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Electrical Energy: Sound Scientific Solutions

by John Droz on Jan 15, 2009

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Industrial wind power is examined from a different perspective: how it fits into our 125± year historical pattern for selecting sources for electrical power. This has considerable pertinence since the...

Industrial wind power is examined from a different perspective: how it fits into our 125± year historical pattern for selecting sources for electrical power. This has considerable pertinence since the power source requirements developed during this long period have not only resulted in the most successful electrical grid system in the world, but have also immeasurably contributed to the economic success of the US. From my perspective as a physicist and long time environmental activist, it is apparent that we depart from this proven path at our extreme peril

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  • WelshWindWarrior WelshWindWarrior How can wind power be the solution to energy problems when the wind behaves like a yo-yo and is extremely sporadic and unreliable? Wind Energy cannot close even ONE back-up fossil fuel or nuclear power station.
    One small area of Mid Wales......less than 1000 square miles of some of the finest, unspoilt rolling green hill scenery in the world......is being threatened with anywhere between 400 and 800 wind turbines, each one between 400 ft and 450 ft in height !!It is crazy !! Even 800 wind turbines 400 ft high will only generate 25 per cent of their 2 megawatt installed capacity , or 0.5MW each. That gives a total of 800 x 0.5MW , or 400MW. But that is not a replacement,because the back-up power station must KEEP RUNNING ! Do you realise what 800 x 400 feet wind turbines looks like?? Do you know how many SQUARE MILES they would cover?......AND...FOR WHAT ?????
    For NOTHING !! They DUPLICATE electricity from fossil fuels.How can they replace it when the fossil fuel power stations keep running due to the sporadic ,unpredictable ,inadequate wind???
    8 months ago Reply
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  • MichaelSimon2 Michael Simon Recycling? You ought to apply the scientific method to that. You would likely find that the only thing it makes sense to recycle is metals. Anybody hear of thieves stealing bundled newspapers? Or do they prefer aluminum cans? 8 months ago Reply
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  • MichaelSimon2 Michael Simon One big error I see is that you assume other mandates (more efficient motors) will fix our problems. No. Businesses will 'kill' to increase profits. Let them decide where to spend their money. Suppose the money spent on efficient motors could be devoted to some better use?

    Say you mandate 99% efficient motors. The 99% motors cost 1.2X a 90% motor. If the motor is only needed a few hours a year (sump pump say) it makes no economic sense to mandate the 99% motor for all applications. Besides politicians have no sense about any of this. (this is an example - the figures are for illustration only).

    Best leave it to the engineers. It is their job. BTW I wouldn't even allow most physicists to make the choice. Trade offs are not their regular day job.

    Have you heard of Polywell Fusion?
    8 months ago Reply
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  • MichaelSimon2 Michael Simon You say Wall Street got in trouble through greed and ignorance. Only partially true. Without government guns behind them greed and ignorance only go so far. Just like wind. 8 months ago Reply
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  • samma11 samma11 Once again it's the 'little man' who suffers. But there is a quiet revolution going on. Those with land and an uncrowded environment can produce their own wind power. 9 months ago Reply
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  • quixoteofalba Home at Home Funny how all the same elements transfer so easily between countries and continents. We have Renewable Obligations, Carbon Credits and Feed-in Tariffs but the same sense of denial in our politicians and the same greed and avarice from the developers and land-owners. What is happening in Scotland is the wholesale destruction of our Wild Places and subsequent impact on tourism. The John Muir Trust is fighting very hard as are many other organisations but it is only the imminent elections that have forced the Politicians to face their critics. And boy, are they getting a hammering! Brilliant Slideshow John. We should make it compulsory viewing for ever Scottish Parliament Candidate. They are all in the anti nuclear lobby but until five years ago 60% of Scotland's power came from Nuclear. I think we may have too many incumbents of Holyrood that cut their political teeth on Ban the Bomb Marches in the 60's. All the best. John Graham, Wind Farm Action Group 1 year ago Reply
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  • JohnDroz John Droz , physicist at retired To KGF —
    I have as much concern about other countries 'becoming the dominant leaders in this technology' as I do about them becoming dominant with buggy whips. Who cares? This is high cost/low benefit stuff. Just because some technology is new, doesn't make it good. We should be focusing on solutions that have been subjected to the scientific method, that PROVES that they have merit. Wind energy has never been burdened with this scientific requirement.

    As far as nuclear goes, mini-nuclear has all the signs of being the real technology of the future. This is where we need to have superiority over China and competing countries.
    1 year ago Reply
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  • kgfaller kgfaller , President at TIData Re: John's answer about the practicality of Nuclear power development in the U.S.
    <<'What needs to be changed is the political climate...'
    The question I raised was about the 'practicality' of anticipating nuclear power as a part of the future energy plan for the U.S. given the current political environment. If anything, your answer reflects a low probability of a nuclear based future. First, the political climate needs to change (how long will that take, if ever); then the planning, financing, building and implementation of nuclear plants needs to be initiated; only then can we benefit from increased nuclear power in the energy mix. Sounds like decades, not years to me.

    Regarding wind energy, are costs coming down at a rate that it could be an economically viable source in the next few years? Development in the U.S. is down dramatically this year (70%, I think) but it is growing dramatically in China, India, Korea and other parts of the world. Is there a downside to the Asian countries becoming the dominant leaders in this technology perhaps even driving the U.S. manufacturers out of business?
    1 year ago Reply
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  • JohnDroz John Droz , physicist at retired To KGFaller —

    What needs to be changed is the political climate. Our energy choices should be dictated by what science says, not politicians or lobbyists. That's one of the main points of the presentation.
    1 year ago Reply
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  • kgfaller kgfaller , President at TIData Regarding the practicality of nuclear power, there are currently 58 new nuclear power plants under construction in 14 countries around the world, most of them in Asia. Conspicuously absent from this list... the United States. There are no new plants under construction in the country that invented nuclear power. It is a very long lead time to plan, develop and implement a nuclear power plant. Given the political climate (including the NIMBY factor) is it practical to consider nuclear power a viable alternative to meet future energy needs in the U.S.? 1 year ago Reply
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Electrical Energy: Sound Scientific Solutions — Presentation Transcript