Reply to: Green energy storage

[doodab]

Giant water-splitting plants on the edges of deserts bounding oceans with gas pipelines seem plausible to me, but at massive cost. And they would need to be build at huge scale to make the infrastructure worthwhile.

Massive cost is relative. Oil exploration isn't cheap and the existing oil extraction, distillation and distribution infrastructure wasn't exactly cheap either.

I think the main issue is political, the people with the money and expertise don't want to entrust their energy security and billions of dollars worth of infrastructure to the North Africans. I can see one of the richer Arab nations taking this on though. A combined desalination, carbon capture and gas production facility would be a serious asset.

[d000hg]

What a tulip idea.

[Paddy]

If we could manage a world energy grid or cross-continent power-lines, then this isn't a problem... the sunny parts of the world receive incredible amounts of stable sunlight and are typically uninhabited.

Giant water-splitting plants on the edges of deserts bounding oceans with gas pipelines seem plausible to me, but at massive cost. And they would need to be build at huge scale to make the infrastructure worthwhile.

The Sahara desert is massive, I have often wondered why is not used for sewage disposal via pipeline. Eventually parts of the desert would become fertile.

[doodab]

I'm beginning to agree that with the assessment of KPMG that in 50 years, Britain will be the dominant power in Europe. It'll simply be because Germany throws away its advantage.

We have a bit of a track record at that ourselves.

[d000hg]

If only somebody had forseen that.

If we could manage a world energy grid or cross-continent power-lines, then this isn't a problem... the sunny parts of the world receive incredible amounts of stable sunlight and are typically uninhabited.

Giant water-splitting plants on the edges of deserts bounding oceans with gas pipelines seem plausible to me, but at massive cost. And they would need to be build at huge scale to make the infrastructure worthwhile.

[scooterscot]

you save for a rainy day, I have no problems with that. But dont make me pay for it

I did save for a rainy day once, now I'm paying for the feckless through low interest rates.

[EternalOptimist]

But there are.

They ferret through the bags hoping for bank statements & such like.

maybe we should have a different coloured bin for bank statements

[scooterscot]

no, most of them still do that.
I drive a car, do you ?

No. Occasionally I rent a car, but only for 7-10 days per year I'd say.

[EternalOptimist]

If we can save for a rainy day, so to speak, this is progress. Making it on-demand is what happens when the plan fails and high energy prices follow.

you save for a rainy day, I have no problems with that. But dont make me pay for it

[scooterscot]

It's interesting that the title of this thread is Green energy storage, as opposed to energy storage.
The difference between the two is that one type fits neatly into the grid and the current infrastructure, the other does not.
So rather than ustilise the one that fits neatly,

If we can save for a rainy day, so to speak, this is progress. Making it on-demand is what happens when the plan fails and high energy prices follow.

[EternalOptimist]

Have car engines stopped combusting fuel with a mixture of air?

I'm assuming not, which seems to me they're doing the same thing they were 100 years ago, burning a finite energy resource.

no, most of them still do that.
I drive a car, do you ?

[scooterscot]

You take a motor car from 1900 and compare it to a 2013 car. Every single item in the new car will have changed beyond recognition, due to technology and innovation. Except for one. The car battery.
The battery (energy storage) is almost identical in form and function to the 1900 one

This is not an easy problem to solve

Have car engines stopped combusting fuel with a mixture of air?

I'm assuming not, which seems to me they're doing the same thing they were 100 years ago, burning a finite energy resource.

[EternalOptimist]

Incorrect. As usual. The car battery has been subject to the same process of incremental improvement as every other part of the motor car while keeping to the same working principles

exactly. the battery has changed the least.
there is no minituarised little gizmo thats replaced the battery. it's still made out of lead and is full of acid

FACT

[sasguru]

exactly. except the battery

Incorrect. As usual. The car battery has been subject to the same process of incremental improvement as every other part of the motor car while keeping to the same working principles

[EternalOptimist]

Incorrect. As usual. The whole principle of the internal combustion engine and how it propels a car is unchanged from 100 years ago, it has just been refined to the nth degree

exactly. except the battery