Part 9/12:
It is crucial to note that this is not a perpetual motion machine. Energy losses at each stage—solar to electricity, electricity to fuel—are inevitable, with efficiencies around 30-35%. Despite these losses, the fundamental advantage remains: solar energy is abundant and inexpensive, making this synthetic fuel pathway a game-changer for global energy systems.
Solar as the Final Industrial Revolution
Handmer describes solar energy as potentially the final stage of the industrial revolution. The sun continuously pours an astonishing 173,000 terawatts of power onto the Earth every second, an inexhaustible resource. If humanity can harness nearly all of this direct solar power, it would signify the ultimate, cheapest, and most sustainable energy source.