Discussion on:
Just
In
In
High Altitude Wind Power, Where, Who and Why
Edited by MildGreens
Updated - 17th Sep
Show:
0
Votes
Jet Stream Slowdown
Wouldn't extracting energy from the jet stream slowly but surely slow down the jet stream with catastrophic results on our weather?
Posted by brandonkelton
12th Jul
0
Votes
It's the same issue with everything.
It's the same issue with everything. It depends on scale. I wondered the same thing.
The problem is overpopulation. I disagree with Theotherwill below. "Small fraction" assumes that the project would be relatively small scale, but anything big enough to make a significant contribution to the power needs of a world overburdened by billions of humans might not be a "small fraction" of anything. There are other issues, too, as pointed out by the same poster below.
Our weather is ravaged by a sometimes fickle jet stream, so now we're going to depend on it for energy?
The biggest problem is the need for energy for so many people. If we could reduce population (hopefully through attrition!), then we wouldn't need "pie in the sky" ideas to generate energy!
The problem is overpopulation. I disagree with Theotherwill below. "Small fraction" assumes that the project would be relatively small scale, but anything big enough to make a significant contribution to the power needs of a world overburdened by billions of humans might not be a "small fraction" of anything. There are other issues, too, as pointed out by the same poster below.
Our weather is ravaged by a sometimes fickle jet stream, so now we're going to depend on it for energy?
The biggest problem is the need for energy for so many people. If we could reduce population (hopefully through attrition!), then we wouldn't need "pie in the sky" ideas to generate energy!
Posted by omb00900@...
13th Jul
0
Votes
Worry about other things
I very much doubt tapping a small fraction of the energy in jet streams will be enough to change the weather. The tethers will have to be over 5 miles long. The technology to make them light enough doesn't exist & may not for many years. And you wouldn't want to be below if 1 of them breaks.
Posted by theotherwill
12th Jul
0
Votes
Exciting Stuff.
I love the idea of flying turbines; getting out of the slow air in the boundary layer close to Earth has the potential to harness so, so much more power. Taking this as a general aim rather than looking specifically at the jet stream, you wouldn't need such long tethers as those which worry theotherwill. However, there must be big issues in overcoming ensuring they stay airborne no matter what, plus the repercussions that long, strong, invisible strands stretching a thousand feet into the air would have for low-flying aircraft.
Posted by steve_jonesuk@...
13th Jul
0
Votes
Dangerous Stuff
Great pipe dream but the jet stream is 23,000 to 52,000 feet, we are not talking low flying aircraft, we are talking commercial aircraft (plus) altitudes. Commercial aircraft could fly right into one of them if the governing facility (controlling airspace) misses the restricted altitude by as little as 5,000 feet (comparatively speaking). In the US restricted airspace is called "Bravo" airspace. Atlanta "bravo" airspace is one of the largest bravo airspace's (if not the largest) in the united states, and it is trespassed several times a day. As a private pilot this scares me, we are talking hundreds of miles of restricted airspace for one production station that could be entered into by one radio failure.
Unless someone comes up with a power transmitting cable lighter than a single fiber optic strand, the object will never make it to those altitudes, but if they could the one who trespasses it's airspace will eventually find out how far up that is.
Unless someone comes up with a power transmitting cable lighter than a single fiber optic strand, the object will never make it to those altitudes, but if they could the one who trespasses it's airspace will eventually find out how far up that is.
Posted by Mdwannabe
13th Jul
0
Votes
High Altitude Wind Power, Where, Who and Why
The fearsome concept of anything flying into such a kite should not limit the possibilities. These very same fear mongers would have us believe that a jumbo jet is an ever present danger because it might fall on their heads. Transponders that are powered from the EMF of the cable would be minuscule but effective in protecting the airspace... each pretending to be a jumbo jet flying at near zero speed in stacked formations. While the proof of concept needs to be scalar, access to reliable wind forces to make it economically viable in a test situation could be easily argued in a place like the South Island of New Zealand, positioned in the prevailing 'Roaring Forties'..(no need to reach jet stream heights) and has a mountain terrain, the Southern Alps that fuels both ridge lift and lenticular corridors of standing waves.
Such a craft, suggested by the author during an emerging renewable energy review, can be flown back to Terra firma and landed gracefully should wind/weather present a danger to its performance window. Or a tether malfunction and programed decent via auto-gyro.
On proof of concept a larger unit could be researched/tethered to Banks or Otago Peninsular.Again, well off air routes but smack in the middle of some of the highest speed and most reliable wind resources in the world.If research needs a ROI this is it.
Either location has a University at the bottom of its tether.!
Further, positioned here would mean it was off the flight path of everything but the most wayward aircraft and in an uncluttered sky.Such a project would compliment the South Island's hydro storage capacity and realise a 100% renewable potential. I called the applied concept "Project Kotuku" named after the rare white spirited heron (Egretta alba modesta) that flies over the Southern Alps, on the very same winds.
Such a craft, suggested by the author during an emerging renewable energy review, can be flown back to Terra firma and landed gracefully should wind/weather present a danger to its performance window. Or a tether malfunction and programed decent via auto-gyro.
On proof of concept a larger unit could be researched/tethered to Banks or Otago Peninsular.Again, well off air routes but smack in the middle of some of the highest speed and most reliable wind resources in the world.If research needs a ROI this is it.
Either location has a University at the bottom of its tether.!
Further, positioned here would mean it was off the flight path of everything but the most wayward aircraft and in an uncluttered sky.Such a project would compliment the South Island's hydro storage capacity and realise a 100% renewable potential. I called the applied concept "Project Kotuku" named after the rare white spirited heron (Egretta alba modesta) that flies over the Southern Alps, on the very same winds.
Posted by MildGreens
Updated - 17th Sep