I just discovered that it's possible to use supercritical carbon dioxide instead of water in steam engines and get better energy efficiency in the heat-to-electricity conversion process. ... This makes so much sense and is so futuristic-cool to me, but, uh. ... It's a tech that's going commercial.

are we finally moving on from "boiling water" being the ultimate basis of every technology to generate electricity????

Looks like it. There's some serious challenges around corrosion and shit like that, but... ... It looks like there's a 10% efficiency increase, if not more, ready to pluck. Now.

holy crap

Like 10% is pushing efficiency from 40% to 50%, it's not literally altering the universe, but, like. ... It's fucking with a boundary I had taken for granted for most of my life.

The sad thing is that I generally see efficiency gains like that and go 'okay so that means 20% less investment in infrastructure and even more corner cutting'... ... But it is. Theoretically. Maybe. On the near horizon. ;~;