[ExI] cool wind map graphic

[spike at rainier66.com]

…> On Behalf Of Adrian Tymes via extropy-chat
Subject: Re: [ExI] cool wind map graphic

 

On Thu, Jul 14, 2022 at 2:21 AM Ben Zaiboc via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org <mailto:extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> > wrote:

On 14/07/2022 09:23, Will Steinberg wrote:
> This is just a crazy nighttime idea but what about quasi-orbital 
> gliding wind turbines...

If you're building things that high up, they might as well collect solar 
energy instead or as well. I expect the machinery for solar collection 
would be much lighter than the machinery for wind power.

 

>…The problem in practice has been the high cost of getting (and, if not orbital, keeping) them that high.

>…One might consider high-altitude airships, whose function is to collect and beam down power, but after including the cost of the airship needed to hold up a decent wind turbine or set of solar panels, the cost per kilowatt hour is likely still too high… Adrian

 

 

 

Ja, this is analogous to what I am reading about offshore wind and offshore solar power: these things can be done, but it is very expensive power.  With the solar it is easy to see: salt spray everywhere on the sea would leave salt deposits on your panels.  Wind power: Once you consider the life cycle the lower waste disposal costs but higher installation costs, it is still higher cost power than land-based solar.

 

I thought there might be a big cost advantage to lower cost blade replacement.  Instead of having to take them to a huge landfill somewhere, the sea-based turbine operator just unbolts the blade SPLASH blublublub gone.  Bolt the new one on, good to go.  Some savings in that, but not big enough to compensate.  Some savings in fines the land-based turbine companies must pay for each eagle they whack, but still not big enough savings to compensate for increased costs and having to listen to the constant bitching by people rich enough to live along the seashore.

 

Turns out, land for turbines is cheap enough.  So that isn’t really the problem.  The problem is in finding a use for the energy without having to try to sell it into the power grid.  Now the price of chemical fertilizer has gone waaaaay up and Sri Lanka has demonstrated that hell yes it is necessary to use it, looks to me like that energy hog industry could be set up near massive wind power installations where they would use the power when it is available.

 

spike

 

 

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