Little Green Sprout goes limp...in Maine

[zeitgeist]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8974662
Limp Green Sprout...in Maine

Oh darn, try as they might reality keeps catching up with the primitives dreams of free energy.

Maine-ah  (1000+ posts)         Thu Aug-19-10 08:00 AM
Original message
Maine company says underwater turbine is a success (largest ocean energy power plant ever installed 
 http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/bdn/Maine-company-...

PORTLAND, Maine — A developer of tidal power in the nation’s northeastern corner is reporting success with its first commercial-sized underwater turbine, putting it on track to have one connected to the power grid by the end of 2011, officials said Wednesday.

Ocean Renewable Power Company describes its proprietary 60-kilowatt turbine generator as the largest ocean energy power plant ever installed in U.S. waters.

So far, the unit has met or exceeded specifications for power in testing this year in the waters of eastern Maine, said Chris Sauer, president and CEO.

“It’s a critical step to our first commercial unit that’ll be connected to the grid in little more than a year now,” Sauer told The Associated Press. He touted the underwater turbine’s success as “a huge milestone for America’s ocean energy industry.”
 

Dummies jump for joy!!

mucifer (1000+ posts)        Thu Aug-19-10 08:05 AM
Response to Original message
2. It's great I assume no issues with sound like the wind turbines have.
 
 Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

Aye-ah only sound is money flowing out.

 Maine-ah  (1000+ posts)         Thu Aug-19-10 08:13 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. the article only mentions aesthetic issues 
 nothing about the sound. One of the islands just off of Rockland has the wind turbines, and the residents have complained quite a bit about the noise. At night you can see the lights from the turbines on the mainland. 
 Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

 Statistical  (1000+ posts)      Thu Aug-19-10 08:42 AM
Response to Original message
4. Good first step but 60KW? Ouch.
 Just to put it into perspective.

Wind (Onshore) 5MW @ 25% capacity factor
Wind (Offshore) 10MW @ 40% capacity factor
Average Thermal Plant 800 MW @ 70% capacity factor
Nuclear reactor 1200 to 1600 MW @ 94% capacity factor

This design = 0.06MW peak output @ 20% capacity factor = 0.012MW sustained

It would take roughly 300 of these turbines to equal the annual output of a SINGLE offshore wind turbine. It would take about 150,000 to equal the output of a single nuclear reactor (which are usually built in pairs).   Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

Poor Maine-ah G. Crebbs no free lunch for you.

 Maine-ah  (1000+ posts)         Thu Aug-19-10 08:50 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. awesome, I was hoping someone on here would 
 be able to figure that out! I can always count on DU for that.

I imagine as the technology grows, they'll be able to figure out a way to produce more with less. For now though, it can produce electricity for 50-75 homes, I think that's what the article says.

As you said, it's a good first step   
 

and here we have Sparky's mole pitching in.

Bandit (1000+ posts)      Thu Aug-19-10 09:07 AM
Response to Reply #4
8. You have convinced me, we should do nothing but build nuclear plants from now on.
 Edited on Thu Aug-19-10 09:08 AM by Bandit
I mean it is a prototype for crying out loud. Did the very first wind mill produce 40MW of power?  60kw would power my home just fine thank you.

Sorry Sparky, couldn't resist.  Hope no one over there sees this and dimes you out.

More at the link but remember to wipe your feet when you come back.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Maine-ah  (1000+ posts)         Thu Aug-19-10 08:50 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. awesome, I was hoping someone on here would 
 be able to figure that out! I can always count on DU for that.

I imagine as the technology grows, they'll be able to figure out a way to produce more with less. For now though, it can produce electricity for 50-75 homes, I think that's what the article says.

As you said, it's a good first step

   

Well, the idiot is overstating the capacity by about a single order of magnitude on the number of homes it would fully supply with power, for a DUmmy that's not bad.

[thundley4]

   

Well, the idiot is overstating the capacity by about a single order of magnitude on the number of homes it would fully supply with power, for a DUmmy that's not bad.

A typical portable home generator puts out 5-7 Kw.

[AllosaursRus]

A typical portable home generator puts out 5-7 Kw.

I didn't row over, so is there anywhere in the thread where it states the cost of puttin' this POS on the ocean floor?

Maine-ah  (1000+ posts)         Thu Aug-19-10 08:50 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. awesome, I was hoping someone on here would
 be able to figure that out! I can always count on DU for that.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! Yep, the DUmp is a great source for science genius! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[crockspot]

   

Well, the idiot is overstating the capacity by about a single order of magnitude on the number of homes it would fully supply with power, for a DUmmy that's not bad.

