[DrCaleb]

eureka eureka:

I prefer the calculations of those who work with these things. I also prefer to ignore nitpicking or I would search for the source of that information.

I have a degree in Computer Engineering, and Computer Engineering Technology. With my Honours in Physics and Chemical Thermodynamics, I can design a computer starting with the raw chemical elements and ending with a fully functioning laptop. (a pitiful one, but it would work!)

Basic electronics is a first year, first week course and I have more than 20 years in the field. You can take my rough calculations as facts, or you can believe some random post on the internets that you may or may not remember correctly from some random person who may or may not be qualified to give an opinion.

If you don't, I'd suggest to you; to reflect upon that as perhaps a symptom of all the hostility you seem to be attracting lately.

Your call.

eureka eureka:

Actually, you might like to read this and some distance down there is a part about the use of the batteries of electric cars and hybrids. It is nit the one that I was referring to and I do not know where that was. It is, however, a more useful commentary.

You said 'car battery'. As in, Lead Acid. But the Nickel Metal Hydride of a Hybrid makes little difference, except for the ability of it to deliver current. The hybrid batteries would deliver more current for longer than a lead acid, but "a light that burns twice as bright burns for half as long".

House current is 240/120 volt at 100 amp. Your average gas furnace draws 30 amps just powering up the fan. A stove can draw 50 amps at 240 volts.

The batteries in a hybrid would still not be able to fully power a modern home for any significant length of time. And definitely not 7 homes.

If you find the article, I would like to read it. I could use the laugh.

[DrCaleb]

eureka eureka:

Here is a recent study that says that the output from Wind Turbines can be increased tenfold.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ ... 071311.php

How much can they be increased when there is no wind?

[SprCForr]

andyt andyt:

OK, the first two were good, now you're just passing wind.

Sorry, that just blew right by.

[andyt]

SprCForr SprCForr:

andyt andyt:

OK, the first two were good, now you're just passing wind.

Sorry, that just blew right by.

What are you, an airhead?

[raydan]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

eureka eureka:

Here is a recent study that says that the output from Wind Turbines can be increased tenfold.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ ... 071311.php

How much can they be increased when there is no wind?

At least 10 times... 10 * 0 = 0
Even a thousand... 1000 * 0 = 0

[raydan]

SprCForr SprCForr:

I think I'm just going to let the wind take me in the direction it's blowing.

I always lean in the direction she's blowing.



Oh!!! Wait a minute... wrong f**king thread.

[BRAH]

peck420 peck420:

Smexy.

(CGI of an Arizona State students idea)

That's damn cool and if possible very practical, the only problem I could see with them is the location for servicing during the day which would hold up traffic unless it was done during the night..

[eureka]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

eureka eureka:

Here is a recent study that says that the output from Wind Turbines can be increased tenfold.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ ... 071311.php

How much can they be increased when there is no wind?

There is always wind somewhere. All that is required is a large grid and adequate storage.

And it does not matter what I wrote. It is still car batteries.

For anyone actually interested, here is a lengthy, and somewhat negative analysis of WP. The site is one that actively favours nuclear and has many pieces on that.

http://bravenewclimate.com/2011/10/29/gws-sg-es/

This is a video that gives the positive side and answers the "Bird killer" opposition. Wirh a couple of links below that are informative.

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2010/05/0 ... the-month/

[DrCaleb]

Here's a good article on the Myth of Renewable Energy.

http://thebulletin.org/web-edition/colu ... ble-energy

$1:

Renewable energy sounds so much more natural and believable than a perpetual-motion machine, but there's one big problem: Unless you're planning to live without electricity and motorized transportation, you need more than just wind, water, sunlight, and plants for energy. You need raw materials, real estate, and other things that will run out one day. You need stuff that has to be mined, drilled, transported, and bulldozed -- not simply harvested or farmed. You need non-renewable resources:

[GreenTiger]

To be sure there are good points and bad points with wind power. Like a lot of other things it may work well in certain situations, but be an expensive waste in other situations. I'm inclined to leave that to leave that to engineers who know what they are doing. I freely confess that while I can make a pretty good common sense approach I'm not going to pretend to know what I don't know.

The Duke's comments however reminds me of the old addage "Expert opinions are like noses (I'm trying to be nice) everybody has one". The Duke has his.

[bootlegga]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Here's a good article on the Myth of Renewable Energy.

http://thebulletin.org/web-edition/colu ... ble-energy

$1:

Renewable energy sounds so much more natural and believable than a perpetual-motion machine, but there's one big problem: Unless you're planning to live without electricity and motorized transportation, you need more than just wind, water, sunlight, and plants for energy. You need raw materials, real estate, and other things that will run out one day. You need stuff that has to be mined, drilled, transported, and bulldozed -- not simply harvested or farmed. You need non-renewable resources:

That article reads like a red herring - renewable energy is a joke because it uses non-renewable resources (like metal) to be used.

Wow, what a news flash! Good thing they enlightened me... [sarcasm off]

Seriously, just about everything mankind currently uses requires the use of non-renewable resources such as metal or rare earth elements. That is not, and never was the point of renewable energy plans - the point is to ensure we have energy to run our civilization after stuff like oil and coal runs out. And trust me, if oil runs out in the next decade or two, civilization as we know it will end.

The thing about non-renewable energy is that someday it will run out, while renewable energy is available forever (assuming maintenance is provided and the earth doesn't explode) once you build the infrastructure. Someone with a solar panel may not get power from it today, but odds are they will tomorrow, or the next day or someday after that. Same goes for wind power.

The biggest problem with most renewable energy sources is that they cannot efficiently power transportation, which makes up somewhere between a quarter and a third of our energy needs. Still, if we put our minds to it, we'll find a way to make them work for us.

[EyeBrock]

Or if we give companies enough of our hydro bill dollars we might find a way to make them work for us.

[peck420]

bootlegga,

To be completely fair, finding a 100% clean energy source will change civilisation as we know it as well.

No matter what, civilisation will change.

[PluggyRug]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

[
You said 'car battery'. As in, Lead Acid. But the Nickel Metal Hydride of a Hybrid makes little difference, except for the ability of it to deliver current. The hybrid batteries would deliver more current for longer than a lead acid, but "a light that burns twice as bright burns for half as long".

House current is 240/120 volt at 100 amp. Your average gas furnace draws 30 amps just powering up the fan. A stove can draw 50 amps at 240 volts.

The batteries in a hybrid would still not be able to fully power a modern home for any significant length of time. And definitely not 7 homes.

If you find the article, I would like to read it. I could use the laugh.

True.

Even if LiPo batteries are used (higher current delivery) the result would be similar. Also using an inverter to step up a low voltage DC supply to 240v AC is inneficient due to the frequency output needing to be fixed at 60Hz.

(ask me how I know)

[eureka]

Your article about the CO2 emitted in the production of renewables has some validity, doc. However, it is exaggerated. There are calculations showing the infinitely smaller amount. But, still there will be some. Those, however, cease while the plants and turbines are in operation.

The amount that is produced can be handles by CCS and other technologies. There is a rock type in the Middle East that absorbs vast amounts of CO2. There is char. There is also the possibility that CO2 itself can be turned into fuel - it is prohibitively expensive at the moment.

Carbon neutral does not necessarily mean no emissions. Just emit no more than we can safely sequester or render harmless in other ways.

By the way, perhaps you can answer this for me. For a one site using Firefox I am now getting a blank white page and, sometimes this message:

fatal error, allowed memory of....exhausted.............

IE and Chrome are not affected.