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--------------------- - 1644 - California’s Green Energy
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- Would it not be clever if California invented the “Green Energy” program to mine all that rare earth metals out of China. Have it shipped to California on huge tankers paid for my California taxpayers. Taxpayers then pay the subsidies to keep it going as well as the manufacturing and installment cost of the solar panels. It is all obsolete in 10 years. Because new technologies will replace silicon which is essentially beach sand. Then, invent the “Green Recycle” program to mine all those California roofs of the rare earth metals they are holding. It is a cheap recovery and used to get to the next generation technology. Who’s the wiser? Who says money doesn't grow on “Green” trees.
-. We live in the “knowledge age“, not that we have it, but, that we need it. It is the era of computers and the worldwide Internet, Facebook and Twitter. We got where we are on silicon which is essentially refined beach sand. The next nano-technology will be materials built atom by atom. ( See Review #1641 to learn about new materials).
-. Solar and wind energy is pushing us into the “Green” economy. However, the Green knowledge era is dependent on elements you probably have never heard of:
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------------------------------ Yttrium ---------------- 39 electrons
------------------------------ Neodymium ----------- 60 electrons
------------------------------ Europium -------------- 63 electrons
------------------------------ Terbium --------------- 65 electrons
------------------------------ Dysprosium ----------- 66 electrons
------------------------------ Gallium ---------------- 31 electrons
------------------------------ Indium ----------------- 49 electrons
------------------------------ Tellurium -------------- 52 electrons
------------------------------ Lithium ------------------- 3 electrons
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-. These elements are essentially very essential for LED’s, permanent magnets, solar panels, integrated circuits, ………………………………
-. All these are “critical elements” to keep this new economy moving. But, they are in short supply and classified in the U.S. as “critical materials“.
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- China is a source of most of these critical materials. In fact, China holds 90% of the world supply.
-. California is heavily subsidizing the solar panel industry selling the electric electorate on a “green economy“. For a $15,000 installation the State rebates $4,000, a 27% discount. Solar panels are far from “Green” and cause much more pollution than natural gas, nuclear , and hydro- from which most of our electric power is produced.
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- Maybe this is a clever way to mine precious metals out of China. Manufacturing the pollution and toxins in China. Put the panels on board huge tankers and burn crude oil all away across the Pacific. The pollution on Pacific tanker traffic is much more than all the cars in California. Trade winds bring it to our shores anyway. Taxpayers pay to have them installed on our house roofs. Then after all the panels are paid for and obsolete in 10 years a recycle program is used to recover all that precious metal. Clever idea?
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- Actually rare earth's, as these precious metals are called, are much more abundant than gold, or platinum. They are found everywhere. However, to recover them from the earth economically you need cheap labor and lax environmental regulations. China now produces 90 percent of the world supply, and a whole lot of pollution in the process.
-. Japan is searching for the alternative to do the same mining for these rare earths found under the sea.
-. Lithium is a different story. It is the lightest metal and concentrated in one place in Bolivia. Half the world's known reserves are located in the Uyun’ salt flats in the Andes Mountains on the border with Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. Lithium can becomes the new oil for economic growth. Bolivia the new Saudi Arabia.
-. In sub-Saharan Africa 5 out of 6 of the people have no electricity. They burn kerosene lamps. Kerosene pollutes the air and is much more expensive. The children's health in these polluted homes is an international problem. A solar panel to replace the lamps would cost $50. Most of these families cannot afford that even though the electricity would be free.
-. Getting rid of the kerosene health hazard becomes a financial challenge. These are the poorest people in the world. Cheap energy could really help them. They have plenty of sunlight but no electricity. Here is where we can put those rare earths to good use.
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- Lithium has 3 electrons. It was discovered in 1817 and is the lightest metal , half the density of water. It is used to treat bipolar disorders in manic-depression, and used in rechargeable electric batteries.
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-. Tellurium with 52 electrons was discovered in 1782. It is a brittle, silver- like metal. A semi-conductor used in alloys.
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-. Gallium has 31 electrons. It is a liquid metal discovered in 1875. Arsenide- gallium converts electric current directly into the light. It is used in neutrino telescopes. It melts at 30 degrees centigrade.
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-. Yttrium has 39 electrons. It is a silvery metallic-like transition metal. Discovered in 1787. Used of the making of phosphors, LED’s ,lasers, electrodes …….
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-. Neodymium has 80 electrons and is using in permanent magnets, needed for wind mills.
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. Europium has 63 electrons. It is a hard, silvery metal that readily oxidizes in air and in water. Used in phosphorescence. Used lasers, fluorescent lamps, , TVs. Hardness is similar to that of lead. It is a nuclear fission product.
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. Terbium has 65 electrons. It is a metal that is malleable, ductile, and very hard. Used in solid-state devices, fuel cells, sensors, fluorescent lamps ……..
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-Dysprosium has 66 electrons. It was discovered in 1886. Used in control rods of nuclear reactors. Used in magnetic data storage, hard disks, ……..
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-Indium has 49 electron. It is a very soft metal, similar to gallium, discovered in 1863. Used in crystal displays and touch screens in smart phone. Used as a radio tracer in medicine.
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- What will be needed for the next technology? Government subsidies keep the economy on the old technology rather than let the free market apply its destructive innovation faster than taxation can keep up. An announcement will be made shortly, stay tuned.
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RSVP, with comments, suggestions, corrections. Index of reviews available ---
--- Some reviews are at: -------------------- http://jdetrick.blogspot.com -----
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---- www.twitter.com , --- 707-536-3272 ---- Monday, February 3, 2014 ---
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