Beneath Alien Waves

[Dredj]

Here's a device that got patented that converts water into energy. It's a dry read and I only skimmed through most of it, but there might be something useful in it:Device for converting the energy of sea water - Patent 4162409

Here's another device:Energy of Seawater Desalination

And here's an idea:Wired 13.06: The Mad Genius from the Bottom of the Sea Btw, the third page of this overlong article sums everything up. And it's a great way to produce fresh water, too!

[Dredj]

And yet some more energy from seawater:Waves power sea water desalination plant :: Water

And some more ideas that combine most of the above: Science turns sun, surf into green energy - Environment - smh.com.au

No offense, but having enough energy on a all/almost all water planet that's being colonized by a space-faring civilization in the far-flung future, using 'green' technology that's already being developed today, would probably be a non-issue. And within a century, the colonists would have all the energy they need to rapidly replenish the ozone layer. And a lot of the mechanical technology behind these things is not very expensive. A waterworld colony with SPS style energy tech as back-up could be a techno-paradise that could become the intergalactic Silicone Valley, where new tech is being designed thanks to the overabundance of easy to maintain energy resources. Which could also be a reason why outside forces would want to take over Pharos IV. It could also be easy to get funding for the development of the colony, IF proper diplomatic protocols are followed (role-playing opportunity). The only real cost would be due to the remoteness of the colony, but, again, good diplomacy would overcome those costs.

It could also be a great place for scientist all over the galaxy, sector, or whatever, to study terraforming and implement new world building theories (with possible catastrophic consequences).

I realize that the costs of this stuff was already covered in this thread, but the components necessary to create the sustainable energy would be the very first things the colonists would bring with them. Once the colony has an economic foothold, then they can really bring out the "big guns". However, implementing these technologies vs. people and things that don't want them to be implemented could create some very interesting role playing situations.

Also, I strongly recommend studying the concerns for living in "high frontier" space colonies, as those would be the same as the colonies on a planet that has hardly any ozone layer (people having to live indoors all the time).

I discussed this stuff on other forums, so I hope I'm not being redundant on this one.:-) And I suspect you had many of these ideas already in mind.

[rust]

Thank you very, very much for all the interesting and useful informations
and ideas, they really are most welcome !

The Pharos IV colonists have built their first power plant using an ocean
current to produce energy some years ago, but it will mainly be used to
replace the oldest of the fusion power plants they brought with them.
I always wanted to use "green" energy for the development of the colo-
ny, but until now I did not have the time (well, was too lazy ...) to do the
necessary research, so your links come at the perfect time.

The energy would not be the real problem when it comes to the proposal
to use lasers to replenish the ozone layer, the main problem would be mo-
ney. At the moment, the colony simply could not afford a project of this
kind, and the leaders of the colony (a group of player characters, by the
way) currently need all the money they can get to arm the colony in order
to protect it from a newly appeared group of pirates / raiders.

So, the laser-ozone-project will have to wait a couple of game-years, I
think, with all those nasty pirates at the system's "border" ...

[Dredj]

Originally Posted by rust

Thank you very, very much for all the interesting and useful informations
and ideas, they really are most welcome !

The Pharos IV colonists have built their first power plant using an ocean
current to produce energy some years ago, but it will mainly be used to
replace the oldest of the fusion power plants they brought with them.
I always wanted to use "green" energy for the development of the colo-
ny, but until now I did not have the time (well, was too lazy ...) to do the
necessary research, so your links come at the perfect time.

The energy would not be the real problem when it comes to the proposal
to use lasers to replenish the ozone layer, the main problem would be mo-
ney. At the moment, the colony simply could not afford a project of this
kind, and the leaders of the colony (a group of player characters, by the
way) currently need all the money they can get to arm the colony in order
to protect it from a newly appeared group of pirates / raiders.

So, the laser-ozone-project will have to wait a couple of game-years, I
think, with all those nasty pirates at the system's "border" ...

Ah, I see where you're going with this

[Dredj]

If you don't mind me saying so, I like my idea of using pykrete for polar regions. Here is some info. on ice hotels and igloos:

Igloo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ice hotel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[rust]

Oops, I forgot to answer that one ...

Unfortunately Pharos IV has almost no axial tilt and no polar regions, the
energy transport by the ocean currents is unhindered by continents, so
the regions near the poles are only a little colder than the rest of the pla-
net.

While I like the idea, I have doubts that I could make it work for Pharos IV.

[Dredj]

Originally Posted by rust

Oops, I forgot to answer that one ...

Unfortunately Pharos IV has almost no axial tilt and no polar regions, the
energy transport by the ocean currents is unhindered by continents, so
the regions near the poles are only a little colder than the rest of the pla-
net.

While I like the idea, I have doubts that I could make it work for Pharos IV.

I see. Does that mean that Pharos IV is wobbly?

[rust]

Originally Posted by Dredj

Does that mean that Pharos IV is wobbly?

No, at least not in the short term. Since my knowledge of geophysics is very
limited, I decided to use what I considered the most simple model I could
find, with "perfect" ocean currents, jet streams, and all that, and made sure
that the planet has no moon (no tides to calculate ...).
There may be some "side effects" in the long run, like the planet perhaps be-
ing wobbly, but for the time being I simply ignore them ...

[Dredj]

I misread your previous post.

Here's some "green" water transportation:
Sea Water Power | Renewable Energy Desalination, Desalination Watercrafts, Hydrokinetic Underwater Turbines | Future Ecology Eternal Ecology Renewable Ecology Evolving Ecology Sustainable Ecology Electric Ecology Future Ecology & Social Ecologyy

[Dredj]

And more desalination:Wave-powered 'ducks' could purify seawater - energy-fuels - 07 November 2006 - New Scientist Environment