power surge

Write 500-700 words discussing the topics below

1.     What do they propose be the solution to the energy crisis is?

The film proposes technology as the solution, while heeding the strategy of Pacala’s Wedge Theory.  The first wedge is efficiency. Efficient lighting, transportation, heating, and overall electricity production are all examples of keystone variables in satisfying this first wedge. The second wedge pertains to nuclear power: that there must occur a three-fold increase in nuclear plants over the next 50 years.  As the video also points out, we’d likewise fulfill this wedge’s criteria by replacing 800 coal plants with nuclear reactors.  Of course, there’s a cultural taboo against nuclear plants, and though there have been nasty meltdowns in the past, many politicians and much of the general public should be brought up to speed in the real value in nuclear energy: 1) meltdowns are extremely rare and are due to out-of-date technology( like poor cooling methods), along with extreme environmental stress (like the case with Fukushima)—and furthermore, nuclear energy is presently the only source of energy capable of providing base-load energy (24/7) without releasing greenhouse gases.  The third wedge is burying emissions from power plants which, as was explained in the video, will only occur the day that releasing GHG serves as a direct economic burden.  Finally, the last which is harnessing the energy of the sun: be it through biofuels, solar PV, solar thermal, or wind.  The video explains that the earth receives energy from the sun at a rate of 100,000 TW—and our modern, global society requires only 18 TW.  So the energy is there, we need develop the capacity to harness it sustainably.  

2.     Do you agree or disagree with their assessment of how to solve the problem?

Technology, in my opinion, represents a large portion of steps necessary for implementing sustainable infrastructure.  As we see today, in both developed and developing countries, energy-intensive technology is required for fundamental stability, such as transportation of agricultural goods, electricity generation and distribution, shipments of imports and exports, labor and manufacturing.  All require abundant amounts of energy.  In Power Surge, technology is portrayed as the means to and end, that our mechanical innovation will enable us to remain operating in this globalized, economically-oriented society—and for the most part, our technological headway will allow this paradigm to continue.  But there are a few other infrastructural traits—on both the macro and micro levels—that should be implemented for the purpose of sustainable development.  First and foremost: fuel policies—the damage fossil fuels do to the environment should be reflected in their values.  Fossil fuels should be more expensive, this maneuver would speed up the research and implementation of more sustainable fuel sources—as well as methods for carbon burying, as is inherent to wedge #3.  Then there’s the issue of regional infrastructure: that our globalized economy and reliance on foreign goods should down-scale from what it is now—regions should do there best to utilize their proximate ecosystems for food and energy production, rather than relying on the resources of distant locations.  Scaling down our globalized resource-consuming behavior allows individual regions to set consumption standards in accordance with the capacity of their ecosystems.  And if an ecosystem cannot provide an essential good—like water—than the costs of living there should be weighed.  Finally, urbanization rates are growing rapidly, and by 2050, roughly 75% of the world’s population is expected to live in urban areas.  This creates huge stress on the local environment, no to mention human health.  Surely, technology will play a huge role in cutting down, say, the pollutants emitted by vehicles.  But, if you were to dovetail these mpg innovations with city planning techniques that promote greater connectivity between a neighborhood’s residential area and a office area, the result would be less vehicle miles traveled anyway.  Technology is essential for sustainability, but there must be a confluence between it and urban, environmental, social, an economic policy.

3.     Do they accurately address the effects of the environment, society and economy when they consider what alternative energies to use?

Not to much of an extent.  I’d like to know what environmental and resource pressures are inherent to a successful implementation of the wedge theory—for instance, is there enough silicon to create a sufficient amount of solar panels? Isn’t the production of solar panels energy intensive?