If sunlight is blocked the amount of people who die due to starvation from crop failures will probably more than make up for the difference in lost solar power energy. That is to say, we'll have much larger issues than a stable power grid to contend with.
replyIf we directed worldwide LED production all into artificial light for farming, and grew whatever was most calorie-efficient, I think we could theoretically feed every human alive if the sun was blocked out tomorrow.
replyObviously that isn't what would happen. The poor would starve whilst the rich still fed cows to eat steak.
Did a bit of maths and this isn't true - worldwide LED production would only feed ~1%.
replyIt doesn't necessarily take a full blockage of sunlight. Extreme weather conditions that create multi week collapse in solar outputs is enough to create grid stress, if one is totally dependent on solar and 24hr batteries.
replyThe world doesn't even have the foresight of doing something basic, like mitigating against fuel crisis scenario, let alone what you have suggested.
replyVolcanic winters are far more frequent than catastrophic asteroid blasts. Disregarding a volcanic winter possibility and its impact is like disregarding the possibility of a pandemic.
reply> Volcanic winters are far more frequent...
replyTrue. But if you're working in public policy in a vaguely-democratic country, and trying to get anything useful done - then the public feels vastly more familiar with "giant asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs" than with volcanic winters. So, just like "Zombie Apocalypse (wink)" disaster prep - you go with a "close enough" scenario which lets you achieve some actual preparation.
536 and the Norse stories about the Fimbulwinter ought to be argument enough.
replyFor the 1% who are so interested in science & history & such that learning about those would not be an issue, plausibly yes.
replyFor the 99% - who don't have the time, or interest, or attention span, or cultural identification, or whatever, to sit through all that - NO.
Is your priority further education of the 1%? Or to actually get some large-scale public disaster prep done?
Surely you must realize that the fuel for nuclear power plants is not more freely available than sunlight. In the event of "all out nuclear war or asteroid hit", you're not getting those shipments from Kazakhstan.
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