Offshore wind grid is the answer, study says

[Lindley]

You know what I've wondered for a while now? Why not make lighter-than-air wind farms.

It's well-known that wind blows faster and more consistently at altitude, and any child's spinner shows that you can construct a lightweight wind turbine easily enough. The only difficulty would be getting the power back to the ground. But you'd have to tether the turbines somehow, so just run a lightweight wire down that. Sure, the length will add up in weight, but you can compensate for that; say, put a bunch of these turbines on a blimp of sorts, with enough helium aboard to support the weight of the wire.

 

[John Picard]

they wouldn't be scattered across the ocean - you build them just offshore where they get the most benefit from the wind.

just ask the Europeans - there are serveral off-shore windfarms operating there.

NIMBY types in the US won't allow it (ie The Kennedys and others who have houses in Martha's Vineyard fought a similar proposal)

You don't have to be rich and famous to get a wind farm nixed - one planned for Southern Ontario has been shitcanned because local residents go up in arms.

Can't remember if was the one out near my in-laws which has also been opposed - despite being on government land and on top of a large hill.

stupid morons.

I was using the Kennedys as an example since they are A) politically tied, and B) like most political families, love to spout off to the rest of us (commoners) how to live --- until it comes to them.

 

[FordSVT]

How you gonna do maintenance on thousands of turbines scattered across the ocean???

We have these really neat little things called boats.

They use helicopters too.

 

[FordSVT]

You know what I've wondered for a while now? Why not make lighter-than-air wind farms.

It's well-known that wind blows faster and more consistently at altitude, and any child's spinner shows that you can construct a lightweight wind turbine easily enough. The only difficulty would be getting the power back to the ground. But you'd have to tether the turbines somehow, so just run a lightweight wire down that. Sure, the length will add up in weight, but you can compensate for that; say, put a bunch of these turbines on a blimp of sorts, with enough helium aboard to support the weight of the wire.

http://techpulse360.com/2010/04/16/airborne-wind-turbine-designer-plans-trial-this-year/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_stream#Future_power_generation

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090615102038.htm

 

[Trekker4747]

You know what I've wondered for a while now? Why not make lighter-than-air wind farms.

It's well-known that wind blows faster and more consistently at altitude, and any child's spinner shows that you can construct a lightweight wind turbine easily enough. The only difficulty would be getting the power back to the ground. But you'd have to tether the turbines somehow, so just run a lightweight wire down that. Sure, the length will add up in weight, but you can compensate for that; say, put a bunch of these turbines on a blimp of sorts, with enough helium aboard to support the weight of the wire.

Hmmmmm.... I thinking a pyramid or a large caldera-covering dome of some sort.

 

[Marc]

NIMBY types in the US won't allow it (ie The Kennedys and others who have houses in Martha's Vineyard fought a similar proposal)

You don't have to be rich and famous to get a wind farm nixed - one planned for Southern Ontario has been shitcanned because local residents go up in arms.

Can't remember if was the one out near my in-laws which has also been opposed - despite being on government land and on top of a large hill.

stupid morons.

I was using the Kennedys as an example since they are A) politically tied, and B) like most political families, love to spout off to the rest of us (commoners) how to live --- until it comes to them.

while the kennedy's make a good example you could find any number of well off families who would bitch about it (they'll claim their land value will drop) and b) you'll find others not so well off who will find something to complain about them.

Nimbyism isn't just a just for the rich and political.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

they wouldn't be scattered across the ocean - you build them just offshore where they get the most benefit from the wind.

just ask the Europeans - there are serveral off-shore windfarms operating there.

NIMBY types in the US won't allow it (ie The Kennedys and others who have houses in Martha's Vineyard fought a similar proposal)

You don't have to be rich and famous to get a wind farm nixed - one planned for Southern Ontario has been shitcanned because local residents go up in arms.

Can't remember if was the one out near my in-laws which has also been opposed - despite being on government land and on top of a large hill.

stupid morons.

Thankfully, at least in the case of Delaware, they embrased the idea of wind farms (so much so that both Republicans and Democrats were scrambling last election season to take more credit for doing creating the project). Obviously, if there are consequences, they'll be seen, but it does seem like a good clean way to at least supplement energy even if it can't replace all other types.