LETTER: The science of energy
In response to Ed Dornlas’s Feb. 18 letter regarding sources of energy:
Solar and wind (the product of solar heating differentials) are “kinetic” or active energy. They are also immediately adaptable to produce electricity to provide power. Those folks in Texas without power weren’t relying on a large system of solar and wind energy. That condition was the result of poor energy management and politics.
Fossil fuels and uranium are “potential” or inactive energy sources that need to be extracted from the Earth and then converted to a source that can be burned or create nuclear reactions to produce heat to turn water into steam to be streamed across giant turbines to produce “electrical energy.” This keeps his lights radiating and also produces heat. I suggest that Mr. Dornlas look up the definition of energy, forms and sources of each. The internet is a very useful tool.
