[Thunderhawk]

Infinite or simply a great deal or renewable finite energy, would eventually lead to a huge output of waste heat. Heaters in the winter, friction from electrical devices, etc.. all of them usually end in doing some work and producing (waste) heat. Without a constraint on energy use (its unlimited and free after all) efficientcy wont matter much so waste heat production will increase.


Im sure rural areas wouldn't be affected to much, but cities would eventually be pumping it out at insane levels - scorching the earth/area/life around it if a good system to bleed off the heat cant be found, or simply contributing it to the atmosphere.





Environment aside, if we have unlimited energy, and a machine that can make anything we want (Star Trekian replicators?) then I see a rise in religous actions and violence based on beliefs/morals/philosophy.

Materialism in a world of limited resources shackle's peoples actions - be an ass and you loose your job, which means you live uncomfortably (maybe starve).
Replicators + free energy => no economic restraints.

What will keep society together ?
What will keep people together ?

[Thunderhawk]

Replicators w/ lots of cheap energy would reduce petty crime, but violence would still be around.

How much violence is there in families were money isnt a big issue?

What about (tired but still true) example of Osama Bin Laden?
He was rich, many of his top aids were rich, yet they still dumped that money into Alquada.
Saudi Arabia gives alot of money to its citizens, they live pretty well compared to many other arabs, yet wahabism (sp?) is pretty extreme, and they do produce alot of well educated fanatics.




As for efficientcy.. I think your wrong.
Though a tecnocracy would value efficientcy (eh?), this example is not about technocracies.


When I looked at it, a simple example popped into my mind.

A cheap low maintainance 12 V DC motor which wastes .1 amp when drawing 5.1 amps for its job.

vs

an expensive high maintainance 12 V DC motor which wastes 0.001 amp when drawing 5.001 amps for its job.

If power is plentiful and cheap, then the difference between those two efficientcy motors is minute (irrelevent) compared to the cost of maintainance ($, down time, etc).


The waste mentality that is so prevelent here in the West would apply to electricity use aswell.