First discovery of a new electricity source in more than 160 years...

[Dis]

I also would think if they used tap water it would clog easily.

especially in cities like mine with hard water.

And you are bound to get some headloss with a system like that. So any use on a river will have environmental impact.

You just can't soak up every ounce of kinetic energy from a river.

but like I said before, there is a small possibility of future use as a battery.

[Sandman]

It could be good, or it could become another 'also-ran' technology, like airships or mechanical computers.

[Ramo]

Hmmm.. interesting. I'd like to see some numbers...

[Kuciwalker]

If they're using tap water... hasn't electicity already been used to pump the water in the first place? So it's just a way of transporting energy. We already something that does that quite well: wires.

[Dis]

I'll mention it again

batteries.

we have many better ways of generating electricity. but we still have crappy ways of storing electricity

[st_swithin]

I agree. Our fuel cells suck big time.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Dissident
I'll mention it again

batteries.

we have many better ways of generating electricity. but we still have crappy ways of storing electricity

So you want us to store it in flowing water?

[Dis]

if it proves to be feasible.

if not, then we will just have another technology that did not come to anything.

We actually had some idea to store water on top of a hill for use as electricity in my city. The plan isn't/wasn't really practical. Too much cost, and it would have to be covered to prevent evaporation losses.

But the problem we run into is we are forced to buy electricty at 4:00 PM in the summer where we are gouged by companies like Enron. We had similar problem that California had. Too much demand, not enough supply. If we could somehow store electricity at night in which electricity is cheap, and then use it when electrical demand is at its highest, then we may be on to something. But the trick is the cost of this cannot be higher than the difference between the off peak power rates and the peak power rates.

[st_swithin]

I hear solar power is making a comeback.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Dissident
if it proves to be feasible.

It CAN'T be feasible. How would you keep the water running, without constant power input? It's like trying to use a flywheel as a battery - it will run down on it's own, and can't be moved.

[mrmitchell]

We're going to find that some liquids do it better than others. A far-off distant place will hold most of the liquids. We will endlessly meddle in their affairs.

I'll stick to supporting solar + hydrogen + hydro + nuclear, at least until these things become seriously efficient.

[st_swithin]

All I know is, nobody better build a perpetual motion device. IN THIS HOUSE WE OBEY THE LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS, YOUNG LADY!!

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by skywalker
It's like trying to use a flywheel as a battery - it will run down on it's own, and can't be moved.

Flywheels are a good way of storing kinetic energy.

[Drake Tungsten]

All I know is, nobody better build a perpetual motion device. IN THIS HOUSE WE OBEY THE LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS, YOUNG LADY!!

Apolyton doesn't deserve you, honestly.

[st_swithin]

Why not? I'm just as big a geek as the next guy.