of the existing transportation of how Fuels, Oil, Gasoline are moved...no more vehicles needed to transport or for drivers of the same transportation vehicles.
The Service Stations at almost ever corner, to Gas Pumps become Electric Charging Stations and then there is THE TAX ON GASOLINE in the form of Federal gas tax revenue is pumped into a Highway Trust Fund (HTF). The HTF funds federal and state infrastructure projects for roads, bridges and public transportation systems. State gas taxes go into state-managed funds, and each state decides how to use them.
Will All Semi Tractor & Trailers be Electric, what about Trains in how they are powered, Aircraft the need for Aviation Fuels, the Electric Bus, 13 Feb 1970 was the MAN electric bus 750 HO-M10 E able to transport 99 passengers and had a range of 50 kilometers or 31 miles.
Back in the Day 1820-1880's, there were streetcars or trolleys using horses and sometimes mules, then those that rode along rails that could carry more fare paying passengers per day of operation.
Remember the Overhead Electrical wires the Street Car/Trolley or Tram Bus connected to. I remember them from the early 50's Now today modes of transportation are many, above the ground, in the air and below ground.
What fuels will all boats and ships use, electric, solar, nuclear. Our Navy, Air Force and other Military Air, if they were to convert to electric engines would require constant power conversion from solar, that energy stored in batteries fast enough to sustain flight, to run all electronics, provide speed and performance, plus enough electric power to weight ratio.
Back to Automobiles, Trucks, Motorcycles, 2-18 wheels...Will we need more Roads or Less Roads. As our Population Grows and Housing/Residency Expands into our undeveloped areas, less distance to travel...as more recent with the Pandemic of 2020, more and more People are Working From Home...remember those finding a Remote TV Control difficult to use, programming a VCR to record your favorite shows...all the fuss about the Computer and TV Games of our Children playing...glued to the TV aka Television...
...now that Generation are for some calling them "Nerds" a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted or lacking social skills.
What !? Lacking Social Skills...wait what is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WebChat, aka Social Networking the use of dedicated websites and applications to interact with other users, or to find people with similar interests to oneself. Social Media interactive digitally-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation or sharing/exchange of information, ideas, career interests, and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks...I believe came from "Nerds"
That developed into...
Computer Programmers, write and test code that allows computer applications and software programs to function properly. They turn the program designs created by software developers and engineers into instructions that a computer can follow.
Computer Technicians, responsible for repairing and maintaining computers and servers,
IT technicians either provide general desktop and printer support for a company and/or its clients, or they provide network support. Network IT technicians install networking equipment, such as routers and switches, as well as cabling.
MIS Network Technicians, provide first level support for end user problems/issues. Provide technical assistance to end-users in design, installation and support of PC hardware/software systems. Troubleshoot and resolve PC hardware/software, printers, and network related problems.
Management Information Systems (MIS) is the study of people, technology, organizations, and the relationships among them. MIS professionals help firms realize maximum benefit from investment in personnel, equipment, and business processes
System Engineers, Network Engineers, Network Administrator, System Administrator are here to stay.
Lest We Not Forget the "Famous Nerds" of Inventors, Designers, Visionaries, as Einstein, Farnsworth II, Tesla, Edison, Marie Curie, Leonardo da Vinci, the Auto-manufactures oldest being Carl Benz 29 Jan 1886,Scientist, Chemist, Teachers...
There are those of Movie aka Film, although the start of the history of film as an artistic medium is not clearly defined, the commercial, public screening of ten of Lumière brothers' short films in Paris on 28 December 1895 can be regarded as the breakthrough of projected cinematographic motion pictures. Their Vision spread among the Viewers, from all walks in Life...who in turn became Inventors, Idealist (a visionary or impractical person. a person who represents things as they might or should be, rather than as they are) all fit into the definition possibly that of "Nerds" aka Visionaries themselves.
Traveling into Space, the Exploration of Outer-Space and those "Nerds Contributing to the birth of the Cyber World aka Cyber Space and Beyond...If you Will "Back to the Future" this expression refers to the time when one has to stop (over) thinking about the things they could, or not, have done in the past so that what happened wouldn't have happened. Do not dwell on the past! The past has been written with ink...the future in pencil!
Obviously...the Past is Our Future. I got tired of hearing Stop Thinking of the Past, when the Past Says a lot of who we are.
Moving onto the Present...What Life is Today, With Reverence I thanking all those before us
Today with all of the built in Safety Features of Our Vehicles today (some from the past still on our roads)...a Question comes to mind "Will there No Longer come a time that there will not be a Minimum Age Requirement to Drive. M.A.R.D.
