Re: An Energy Business Idea
- Original Message - Horace Heffner wrote Wind farms can readily be used to store energy in the form of liquified air. This capacity, combined with heat storage plus waste heat from a nearby peak load generating facility, can dramatically increase the efficiency of that facility, as well as the energy storage capability of the overall plant. There are many synergies that can exploit existing technology through vertical integration. An improved version of this concept is what I have been advocating for months for particular use on the West Coast (USA), although there is no reason that it wouldn't not work elsewhere near reliable ocean winds. My version/vision is of a fleet of catamaran-type ships - offshore in the sea lanes where there is much more reliable wind. These ships would have hull lengths on the order of 200 meters, always pointed into the wind, and have a double Ferris wheel type of structure between the two thin hulls. On the periphery of the gigantic wheels and mounted between them, are regular aircraft style airfoil *wings* which are tiltable (over a range of about 60 degrees - computer controlled) at the best angle-of-attack, to keep the Ferris wheel itself spinning due to the enormous lift. Given that winds the size of a 747 can be used, each ship can have about 10 million pounds of net lift - translated into torque at the axle. But that is not all - the normal propellers of a wind farm turbines can also be mounted on the same wings (tractor -style) so that you get a double conversion and axis of rotation to harness the strong and reliable Pacific winds. The end product of this fleet is not just liquid air, using the 4-5 stage Linde process but liquid air enriched in oxygen to about 40% oxygen content - or double that of normal air. This enriched product can be done for nearly the same energy input as air-only, since the cold sea water gives an efficient free heat sink. Like the Linde process itself - the COP is expected to be about 4 or more. And since the unused nitrogen is removed (magnetically) in the third stage, it is used for the final step of liquefaction. This enriched liquid air, or ELA, is stored in the hulls and removed daily to be tankered to power plants which can burn about half the normal amount of fossil fuel due to the expansion of liquid air, to get the same output - and the greater efficiency of the oxygen enrichment lowers pollutants. Below is an edited version of my original post from back in May (don't want to pass up an opportunity to repeat a few under-appreciated puns G Jones This Stanford study [on offshore wind sites] is very exciting... as in.. exciting enough that it engendered for me an incredible Technicolor, vivid-dream, so real that it was a real drag (drogue) to awaken this morning. Firstly, the study indicates that the many of the best sites, by far (considering all the factors), are in the ocean just offshore, especially off the Pacific west coast of the USA, which it seems has more reliable winds than the North Sea. I had a vision (dream) of a beautiful sailing ship implementation for wind energy... I believe these ships can be aesthetically pleasing enough to be positioned all up and down the Pacific coastline, out about 10 km. but still barely visible because of their size. These sleek vessels could be more efficient and cost effective than fixed offshore windmills, will not need to be firmly anchored, which is basically impossible on the Pacific, due to the depth... and may observers might even imagine them to be beautiful, after getting accustomed to the novelty. They were certainly exquisite in my vision. I would like to reduce this vision to a visual image eventually, but lacking that at the moment, here is the best verbalization I can muster. Imagine a ocean-going catamaran large enough to handle rough seas. Lets say the aerodynamic twin hulls are each 200 meter-long slivers. They can be constructed of steel-clad ferro-cement. Atop the hulls, and parallel to the ocean but 20 meters above the surface is a strong, open circular track, 150 meters in diameter. Riding on this track is your steer-able, super-size-it, 70-story high wind-ladder. From a distance, the rotating wind ladder looks like a Ferris-wheel on a beam reach but with the wheel-edge, not the axis hub, pointing into the wind. It is extremely lightweight construction, so that the most visible thing one sees are the 12 wings which are positioned around the circumference. The wings mount between the two open-disks of the Ferris wheel, providing both lift and compression on one revolution. But the disks themselves are almost unseen from afar, as they are mostly Kevlar cable with some grided tubing going up to both-ends of the 12 wings, which span between the two open disks and two hulls, and are tiltable at the 90-degree joint with the wheel. These ladder-wings individually are not unlike airplane wings, and
An Energy Business Idea
One of the problems with developing and selling wind and solar energy is the variability of these sources. Typically, alternative energy companies are small and horizontally organized. Many solar and wind companies have failed, in part due to the inability to market power that is not dependably deliverable, and in part due to variability in government support. The variability in delivery problem may in part be solved by use of improved energy storage and transportation means. See: http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/HotCold.pdf http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/BigPicture.pdf However, much of the reliable delivery problem can be immediately solved simply through effective business strategy and business synergies. The solution is a vertical integration approach. By diversifying energy sources, the reliability of delivery is increased, and great technical synergy is possible. By owning energy transmission systems, the delivery strategy can be optimized with reduced exposure to external manipulative schemes. Wind companies should, during build-up of capacity, also acquire or build conventional generating capacity for the purpose of smoothing energy deliveries. Small methane fueled jet engine powered electric