Editing 1119: Undoing

The comic is a play on how energy from natural resources (wind, sun, water) are turned into electricity. {{w|Wind turbine|Wind turbines}} convert the windpower into rotational energy, which can then be used to produce electricity. The one seen in the image is the most commonly known wind turbine, which sees use on wind farms. Wind turbines provide a renewable resource for homes and cities and a common method for sustainable energy.

In this comic, Cueball has rigged it so that the wind turbine powers a fan. He cut the power cable attaching the turbine to the generator and spliced it with the power cord of a giant fan. the nailed-together 2x4s that form the "tower" for the fan further indicates the "jury-rigged" nature of Cueball's work. The electricity generated from the windpower is then used to power then fan, which in turn produces wind. The undoing part refers how Cueball is using this fan to restore the wind that was used to turn the wind turbine back to the original wind flow. Wind turbines have a {{w|Wind turbine#Theoretical power captured by a wind turbine|theoretical limit of 59%}} of the portion of wind captured. You can see the wind not captured detailed in the image as dotted, turbulent curly lines; turbulent flow. Cueball has placed the giant fan in the direction of the wind so that the wind it produced combines with the windpower not captured by the wind turbine. This is indicated by the lines smoothing, like they were at the start. Thus, not only is the electrical benefit undone, but also the change in natural wind currents.

Unfortunately, as the alternative text points out, the wind will be moving at a much slower velocity than at the start as energy was lost in converting windpower to rotation energy, then to electricity, then back to rotational energy, then back to windpower. The same undoing process can be done with solar cells, where light energy is converting into electricity using photovoltaic cells, which is then used to power lightbulbs for producing light in the area the sunlight would normally illuminate. Solar panels only convert 20-25% of the energy captured from the sun into electricity. Light bulbs only convert 20-30% of the electricity provided into light, the rest is lost as heat energy. Only ~5% of the energy absorbed from the light. Cueball's hobby is literally to waste time and energy.

The comic may also be a continuation of Randall's mistrust of modern electric windmills (see [[556: Alternative Energy Revolution]]).

:[A large wind turbine is spinning but the electric cord has been severed and rewired to a large fan]

{{comic discussion}}