Monday, October 15, 2012

Progetto Archimede: energy for everyone

Computers, obiously, need energy to work. And so do all the other machines: the problem of power sources is becoming bigger every day, since we don't have a renewable energy source that could really replace fossil fuels. Or do we?

Some months ago I wrote an article for BBC Science Italy, about the "Progetto Archimede" (Archimedes Project) built from the ENEA based on an idea of Carlo Rubbia (an italian Nobel prize winner for physics). Because of some troubles in the layout of the magazine, we decided to not publish the article. For this reason I would like to publish at least the interview I did at the italian minister of environment Corrado Clini (and former director of ENEA).

Just for those who don't know what we are talking about, Progetto Archimede is a new kind of power plant based on solar thermodynamic that works both in day and night: according to Rubbia's calculations, a power plant of this type large about 2000 Km2 (this is nothing in terms of desertic areas) can give energy to the whole Europe. Forever.

Here's the interview: