re: solarpunk...?
@kara_dreamer@plural.cafe bluh
anyway, I'd LOVE to know if the solarpunk people have actually accounted for shit like this in their plans. or are they assuming the ready availability of equipment that's only readily available because of the very same hypercapitalistic, exploitative industries that they're purporting to want to replace?
re: solarpunk...?
@Alyx @kara_dreamer solar doesn't require pv panels. Concentrating mirrors and steam power are another good option, and in fact, the only reason pv panels are made using the techniques we have for more complex semiconductors is because as you say those are cheap.
The two hard parts are silicon purification and phosphorus deposition, but those can be done greenly. We just choose not to because it's not profitable. And it's not as if there's a shortage of silicates or phosphorus on Earth.
And then of course there's biosolar and other experimental techniques
So yeah I mean people definitely need to be more precise in what they design but capturing solar energy is a pretty good idea in general
It's abundant and cheap once installed
K
re: solarpunk...?
@astrum @kara_dreamer@plural.cafe I am not unopposed in principle, but I want more acknowledgement of the challenges
how are we gonna build tech stuff when the corporate infrastructure that supplies all our materials and components breaks down or becomes effectively inaccessible
re: solarpunk...?
@astrum @kara_dreamer@plural.cafe yeah that's a thing innit
we've pushed microcontrollers and wireless transceiving into literally everything. we use this crap to turn lights on
re: solarpunk...?
@Alyx @kara_dreamer by requiring less from our machines.
the supply chain for discrete transistors is shorter and more flexible than that for ICs, and the same is true to a lesser extent of less complex ICs. Nothing is stopping us from all using a slightly souped up Z80 except that software fucking sucks