[Tfug] OT: Big Oil? Windows Vista!

[Ronald Sutherland]

What you are say is very true, its part of why I want my own solar power
plant, but I don't want a 10 year payback schedule. I know the CSP heat
engines can be scaled down to fit my needs, and thats why I'm looking at
them. If I do this right maybe others will want them also. Another thing I'm
looking at is compressed air for local power storage, and yes there are
risk, but thats true for anything with potential energy storage. The amount
of damage that can be done during a failure is a good indicator to the level
of power storage. Batteries age, and I don't want to make another waste
stream (we have enough), also compressed air potential can be recovered
within the heat engine, so thats less power conversion hardware needed. A
heat engine just needs coupled with an induction machine, tied to the grid.
I can monitor the power flow into my house and adjust the engine throttle
control to increase or decrease the power output such that I don't need net
metering, my goal will be to make what I use, and let the grid keep me in
sync (Trico will hate me). If engine temperature is high enough I will
compress air for storage, if heat is not available or a peak demand occurs I
use the compressed air in the engine (until its out then the grid).

On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 7:31 PM, Charles R. Kiss <charles at kissbrothers.com>
wrote:

> >
> > nine plants producing about 600,000kWhr each day
> What are these plants doing each night?


They are Rankine cycle heat engines and can be run on any heat source, they
cost to much to let set, so fossil fuel is burned (but thats not part of the
.6GWhr)


>
> Little known fact: Because there are nights, bad weather, etc. one
> essentially needs the necessary infrastructure for double the energy
> capacity for reliable on-demand output.. you just can't shut things down
> on cloudy days.


Rankine cycle engines have peak ability, the steam is a huge potential
reservoir that can be used with dynamic loads ranging form nil to well past
twice its average power output.


> Don't you think some greedy solar-energy
> investors/shareholders are eventually going to expect handsome pay for
> that infrastructure -not unlike today's big-energy CEO's?  -especially
> if their gallantly protecting the planet for little ol' us.
>
> I guess if you don't mind paying double or triple for your energy, you
> could enjoy the luxury of wind and solar plants.  That's why their
> subsidized-just wait till these subsidies disappear and we really get
> screwed.
>
> Charles
>

Subsidies are generally a bad idea, notice that BP and other oil companys
are making most of the PV stuff now... wonder why? is it because they use so
much oil and coal to make... I think so.
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