zero point energy
You'll never extract energy from the non-zero vacuum energy. Why? Because the non-zero vacuum energy is the same value, everywhere in the universe. In order to extract any energy, there needs to be an energy gradient, such that energy can actually "flow" (it doesn't really flow, it more or less changes from one type of energy to another).
Of course there's the Casimir effect, where you can actually create this energy gradient with two plates in close proximity, such that only certain vacuum energy integer wavelengths can exist between the plates. But once the energy is spent pushing the plates together, it takes just as much energy to pull them back apart again.
Yep you have to have a separation with the field to have useful coherent energy transfer. A tornado is low(yin) and high(yang) pressure separated within the static pressure field.
Ok, but if you get to plates of metal close enough the zero point field doesn't propagate into the region and you have a gradient.
That's one of the ways we know it exists, because of the force it causes. The real issue is the setup will always be more expensive than the result.
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