Fuel Infrastructure
Martin on Apr 12th 2008
The internal combustion engine has done more to change the face of the planet and expand the human population than any other single invention. There are many reasons for this but one of the major ones is the stability of the fuel. Gasoline can be reliably stored almost indefinitely without the need for pressurized containers. As a liquid it has a high energy content that leaves nearly no residue, and so the engine requires little maintenance.
The Tidal Irrigation and Electrical System can produce the source material for biodiesel that is virtually identical to fossil-based diesel. Biodiesel has the huge advantage of fitting into our current technological paradigm.
The TIE System also has the potential to provide the source energy to turn water into hydrogen and oxygen on a scale that could meet much of the world’s demand for portable energy. Hydrogen is a much touted replacement for gasoline and diesel, though it has many drawbacks (see also: Hydrogen and Other Storage Mediums).
Ultimately, the form that the power generated in the TIE System is exported in will be up to the society at large and what its demand is.