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Australian town to run on solar power

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Ryno
Posts: 31125 - Karma: 336
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSSYD22647720071104

Finally some practical alternative energy stories. This one explains how an entire town will be running off solar power , although it is a different style then the solar panels (graphite blocks that retain the suns heat and use it to steam water to power turbines).
Nov 5 2007 10:31AM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
Seems like a process that would work very well in desert areas, or areas of the southwest United States with very large populations and very high numbers of sunny days.

Good to hear some real world use of pollution-free renewable energy.
Nov 5 2007 10:46AM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
Sounds like a pretty cool idea, I hope it works out well and it is a big success that will be replicated elsewhere.
Nov 5 2007 11:08AM
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Billiards.
Posts: 6853 - Karma: 816
Its so doable for so many places. Props to these guys. I mean Norway does well with hydro electric power, because of the fjords and waterfalls. Now this. I think so many places in the southwest or Southern cali could easily run on solar power. Now we just need to learn how to harness the energy of the ocean currents and tides and we could be set.
Nov 5 2007 11:24AM
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J_Walk
Posts: 1076 - Karma: 28
Thats really sick, hope it works so that others will use it too
Nov 5 2007 1:00PM
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Ryno
Posts: 31125 - Karma: 336
Exactly what I was thinking when I read this story. if this works there, what the hell is to stop them from using this on the US west coast, where they have major power problems as it is? It is not like they are using all the desert...why not take a portion of it and set something like this up.


As for ocean power, check out Pelamis'. This is a form of harnessing the oceans power to create energy. It is in the small scale test stage right now but with all the open ocean out their, and the future power demands, I think this is a neat idea

http://www.oceanpd.com/default.html



A couple other neat ideas are listed here (top 2). I know its a kids-based website but it gets the point across in a simple, easy to understand manner.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/ocean.html
Nov 5 2007 3:06PM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 150
Australia arguably has the need for alterntive energy sources moreso than many other countries..

Global warming has had a serious impact on primary industry, with the worst drought in history affecting most of our farmers in New South Wales.

It's a shame that it needed to come to this before anything would be done though
A good idea on all accounts, hope they pull it off
Nov 5 2007 3:37PM
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skijunkiedtm
Posts: 9229 - Karma: 61
dont really have anything to contribute just i find it funny that this quality thread gets 7 replies but your total random no point thread gets 45
Nov 5 2007 5:00PM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
Some sad commentary indeed.

You'd think a site of skiers would be more interested in reading about the advancements of alternative energy sources, but I guess they are all too busy participating in the Magic Mushrooms thread.
Nov 5 2007 6:16PM
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AltaWest2
Posts: 543 - Karma: 19
likewizzly
Nov 6 2007 2:17PM
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JockinJLoads
Posts: 3480 - Karma: 6
have you been digging a lot lately ryno?
Nov 6 2007 2:18PM
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Billiards.
Posts: 6853 - Karma: 816
Exactly, it would be brilliant. Think about how much energy they could get from the ocean. Waves alone pack so much power.
Nov 6 2007 4:14PM
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Ryno
Posts: 31125 - Karma: 336
perhaaaaps
Nov 6 2007 6:16PM
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EastSteez.
Posts: 1037 - Karma: 59
well its about time people actually starts caring about the earth
Nov 6 2007 6:21PM
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Alkyy
Posts: 2839 - Karma: 149

I dont see the oceans as being a practical source of energy.  I am very happy to see what they did in australia and hope that is just a model for other places but wave energy does not seem like it would work to me.  Maybe thats just because i really dont know anything about it but i think geothermal/ wind damed water and solar are our best bets.  Wind power in my biased opinion is the best form, it gives tons of farmers another source of income just to let a comany come in a put up a single turbine in their field.  The ONLY complaints about them is the people who are so stuck up on NIMBY (not in my back yard).  River water also seems like a good idea but it can have its downsides- you alter an ecosystem greatly when damming an area and what happens if you have a severe drout?  Solar power is the best for some parts of the world but here in new york its cloudy more than it is sunny so it wouldnt make much sence for that.  In a place like arizona where they always complain about power problems i dont see why they dont just fill up empty desert with huge solar pannels instead of buring more fossil fules.

Any of the alternitives are way better than what we have goin on right now and im about to look into the ocean waves one

Nov 6 2007 6:43PM
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anna*
Posts: 1701 - Karma: 10
There's quite a few incentives like that going on here at the moment, just not on such a large scale.
Like all new houses being build have to have water efficient showers, gov rebates for installing rainwater tanks etc.

Hopefully it works out and expands, the lack of water around here is quite scary, around summer time especially with bushfires etc.
Nov 6 2007 8:24PM
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Ski311
Posts: 595 - Karma: 8
Wind power is where its at. I hate the sun, it means its not snowing out. Still, the Aussies got a plan.
Nov 6 2007 8:31PM
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