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Electrical energy past and future

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by tochatihu, May 10, 2017.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I'm OK with it but would observe wind power is dependent on low cost land. This begins to explain why the Hawaii wind farms and other renewable sources are not doing well with one exception, roof top solar cells.

    A recent article suggested the local utility is pushing against home solar connections to the grid.

    Bob Wilson
     
  2. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Large-scale wind and solar E projects are designed to harmonize with local power grids. At least that's what I suppose. Residential-scale E infilling might not do so. This is everybody's problem as generation at distal ends of grids grows. Who would manage this?

    Homepower magazine, as much as I love them, seems more interested in guerilla power generation than harmonizing frequency, phase, and inductive and reactive load responses. Who would manage this?

    We hope for more generation at distal grid ends, sure. Having chosen alternating current means more work. I think neither Tesla nor Edison anticipated this.

    +++
    Alternating current involves 'imaginary numbers' and I have never been comfortable with that description. They are as real as anything else, but their call is to beyond our personal physical experiences.
     
  3. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    low cost land@102. Yes, we can assert that urban areas (a small fraction) are unavailable for big wind. Exclude other areas for other good reasons. Quite a lot probably remains.
     
  4. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The islands are a special case. Worse, I understand there are few options for off shore wind farms due to water depth.

    Just I think of the mountain tops of West Virgina as perfect wind turbine sites.

    Bob Wilson
     
  5. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Just need to build them before the mountain is cleared for coal.
     
  6. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Not sure why an 'after' mountaintop would be unsuitable. Anyway here's the map for 80 meter AGL

    wv_80m wind.jpg
     
  7. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    This is a better model for distributed electrification of India, Pakistan, and their neighbors: In-depth: How a smart flexible grid could save the UK £40bn | Carbon Brief

    In a flexible grid, supply from batteries and demand flexibility could help reduce peak demand, so that fewer peaking power plants – designed to operate for a few hours at a time when demand is highest – would be needed. This would also cut the cost of fuel needed to run these plants and the carbon costs of their emissions.

    Similarly, importing power through interconnectors would help meet peak demand, while excess wind and solar output could be exported. Flexible demand and batteries could also reduce the strain on electricity grids, avoiding the need to add costly network upgrades.

    Bob Wilson