I have been following the details of Steorn’s ongoing public launch here for a while now – and apparently there is still lots to be revealed between now and the rest of January. Many people are watching and waiting to see if more conclusive proof of Steorn’s claims will be forthcoming.
The reason I have given Steorn and its technology so much time and attention is the revolutionary nature of what the company is claiming and the manner in which they are presenting it to the public. It appears they will be going to great lengths later this months to provide validation of their Orbo technology in a public forum. If Orbo truly does provide “free, clean and constant energy at the point of use”, then Sean McCarthy is not exaggerating in saying that Steorn is offering a technology that could “change everything”.
If you seriously start to think through the implications of what free energy could actually mean, you start to realize that if it was real there would be massive changes in most of the things we do as human beings.
In its launch ad, Steorn says, “Imagine a world with an infinite supply of pure energy. Imagine never having to recharge your phone. Imagine never having to refuel your car”. I have tried to imagine these things and here are some brief thoughts on a number of areas that I think would be affected.
Energy Production
We would no longer be dependent on the raw materials we currently use for our energy needs. Whole industries would be severely impacted such as coal mining and oil and gas production. The current alternative energy industries such as solar and wind power would also be greatly affected. Who would want to continue pursuing these fields if a better alternative were available?
Energy industries undergird the whole global economy and millions of people are employed in them. Entire national economies are dependent upon the production and sale of fossil fuels. Successful Orbo technology would mean a great deal of social and economic upheaval for many.
Manufacturing
Free energy would mean huge cost savings in manufacturing. Energy, materials and human costs make up the major costs for manufacturers. If energy is free, then materials will be much cheaper since the costs of extracting raw materials would be much cheaper with free energy.
Agriculture
Huge amounts of energy are used in agriculture. Free energy would reduce farmers’ costs dramatically and lead to cheaper food. With free energy new techniques of irrigation would be possible, such as desalinaton of sea water which would allow for crops to be grown in places that are currently arid and infertile.
Society
Free energy would have a huge impact on the lives of individuals everywhere. Energy costs are a major part of most households’ budgets. If energy were free, costs of living would be dramatically reduced. Combining the elimination of energy costs with cheaper food and manufactured goods, standards of living would be much higher.
It is conceivable that the whole economic order of things would change completely. Today people enter the workforce largely out of necessity to purchase the things needed to sustain life. The material benefits associated with free energy would mean less effort would be required to acquire the necessities and much more leisure time could come available to the average person. This could have profound implications for societies around the world.
Politics and Government
Currently there are nations whose wealth derives largely from the energy producing raw materials they control. Free energy could severely impact the economic fortunes of these countries and lead to destabilization in the geopolitical arena.
Governments everywhere would have to adapt to the reality of free energy and some of the most fundamental policies that they carry out may have to be completely rethought. For example, what would happen to revenues from fuel taxes if people no longer needed petroleum for transportation? What welfare services would be required if basic human needs were being met much more easily?
Looking at some of the possible affects of free energy I can see the potential for social turmoil and great opportunities for advancements in civilization existing at the same time. That could be a volatile combination and it’s impossible to predict what would actually happen. Even if Orbo technology is for real it may take a long time for free energy products to come onto the market and the worldwide changes contemplated here may take a long time to become a reality. Whatever the pace of change might be, thinking about all the implications of free energy is almost like trying to come up with a plot for a science fiction book — it all seems so impossible and far fetched.
Yet we have a small Irish company that is acting with all seriousness claiming they have discovered a technology that will spark a revolution that will change everything. Fact or fiction? Imagination or a future reality? We’ll have to wait and see.
Comments