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Wind power

This is where you can discuss your homework, family, just about anything, make strange sounds and otherwise discuss things which are really not related to the Lancer-series. Yes that means you can discuss other games.

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Chips

Post Sat Sep 11, 2004 11:43 pm

Why doesn't someone look at facts? Around 5% of English power is generated by renewable sources at the present moment. Its small, but it is VERY significant. Wind farms play the large part of that.

Tidal power is one that i would think rules the roost.....flippin garunteed....but could be adversely affecting the environment!

Solar power IS flawed, we do get clouds...this country is not practical for solar power at all! (England).

Hydroelectric dams WOULD be great - but there isn't that many locations in the UK that are suitable at all When you find they are converting old water mills into mini hydroelectric power stations....you realise just how bad the situation is! I know Powergen are working upon even small rivers to generate hydroelectric power...but it could have an adverse effect on the environment...so it all needs careful testing.

Wind farms ARE useful, and very good. I went to the Isle of Muck - where ALL their power comes from their own single wind turbine. Admittedly there aren't that many inhabitants (28 whilst i was there), but in some areas there is near a constant wind....mainly coastal areas due to temperature differences over land and sea (propogates wind).

Large windfarms can be built upon Islands that are uninhabited....and also off the coast as well. They do NOT turn fast...so birds flying into them is possibly they worst pile of bumkin excuse i have ever heard. Noise? they do make some noise, but i would MUCH prefer to live near a windfarm than an airport, motorway, or large industrial plant. There are plenty of people who live next to them - so "noise" is another lame excuse for saying no to windpower. Simply put - if located correctly, you would not hear, or see, the power generators at all!
How many of you have actually noticed them? There are some in Yorkshire....quite a few actually, and no - their output is not significant to power a city, but its very green, very renewable, and can certainly be used for small villages/hamlets etc. For towns and cities you would need a substantial amounts of windfarms...

Since i spent two weeks on the isle of muck - i think that qualifies me for living within 100meters of that windmill - and i didn't hear it at all.

However, the biggest impact for now would be if people actually started making their OWN differences. Turning off lights, turning off TV rather than leaving it on standby* and insulating things properly. Boiling too much water in a kettle (work pisses me off as they fill 2litres to make 1 flippin cup...and if someone is boiling one kettle, they turn the other on instead!!! Makes me mad!). Turning thermostat down by 1degree lowers bills by 5-10%!! If everyone started doing their bit in just fitting energy saving light bulbs then it would be a great start! They won't though - people are far too pig thick and ignorant...not to mention plain bone idle and lazy...to put in the effort. Its all far too much for present society.

*Standby uses 85% of the power of leaving the television ON permanently playing! Turn the damned thing off!!!


As for it should all be weighed up by a cities consumption as to what is best......bumpkin once more.

Simply put - the best for each location needs to be discussed for those building it. For hamlets and villages, wind and solar maybe enough on its own. Cities would need something more substantial - but more power is used elsewhere other than just cities!!!

Meh - I went a bit on my "crusade" there, but this is an interesting subject, and i thought i would stamp....i mean view!! my opinions upon it too

The Evil Thing

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 12:32 am

Nah... antimatter is the way to go

Just think, one gram of the stuff gives you 40 Gigawatts of power. There's the small problem of storing it, however. And there is no such thing as a 'controlled' antimatter explosion.

Seriously though, nuclear energy is the best bet. It's not technically renewable but it's clean, safe and efficient. (Yes it is safe, we've finally had enough nuclear accidents to realise proper proceedures in emergencies )


I'm not evil, just morally challenged

kimk

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 2:19 am

yeah, nuke plants give out less radiation than your microwave.

and antimatter would indeed by the way to go. you only need a handful to go a really long way. but its really hard to make the stuff.

if you could somehow make a machine that would convert matter to energy (matter is a highly concentrated form of energy) with near 100% yield, that would be the dominating source of power. sort of renewable, and its where all your trash goes. it can run on air too!

Tawakalna

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 4:34 am

all children should be made to pedal generators thus providing a solution to all the world's power problems, as there's loads of kids hanging around with nothing to do. it's a symbiotic realtionship, we make them work and get all the benefits, they expend excess energy and be tired after a hard days work producing all that power.

I always said that children were our future.