Yeah, when I saw the 60kw in the OP, I was thinking, what is that? Half a dozen houses? And how much beach does it affect, and at what cost?

Geothermal is an awesome way to heat and cool your house, if you don't mind doubling the average cost of a home.

[Texacon]

Bandit (1000+ posts)      Thu Aug-19-10 09:07 AM
Response to Reply #4
8. You have convinced me, we should do nothing but build nuclear plants from now on.
 Edited on Thu Aug-19-10 09:08 AM by Bandit
I mean it is a prototype for crying out loud. Did the very first wind mill produce 40MW of power?  60kw would power my home just fine thank you.

Naw, that's GOT to be a DUmmie. 

I was wondering when I read that about the kw power.  I thought maybe something was wrong because one of the generators we use to pull our wells is 125kw.

Sounds like much ado about nothing if you ask me.

KC

[true_blood]

I didn't row over, so is there anywhere in the thread where it states the cost of puttin' this POS on the ocean floor?

Of course it was conveniently left out!!

[DumbAss Tanker]

A typical portable home generator puts out 5-7 Kw.

True, however when most homes have to go on a generator, they cut down what they're using the power for, and unconstrained peak consumption from line power tends to be higher.  Either way, 60 KW translated to 'Less than 10 homes at normal usage,' not 50-75.  By my rule of thumb it's closer to 5.0-7.5 homes, or one order of magnitude difference.

[JohnnyReb]

But what about the crabs, the lobsters, the little fishes that things going to chew up? The environuts will soon be rasing hell.

[Doc Savage]

But what about the crabs, the lobsters, the little fishes that things going to chew up? The environuts will soon be rasing hell.

Fish Sticks for the children......

[Tucker]

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! Yep, the DUmp is a great source for science genius! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There isn't enough energy created to get Michael J. Fox back home again.

[jukin]

The engineering skillllllls at the DUmp are phat!!!!!111!!!eleventy

[zeitgeist]

Fish Sticks for the children......

More like Lil' Lisa Slurry!!  Yum.

[AllosaursRus]

Naw, that's GOT to be a DUmmie. 

I was wondering when I read that about the kw power.  I thought maybe something was wrong because one of the generators we use to pull our wells is 125kw.

Sounds like much ado about nothing if you ask me.

KC

No kiddin'! 125kw is a standard pull behind the truck construction generator! 60kw? BFD!

[thundley4]

From what I can find, wave generated electricity will cost 3-4 times what traditional electricity costs, (nuclear, coal and gas).

[NHSparky]

Poor Maine-iacs.  All eaten up with the DUmbass.

Oh, and DUmmies?  FWIW, even the biggest wind turbines today generate about 750 KW, when the wind is blowing.  Their availability is less than 25 percent.  Just ask your buddies up in Saco or down in Kittery how well those wind turbines are working out for them.

[diesel driver]

Maine-ah  (1000+ posts)         Thu Aug-19-10 08:00 AM
Original message
Maine company says underwater turbine is a success (largest ocean energy power plant ever installed
 http://www.bangordailynew.../story/bdn/Maine-company-...

PORTLAND, Maine — A developer of tidal power in the nation’s northeastern corner is reporting success with its first commercial-sized underwater turbine, putting it on track to have one connected to the power grid by the end of 2011, officials said Wednesday.

Ocean Renewable Power Company describes its proprietary 60-kilowatt turbine generator as the largest ocean energy power plant ever installed in U.S. waters.

So far, the unit has met or exceeded specifications for power in testing this year in the waters of eastern Maine, said Chris Sauer, president and CEO.

“It’s a critical step to our first commercial unit that’ll be connected to the grid in little more than a year now,” Sauer told The Associated Press. He touted the underwater turbine’s success as “a huge milestone for America’s ocean energy industry.”

No kiddin'! 125kw is a standard pull behind the truck construction generator! 60kw? BFD!

We had a 80kw generator at our dairy farm for backup.  It was barely enough to run all the milking, cooling, and feeding equipment. 

60kw probably cost $100 mil to build.  Nice f'n cheap way to "save the environment" there, genius.

[PatriotGame]

Naw, that's GOT to be a DUmmie. 

I was wondering when I read that about the kw power.  I thought maybe something was wrong because one of the generators we use to pull our wells is 125kw.

