Brittle Power- PARTS 1-3 (+Notes) - Natural Capitalism Solutions

Chapter Four: What Makes the Energy System Vulnerable? 31tempted to suppose that it will always be able to resist disruption in the future,even if it is tested in ways—such as concerted terrorist attacks—to which it hasnot yet been exposed. But in fact, as will be shown both in principle and frompractical examples, the very properties of the modern energy system thatmake it such a visible and impressive technical achievement also make it peculiarlyvulnerable to the threats described in the previous two chapters.The energy system cannot cope with threats for which it was not designed:it grew up in a quieter, more stable era of history than we are able to look forwardto. Lately it has also been evolving, through a combination of many subtletrends, in a way that makes it vulnerable as a system to threats againstwhich each of its components was supposed to have been secure.The structure of today’s energy system makes it prone to major disruptionsbecause of the following attributes: 1•dangerous materials;• limited public acceptance;• centralization of supplies;•long haul distances;• limited substitutability;• continuity and synchronism in grids;•inflexibility of energy delivery systems;•interactions between supposedly separate energy systems;•high capital intensity;• long lead times;• specialized labor and control requirements; and• potential for misuse of energy distribution systems.These attributes are now considered in turn.Dangerous materialsMany of the forms in which energy is commonly delivered are hazardousin their own right. Though accidental electrocution is uncommon, defectiveelectric wiring is among the leading causes of fires (poorly installed and maintainedwood stoves are gaining fast). But the main danger arises from the highenergy density of fuels—the energy carriers which, by being burned, directlysupply eighty-seven percent of all energy delivered in the United States.The high energy content of a given volume of fuel is in large measure the propertywhich makes it valuable. It is what makes the fuel a fuel. But our familiaritywith everyday fuels may lead us to underestimate their formidable ability to cause