Posted on 07/27/2007 8:34:36 AM PDT by Uncledave
Please put me on your ping list
I had built a smaller version in my back yard about 5 yrs ago
it works and the idea was to make it marketable to the general public. it works in 5mph winds which is nothing. I put mine on a 50’ tower for testing while trying to get finical supporters
I wanted to be able to have it boxed and sold in Home building stores. sold it to a R&D group in Mass. waiting for my royalties
I didn’t read the whole article, how is it supposed to transfer energy in that case?
Just a stab in the dark - They would not have to mechanically limit the drum (other than for physical limits of the structure). It would be possible to regulate the power output by adjusting the gap spacing on the generators. This would in effect make the generator less efficient. I'm not sure it's a practical solution however.
Energy storage from periods of excess generation is key. Batteries and Capacitors have environmental issues. Maybe they could use the excess electricity to pump water into massive resivoirs. Fill them when there is good wind hydro-power when there isn't.
Nor did I say you did. I simply pointed out that even if 100% of our power came from wind, it would not matter one bit to our "dependence"on foreign oil.
Further, windmills are not non-polluting, and their addition to the grid causes less energy efficiency and more pollution.
I know, as I live smack-dab in the middle of it. Too bad we have to wade through the environmentalists to get at it.
GMTA
The fine print probably states 1GW output, but it requires 1.5GW input for the magnets.
I’m assuming they are using permanent magnets for repulsion. No energy would be required.
... LOL ...
once again, no free luch...
The environmentalist wackos oppose hydropower too. You've got groups agitating for the "removal" (blowing up) of the Columbia River dams to return the river to it's "natural run", which is great for salmon but hell for people who have to deal with flooding and lack of electricity.
The genesis of the modern environmentalist movement can be traced to opposition by wealthy landowners along the Hudson River (kind of like the Kennedys and Nantucket Sound) to the Storm King Mountain project, a pumped storage hydro facility. Ask anyone today what Storm King Mountain was and almost all of them will say it was a nuclear plant. Wrong. It was that darling of the windies and sunnies, a pumped storage facility intended to store energy generated by another source.
I’ve read that if the wind mills are spread over a wide geographic area with a good distribution system can reliably provide about 20% of total grid power.
Other solutions would be 1 associating with an industry such as aluminum reduction with the windmills to dump excess power or 2 power storage such as pumping water back up a hydrodam (not very efficient)
From their own materials:
Magnetic Levitation or Maglev is the most efficient means of transferring kinetic energy from wind power to generate electricity. The wind turbine floats on a magnetic cushion with the aid of a linear synchronous motor (LSM). This technology eliminates all friction and delivers maximum wind energy directly to the power generators. Since the Maglev wind turbine blades capture all of the wind, it is possible to generate electricity for less than one cent per kilowatt hour.
Already done at Back Creek, Bath County Virginia--since the 80's as a peak load facility.
As I am an architect, my comments are not stupid. I can promise you, you could never EVER get one of these things built in a city if it looked like that first photo.
I like the idea of the tower, but if you want to sell this technology you need to package it in a way that will be acceptable and pleasing to the eye. That thing was obtrusive, massive and frightening looking.
the way to sell this is to show it in a rural setting, hopefully an isolated area.
OR
They need to scale it down, and improve the overall appearance if you want to suggest nstalling these in an urban or suburban location. I'm sure the appearance of this thing could be vastly improved. Right now it looks like an upside down trashcan.
Not necessarily. If it becomes a closed solid object, now you have a gigantic sail that is floating on magnetic levitation. What keeps the wind from pushing it off to the side?
It’s not ugly. When I see it, all I see is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Buildit within ear distance of Congress ... never stop rotating!
Do a survey of the public: "What would you rather choose - CO2 producing fossil fuel that is expensive and volitile in availabiltiy and fund Islamic extremism and requires large military commitments by the US to the middle east.... OR a huge wind turbine that looks like a giant black man's penis?' I bet you $100 that the latter would win.
Apologies to Ricky Gervais.
I disagree. I suspect that you are one of those who don’t want a windmill in your back yard or anywhere near you. Say hello to the Kennedys.
Oh, the enviro-nazis will HATE seeing that. They’ll go back to telling us that we must simply quit using energy so that they don’t see the turbines.
Now THAT was stupid.
Plus, Utah would never go for it unless it was white. Maybe in Detroit.
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