Sounds like much ado about nothing if you ask me.

KC

The important fact to remember is NOT the fact that the wave generator produces 60KW, enough to power three homes at max peak, it is the fact that the company that developed that system received 25 MILLION dollars in taxpayer funded government grants to build it.

That is where the jug-eared Kenyon and Owl Gore "funding" schemes come into play.

[LC EFA]

The important fact to remember is NOT the fact that the wave generator produces 60KW, enough to power three homes at max peak, it is the fact that the company that developed that system received 25 MILLION dollars in taxpayer funded government grants to build it.

That is where the jug-eared Kenyon and Owl Gore "funding" schemes come into play.

Now there's "value for money" Democrat style.

[BlueStateSaint]

The important fact to remember is NOT the fact that the wave generator produces 60KW, enough to power three homes at max peak, it is the fact that the company that developed that system received 25 MILLION dollars in taxpayer funded government grants to build it.

That is where the jug-eared Kenyon and Owl Gore "funding" schemes come into play.

You got it! 

I went to a 7MW gas "peaker" plant out in Auburn, last year.  It's fired up only when the demand for electricity is at its' highest, and the utility in question can get the most cash for the power it generates.  It's fired by natural gas.  The turbine unit and its' associated substation could fit into the space occupied by four semi-trailers placed side-by-side.  It runs an average of an hour a month.  I can't really remember the value we placed on it, but it was a low seven-figure one.  But, it didn't take up much space.

The wind farms on the Tug Hill Plateau, OTOH, take up a lot of acreage.  And there's more coming up your area, Karin . . .

[zeitgeist]

Now there's "value for money" Democrat style.

My brown eyed girl will be here soon for her morning walk but I wanted to point out that Dummies see no problem in underwriting evil corporations like this one with grants to Publik Education Institutions.  Note the use of the University of Maine to develop this.  MMM MMM MMM.

This of course smacks of a framework similar to the biggest bugaboo of primitives, the MIC.  Here we have the green version.    Just food for thought.  The Green Industrial Complex?  GIC  Anyone got a better acronym?  Primitives love to use acronyms, it makes them feel Special.

[AllosaursRus]

My brown eyed girl will be here soon for her morning walk but I wanted to point out that Dummies see no problem in underwriting evil corporations like this one with grants to Publik Education Institutions.  Note the use of the University of Maine to develop this.  MMM MMM MMM.

This of course smacks of a framework similar to the biggest bugaboo of primitives, the MIC.  Here we have the green version.    Just food for thought.  The Green Industrial Complex?  GIC  Anyone got a better acronym?  Primitives love to use acronyms, it makes them feel Special.

How 'bout, "BA"? Boat Anchor!

[zeitgeist]

I had to go to the shout box for a bailout from njpines for this but, ever notice how pirmitive scientific stuff seems to resemble:

"Calling Tom Swift!"

"Power failure in the wind tunnel!"

"Hey, the presses have stopped in the metal-stamping department."

Excited voices blared out over the loudspeaker in Tom Swift's private laboratory at Swift Enterprises' vast experimental station. The telephone was jangling shrilly. A lanky, blond youth of eighteen with deep-set blue eyes switched off his experimental equipment and scooped up the receiver.

"Tom Jr. speaking."

"For Pete's sake, take it easy, skipper!" gasped a voice at the other end of the line. "You've popped the main circuit breaker!"

"The load's off," Tom reported. "I just stopped my experiment."

As he hung up, a husky dark-haired youth burst into the laboratory. "Hey, what's going on, genius boy?" Bud Barclay demanded. "Are you trying to sabotage this place?"

Tom grinned wryly. "Relax, Bud. I was just running a test on my new matter-making machine. I arranged with the power plant to cut in the stand-by generator, but even that wasn't enough to handle the current load."



{snip}

Primitives, the Tom Swifts of today?   

[AllosaursRus]

I had to go to the shout box for a bailout from njpines for this but, ever notice how pirmitive scientific stuff seems to resemble:

Primitives, the Tom Swifts of today?   

Am I the only one who finds this quote just a little kinky?

A lanky, blond youth of eighteen with deep-set blue eyes switched off his experimental equipment and scooped up the receiver.

Who writes these stories, a pedo?

[JohnnyReb]

Am I the only one who finds this quote just a little kinky?

Who writes these stories, a pedo?

It looks that way....But then, I never did fully understand what they meant by "read between the lines"....if that's whats between the lines, I'm glad I didn't.