Bombay Bad Boy Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Not even new news The new reactor, which is only 20 feet by 6 feet, could change everything for small remote communities, small businesses or even a group of neighbors who are fed up with the power companies.. Toshiba expects to install the first reactor in Japan in 2008 and to begin marketing the new system in Europe and America in 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old_scrote Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Park a Sub in Douglas harbour and run a cable to the Power Station . ...problem solved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manshimajin Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 IMO to make haste slowly would be a good idea. The options on alternative energy are changing so rapidly at present that we may be better off visiting this issue in 5-10 years time when battery technology, wave power, photo-electric cells, biomass etc will have progressed significantly. At the moment we could get stuck with 'new' technology that is being very rapidly overtaken by current reseach and development. If the USA really pumps billions into alternative energy programmes and the EU does the same we can expect some quantum leaps forward in terms of technology and costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 IMO to make haste slowly would be a good idea. That is a very wise comment. There is no rush and, in the Isle of Man (as ever), we can watch developments elsewhere and cherry pick the best solution. And please, don't despoil our gorgeous countryside with ugly great fans doing bugger all on calm days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTF Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 IMO to make haste slowly would be a good idea. That is a very wise comment. There is no rush and, in the Isle of Man (as ever), we can watch developments elsewhere and cherry pick the best solution. LOL, just like last time when we bought gas turbines that are now obsolete ( not made anymore cos they were crap!! ). we waited and watched for so long last time we got the last prize in the raffle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 And please, don't despoil our gorgeous countryside with ugly great fans doing bugger all on calm days. Why not? We allow it in TT week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manx890 Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 [LOL, just like last time when we bought gas turbines that are now obsolete ( not made anymore cos they were crap!! ). we waited and watched for so long last time we got the last prize in the raffle. What a load of uninformed verbal diorea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Slinky and Bombay Bad Boy: The hyperion reactor you're referring to doesn't exist, they're not even planning delivery of a working plant until 2014, nothings been seen or demonstrated. The Toshiba story was a hoax, it doesn't exist. Toshiba are working on a smaller reactor, but it's nothing like what that article describes and there's certainly nothing in existence yet. But the power stations are not on the skyline. They are, the EFW plant is visible all over, as is pullrose from much of douglas. It was dominating my skyline last night while I was at the NSC. Peel power station is the first big lump you're presented with when you come off the heritage trail, it's a horrible thing. I think you're being premature bleating about the location of six wind turbines without even knowing where they're proposed to be built. There's quite a few locations where these could be tastefully introduced, why not hold back until you've actually got something to disagree with? As a regular fell walker I would argue that the best breeze is on top of Snaefel, South Barule and North Barule. That is where they would want to build the wind farms - on the skyline. However, just wait until the first winter anti-cyclone. You will then have to explain why the windmills are stationary and the gas power station is working flat out! Even if windmills powered 24% of the grid that's only on a windy day. Until there is some way they can store the charge it is, in my opinion, just a duplication of capital investment. How many times must I reply to this point? It's not a duplication, we've already got the gas power plants, we've already got a cable, what we haven't got is a large renewable supplement, just a very small hydro plant and the EFW. 24% of renewable pollution free energy when it's windy and the rest coming from gas and is better than all gas. Sure. The Irish Sea submarine training areas are full of UK boats powered by small nuclear power units. The only obstacle to a small nuclear power station is commercial viability. However, the UK are having to order up new nuclear units to keep the grid supplied. I would argue that, for remote, islands, a market may well open up for small to medium size units. If such a unit became available at the right price what would be the objection? Well, they're not here yet, and unlikely for at least another five years. The objection? Nuclear isn't renewable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTF Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 [LOL, just like last time when we bought gas turbines that are now obsolete ( not made anymore cos they were crap!! ). we waited and watched for so long last time we got the last prize in the raffle. What a load of uninformed verbal diorea really?? 400 million put into wind power alongside what was already there would have done nicely, very nicely. i'm sure i heard that the turbines we have are no longer available, and were only in production for a short time?? rumour is that some of the 400 million was spent on buying enough spares to keep what got built going for it's forseeable life as the spares would soon be in short supply/unavailable? a quick google can't find working links to petrobrazi either, but it could just be me. anyway, that's rumours for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alias Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I just cannot see the point in this. They will still have to cater for peak demand in December. If, like this morning, there's no wind then the turbines will be useless. Then there will be the cost of maintining a power source that will be idle for some of the time. And then, of course, there is the environmental impact. We have a beautiful island and the sight of these turbines on exposed ground will be grotesque in my opinion. So no, I'm not a fan (pun intended) and hope the project dies a death. One forward proposal is integration of consumer electric car networks with power storage. When people get home, the excess power (a battery at 50% could easily be 10kWh) in their batteries can be delivered to the grid as needed. The power companies are interested in owning the batteries such that this would be feasible, and for the user renting a battery would mean they are not subject to prematurely failing batteries, monitoring the discharge cycle would be the power company's responsibility. 'Depleted' batteries (i.e. unsuitable for motors) are still useful (and efficient) for power storage, and the companies could potentially use batteries unfit for motors for electricity storage. This also means maximum power is available at peak times (when everyone is home), and cars can be charged during the middle of the night/whenever the companies determine best. Of course, getting people to downgrade their estimations of transport (how many people need a car that goes 50mph+) would be the biggest challenge, or perhaps they could supplement an electric car with a normal car/bike to feed their habit. I recently visited a Scandinavian city where they have many small electric cars (they had charging stations for these) dotted round the city. For the majority (excluding family drives) of people they represent the most they would realistically need from a car for the work drive. And they can park sideways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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