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Hey, Lonny: | Hey, Lonny: | ||
Thanks for the quick response! Your response immediately brings to mind for me how obsolete or ill-defined the terms "renewable" and "alternative" are. Both have become "Humpty Dumpty" words, used for whatever use the user intends--and without explanation--and with no knowledge by the user. Both nonetheless have applications, but which are much narrower than currently in place. "Renewable" applies to, for example, forests which take 50 years to be "renewed", and also Wind and Sun, which are at any instant the same as any other. Since Wind and Sun are dependent on Solar System and planetary astrophysics, they are essentially limitless, while forests can be obliterated, and if normal biological succession is prevented e.g., by agriculture or parking lots, the forests never "renew". Calling both "renewable" is truly trying to squeeze apples and oranges together. | Thanks for the quick response! Your response immediately brings to mind for me how obsolete or ill-defined | ||
the terms "renewable" and "alternative" are. Both have become "Humpty Dumpty" words, used for whatever use the user intends--and without explanation--and with no knowledge by the user. Both nonetheless have applications, but which are much narrower than currently in place. "Renewable" applies to, for example, forests which take 50 years to be "renewed", and also Wind and Sun, which are at any instant the same as any other. Since Wind and Sun are dependent on Solar System and planetary astrophysics, they are essentially limitless, while forests can be obliterated, and if normal biological succession is prevented e.g., by agriculture or parking lots, the forests never "renew". Calling both "renewable" is truly trying to squeeze apples and oranges together. | |||
"Alternative" was once applied to lifestyles, not energy, and should be returned to that field. To further discredit the term I read a blurb or ad slogan regarding residential sustainable energy, stating "'alternative' is now mainstream". | "Alternative" was once applied to lifestyles, not energy, and should be returned to that field. To further discredit the term I read a blurb or ad slogan regarding residential sustainable energy, stating "'alternative' is now mainstream". | ||
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Incidentally, "geothermal" applies only to geological heat deep in the crust used to create steam to power turbines. It does not apply to Earth-coupled or ground-coupled heatpumps. These terms and techniques are completely different. I don't know if this mistake is present here or not, so forgive me if the distinction has already been made--it is common elsewhere. | Incidentally, "geothermal" applies only to geological heat deep in the crust used to create steam to power turbines. It does not apply to Earth-coupled or ground-coupled heatpumps. These terms and techniques are completely different. I don't know if this mistake is present here or not, so forgive me if the distinction has already been made--it is common elsewhere. | ||
At the very least, I certainly agree with getting rid of "Renewable" and "Alternative". "Sustainable" and its forms | At the very least, I certainly agree with getting rid of "Renewable" and "Alternative". "Sustainable" and its forms needs to have a rigorous, defensible, unerodible definition. And, one day I will learn enough HTML to apply the organization and formatting, but for now, thanks for the opportunity! | ||
David | David |