Seat-belts, Airbags, Anti-lock braking, stability control, lights, mirrors, bumpers which some may take for granted...stronger vehicle frames, we now have moved into the world of vehicles that can parallel park themselves, detection capability of other vehicles, blind spot, anti-collision/avoidance system, unsafe lane changes, adjacent lane vehicles, night vision enhancement, possibly a heads up display, obstacle/object detection as pedestrians, animals, debris falling off another vehicle in your path or on the road, stronger windshields to prevent objects penetrating the passenger area, onscreen display rear camera...
or Autonomous Vehicles, let your vehicle drive itself, Autonomous Maneuvering Systems...with GPS, input your Point A and Point B...using your SmartPhone or the Vehicles Computer System. Or Voice Commands "Alexa" take me to the Bank, Hospital, Emergency Room nearest your present location. Alexa I am Hungry, I need to pick up Johnnie & Jennifer from School.
Alexa, take me to the Airport, Flight 746 Departing...your Autonomous Vehicle will drive you, let you off and take itself home. Return & pick you up when you have landed back home.
No Longer able to speed up on a Yellow Light or Run a Red Light...maybe No Traffic Lights in our Future at All...Save/Prevent Getting a Moving Traffic Ticket or Parking ticket...your vehicle will move and re-park itself, send you an alert to you SmartPhone. Alexa where did I park my car/truck/motorcycle/aircraft. Yes, flying cars of the future, Mom's drone taxi.
No Longer Able to Drive Drunk or Impaired. Be able to Ask Medical Questions and receive Treatment procedures.
A special license programed into the vehicle owned, you carry a smart license that communicates with your vehicle...Law Enforcement can verify while vehicle in motion, or having pulled your vehicle over without approaching the vehicle ascertain the owner and driver information, proof of insurance, and if you are a Car Thief could not have stolen the car in the first place, even if someone left the keys in the ignition...no more ignition...a Child, Teen, Young Adult no longer take Mom or Dad's vehicle. As the Parents can program the vehicle not to allow them to drive via aka “parental lock”
Also there is Telematics an interdisciplinary field that encompasses telecommunications, vehicular technologies, electrical engineering, and computer science.
More Questions Arise
Now that We have All Electric, Autonomous Vehicles...what about Power ?
Our Power Grid...When or If it Will Crashes/Fails...What Then ?
When A Power Outage that disrupts electricity and basic services such as communications, if the power grid goes down, water and natural gas will fail soon thereafter, planning becomes critical.
Which Recently 8 Feb 2021, in the News "Hackers Tried to Poison Water Supply of a Florida Town" for years, cybersecurity experts have warned of attacks on small municipal systems. The same can be said for Our Power.
The power grid is one of those things we take for granted, but it's time to acknowledge that it's getting older, reaching capacity and under attack.
As of 2020, the average age of the power grid is 30 years old. Power outages are over 2.5 times more likely than they were in 1984.
Converting to All Electric Vehicles, will place an additional Load of Our Power Grid, locally or nation wide.
Electric power utility industry professionals and experts, while Denying any Successful Hacker Attacks have resulted in power outages, clearly admit such attacks are possible, and that their systems are vulnerable to attack
What would we do without Power ?
What would we do without Power ?
How would this affect your daily routine, life and what many may not think about, may or will happen. One word "Complacent" becoming too Complacent with Attitude can derail a career. Definition of Complacency “a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.”
Electrical Power caused havoc in California experiencing outages and brownouts in the summer 2019. PG&E in the cause of the "Camp Fire", 8 Nov 2018, was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. This Fire wiped out all of Paradise, CA, killing 84 people. PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric) caused 1,500 fires in 6 years.
Moving On...the following is regarding Our Nations Types of Fuels Used...do we plan on being totally dependent on Electricity ? Look at Pros & Cons of the different types of Energy & Fuels in use.
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Natural gas is produced from shale and other types of sedimentary rock formations by forcing water, chemicals, and sand down a well under high pressure.
It is formed when layers of decomposing plant and animal matter are exposed to intense heat and pressure under the surface of the Earth over millions of years. The energy that the plants originally obtained from the sun is stored in the form of chemical bonds in the gas. Natural gas is a fossil fuel
Natural gas is made up of a mixture of four naturally occurring gases, all of which have different molecular structures. This mixture consists primarily of Methane, which makes up 70-90% of natural gas along with Ethane, Butane and Propane.
Advantages
Natural gas is one of the cleanest fossil fuels, releasing 45% fewer carbon emissions that coal and oil.