plants might be a viable way to build this capacity. Energy delivery reliability can also be improved by buying or building alternative power sources, like solar, or biofuel generating plants. Merger with existing power generating utilities may make sense, and should be facilitated and expedited by regulatory commissions when application is made. Wind farms can readily be used to store energy in the form of liquified air. This capacity, combined with heat storage plus waste heat from a nearby peak load generating facility, can dramatically increase the efficiency of that facility, as well as the energy storage capability of the overall plant. There are many synergies that can exploit existing technology through vertical integration. A large new source of reliable power, deliverable in the form electricity, can readily be absorbed. Home heating can easily and cheaply be upgraded and augmented by electric heaters and utility managed network based control systems that optimize use of the generating, transmission and distribution systems. Electric vehicle technology is close to being deliverable in a big way. The remaining problem, variability in government support, can only be attacked by reaching the critical mass required to support adequate lobbying. A solid business plan and big financing may be the key to quickly cracking the energy nut. Alternatively, a mutually formed business consortium or even merger of alternative energy producers and manufacturers might be achieved to take advantage of the dramatic and obvious economies of scale and synergies available. The profit potential dwarfs most alternatives. Horace Heffner
Re: An Energy Business Idea
Hi Horace, Makes sense, won't work Why? Because our nation has a fuel use addiction. It has taken 60 full years for society to become addicted. Fuel use excesses over this length of time become so ingrained that culture is actually modified. This habit began forming at the end of WW2. Prior to WW2, only cities had electric power, few owned autos. We went to bed at dark. No amount of reasoning can change the culture of excessive use of energy. City lights remain on all night. Auto traffic does not cease all night. Attempting to reconcile this fact with my childhood experience where we had no electricity or auto is impossible. However , there is a solution to most addictions. Remove the addictive substance.The cold turkey method cannot be permitted, so the addiction will continue until it becomes prohibitively expensive due to shortages of supply or no more money is available to purchase. It appears society has chosen a combination of the two solutions. I deliberately left out the obvious solution, self discipline and imagineering for pending crisis because no society has ever been capable of acting in their own best interest. That leaves the individual to look out for himself which is exactly what is taking place. The solution becomes like the joke about the different ways a switchman can prevent a railroad collision. When all remedies are exhausted, call your sister to come see the wreck. Richard - Original Message - From: Horace Heffner [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: vortex-l@eskimo.com Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2006 6:41 PM Subject: An Energy Business Idea One of the problems with developing and selling wind and solar energy is the variability of these sources. Typically, alternative energy companies are small and horizontally organized. Many solar and wind companies have failed, in part due to the inability to market power that is not dependably deliverable, and in part due to variability in government support. The variability in delivery problem may in part be solved by use of improved energy storage and transportation means. See: http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/HotCold.pdf http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/BigPicture.pdf However, much of the reliable delivery problem can be immediately solved simply through effective business strategy and business synergies. The solution is a vertical integration approach. By diversifying energy sources, the reliability of delivery is increased, and great technical synergy is possible. By owning energy transmission systems, the delivery strategy can be optimized with reduced exposure to external manipulative schemes. Wind companies should, during build-up of capacity, also acquire or build conventional generating capacity for the purpose of smoothing energy deliveries. Small methane fueled jet engine powered electric plants might be a viable way to build this capacity. Energy delivery reliability can also be improved by buying or building alternative power sources, like solar, or biofuel generating plants. Merger with existing power generating utilities may make sense, and should be facilitated and expedited by regulatory commissions when application is made. Wind farms can readily be used to store energy in the form of liquified air. This capacity, combined with heat storage plus waste heat from a nearby peak load generating facility, can dramatically increase the efficiency of that facility, as well as the energy storage capability of the overall plant. There are many synergies that can exploit existing technology through vertical integration. A large new source of reliable power, deliverable in the form electricity, can readily be absorbed. Home heating can easily and cheaply be upgraded and augmented by electric heaters and utility managed network based control systems that optimize use of the generating, transmission and distribution systems. Electric vehicle technology is close to being deliverable in a big way. The remaining problem, variability in government support, can only be attacked by reaching the critical mass required to support adequate lobbying. A solid business plan and big financing may be the key to quickly cracking the energy nut. Alternatively, a mutually formed business consortium or even merger of alternative energy producers and manufacturers might be achieved to take advantage of the dramatic and obvious economies of scale and synergies available. The profit potential dwarfs most alternatives. Horace Heffner
