Re: the year 2100

[Rick Tarara <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Schroeder" <DSCHROEDER@CC.WEBER.EDU>

> David Mermin's column in the February Physics Today reminded me
> of Rick's classroom exercise of predicting where we'll get our
> energy in the year 2100.  Any thoughts, Rick?
>
> Dan

The point of view of my project is a 'worst-case' scenario.  WHAT IF no
major breakthroughs in energy technology/physics occur in the next 100
years.  If we look at the past century, there is really little 'new' in
commercial 'energy production' apart from nuclear and photo-voltaic
electrical production.  Sure the engineering and much of the technology has
improved, but the physics of the energy industry would be easy for the circa
1900 physicist to comprehend.  So, while we hope for breakthroughs in areas
such as fusion, and could always be surprised by something coming totally
out of 'left field', it is not unreasonable to look at what the
possibilities/probabilities would be without any 'new physics' and with
little in the way of true 'breakthrough' technology.

Rick

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Richard W. Tarara
Associate Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

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