(ok it's not as good as my slave-teen sugar plantation, but it's def more practical)

DSQrn

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 4:39 am

Kimk read my message. Copenhagen uses about 5-7 windwills for all there power needs (how many times do i have to say that) also windmills are pur high over lakes so there is constant wind.

Tawakalna

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 5:37 am

the problem with this thread is the original concept. You've all been barking up the wrong tree! it's not wind power but WAND power that's required. You ask Sooty to use his magic powers to solve the world's enrgy crisis, he nds his little head, waves his wand, every says "izzy-wizzy-letsgetbusy" (those being the only true magic words in the world, as well as "take me big boy and I'll give you 10grand" and the magic of Sooty fixes all our problems. There may however be untold consequences for Sweep, Soo certainly won't be happy, and there may be issues with canine policemen, crocodiles, and sausages.

I do have to point out the obvious at times, don't I?

H.Q. Victor

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 5:44 am

There is a way to make wind power work and you only need one wind mill per city. Set it on a lower hill and put the politicians in front of it. They have enough wind to light up each city all year long.

Michael We all like sheep, went astray; we turned, each one, to his own way; yet Adonai laid on him the guilt of all of us.

sycho warrior

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 6:03 am

lol I agree Fd

Edited by - sycho_warrior on 9/12/2004 7:04:05 AM

Tawakalna

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 6:03 am

but who'd run City Hall, FD?

freighter fighter

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 6:36 am

politicians make lots of hot air, you can have a politician powered electricity turbine

Tawakalna

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 6:54 am

how about attaching Ben's index finger to a generator cunningly disguised as a camera shutter button? produce about a million kilowatts that will..

Edited by - Tawakalna on 9/12/2004 7:54:14 AM

DSQrn

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 7:00 am

????????

Fear Factor

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:01 am

This thread made me laugh. Thx guys, I needed that

Now back to the topic - I suggest everybody go and get Newsweek, the Double Issue Edition 6/13 September: Hybrid Future. Great stuff. You were all putting great ideas, but the real answer is not any of them, but ALL of them. Instead just pumping funds into windmills, solars, or nuke, there should be one integrated concept that harnesses all of those potentials.

The ideal environmental utopia would be:

1. More windmills - Chips already showed us how great they were!

2. Better houses: triple-glazed windows for better insulation, preferably geothermally heated, etc.

3. Biomass - flush that yesterday's lunch down the toilet and re-use them to cook your next meal. There should be one giant septic tank for every block, and tap the biomass gas. Also saves on your bills.

4. Solar cells on every roof! not very useful in England, but every little bit helps. Works wonders in tropical areas. You can store your energy in your own underground battery, or re-sell it to the grid - this way you get discounts from your electric company. Not just the solar power - you can actually re-tap every heat generated in your houses/apartment buildings, provided they are properly insulated. Stale, outgoing heated air and drained bathwater contributes! And this helps the grid too. Being too far from the powerplant/source actually wastes the energy in the form of heat emanating from the powerlines.

5. Drive better cars - hybrids, LNG (liquid natural gas) fueled, or even a better futuristic version of a plug-in car that recharges at night in your own house. Some might consider this as an attack on their lifestyles - well it's not. In fact, ALL major car companies have at least one "futuristic" (either hybrid or alternative energy-fueled) SUV design coming in the next 1 or 2 years. You can still get the secure feeling of driving a tank, but pay less for fuel.

6. Corn-producing areas should consider burning corn cobs for alternative fuels, instead of wood (save yourself from that tree-hugging lynching party). Work out some deal with the local canned-corn factory.

7. Just behave better - wear sweaters instead of turning that heat up. Instead of heating your bedroom, use electric blankets instead. Or like my case (living in a hot tropical climate), if you have airconditioner in your bedroom, set it on timer when going to sleep - you only need it at the beginning to fall into sleep comfortably.

8. Governments should start limiting the numbers of cars travelling in the streets. Use some color-sticker for the day scheme to work it out. People whose car are not allowed to go out on mondays, for example, either cycle or use public transport. (Maybe this should apply to older cars, hybrids and other futuristics get an exempt - this prompts people to switch faster).

9. Add more suggestions to the Eco-Utopia Wish List!

DSQrn

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:03 am

Yeah find a better way to deal with garbage (give it to people we dont like) thanks for the sujests FF

Tawakalna

Post Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:07 am

I'm not having a solar cell on the roof of Taw Towers, my pigeons will cr*p on it.

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