Energy From the Gulf Stream

Georgia Tech ^ | 05-12-05 | Michael Hoover

[mission9]

Now that oil is 75 dollars a barrel, and it costs fifty bucks to fuel the SUV, what about tapping the gulf stream for inexhaustable power? This nation's energy needs are growing, and national security demands that we free the electricity producers from the oil economy. Florida has ALL the free new energy it needs in the form of the Gulf Stream. This moving current of water is one thousand feet deep, twenty miles wide and three miles off Broward County. A moving current of water is 832 times more energy dense than wind. There is many times more energy in the Gulf Stream than there is found Colorado River when harvested by the Hoover Dam. Additional research is not needed; pilot programs have been tested and are viable. The state should establish a contract for an offshore energy development area then lease the zones at favorable rates. The income from the leases and electricity will help balance the national debt. The harvesting of tropical ocean heat could potentially help to reduce global warming and the intensity of hurricanes. Check out the link.

[mission9]

Thank God, somebody knows something, and contributes to the disscussion in a positive way.

[mission9]

read the posted link to presentation.

[mission9]

New concept: the energy grid is the storage mechanism because somebody somewhere is always tapping into it, other more expensive electricity sources can be throttled back in times of less demand, so that batteries need not be included.

[Ichneumon]

["The sun created all fuels...oil,gas, coal and wood from photosynthesis."]

I rather doubt it.

Well doubt it all you like, but it's still true, at least for the fuels he lists. Nuclear power on the other hand wasn't "energized" by our Sun like the others -- it was made by *other* stars.

[Old Professer]

Put a submersible vane on a tether, ballast to sink it and let it play out the rope dragging it downstream until the rope plays out and pump the hollow vane back out into the sea and allow the float to sail back to the starting point to begin again all the while providing impetus to a huge flywheel driving a turbine generator.

[FormerACLUmember]

In a billion years, the Environmentalist Wackos would never permit something so sensible and earth-friendly. They would tie up the project with endless litigation, all defended by pro-se sc*mbag shysters from leading law firms accross the USA.

[Old Professer]

It would be an underwater waterwheel, not a stinking emergency brake.

[mission9]

We all win the "trillion dollar lottery" if we embrace this plan with the same gusto that our Grandfathers harnessed the Colorado River. This project would pay for itself within Five years, because the technology is so benign and scalable. After five years, it is money in the bank.

[Jim Noble]

Florida has ALL the free new energy it needs in the form of the Gulf Stream

Not for long!

[litehaus]

"Next, I'll hear".Eggszakly!....The Thetans hiding there,with Ron, will not permit it....

[patton]

So you believe that oil is dead dinosaurs? Ok, freedom of religion is gauranteed in this country.

[litehaus]

"Al Goron and the global warming nuts say"

Well, he didn't help it with all that pollution on his home place back up there in Tenn!...VIVA Occidental and ALGORE!...;^)

[mission9]

You are the victim of a public education. The copious hydrocarbon resources of our solar system indicate an "abiotic" source. The atmosphere of Saturn's moon, Titan, is methane. Exactly which ancient fossils produced that? No time to educate you here, just google "abiotic oil" for yourself.

[doorgunner69]

Did read the report. Absolutely nothing on your comment about how much power drawn from the current it would take to screw up weather. I dunno either, that's a climatologist thing, but I do remember reading a report a long time ago in college about the temp drop a huge solar field would cause and the resulting weather disruption. Was only a few degrees drop, IIRC.

Anyways, it looks like the scale they want to try this is way too small to have much effect on anything. Interesting stuff.

[RightWhale]

Maybe so. I have a degree in engineering management and like to see what the cost is, what the value is, and, if necessary, what the technology is. Reasonable estimates will do, but they must be actual values. A present worth analysis might be appropriate even if it is impossible to guess what the economic situation will be in five years. If this is done we might see about floating a municipal bond.

[satchmodog9]

I got that from the article. You don't think hurricanes will bother this stuff? It will be another thing I find in my back yard in my Islamorada house. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for alternative energy. This just seems to be a boondoggle waiting to happen.

[AlexW]

"Well, he didn't help it with all that pollution on his home place back up there in Tenn"

I was born, raised, and lived in Tennessee for 59 years.
I know what frauds these democraps are.

[mission9]

The Gulf of Mexico will continue to be warmed by the Sun, and the Florida straits will act as a relief valve for this natural well of solar energy. Even if a meteor hits again, your two year old speculation from the chicken little crowd notwithstanding. This speculation belongs with those that want to ban jets because of contrail-induced climate change.

[mission9]

According to the article link I posted, 1 cent per kilowatt. That is a hard number based upon a tested prototype. Brother, that is cheap. Based on my electric bill, I pay ten cents per kilowatt.

[mission9]

The tubines are located two hundred feet below the surface, no hurricanes there. Read the link.