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Its funny how all the energy on this planet has its root in solar energy even though the Sun doesn't shine 100% of the day. Apparently WC forgot to tell the Sun it was a bad energy source for earth.
There was a study a couple week ago that said a wind farm stretching from FL to New England would provide almost constant power due to the wind always blowing somewhere in that area.
Its funny how all the energy on this planet has its root in solar energy even though the Sun doesn't shine 100% of the day. Apparently WC forgot to tell the Sun it was a bad energy source for earth.
One thing the US has going for it, is it's sheer size. Wind and solar both get far more reliable the more the generating power is spread out. The law of large numbers starts kicking in, and you get a much more reliable supply.
The challenge is transmission. Our grid is getting older by the day, and in desperate need of upgrading anways.
Some interesting solutions to this have emerged, and I would love to see the US undertake an Apollo-project scale revamping.
That, of course, would require (gasp) government spending, because no private company would be big enough, or willing to take on the risk.
Its not all in transmission, however. Area really isn't a problem the way most people think it is because of the already existing surface area of our construction. Sooner or later solar cells will become small and efficient enough to be used in a very localized manner with production coming from the very building you're in.
I see this as inevitable.
Have you looked to see what the emission are of coal plants now that are useing clean burning technology?
(hint: there aren't any to my knowledge)
Feel free to provide us some data on which to educate ourselves.
I will ask directly:
What are the emissions of power plants currently using "clean burning" technology?
Can you also guarantee that the mine trailings of the mines used to supply those plants are going to be "clean" too?
The problem with coal is that it is nasty on both ends, production and usage. You can't consider one without the other.
Those mountains in West Virginia are meh anyways, RG. Who cares if they topple them over.
So they do, but you can graze cattle or grow wheat around them, if you really want to.
Comparing the land area of a wind farm and a generator seems a bit fallacious. How much land does the coal mine or oil well take up? The oil pipeline? Storing mining waste?
Similarly, you need to look at the effects of mining when comparing the pollution of oil, gas or coal burning plants.
I'm fairly certain the sun doesn't turn off.
Granted, rotation of the earth makes solar power a bit unreliable. But the sun still shines.
Nobody is saying otherwise...
Balancing production with need goes on every second of every day. Adding in other power sources doesn't change that.
Yeah obviously it doesn't turn off but in that sense neither does the wind. In any one particular location on earth there is always wind just as there is always sunlight somewhere on earth. The point is that no place on earth ALWAYS receives light.
I could have worded that better.
I question it's cost effectiveness.
Would we have it if it had the same taxes and fees as other power, and no subsidies?
OMG...
You haven't a clue. I understand AC power, and have worked with rotary UPS. Those things do not store rotational power.
Question for you to prove you don't understand AC power.
Why is commercial power and power generation three phase?
Why not one phase, two, four, or even five phase?
can you answer that without looking it up?
What a totally failed correlation you have there.
I don't think this nation is capable of such large scale projects anymore. We spend too much money on social programs now.
"We spend too much money on social programs now."
bull , as always.
We spend too much money on bogus/botched Repug/conservative wars, and your beloved, wasteful, corrupt MIC.
The carbon energy industry has too much power and will block any legislation that will hurt its dominance.
We spend too much on both. Money spent to secure a federal aim more times than not is not only wasted for the purpose it was intended, but it will also likely be turned into a weapon and used to beat your liberties to death by power hungry career politicians and bureaucrats who need to justify their very existence.
Generals and administrators alike.
Its about equal protection not about punitive politics. Infrastructure spending is necessary. Without the oil infrastructure the US transportation system does not work.
You're just as bad as they are.
You actually think that one follows the other?
IOW, I do not think this government can do large programs, it already does too many.
Do you even have a sense of what it would actually cost?
Thats what it comes down to. The rest is engineering and construction when it gets down to it.
Just as Repubs push the trickle down, Liberals push the bottom down. The problem is that the Federal Govt is seldom wise enough to push solutions that fit the cir stances of every state.
Why not accomplish progress on a state/local level?
Why not lobby state/local govt for solutions, instead of hoping that the broken machine in Washington will spit out the golden egg?
oil infrastructure is completely private, not public. BP maintenance example is probably typical: "run it 'til it breaks". iow, no preventive maintenance, no culture of employee or environmental safety. Such culture reduce profits.
The backbone, the crown jewel, of the US transportation system is the FEDERAL interstate highway system, only possible with BIG GOVERNMENT and sufficient taxes, built by for-profit, private contractors.
I'm sure the contemporary Repugs and conservatives and their ignorant tea bagging dupes would scream it down, obstruct it.
GFY
Because there are only three power grids for 50 states.
Green-Tech Investment Plummets
investment in China jumped to $153 million in the third quarter from $30 million in the second quarter of 2010.
“Asia absolutely defies the drop and China in particular has shown some strengths,” said Mr. Haji, who noted that on a recent trip he took to China, green-tech entrepreneurs repeatedly told him they had no trouble raising capital.
Over all, investment in Asia ed to more than $300 million in the third quarter from less than $100 million in the second quarter.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...pagemode=print
========
but
"investors put $452 million into California companies in the third quarter, versus $126 million for second-place Texas."
Lets pick a side and argue that side with no sense of reason because thats what you are told to think.
Oil companies bad so everything that they are involved in should see them get ed.
The highway system of course is important but every ing vehicle that drives on it drives on gas.
With you its either complete government nationalization where you do not pay or nothing. You do not even rationally consider your ideology because as an obvious socialist you should at the very least consider nonintervention especially in a market like that to be a bad idea.
So go ahead and spout about your repugs while they blather about stupid liberals and waste your and everyone else's time.
Hey Fuzzy...
You didn't answer my power question.
"thats what you are told to think."
You Lie
I think what I think. Being reflexively, automatically against anything Repug and conservative is sure to be 100% correct.
Nobody here can ever list anything the Repugs and conservatives have done for the country in the last 30 years.
"With you its either complete government nationalization"
You Lie
"as an obvious socialist"
You Lie (but you don't know socialism is)
Fuzzy...
If you understand AC power, then you could have written a short response to show me you do.
Why 3-phase power?
I'm calling you out. You said I don't understand. I guess this is proof enough that you don't.
What? Is this the quiz show? You need three phases to make the needle go round and because they're the same thing. What do I win?
And who said anything about UPS? I certainly do not. I was talking about how you store power. As in chemicals, counterweights and flywheels. How power is used to create torque is meaningless.
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