Tidal Energy

[The2ndAmendment]

I was browsing over this at Lockheed, thoughts?

Energy Lockheed Martin

 

[Old Rocks]

Energy Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is focused on increasing productivity and efficiency while simultaneously reducing our own environmental footprint and improving our sustainability. In 2012, more than 30 percent of the electricity we consumed was generated by renewable sources. We have significantly reduced water usage, waste to landfill and carbon emissions. But we can and need to do more. We believe we are in the cause together, to seek out new and innovative ways to create reliable and sustainable clean energy.

Imagine capturing abundant clean energy from the depths of the ocean, from tidal and ocean waves and from everyday trash. What if we could better manage currently produced energy through smart grids and systems? These are all viable options if we continue to partner with some of the brightest minds, organizations and universities around the world to contribute to a more sustainable future, transforming the way we perceive and use energy.

Nice thoughts, we will see what they come up with. Wind and solar are already competeing on a cost basis with coal and natural gas, and, as the grid scale batteries come online, will be 24/7. Capturing the energy of the tides, wind, sun, and geo-thermal makes far more sense with our present technology than continuing to pour GHGs into the atmosphere, and biological poisons, like the heavy metals from the smoke stacks of the coal fired generators.

 

[there4eyeM]

There have been some bold and promising proposals regarding use of the oceans for renewable energy. We really should pursue them.
In general, though, small-scale, local power production seems more desirable. Reducing the number of extension cords running all over the countryside, for one thing, would enhance quality of life for all. When people can have the electricity they need at their residence, both to operate it and their transportation, we will have made a huge increase in true wealth for all.

 

[Old Rocks]

Spot on analysis. Were we to cover the roofs of the warehouses, commercial and industrial buildings with solar, many of our cities could provide much of their power, without any transmission losses. And be more independent and have a more robust system in event of natural disaster. And solar for home, creates citizens that are not only consumers, but also producers of power. And, with EV's, not so dependent on big energy corperations.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Tidal energy's good, but the biggest problem with it is the big facility on the beach which is both eyesore, and impediment to recreation. Can likely find spots not used to recreational or sight-seeing of course but that's the major knock.

All electricity generation is centuries-old steam based. Need some intiator to heat and boil water, steam rises, turns a wheel, generating electricty. This is what happens in every power generating system from locomotives to nuclear power plants. Only the intiator is different.

Tidal's good for being available 24/7 while also being enviromentally safe. Solar's good, wind is good, and these round out the very best methods. Geothermal's ok too but being an invasive extracting system has issues of like what happens when you remove all that heat from under the ground? Does the structure of the gorund become unstable and cause earthquakes? As with fracking for oil, injecting water under the ground destablizes the ground.To say nothing of contaminates any ground water used for consumption.

As more time goes on, clean, eco-friendly alternatives to oil, natural gas, coal, and fission-based nuclear will have to be replied on more and more. Only impediment to it now replacing oil and the others is the people making the money off those solutions.

If you eliminated the impediment the alternatives could be brought online sooner. But that's mean cause letting people make obscene amounts of money at the expense of toxification of the planet is fine and dandy...

 

[flacaltenn]

Did you follow up the links that lead to pictures of "underwater tidal energy"???

Wave and Tidal Energy Lockheed Martin

Only folks who have been absolved by the Greenies could propose putting massive Cuisinarts into sensitive tidal basins without a whisper of the enviro issues attached to that. Even if you think we should be excusing land based wind farms from killling eagles and raptures, THIS underwater carnage would be stunning in comparison. The actual projects proposed include WALLING OFF large sections of tidal basins then putting a barrage of giant lawnmowers in the only safe exits from the tidal flow.

Amazing what you can do when filing an enviro impact statement isn't ever required of you... OR if actually the enviro carnage is excused because it's "not oil"...

 

[Old Rocks]

There are a number of ways to extract energy from moving water without killing fish. And the roads alongside the windmill farms kill more raptors than do the farms. But you did not give a didley about the raptors until you could make them a political issue against clean and cheap energy. Just another red herring to try to retain the obscene profits of the huge energy corporations.

 

[flacaltenn]

There are a number of ways to extract energy from moving water without killing fish. And the roads alongside the windmill farms kill more raptors than do the farms. But you did not give a didley about the raptors until you could make them a political issue against clean and cheap energy. Just another red herring to try to retain the obscene profits of the huge energy corporations.

Besides the passes and reprieves that these "green" bad ideas enjoy from govt, tThe misrepresentations and "bait and switch" tactics used to sell them to the gullible is legendary. When you sen the ACTUAL plans for one of these tidal installations --- it is nothing more than a MASSIVE hydroelectric plant --- plopped underwater in EXTREMELY enviromentally sensitive coastal and tidal basins.

I've been an enviromentalist all of my life. And nobody gets a pass. Especially the Socialist "greenies" who suddenly get all bloodthirsty when its one of their hare-brained ideas...

 

[flacaltenn]

By the way.. ANYONE that kills eagles producing energy (or raptors or owls) should be taken to court and fined.. Just like the government is CURRENTLY doing to the oil/fossil folks. YOUR problem ORocks --- is instead of prosecuting wind farms, that same Damn Govt is issuing them kill licensecs and sending folks out in uniform to cover up the dead bodies.. MASSIVE hypocrits...

