The Moon: Solving Earth's Energy Crisis

[Airbrush]

Well there are plans to have some cleaning done too (eg on the panels for our next Mars rovers). If we're making solar panels on the moon I'd think we'd be able to scrub them down every decade or so. On earth washing will be easier but will need to be done more often for efficiency. Another factor is wear and tear. Dust storms or hailstorms will do nasty things to your solar panels, for example. On the moon there's none of that, but micrometeorites might be a problem instead.

 

Interesting point about the new Mars rovers. I recall the Phoenix rover was covered during a dust storm, lost all power, and froze to death. You need some kind of brushing method, like a long bottle brush that runs along the panels dusting them off periodically.

 

Micrometeors may be a problem, but if the panels are designed to allow for tiny punctures without compromising the whole areas ability to gather energy, then micrometeors would be no problem at all.

 

... but in the end, the energy crisis will only be solved if we stop population growth. That's the nasty conclusion... It's so nasty, because technology can do nothing about it.

 

Good point. As much, or more, can be accomplished thru greater efficiency and limits to population growth. It seems like there is already an excess of population of a Billion people or more.

 

I was thinking of tapping into supervolcanos in order to disable them, allow them to "let off steam" and not catastrophically erupt, and in the process use what we can tap from them as energy sources.

[MRlogic]

I watched a show on the NGC about colonizing the Moon last night. Then I realized before the mentioned it, if you networked solar power stations in a circle around the Moon, you could have a power grid that's always receiving solar energy and can be beamed back to Earth. The Moon does have the raw materials to construct solar panels.

 

Now, do we currently have the technology to do this and can anyone guestimate cost vs. other energies?

 

 

it wouldnt last, the moon is also like a sheild against a lot of astroids. it wouldnt last it would be destroy eventually

[Ophiolite]

it wouldnt last, the moon is also like a sheild against a lot of astroids. it wouldnt last it would be destroy eventually

You have it the wrong way round. The Earth, because of its considerably greater mass, protects the moon from asteroids. As you can see it doesn't do a very good job and the job the moon does for the Earth is even less effective.