Posted on 02/27/2008 5:19:12 PM PST by Sub-Driver
If you are going to have to build a real power plant anyway to back the stupid thing up, why in the hell would you build such a monstrosity in the first place unless you just like wasting resources?
I’d provide the “backup” by producing H2, and using that medium to transport the stored energy to the point where it’s used, when it’s needed.
Then I don’t need a second plant, I could have a factory with a H fuel cell to buy the H2.
When America devolves into a 3rd world society, don't complain.
Nuclear power is inferior?
Or did you mean wind?
Hydrogen is not unproven, nor unheard of; there are several companies selling H fuel cells and there are several installations in the US (small scale power plants, backups, and demo setups).
There is a company selling cryo power backup for computers, doing quite well, their thing is LN2 superconducting magnets, they store energy in the intense magnetic field.
There’s lots of stuff going on with energy.
What are your preferences for energy?
I think that we’ll need lots of solutions for the future, nuclear, wind, oil, domestic coal, hydro, small-scale solar. None of them perfect, some better than others, but not too many eggs in any one basket.
Wind don’t matter, the military won’t allow offshore windmills because it masses up their land-based over-the-horizon radars.
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