It does not produce waste products, such as coal ash.
If there is a gas leak is disappears quickly into the air, whereas oil leaks have a devastating impact on the environment and are expensive to clean.
Gas can be easily transported through pipelines, direct to industry and residential properties.
There are considerable reserves of gas around the world.
Gas can be used for both heating and cooking.
Cons
Gas is highly flammable, which means leaks can result in explosions.
Natural gas is toxic.
Gas infrastructure is expensive, pipelines cost a significant amount of money to construct.
Unless an odorant is added to the gas, leaks can go undetected.
Gas is highly flammable, which means leaks can result in explosions.
Natural gas is toxic.
Earthquakes have been caused by the controversial process of fracking.
Burning natural gas results in the release of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide.
--------------------
Electricity is a secondary energy source – we get it from the conversion of other sources of energy, such as coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear power and other natural sources.
Power stations convert fuels into electricity Coal and gas are burned to heat water and turn it into steam.
The steam, at a very high pressure, is then used to spin a turbine...The moving magnets cause electrons in the wires to move from one place to another, creating an electrical current and producing electricity.
Although Electricity is most often generated at a Power Plant by Electro-mechanical Generators, primarily driven by Heat Engines Fueled by Combustion or Nuclear Fission but also by other means such as the Kinetic Energy of Flowing Water and Wind.
There are Other energy sources including Solar Photovoltaic and Geothermal Power.
Static Electricity. Static Electricity is nothing but the contact between equal amount of protons and electrons (positively and negatively charged subatomic particles)
Current Electricity. Current Electricity is a flow of electric charge across an electrical field.
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Biomass is plant or animal material used as fuel to produce electricity or heat.
“Biomass is far from “clean” – burning biomass creates air pollution that causes a sweeping array of health harms, from asthma attacks to cancer to heart attacks, resulting in emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and premature deaths.”
Outside of contributing carbon dioxide emissions, burning biomass in a solid, liquid, or gaseous state can also emit other pollutants and particulate matter into the air, including carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen oxides.
--------------------
Hydro Electricity - Hydroelectric power was the first and simplest electricity generation technology. Without Water means no power generated. Solar & Wind Power are catching up with the evaporating hydroelectric power, it still holds the largest share of the global electricity. In the 20th century, hydroelectric power was so large that it was called white coal for its power and plenty.
Pros
Renewable Energy Source
Clean Energy Source
Cost Competitive Energy Source
Contributes to the Development of Remote Communities
Recreational Opportunities
Fundamental Vehicle for Sustainable Development
Cons
Environmental Damage
High Upfront Capital Costs
Might Cause Conflicts - hydroelectric power typically build dams across the river to harness the water, can result in interruption of natural water flow from one specific direction to another.
May Lead to Droughts
Risk of Floods in Lower Elevations
Carbon dioxide and Methane Emission
Geological Damage
Concerns About the Safety of the Dam
--------------------
Solar Energy/Power = Electricity
Advantages of Solar Energy
Renewable Energy Source
Reduces Electricity Bills
Diverse Applications
Low Maintenance Costs
Technology Development
Disadvantages of Solar Energy
1) Cost. The initial cost of purchasing a solar system is fairly high. This includes paying for solar panels, inverter, batteries, wiring, and the installation. Nevertheless, solar technologies are constantly developing, so it is safe to assume that prices will go down in the future.
Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be stored in large batteries. These batteries, used in off-the-grid solar systems, can be charged during the day so that the energy is used at night. This is a good solution for using solar energy all day long but it is also quite expensive.
2) Weather-Dependent. Although solar energy can still be collected during cloudy and rainy days, the efficiency of the solar system drops.
You should also take into account that solar energy cannot be collected during the night.
On the other hand, if you also require your water heating solution to work at night or during wintertime, thermodynamic panels are an alternative to consider.
3) Solar Energy Storage Is Expensive.
4) Uses a Lot of Space.
5) Associated with Pollution - Transportation and installation of solar systems have been associated with the emission of greenhouse gases.
--------------------
Electrical Power caused havoc in California experiencing outages and brownouts in the summer 2019. PG&E in the cause of the "Camp Fire", 8 Nov 2018, was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. This Fire wiped out all of Paradise, CA, killing 84 people. PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric) caused 1,500 fires in 6 years.
Moving On...the following is regarding Our Nations Types of Fuels Used...do we plan on being totally dependent on Electricity ? Look at Pros & Cons of the different types of Energy & Fuels in use.
--------------------
Natural gas is produced from shale and other types of sedimentary rock formations by forcing water, chemicals, and sand down a well under high pressure.
