[Info-vax] Intel junk...Kernel-memory-leaking Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

[Wolf K]

On 2018-01-09 04:58, Tim Streater wrote:
> In article <WOT4C.274768$BH4.101809 at fx02.iad>, Wolf K
> <wolfmac at sympatico.ca> wrote:
> 
>> On 2018-01-08 14:59, Jan-Erik Soderholm wrote:
>> [...]
>>> If you run the gasoline engine on bio-fuels produced from plants
>>> growing *today*, there is no issue with the C02 emissions.
>>
>> There is a net addition to the CO2 load, because it costs energy (ie, 
>> fuel) to produce the biofuel. That cost can be stated as the 
>> proportion of the fuel needed to produce it. That is, how many litres 
>> of some fuel does it take to produce 100 litres of the stuff?
> 
> And how much land to produce the 100 litres each year every year? Or to
> produce enough biofuel for one vehicle's annual driving?

Good questions. I came across a report somewhere within the last couple 
of years about a group looking at desert plants. Those wouldn't displace 
food plants.

Speaking of plants: Photosynthesis isn't very efficient. Less than 5% of 
light energy is stored in the plant (all of it, not just the 
carbohydrates that we can easily convert to fuels). Current solar panels 
convert 20-25% of light into electricity, and labs have demoed 
conversion efficiencies greater than 30%. Since biofuels are burned in 
heat engines, only about 1% net of the infalling light ends up moving 
your car. Using solar panels for charging the battery is much more 
efficient.

There's research projects attempting to build an artificial leaf: use 
enzymes plus light to do what the leaf does. Within the last couple of 
years, New Scientist reported a proof-of-concept trial that was about 
twice as efficient as a natural leaf. But scaling it up is a serious 
problem. Always is with biochemistry.
  OTOH, highly efficient solar panels and artificial leaves would be 
serious competition to traditional power companies. Wide-spread feed-in 
systems would become feasible: excess power produced on your roof would 
reduce the need for (and highly profitable) power generation. That means 
political and PR efforts to slow the development of solar. Which is 
what's happening.

-- 
Wolf K
kirkwood40.blogspot.com
"The next conference for the time travel design team will be held two 
weeks ago."