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and I didn't even know I had lost it. ;)
Actually, I have made comments about a specific tidal power generator that can be used to build tunnels / bridges, generating thier own power, and more than enough power to be able to supply power for the local area.
I found the company that is making them, and thier website.
by jardinier
Now you have a P[b]ERSONAL[/b] reponsibility to make this website known to every Congressman, Senator, energy mogul and so forth in the whole of the United States.
And don't forget GWB, although he may have trouble understanding why you have informed him of this, as I believe he thinks that oil is the only source of energy.
Anyhow thank for finding it because I will get some great material for certain of my websites.
Currently the idea is to put a barrage across the River Severn over here but this is an alternative.
Neil
by jaqui
that the Blue Electric solution has a lower environmental impact, tidal basins to create the flow for generating power actually do damage the environment.
One Politician here is actually lobyying for BCHydro to install the Mega Power system as a tunnel and floating bridge combination between the Mainland and Vancouver Island..13.5 miles of power generators with extremely low environmental impact.
The Active Pass area between Saltspring island and the mainland has a ripping 10 knot current through it, great for this use. The shipping traffic would require the system to be submerged there, as it is extremely active in that respect. [ much like the channel is ]
by jaqui
I even try to get the US to do something intelligent?
I'm not in the US. :P
by jardinier
Sorry Jaqui. I didn't notice your location even though it was staring me in the eye.
Sentiments on the US duly noted and agreed with.
There are enormous tidal shifts off the north of Australia. I will try and get the info.
by jardinier
There are two areas in Australia that experience particularly large king tides - far north Queensland and north-west Western Australia. In Queensland, these tides occur from December to February, and June to August. They frequently invade coastal towns, and can flood the main streets of big cities like Cairns. Tides of up to 4.78 m have been recorded at Karumba at the bottom of Cape York Penninsula, while the town of Broadsound, between Rockhampton and Mackay has an 8 m tide.
But these are ripples compared to the biggest tides of all in Australia.
The king of all Australian tides occurs near the town of Derby in King Sound, in north-west Australia, at the end of March and again at the end of April each year. Derby's tides can reach up to 11.8 m, and are the second biggest tides in the world (the largest, clocked at 15 m, occur in the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia). At the other end of the scale, the tides of the Mediterranean - the smallest in the world - peak at a weeny 2-3cm.
by jck
what effect will placing these generators in the paths of the ocean currents have on the environment by causing diversions of water currents that help balance the global ecosystem.
if none, then it sounds like a good idea.
I'd like to see more studies on it.
by jaqui
a 6.5 mile stretch across something like active pass would slow the tidal flow about .001 knots. they were designed to have as small an impact as possible, being anchored with 4 concrete blocks per unit instead of a huge concrete footing as something designed to trap the flow even temporarily has.
4 small blades, placed vertically, are pushed around by the tidal flow, as in water wheel, but not major alteration of the flow required.
I did go over the idea in detail the the MLA for the area..a 1/2 hour meeting wound up running for 4 hours. I had taken a presentation of a similar idea in to sell him on, he loved it when I even showed how private industry would be willing to foot the major costs of constructing it. [ on demand railway tunnel that breezes through environmental imapct studies? you bet the railways will pay huge to add river crossings :) ]
"damage" and "change" when viewed from a different perspective.
We don't have too many tidal races, especially in the South where everyone lives, so the tidal lagoons offer a chance to tap tidal power without the huge impact of, say, putting a barrage across an estuary which [b]would[/b] damage the environment.
Thanks to the persistent ravages of Spanish fishermen, a good portion of the English Channel and the North Sea is over-fished sterile desert. So, the chance to use a few - even a few hundred - square miles of this for power generation [b]and[/b] provide a habitat for crustaceans and fish that can't be trawled looks pretty good to me.
Neil
by jaqui
even these would present the same benefit, after all can't drag any nets through the power system ]:)
a large area blocked off by these would be just as effective a mean of keeping the fishing fleets out, and more cost effective in deployment. [ less major at sea construction, it's more a matter of placement of anchors and lowering the units to the chains..for a just below the suface at low tide placement. no boats go through..lots of sea life thriving, no flow basin damages, yet as much power.
by road-dog
I'm fairly certain that it would be nearly impossible to build such a thing off the coast of the US. ECO weenies would find some type of endangered sea beastie that would be harmed by construction.
I recall a news story where a wind farm is being fought by eco interests because birds might be pureed by the blades.
damned if ya do, damned if you don't.....
EARTH FIRST!
(we'll strip mine the other planets later)
by jaqui
eco interests should get billed cleanup costs for katrina...
after all katrina's winds would have put enough power into the local grid to power the pumps to remove the flood waters. ]:)
by jaqui
the Blue Energy system is that any tidal flow will generate power, faster / higher levels will run the system faster, but even a small tide will generate power. they are simply tapping into and transforming a small amount of the kinetic energy in a tidal flow.
We have all heard about the power of moving water, the Tsunami last year is an example, that same power exists in any tidal action, no mater how small. though the smaller the lower the return, naturally. any area with water flowing can have this system installed to tap into the power of the water flow. There might be some alterations for river tapping, or for putting them out in the open ocean currents, but those are more a matter of the anchoring and layout than a major change in technology.
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