I have always wondered why there hasn’t been a more aggressive approach to using tidal flows for energy production.
I believe there are some tidal energy projects in Europe - the UK or Netherlands? You look at a place like the Bay of Fundy, where nature is already producing some serious tidal flows, and it would seem like it would be a perfect place do so something like this. And unlike wind or solar, tidal patterns and times are already well known and understood, so the production of energy could be easily predicted. I’m all for alternative sources of energy, but it’s got to make sense, too. Dan > On Dec 1, 2014, at 11:06 AM, Andrew Strasfogel via Mercedes > <mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > Interesting rticle - follow up to our earlier discussions... Multiple > projects show that 'hybrid' renewable energy and battery storage systems > may become the power plants of the future > > Monday, December 1, 2014 > > As independent energy sources, the sun, wind and geothermal heat represent > some of the most promising solutions for generating carbon-free electricity. > > But if these individual energy sources could be harnessed in tandem, or in > sync with each other with the aid of battery storage, their commercial > power-producing potential would be significantly enhanced, researchers from > Oregon State University have found in a new analysis. > > "Wind energy is already pretty cost-competitive, and solar energy is > quickly getting there," Anna Kelly, a graduate student in the School of > Public Policy at Oregon State and an energy policy analyst, said in a > statement. "The key to greater use of these and other technologies is to > match them in smart-grid, connected systems." > > New research findings by Kelly and colleague Joshua Merritt published in *The > Electricity Journal* show that the long-standing problem of intermittence > with renewable energy generation could be substantially solved by coupling > so-called "hybrid energy systems" with battery storage, whereby "one form > of renewable energy is ramping up even while the other is declining." > > For example, the researchers note, while wind turbines often produce more > power at night, when wind speeds are higher, solar technology produces > energy only during the day. "By making more sophisticated use of the basic > concept in a connected grid, and pairing it with more advanced forms of > energy storage, the door could be opened for a much wider use of renewable > energy systems," they said. > > "This is more than just an idea; it's a working reality in energy > facilities around the world, in places like Spain, Morocco and China, as > well as the U.S.," Kelly said. "Geothermal is being paired with solar; wind > and solar with lithium-ion batteries; and wind and biodiesel with > batteries." > Prototypes are 'making real money' > > "By helping to address the price issue, renewable energy is being produced > in hybrid systems by real, private companies that are making real money," > Kelly added. > > For example, China's Zhangbei National Wind and PV Energy Storage Facility, > completed in 2011 with a capacity of 176 megawatts, uses lithium-ion > batteries to store both wind and solar power. > > In the United States, the researchers cite a half-dozen hybrid energy > projects that have been completed in recent years, mostly involving the > pairing of wind and solar generation, but also geothermal, natural gas and > fuel cells. These include EDF Renewable Energy's Pacific Wind and Catalina > Solar projects in southern California, with 270 MW of combined wind and > solar capacity, and Invenergy's Grand Ridge Energy System in Illinois, with > 240 MW of capacity. > > Looking forward, the researchers point to a recently announced $8 billion > project by Pathfinder Renewable Wind Energy that plans to produce wind > energy in Wyoming, transmit and store much of the turbines' output as > compressed air in rock formations in Utah, then transmit the power again to > Southern California for consumption by millions of Los Angeles-area > ratepayers (*Greenwire* > <http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060006372/>, Sept. 24). > > Joshua Merritt, a co-author of the report and a graduate student in > mechanical engineering and public policy at Oregon State, said that for > such ambitious projects to move forward, "the public has to more readily > accept energy systems like wind, wave and solar in practice, not just in > theory." > > They also argue that lesser-known renewable energy technologies -- such as > wave or tidal energy -- are becoming more viable as technology advances and > costs come down. At the same time, small, modular nuclear reactors, which > produce no greenhouse gas emissions, could help balance energy outflows > from renewable sources, they said. > > The long-term goal is to identify technologies that can work in a hybrid > system that offers consistency and dependability, and doesn't rely on > fossil fuels. "With development, the cost of these hybrid systems will > decrease and become increasingly competitive, hopefully playing a larger > role in power generation in the future," the researchers wrote. > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those > individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has > no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
