dagblog - Comments for "Nuclear is out. How best to generate the power we need."

Huh?It's a history book. One

EmmaZahn — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:15:00 +0000

In reply to Telling Americans that it is

Huh?

It's a history book. One that I only learned about a couple of days ago and have not yet read.

Is the author a proponent of wind power? Is he telling Americans it is over, no more cheap power? Because I am not. You would know that if you read my other comment just above the book one.

Photovoltaics generate

Rootman — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:26:47 +0000

In reply to Nuclear is out. How best to generate the power we need.

Photovoltaics generate electricity when in direct sunlight but their efficiency drops with the rise in temperature. Which can make them unsuitable for some of the sunniest areas.

This is not correct.

Telling Americans that it is

Barth — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 13:21:58 +0000

In reply to Almost forgot. Just learned

Telling Americans that it is over, no more cheap electricity, and you need a wind turbine, will not achieve the change we need.

This system we have today was

cmaukonen — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:34:36 +0000

In reply to The main problem I have with

This system we have today was designed by Nickola Tesla. It was a compromise between transmission efficiency and use efficiency. Higher frequency AC..say 400 HZ is more efficient for use with transformers and induction motors but is less efficient for long transmission. This is why the old mainframe computers of the 1970s and 80s used 400ZH AC. Made the power supplies smaller and more efficient. It's also why it was used in Aircraft and on ships during and just after WWII.

But the 60HZ used for long distance transmission is old and out dated for sure.

I have others suggest this

cmaukonen — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:10:24 +0000

In reply to The main problem I have with

I have others suggest this same thing or one similar in comments on other sites, Emma. I was no suggesting any one way to to it though. Just examples.

Almost forgot. Just learned

EmmaZahn — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 02:58:32 +0000

In reply to Nuclear is out. How best to generate the power we need.

Almost forgot. Just learned about this book a couple of days ago: Looks very interesting.

Amazon.com: Networks of Power: Electrification in Western Society, 1880-1930 (Softshell Books) (9780801846144): Thomas Parke Hughes: Books

The main problem I have with

EmmaZahn — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 02:55:09 +0000

In reply to Nuclear is out. How best to generate the power we need.

The main problem I have with the giant wind an solar farms you featured in photos is that they just intend to replace our current dealers suppliers with even bigger and more vulnerable systems. The giant solar farm of precision mirrors is in an earthquake zone and it looks like the windfarm is just offshore. Both will overproduce electricity in order to transmit it over great distances just as utilities currently do. Why? Because there is big money to be made. So much in fact that it is considered feasible to produce electricity in the southwest desert to transmit to the midwest and maybe even the northeast. What a waste. Unless.

Building a new electric grid for the 21st century is a great opportunity IFit is not restricted to only the big producers. For example, what if the residents of this Las Vegas subdivision had panels of the roofs like the FedEx building in your post. Would the subdivision be able to produce as much electricity as the solar farm? Maybe not. But it is only one subdivision. Imagine most all of them with solar roofs. We must make sure they have access to the grid as well.

Here in my little corner of north Georgia both photovoltaic panels and wind are problematic. With ots of spring hail storms and strong winds downing tree limbs, photovoltaics are still too expensive. And wind. Well it is either far too strong aka tornadoes or almost nonexistent. Average wind is between 5-10 mph and with plenty of trees the typical windmill will not produce much. However, on the muggiest, most windless hot summer day I have sometimes watched my roof turbine vents spinning away and wondered how much electricity they could be generating.

I have since been studying solar updraft towers and noticed how the design may be down scalable to a hip roof with a steep pitch and cupola. Below for example but with a steeper pitch.

I get excited about all the possibilities and I am really too old to pursue most of them. What a wonderful second opportunity we have been given. Let's try to make most of it.