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Other Breakthough Technologies

1. Tidal & Wave Energy:

Potential:

  • Predictable - Tides follow the moon (100% predictable)
  • High Energy Density - Coastal areas with strong tides/waves
  • 24/7 - Unlike solar, it works day/night

Current Status:

  • Small-Scale Demonstrations - UK, France, and Canada are leading
  • Expensive - $200-400/MWh (vs. $30-50 for solar/wind)
  • Technical Challenges - Harsh marine environment, biofouling, and maintenance

Investment:

  • $10 billion - Support demonstrations, R&D
  • Target: 5 GW capacity by 2040
  • Focus: Tidal (more mature than a wave)

Jobs: 10,000

2. Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS):

Concept:

  • Geothermal Can Be Anywhere - Drill deep (10,000+ feet), inject water, and extract heat
  • Not Just Hotspots - Works anywhere with hot rocks deep down (i.e., everywhere!)
  • Baseload - 24/7 power

Current Status:

  • Demonstration Projects - Fervo Energy (Nevada), Eavor (Alberta)
  • Costs Are High - Drilling is expensive
  • Potentially Huge - 100+ GW potential in the U.S.

Investment:

  • $20 billion - Drilling technology, pilot projects
  • Target: 20 GW capacity by 2040

Jobs: 30,000

3. Space-Based Solar Power:

Concept:

  • Solar Panels in Orbit - Capture sunlight 24/7 (no night, clouds)
  • Beam Energy to Earth - Microwave or laser
  • Limitless Power - The Sun always shines in space

Current Status:

  • Theoretical - Demonstrated in lab, not at scale
  • Is Extremely Expensive - Launch costs and construction in space
  • Decades Away - 2050s-2060s at the earliest

Investment:

  • $5 billion - Long-term R&D, demonstrations
  • Not Near-Term - But could be transformative if achieved

4. Thorium Reactors (Fission):

Concept:

  • Nuclear Fission - But using thorium instead of uranium
  • Advantages:
    • More abundant than uranium
    • Less long-lived waste
    • Can't weaponize (proliferation-resistant)
    • Meltdown-proof (molten salt reactors)

Current Status:

  • Demonstrations - China and India are pursuing
  • The U.S. Abandoned - 1970s (uranium lobby won)

Investment:

  • $10 billion - Research, pilot reactors
  • Hedge - In case fusion doesn't work, thorium might

5. Direct Air Capture (DAC):

Not Energy Production, But Related:

  • Capture CO2 from the Air - Remove past emissions
  • Energy-Intensive - Needs lots of clean energy
  • Critical for Net-Zero - Offset hard-to-eliminate emissions

Investment:

  • $50 billion - Scale up DAC
  • Powered by Fusion/Renewables - Otherwise pointless
  • (Covered Separately in the Climate Restoration Programs)