Make Arrakis Green Again or What energy for the Fremen?

Abstract

The text offers a reflection on the energy choices of the Fremen in Dune, based on a sciencefiction design approach applied to the ecological transition. By imagining human adaptation to the planet Arrakis, the authors explore how technologies depend on their “associated milieu” and on the need to establish a homeostasis with the environment. Arrakis is described as an extremely arid planet, marked by water scarcity, high temperatures, and violent sandstorms, conditions that severely limit technical possibilities. The analysis examines the viability of photovoltaic solar energy in the context of Arrakis, highlighting obstacles related to the light spectrum of the star Canopus, efficiency losses caused by extreme heat, and damage produced by storms. By contrast, the text emphasizes the potential of solar thermal energy, which allows for energy storage and greater adaptation to environmental conditions. This discussion is articulated around the energy trilemma (security, equity, and sustainability) as a fundamental criterion for evaluating energy systems.