 

[Old Rocks]

By the way.. ANYONE that kills eagles producing energy (or raptors or owls) should be taken to court and fined.. Just like the government is CURRENTLY doing to the oil/fossil folks. YOUR problem ORocks --- is instead of prosecuting wind farms, that same Damn Govt is issuing them kill licensecs and sending folks out in uniform to cover up the dead bodies.. MASSIVE hypocrits...

And your solution to the amount of raptors killed on our highways is?

 

[Old Rocks]

You want to shut down the wind farms, are you also going to shut down the Interstates? How about all the tall buildings? Going to advocate tearing them down? Flat, you are a hypocrite.

 

[Mr. H.]

When you remove increasing amounts of energy from wind and wave, there will be a natural backlash.
This is an inordinate disruption of natural cycles and occurances and the results will be catastrophic.

Wind turbines have already precipitated climate disruption. Don't start fucking with the waves upon the sand of Mother Nature will really rear her ugly head.

 

[Mr. H.]

You want to shut down the wind farms, are you also going to shut down the Interstates? How about all the tall buildings? Going to advocate tearing them down? Flat, you are a hypocrite.

Hypocracy is bemoaning some oil-covered birds while castigating an entire industry to the point of advocating it's total annihilation... and then blithely condoning a massive loss of avian life as "acceptable collateral" cost for the good of the "green" movement.

 

[flacaltenn]

By the way.. ANYONE that kills eagles producing energy (or raptors or owls) should be taken to court and fined.. Just like the government is CURRENTLY doing to the oil/fossil folks. YOUR problem ORocks --- is instead of prosecuting wind farms, that same Damn Govt is issuing them kill licensecs and sending folks out in uniform to cover up the dead bodies.. MASSIVE hypocrits...

And your solution to the amount of raptors killed on our highways is?

That's easy OR -- For every hiway or wind farm you build -- you deny them viable habitat. Simply require a set-aside of BETTER or equiv. habitat everytime you construct a human made kill zone..

And require that cars/trucks be painted yellow with black stripes so that raptors can see them better. (ironic grin)

I don't want to shut down the windfarms. I want you to stop wasting my money on them and in the meanwhile making power more expensive and scarce.

 

[there4eyeM]

The oil industry must be very please by all its faithful advocates. Just out of interest, what are your views on nukes?

 

[Old Rocks]

By the way.. ANYONE that kills eagles producing energy (or raptors or owls) should be taken to court and fined.. Just like the government is CURRENTLY doing to the oil/fossil folks. YOUR problem ORocks --- is instead of prosecuting wind farms, that same Damn Govt is issuing them kill licensecs and sending folks out in uniform to cover up the dead bodies.. MASSIVE hypocrits...

And your solution to the amount of raptors killed on our highways is?

That's easy OR -- For every hiway or wind farm you build -- you deny them viable habitat. Simply require a set-aside of BETTER or equiv. habitat everytime you construct a human made kill zone..

And require that cars/trucks be painted yellow with black stripes so that raptors can see them better. (ironic grin)

I don't want to shut down the windfarms. I want you to stop wasting my money on them and in the meanwhile making power more expensive and scarce.

Well, I am not wasting money on them. I don't own any, nor am I buying any. However, I do buy electricity that they produce. As does almost everybody in the US now. Because they are becoming an increasingly important component of our grid. Just as is solar. And the cost of wind is presently much lower than even coal without the neccessary cleaning systems. And solar will be much lower than dirty coal before President Obama leaves office.

We will be seeing the renewables take over from coal and gas in a generation and a half. Simply on economics.

 

[there4eyeM]

"We will be seeing the renewables take over from coal and gas in a generation and a half. Simply on economics."

"God willin' 'n th' cricks don' rise."

 

[waltky]

We could power both coasts with tidal power...

Tidal Energy Taking Hold In England
March 27, 2017 WASHINGTON — A massive renewable energy project could change the seascape of the Welsh city of Swansea in coming years.

The plan is to encase the city's lagoon in a horseshoe-shaped causeway that will serve as a giant tidal generator. The four-year project is massive, but if it is approved, it would create a long-term reliable source of clean energy. The 9.5 kilometer horseshoe would literally ring the harbor of Swansea. Once in place, the huge tides on the English coast will be spinning turbines and creating huge amounts of energy. "We open the gates in the tidal lagoon, let the water through the turbines, and we generate electricity. It's five Olympic swimming pools worth of electricity every second, and that generates enough electricity for 155,000 homes per year," Mark Shorrock, chief executive of Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon Power, said.

The core of the project is this massive generator that is equipped with more than 20, six-meter-high turbines that spin when the tide goes in and the tide goes out, four times a day. That is energy the designers say residents can count on, unlike wind and solar which can be weather dependent. "So that's the biggest difference between tidal power and, say, wind and solar power, is that the wind is intermittent and you get the sun during the day," Shorrock said. "With the tides, you always have certain electricity at certain times of the day and then that's staggered at shifts by 40 minutes every day."

The causeway will be created by slowly building it up with giant sandbags. On top of that, it will provide a 9-kilometer causeway for running, biking and sightseeing that proponents say will last hundreds of years. "Once we build the breakwater wall, it's going to be there for the next 120 years. When we put the turbines in there, they're there for the next 120 years," Shorrock said. "So what's quite interesting about this piece of infrastructure is it's inter-generational. It'll last for the next five generations, producing power throughout its lifetime, working with the rhythm of the tide."

The project will cost an estimated 1.6 billion dollars, and take four years to build. But it will go a long way to replace aging nuclear plants and help the United Kingdom meet its clean energy goals.

Tidal Energy Taking Hold In England