Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [energy]

The ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems.

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Are claims about saving power by turning appliances off instead of leaving them in standby accurate?

I keep hearing this argument that if you powered down all the appliances you normally leave on standby (TV, hifi, set top box, DVD/Blu ray player, computer, etc) you'll save nearly £90 a year in electricity bills. However, the table in the linked…
GordonM
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Is the net output of CO₂ from Nuclear Energy lower than the net output of other energy sources?

While CO₂ is not produced directly when producing electricity from nuclear power, it is obvious that obtaining the radioactive material and preparing it for its use in a plant inevitably produces some CO₂. Thus, the claim that nuclear power is CO₂…
Lagerbaer
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Solar energy in place of conventional energy sources

The first time I came across these arguments against solar energy was in "Overload" by Arthur Hailey. Admittedly, this is fiction, but the arguments seems to have some merit. Using solar cells to produce comparable amount of energy will need so…
rest_day
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Does streaming a video to smartphone consume 1000W of electricity?

The German test magazine "Stiftung Warentest" tested video streaming platforms in the magazine 1/2020. As a side note they write on page 35: Laut Studien der grünen französischen Denkfabrik "The Shift Project" erzeugt Videostreaming enorme…
yankee
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Does one SUV tank of ethanol "take as much grain as could feed a person for a whole year?"

From The Great Transition, (c)2014, by Lester R. Brown (preface, page xiii): [F]illing the tank of a large SUV one time with ethanol takes as much grain as could feed a person for a whole year. Since it definitely costs me more in a year to eat…
LShaver
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Has wholesale electricity price in France increased to €1000 per MWh, up from €85 per MWh?

This broadcast ... France to restart all nuclear reactors by winter amid energy crunch • FRANCE 24 English ... says: The wholesale price for 2022 was €85 per MWh and the price for 2023 has gone up to over €1000. Is that true? That is a pretty…
ChrisW
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Are CFLs always more ecologic than incandescent light bulbs?

Incandescent light bulbs are now being phased out in many countries. In practice, the replacements are mostly compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). In many cases, the energy savings created by CFLs justify this change. The used energy in incandescent…
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Is a car's fuel consumption increased when the headlights are on?

I have read in many sites that a car with lights on will consume more fuel that with lights off. The (hand-waving) justifications that I see tend to mention that "energy has to come from somewhere" and so they deduce that more fuel should be used.…
Martin Argerami
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Is each step in the food chain 10% efficient?

I remember learning in school many years ago that each level of the food chain is only about 10% efficient. So when an herbivore eats a plant, they get 10% of the energy that the plant had, and a predator eating that animal gets 10% again, and so…
Tesserex
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Can drilling for geothermal energy trigger a major earthquake?

I remember reading about this geothermal project being cancelled due to concerns over (relatively) small seismic events caused by the drilling. Have there been any instances of, or reasonable scientific cause to believe a major seismic event might…
mootinator
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Are wind turbines harmful to human health?

The so-called wind turbine syndrome has received quite a bit of attention of late. For example, on How Stuff Works: Until recently, there were three main issues regarding the possible downsides of wind power: bird and­ bat deaths, cost, and…
Brian M. Hunt
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Does streaming an album 27 times consume as much energy as manufacturing a CD?

According to an article on TheConversation: So which is the greener option? It depends on many things, including how many times you listen to your music. If you only listen to a track a couple of times, then streaming is the best option. If you…
JonathanReez
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Can permanent magnets be exploited to create energy?

There are many videos on youtube in which permanent magnets are used to make a motor. Although it might be possible in an ideal environment (e.g. no friction). As these devices are rotating continously means that they are producing energy to…
smUsamaShah
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Does the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission require weatherized pipelines and equipment (but Texas's doesn't)?

The Houston Chornicle writes: Texas has the only American electricity grid with no rules for resiliency. Instead, the GOP majority argued that a system that pays higher prices when demand goes up would incentivize generators to make sure their…
Fizz
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Do windmills in freezing climates require power so they don't seize up?

This graphic shared on Facebook, says windmills require active heating in freezing climates when not producing electricity. Its exact text reads, Germany's millions of solar panels are blanketed in snow and ice... (not working)... It's 30,000 Wind…
Evan Carroll
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