1.7+Energy,+Communication,+Transport

__**Energy**__ > **Wind Turbines**- these can also be referred to as wind generators. They use the wind to generate the energy. Small wind turbines can be used that can power a caravan or boat or you can have bigger turbines that can power much larger areas. To explain how a wind turbine works simply- it is the opposite of a fan. A fan uses electricity to make wind whereas a turbine takes the wind and turns it into electricity (U.S Department of Energy, 2010). The wind turbines would be most beneficial on the western side of the island where it is windiest, rains the most and has a dense vegetation. The turbines can be placed in the ocean if necessary. > **Geothermal Energy**- is heat from the earth. The heat is captured as steam or hot water and can then be used to gain electricity and heat. Usually found in the ring of fire (located between Australia in a circular motion upwards and then back down past South America). It is used by hot water/steam near the earth’s surface being put into buildings or houses through pipes. (EIA Energy Kids, n.d). This energy type would not be very sustainable for the island however as it would involve a lot of digging in the island and cause a lot of steam to be produced. > **Solar energy-** is energy that is produced from the sun. This then gets transformed to thermal energy, mostly to heat things. Problems with solar energy involve the amount of sun exposure and the size of the solar plant. (EIA Energy Kids, n.d) Our solar plant would be best located on the eastern side of the island where the sun shines the most. > **Hydroelectric Energy-**involves gaining energy from water. Water is guided through created tunnels which contain turbines and generators. Most use waterfalls or created dams as the water needs to be flowing. When the water pressure increases the flow of electrons produces electricity and energy transformers are able to send the energy out to their desired location. (Energy Resources, 2011). Positives of this are that very little pollution is produced, water can be stored and electricity can be generated frequently. It is however difficult and expensive to build and a large area is needed to build one. Questions we have about energy:
 * __Energy, Communication, Transport Recommendations__**
 * Renewable energy sources:[[image:wind.jpg width="144" height="102" align="right"]]
 * Geothermal energy would be to detrimental to the island environment so using either of the other three system would be preferable. These systems are more environmentally friendly.
 * How will we get the required equipment there?
 * How much would some of these energy systems hurt the environment?
 * How much energy would we get from the sun? How big would the solar plants need to be
 * Where are the oil deposits of the island located?
 * What will we be able to use for vehicle fuel?
 * Do we have the resources (funds/space) to create these stations?

**__COMMUNICATION__** Questions we have about communication:
 * Task Force has permitted us to set up satellite networks
 * This can also be used to create internet as well- should only be used for exporting and importing goods[[image:walkie_talkies.jpg align="right"]]
 * Walkie Talkies are another viable option for communication
 * Can we train birds to take letters to other areas of the island?
 * If our walkie talkies work, do we really need to set up satellite networks?

**__TRANSPORT__** - To avoid volcanoes
 * Underwater tunnels (such as England to France tunnel)[[image:underwater.jpg align="right"]]

- Go around the sea

- Less damage to the environment of the island, but building into the sea Questions we have about transport: > **__Further Recommendations__** __**Energy**__ The best two sources to try and set up on the island would probably be wind turbines and solar energy. The wind turbines could be set up in the bottom right hand corner of C1 in the ocean. Wind turbines are able to be set up in the water (as shown in the picture) and as they will be on the western side of the island, they will receive the most amount of wind as it is the windiest part of the island (as described in the island section). Offshore wind turbines will be sustainable for the island because it will remain windy and will not harm the environment by positioning them in the ocean. This type of energy is proven to work as since 1990 more than 1000 offshore wind turbines have been erected throughout Europe. In China, the first offshore wind farm was set-up last year and now provides energy to more than 200,000 residents in Shanghai (Governing, 2011). The only downfall is they are rather expensive to set up although will quickly repay the output cost through the amount of energy they produce. If enough wind turbines were set up, it would probably be capable of energising the island by itself, however solar energy is another viable option. Our solar energy panels would be located on the eastern side of the island. The top of island in B9 would be a viable option, although we could also put them on a small hill in C9. Solar energy would be sustainable for the island as we know it will be sunny a lot of the time due to the tropical conditions. Although we won’t be able to produce as much energy as the wind turbines (due to space constraints) having even a small solar plant could benefit the island, even if it’s energy is just used as a back-up or for a certain section of the island. Once these energy sources were set up we could transfer the energy around the island through above ground power lines (which would be difficult to set-up however due the hills and mountain ranges we can see on the map) or through underground power lines (probably the more viable option.
 * Above sea trains[[image:horse.jpg align="right"]]
 * Horses/Donkeys are able to be imported to move items
 * Motorboats can be used to get around the beach
 * Canoes/Kayaks
 * How long will it take to build? Will we be able to build it?
 * Is the terrain able to be navigated by all-terrain vehicles? How dense is the bush?[[image:canoes.jpg align="right"]]
 * How will any of the vehicles that need fuel/power be supplied with this?
 * Can we use new inventions such as hover-boards or jet packs?

__ **Communication** __ We felt as though we could use the following devices. Walkie Talkies Laptops Mobile Phones Morse Code Walkie Talkies could be used between elected ‘group’ leaders to communicate discoveries, warn them of things and simple just to tell them what is going on and are a more convenient and cost effective way of doing things than mobile phones. Laptops could be used to email and organise things with other countries around the world such as goods that need to be imported or exported. Mobile Phones could be used in much the same way as walkie talkies but should probably be only used in emergencies as reception would be limited on the island. Morse code machines could be taken to use initially when first arriving on the island because satellites and reception towers would not be available, making the morse code machines a very useful object in the early phases of island development. To use some of these objects we would need to set up satellite dishes and mobile towers. They would not be of the greatest importance at first but eventually should be developed to enable all objects to be used.

__ **Transport** __ We felt as though as soon as we arrive on the island it would be best to travel around on horses and donkeys. By using horses and donkeys, we don’t need to worry about fuel and maintenance of vehicles. The animals would be happy to eat the grass and drink from the rivers, the only maintaining that we would need to do. They can also carry things for us. To navigate around the hills and mountains, we felt as though the use of canoes or kayaks could be used to transport just people around to the other side. Again, this is a cost effective and easy to manage type of transport. When it came to moving items to other sides of the island, things were made harder. Using motorboats to carry small objects or fishing boats to carry larger objects could be a viable option. Yes, these things would need fuel but we could bring that over on our big boat that can dock in the port and use the animals to carry it around. More investigation could then be done on the mountains around the island and the terrain to see whether we would be able to organise roads or use all-terrain vehicles (Jeeps) or trucks to get around also. For general human movement on the island, horses or bicycles would probably be the best way to move around and if it takes a long time to cross the island initially then that is a problem that will be fixed as the island begins to take more shape.



EIA Energy Kids, (n.d), //Geothermal,// Retrieved August 2, 2011 from: []

EIA Energy Kids, (n.d) //Solar,// Retrieved August 2, 2011 from: []

Energy Resources, (2011) //Hydroelectric Power,// Retrieved August 2, 2011 from: []

U.S Department of Energy, (2010), //How Wind Turbines Work,// Retrieved August 2, 2011 from: []

Governing, (2011), //The Struggle to Implement Offshore Wind Farms//, Retrieved August 4, 2011 from:  []