| As far back as 1955
Fuller envisioned a comprehensive global system of energy production
&
distribution that would be the physical basis for mankind's future prosperity. |
| He calculated that for
everyone to have a "bare maximum" (decent) standard of living would require at
least 40 megawatt-hrs/person/year. |
| The world presently produces
about 20 megawatt-hrs/person/year of which about 90% comes from non-renewable sources
which are estimated to be used up within the next 20 years or so. |
| However, 16 different types of
renewable energy sources could produce 10 times as much energy as we have now or 200
mw/person/year. |
| These renewable resources
could be fed into a global distribution system that would be capable of handling both
east-west (daily) & north-south (monthly) fluctuations in demand. |
| He also proposed a global
system of high mountain, pumped-storage lakes to act as "batteries" to store
surplus energy & release it when needed. |
| With such a global energy
generation and distribution system many economies of scale (savings) would be realized. |
| He pointed out that
development could take place in stages over a 50-year period with an ultimate goal of at
least 1,000 times as much energy as the world has now (or 20,000
MW-hrs/person/yr).
STATUS |
