Clean Energy

[KoRo]

These are some items that were shown to me by Darwin, VERY interesting to see and read. It's amazing how little everyone really does, and how easy it really is.

1) http://treehugger.com/
At the top of the page, click the embedded video named "Homegrown Revolution"

2) http://www.sce.com/PowerandEnvironment/ ... arProject/
New source of energy that has great potential


As for Particle, maybe you could switch to a clean energy source and officially label PCRPG as a Green server

[Particle]

If I had $5000, I'd power the server with solar.  But, alas, I don't.

It would take 38 years to regain my money from the investment, too.

[Darwin]

I'm considering buying some really crappy land somewhere where there is lots of wind and setting up a wind farm there.  Then, the power companies can just mail the checks to me.  Wikipedia says that the average time to recoup the investment of a wind farm is about 4 months (for a well researched, well placed wind farm).

[KoRo]

Doesnt each tower cost about 1 mil tho?

[Darwin]

Copied directly from: http://www.cfcae.org/Wind_Power/Typical ... istics.htm


Characteristics of a Typical Utility Scale Windfarm




The numbers given below are presented to quickly familiarize the reader with basic physical and economic parameters involved in utility scale wind farms. Actual numbers for real wind farms will vary slightly depending on manufacturer, installation details, and siting.

Typical rated output power per turbine: .6 - 1.5 megawatts

Capacity factor (percentage of time wind is blowing): 25-40%

Number of homes powered by a 1 megawatt turbine: 250-400

Total land per turbine: 2-7 acres (windy ridge), 50 acres (flat terrain)

Acres directly impacted per turbine: 2.5 acres (or 5% of total land use for flat terrain farms)

Total installed cost for 1 megawatt turbine: $1 million dollars ($750 k for the turbine purchase and installation, $250 k for roads, sheds, operation center, substation)

Total Electricity Output for a 1 megawatt turbine: 1 -1.5  Gigawatt-hours/yr (4-6 class winds)

Wholesale price of electricity: $.02-.06 /kwh, depending on turbine size, siting, number, and assuming a 20 year lifetime

Total annual sales for a 1 megawatt turbine at $.05 kwh: $50,000-$75,000

Annual Maintenance cost per turbine: $5,000-10,000

Annual rent to land owner per turbine: $2000-$5000

Water requirements per turbine: 500 - 1000 gallons per year for cleaning rotors

Birds killed per turbine: 1 per decade (500/yr total in California).

Turbine hub height (1 megawatt): 60 meters

Rotor diameter (1 megawatt): 46 meters

Development time: 18 months (12 months planning, 6 months installing)

Sources: DOE Renewable Energy Technology Characterizations: http://www.eren.doe.gov/power/techchar.html, American Wind Energy Association FAQ: http://www.awea.org/faq/index.html.[/img]


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The costs of setting up these things is getting lower every year, and the gvmt is really starting to provide incentives to build these.  So, in the next few years, I'm sure the price will come down from 1mil to around several hundred thousand.

[Particle]

I'd just like to see cheaper photovoltaics.

No moving parts, safer, non-toxic, and made of less material for the energy output.

[Darwin]

I'm looking forward to the printed photovoltaics.  Theres a company that is making them.  I don't think they are made to be high powered, but they are flexible and don't contain expensive silicon.  I can imagine putting them everywhere.

[Particle]

That's the strange part.  Silicon is the third most abundant material on Earth.

[Darwin]

Funny that, isnt it?  I'm guessing its more of a mining/gathering issue than an abundance issue.

Article reads:  Solar Firms Say Silicon Shortage Will Stall Growth

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory ... /story.htm