trock’s Recent Comments

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  Concentrated PV

  That idea sounds like it to obvious to get it patented.  No doubt it was thought of by those who would use a design where the whole roof is used for heat.

  but what about combining concentrated PV's (CPV)with concentrated solar Power (CSP.)

  Run the same kind of CPV that they are now doing with CSP, but only in the beginning of the temperature loop.   That way your cooling water (liquid) of the PV's would be the first heated water (liquid) in a CSP.  I'm quessing that it would get to hot or inefficient at the hotter CSP tempertures.   (Asura's website says 560 C)

  I've read some CPV's are run at 1300 concentrations.  (I think these are still experimental, I really don't know.)  PV's cost a fair amount.   Mirrors cost some, but not as much as PV's.  What's the ratio of cost of mirror to PV?  What if I had a PV in my back yard and focused light on it at 100 concentrations?   Will it put out at 100 concentrations?   That's the heat I should be storing.

  Concentrated PV are not so good when a cloud comes by which is their downfall.   but how bad is it. Do I get no power?

  Okay, I quess my question is, has anybody done anything on CPV's in areas that are partly cloudy and how do they compare in cost and preformance?

  I mean it would be kind of nice to have one of those CSP designs that I would use as my CPV in my backyard (I've got a big backyard, I have a farm)
  Unless it costs to much.  I would build most of it myself.  

  (CPV makes some sense because it can be scaler, you could have a small one that might work.   CSP, no way, it has to be big for the efficiency to kick in) On Solar PV + waste heat posted 1 year, 1 month ago 9 Responses

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  ferry

  If you don't have a bridge, can't you use a ferry to bring people and cars from one Island to another?   just retire one of those older boats you see on History channels Alaskian King crab fishing thing, put a motor vehical ramp on it and it'll be lest than the 280 million for a bridge.

  McCain tonight will be giving a speech in which I predict he will come our for drilling in ANWR because Palin told him it is a good thing and the people of Alaska want it.On VP acceptance speech hits on energy issues posted 1 year, 2 months ago 41 Responses

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  ferry

  If you don't have a bridge, can't you use a ferry to bring people and cars from one Island to another?   just retire one of those older boats you see on History channels Alaskian King crab fishing thing, put a motor vehical ramp on it and it'll be lest than the 280 million for a bridge.

  McCain tonight will be giving a speech in which I predict he will come our for drilling in ANWR because Palin told him it is a good thing and the people of Alaska want it.On VP acceptance speech hits on energy issues posted 1 year, 2 months ago 41 Responses

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  ANWR and offshore drilling bans

  The ban on drilling in ANWR in Alaska and off shore makes no sense and will hurt Democrats in this election and every election after this unless democrats lift the ban.

  Those who think that offshore drilling can be used as a bargaining chip for concessions in other areas are wrong.     Offshore and ANWR drilling has no value because Republican want Democrats to be against offshore and ANWR drilling.   So they will bargain so that Democrats keep the offshore oil drilling ban and keep bashing them over the head with it.

  It doesn't matter that the rate of oil from these places will be to slow to have a price effect.  Most people won't follow along with the logic.   Most people will say lets at least have whatever oil we can from there.    Some Republicans have said on TV interviews that if we keep the ban in place it will be 6 and 7 dollar gasoline and if we lift the ban we can get it down to 2 dollars.   No matter how ridiculous that is, that's what the majority of people will remember.

  You can't come to people with what they think is a very stupid idea, this ban on offshore and ANWR drilling and then convince them with your very smart ideas.   Most people think the ban is stupid.

  I agree this ban is stupid.   It was always stupid.  It doesn't actually get you anything.   The only way that a ban on offshore and ANWR drilling could last indefinitely is if worldwide oil usage would drop so much that the world would never need the oil.   And that's the only thing that we can work for.

  I'm for all the energy avoidance, energy efficiency and energy renewables (nondepleatables and nonexhaustables) that we can implement,  but in a political world we have to be smarter than we are stupid.  

  The only thing to do is lift the ANWR and offshore oil drilling bans.On McCain's veep pick talks energy, ANWR, and the improbability of being tapped for VP posted 1 year, 2 months ago 7 Responses

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  Don't fall in love with a technology

  take the one that works the best and cheapest that has the fewest side effects.

  Hydrogen is not the next great thing.   Read the criticisms.

  http://www.physorg.com/news85074285.html

  The physics just is not behind using Hydrogen widespread transportation or any other power need.  There are cheaper alternatives.
  On Electric-car visionary would overhaul the way we get around posted 1 year, 3 months ago 12 Responses