(Copyright Shai Agassi, care of TED)
Unlike oil, electric-based miles will follow Moore’s Law. With oil, we are subject to the uncertainties of the market, to the potential disruptions caused by unrest, the action of cartels and the varying taxation of governments.
The idea that energy is actually abundant is revolutionary. Our entire economy is based on energy-scarcity; we use it to power our gadgets, move around in cars, gather, clean and cook our food, light our nights and hear our homes. The idea of abundant energy is disruptive and we can take control.
Disruption in three stages.
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Efficiency – take control of your environment. Stop lighting rooms that are unoccupied. I’ve considered just throwing the master switch on the junction box as the last thing I do before bed. It’s an extreme but it’s not unreasonable. And upgrade your light bulbs and your computers to take advantages of new lower power technology.
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Renewables – get on the bandwagon. Start with micro generation and work on growing it. If you’re not in a sunny area, put up a wind turbine. See if your external lights can be powered by the wind alone.
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Software – we can do some magnificent things with software. Maybe we can use it to turn off lights or power down plasma screens or even to just boil exactly the amount of water we need for a cuppa.