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I'd guess it's exactly that - capitalism. Running the power lines via poles is cheaper than burrowing them. And there aren't so many people in the backwaters that would complain about the power lines across their backyards. Heck, even in Germany major power lines are still run via poles, and we have double the population density of Florida...

And after a hurricane, who's paying for the reconstruction? I can perfectly picture the power companies trying to play for time so they get a better deal off it.

But two months... whoa. I'm rather happy that I'm not living over there. Hurricans in the east, earthquakes in the west, and tornados in between. Nah, I'm staying in good ole Europe.

I think its high time that we found a really good alternative to electricity.
I think light is a much better source of energy and if we put in the effort that is put into electronics research I think we could have a much better alternative.

Neo wrote: I think its high time that we found a really good alternative to electricity.

Erm... what?

I think light is a much better source of energy and if we put in the effort that is put into electronics research I think we could have a much better alternative.

Huh?

Oh, you mean solar cells, as in "every house fully autonomous"? Might work in Florida, won't work in Canada.

Do you mean to say electricity is generated everywhere?
Think out of the box.

Light would inefficient, electricity can be easily converted to heat (electric oven, metals can emit light when they get hot [eg. light bulb]), microwaves (microwave), radio waves (TV, radio), kinetic/mechanical (drills, fans, anything that moves, etc).

Electricity is usually generated by rotating copper wire inside a magnetic field (where the rotation is provided by steam [coal, nuclear, oil, gas, etc] or water[hydroelectric], etc), it is easier to generate electricity then light. The simple fact is atoms are made of protons, neutrons and electrons, electricity is electrons moving from atom to atom around a circuit, light is an EM-wave and is thus generated by electricity to begin with. (EM = Electro-Magnetic)

As of now yes you are right.
Electricity does seem easier to produce but if enough research were done on Light energy I think it may prove a better alternative.
Light seems inefficient compared to electricity because thats what youv'e been taught to think.
(I love ranting)

Ranting is fine, but I think you're way out of your depth here.

How would you e.g. propel a wheelchair using light, directly (i.e. without using the solar cell - electricity - electric engine workaround? I can think of one or two ways to do it, but all of them terribly inefficient, and probably very dangerous to those around due to the huge amount of photonic energy involved. And how would you generate or store light without taking the detour of electricity?

I don't think it's a matter of research. Many people from our generation were made believe that anything is possible if you just throw enough researchers at it, but I am convinced that we are not speaking of limited past research but limited physical capability here.

hmm.. well maybe one day that may change.
Then maybe this would be remembered.
And yeah one more thing what makes you think I'm out of my depth ?

Neo wrote: hmm.. well maybe one day that may change.

What, the laws of physics, thermodynamics and entropy? I seriously doubt that.

And yeah one more thing what makes you think I'm out of my depth ?

Not sure if I phrased it correctly. And I don't want to sound too self-assured. But from what you said on light vs. electricity I think I did a bit more studying, reading and learning in the field in comparison. (No I didn't make my Master or Diploma in my field, and my main field was Biology not Physics, but I did study science for several years after graduating from a science-heavy school and being interested in astrophysics for quite some time.)

I'm not an expert on these matters, but I know enough to say with confidence that photonic energy is inferor to electric energy in just about everything but speed (although marginal for everyday uses), signal quality over long distances, and lighting a room.

Not because electricity was better researched - we had a couple of thousand years head start in the light subject before electricity came up, and light certainly still has the attention of physicans - but because of the physics behind it, which are quite well-known today.

dennis is now just a very anoying low-pressure system over me now(3 days ago, it hung over indiana)