*Debate* Should we stop using fossil fuels and move on to a new energy source?

[ShoutCast]

to the person who said it needs 400 windmills to make 1 power station when i was somewere i read this fact you can build something like 12 032 wind mills for the price of a coal plant

[Emicat.]

On Blue Peter they once showed a town being powered by cow shiz =]

[nvrspk4]

Should we turn to new energy sources? Absolutely. Are we able to? No, not to the point where we could become totally independent of fossil fuels. We humans do not yet have the capacity to create enough energy off of windmills or solar power plants to be able to let that take up the slack of fossil fuels. In time solar power will improve. Years ago, it took a whole roof of solar panels to create the amount of energy that can be created with just one panel. now. In the future they will be even more effective and the possibility would be more realistic. Even with nuclear power right now, do we have the capacity to create enough energy to power the world?

One other thing we must realize is that we should have multiple alternative energy sources. What happens when these forms of energy are not possible to use any more? Yes provided it will be billions of years before the sun blows up but what happens to solar power when it does? People say that sources like nuclear power will never run out but do we really know that? As I stated before, the reason is not "Should we?" but "Can we".

Assuming for a moment that the question is "Should we?" Absolutely we should. We should also make the transition before the fuels run out. Experts expect oil to run out in 2050. While it may seem a long time off to a kid, it is necessary to immediately act because 24 years isn't all that far off. Also, as we get closer to the complete loss of oil and other fossil fuels, prices will go up and possibly bankrupt the world's economies and populations. Then there's the pollution factor. Life expectancies are greatly diminished by the presence of pollution and carbon monoxide. Not only are our systems broken down gradually, but we can inherit diseases which cut us down short of our life expectancy as well. There really is no reasonable argument for not making the transition except for cost, but the cost is nothing compared to the priceless "cost" of human lives, and the reality which is the major factor.

Now for Shoutcast's

The efficiency / cost you're right about but what about space? We're worried about our fossil fuels because their limited but so is the space we have available to us, especially with the world's population rapidly rising. So windmills cannot support us on their own.

I'll stop ranting now as you all probably want me to shut up Anyway writing too much can make it harder for your point to get through.

EDIT: I forgot the point I really wanted to make. Regarding air power as some of you mentioned. Yes air power is a magnificent idea BUT! It cannot run on its own. You need some alternative electricity source to COMPRESS the air so that it can be used. Yes it would possibly lessen the amount of undesirable fuels we use but it would not at all eliminate it.

[RedStratocas]

Absolutely-- this debate should be 'what should be our new energy source?'

The thing that makes me mad about gas is how all the money just goes to oil companies in the U.S. The UK has the right idea, all the money in gas goes to the government for energy research. Also, we need an energy source that can be produced worldwide so that we do not have to rely on other nations for it.

[FlyingJesus]

Yes provided it will be billions of years before the sun blows up but what happens to solar power when it does?

When the Sun blows up, the least of our troubles will be what to use in order for us to still be able to watch TV.

[RedStratocas]

When the Sun blows up, the least of our troubles will be what to use in order for us to still be able to watch TV.

Haha, youre right. There is no way we can live without the sun. There is no way, it's impossible.

[jordybumz!]

To be honest, I'll be dead by the time it all runs out, so I'd rather enjoy a life of fossil fuels :]

[Scorpio]

Well of course we should stop using fossil fuels. We're gonna have to anyway, it's almost run out! Some people are so lazy. They couldn't care less about the next generation suffering because of us not acting upon it. And why has the subject of the sun blowing up come into this? Chances are it'll blow us all to pieces, and if it doesn't, most vegetation cant live without sunlight, meaning animals will die, eg US. So YEEES

[-:Undertaker:-]

I believe we should use the fossil fuels while they are still here, and in the meantime start building Nuclear Power Plants.
You may think Nuclear is dangerous, We've moved on alot in the past 50 years.
Here are the options:

• Wind Power - Costs Loads, Unrealiable and they need replacing within 10 - 15 years.

• Hydro Dam - Very efficent, Lasts long.

• Nuclear - Very Efficent, Lasts Long and VERY Cheap.

• Solar - Efficent in Hot Countries.

• Tidal - Like Hydro Dam, Its Efficent and lasts long.

I wacthed a program about 1 year ago and it was about finding the solution to Oil and Coal.

I used to be for Wind etc.. but that program swicthed me to nuclear power.


I stand for Nuclear, Tidal and Hydro Dams.

I also dont believe that we are causing Globel Warming, I think that we are speeding it up but not causing it - Think Of The Many Ice Ages the earth has had.

[FlyingJesus]

To be honest, I'll be dead by the time it all runs out, so I'd rather enjoy a life of fossil fuels :]

My thoughts exactly ^_^ Things are so much easier when you don't care about anyone else.

However, I also agree with everything Undertaker put down, nuclear is the way forward. However, poor countries won't get that because Europe and the US don't let them (check out what's happened to every country that's tried to use nuclear power). That's quite unlucky for them really.