It is formed when layers of decomposing plant and animal matter are exposed to intense heat and pressure under the surface of the Earth over millions of years. The energy that the plants originally obtained from the sun is stored in the form of chemical bonds in the gas. Natural gas is a fossil fuel
Natural gas is made up of a mixture of four naturally occurring gases, all of which have different molecular structures. This mixture consists primarily of Methane, which makes up 70-90% of natural gas along with Ethane, Butane and Propane.
Advantages
Natural gas is one of the cleanest fossil fuels, releasing 45% fewer carbon emissions that coal and oil.
It does not produce waste products, such as coal ash.
If there is a gas leak is disappears quickly into the air, whereas oil leaks have a devastating impact on the environment and are expensive to clean.
Gas can be easily transported through pipelines, direct to industry and residential properties.
There are considerable reserves of gas around the world.
Gas can be used for both heating and cooking.
Cons
Gas is highly flammable, which means leaks can result in explosions.
Natural gas is toxic.
Gas infrastructure is expensive, pipelines cost a significant amount of money to construct.
Unless an odorant is added to the gas, leaks can go undetected.
Gas is highly flammable, which means leaks can result in explosions.
Natural gas is toxic.
Earthquakes have been caused by the controversial process of fracking.
Burning natural gas results in the release of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide.
--------------------
Electricity is a secondary energy source – we get it from the conversion of other sources of energy, such as coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear power and other natural sources.
Power stations convert fuels into electricity Coal and gas are burned to heat water and turn it into steam.
The steam, at a very high pressure, is then used to spin a turbine...The moving magnets cause electrons in the wires to move from one place to another, creating an electrical current and producing electricity.
Although Electricity is most often generated at a Power Plant by Electro-mechanical Generators, primarily driven by Heat Engines Fueled by Combustion or Nuclear Fission but also by other means such as the Kinetic Energy of Flowing Water and Wind.
There are Other energy sources including Solar Photovoltaic and Geothermal Power.
Static Electricity. Static Electricity is nothing but the contact between equal amount of protons and electrons (positively and negatively charged subatomic particles)
Current Electricity. Current Electricity is a flow of electric charge across an electrical field.
--------------
Biomass is plant or animal material used as fuel to produce electricity or heat.
“Biomass is far from “clean” – burning biomass creates air pollution that causes a sweeping array of health harms, from asthma attacks to cancer to heart attacks, resulting in emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and premature deaths.”
Outside of contributing carbon dioxide emissions, burning biomass in a solid, liquid, or gaseous state can also emit other pollutants and particulate matter into the air, including carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen oxides.
--------------------
Hydro Electricity - Hydroelectric power was the first and simplest electricity generation technology. Without Water means no power generated. Solar & Wind Power are catching up with the evaporating hydroelectric power, it still holds the largest share of the global electricity. In the 20th century, hydroelectric power was so large that it was called white coal for its power and plenty.
Pros
Renewable Energy Source
Clean Energy Source
Cost Competitive Energy Source
Contributes to the Development of Remote Communities
Recreational Opportunities
Fundamental Vehicle for Sustainable Development
Cons
Environmental Damage
High Upfront Capital Costs
Might Cause Conflicts - hydroelectric power typically build dams across the river to harness the water, can result in interruption of natural water flow from one specific direction to another.
May Lead to Droughts
Risk of Floods in Lower Elevations
Carbon dioxide and Methane Emission
Geological Damage
Concerns About the Safety of the Dam
--------------------
Solar Energy/Power = Electricity
Advantages of Solar Energy
Renewable Energy Source
Reduces Electricity Bills
Diverse Applications
Low Maintenance Costs
Technology Development
Disadvantages of Solar Energy
1) Cost. The initial cost of purchasing a solar system is fairly high. This includes paying for solar panels, inverter, batteries, wiring, and the installation. Nevertheless, solar technologies are constantly developing, so it is safe to assume that prices will go down in the future.
Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be stored in large batteries. These batteries, used in off-the-grid solar systems, can be charged during the day so that the energy is used at night. This is a good solution for using solar energy all day long but it is also quite expensive.
2) Weather-Dependent. Although solar energy can still be collected during cloudy and rainy days, the efficiency of the solar system drops.
You should also take into account that solar energy cannot be collected during the night.
On the other hand, if you also require your water heating solution to work at night or during wintertime, thermodynamic panels are an alternative to consider.
3) Solar Energy Storage Is Expensive.
4) Uses a Lot of Space.
5) Associated with Pollution - Transportation and installation of solar systems have been associated with the emission of greenhouse gases.
--------------------
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