Power Surge

What do they propose be the solution to the energy crisis is?

The Power Surge video proposes to move towards the goal of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions  under a wedge system and divide the necessary steps to stop emitting greenhouse gases in the next coming years. Instead of looking for one single technology that will completely replace fossil fuels, the video suggests using four categories of:

- Building more nuclear plants

- Imposing efficiency standards

- Searching for alternative and sustainable energies

- Clean carbon (carbon sequestration)

Through the use of innovative technology, entrepreneurs and scientists are looking into the best alternative energy that can replace fossil fuels. In addition, searching for ways to create clean carbon for the current economies that depend on it, like China and India. There are technologies already exsisting in submarines and power plants that collects carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or natural gas and traps it. This kind of technology can help the process of carbon sequestration in an industrial manner. However, there is not enough financial motivation for stop emitting carbon dioxide for private or public entities in order to use these technologies.

Do you agree or disagree with their assessment of how to solve the problem?

I believe that this strategy can be a useful tool at analyzing the problem and trying to find the best solution for the short and the long term. Since it can be divided into wedges of strategies it can be easier to vizualize at how humanity can best tackle the problem of climate change and sustainable energy sources. I believe that the clean carbon and carbon dioxide sequestration strategies are very interesting as they can help remedy the largest problems of using fossil fuels. However, it has to be done in an industrial size as having only 4 power plants in the world that can sequest CO2 is not enough for the amount of CO2 emitted worldwide. Ultimately, there are many solutions that can help solve the problem they key is to actually implement it and invest in these technologies now. 

Do they accurately address the effects of the environment, society and economy when they consider what alternative energies to use?

The video doesn't focus too much on the society when considering their strategy. They were focusing more on ways to look at the problem and deciding which of the four strategies should be used more than the others. I believe that one of the factors they considered related to the society is when they talked about solar and wind power. The chinese mogul of solar power is trying to make this technology more available for the masses by making it more effiecient and less costly. If society can't afford the technology then it is very likely it will not work. Another aspect that was discussed that touched upon the economy linked to society was the fact that by creating more efficiency standards in electricity use and power generation it would also have a financial incentive as it would be cheaper for society.