Wednesday 21 December 2011

Now This Is Renewable Energy That Might Work,

that is use a constantly flowing river,

yesterday two giant turbines – based on a 2,000-year-old design by Greek mathematician and engineer Archimedes of Syracuse – were lifted into the River Thames to generate power for Windsor Castle, lowered into Romney Weir by crane after months of preparation, the pair of 40-ton steel 'screws' will provide almost all the electricity needs of the royal estate and the good news is that when the estate sleeps the surplus energy can be sold back to the grid, unlike those two doomed energy sources, wind turbines - no wind, no electricity to much wind, no electricity and solar panels  - no sun no electricity, these power units can run night and day rain or shine, with or without wind,



the Archimedes screws have cost £700,000 each to make and another £1million to install, so major cost cutting will have to be introduced to bring the unit costs down, but I suspect as more are made lower costs should be expected, they will provide the palace's power needs – the equivalent of 400 homes – for up to 90 per cent of the time, the 4m-diameter turbines will be powered by falling water from the weir, it is estimated that they will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 790,000 kilos per year and be operational within just over a month,



to help ensure that the scheme generates both clean energy and improves the local environment , the Environment Agency - which permits and will regulate the scheme - has insisted that a new fish pass is installed, the new pass will enable 12 species including trout and perch, as well as endangered eels, to migrate the stretch or the river - some fish for the first time in 214 years, the Environment Agency is now looking at creating similar schemes at a dozen other weirs in the surrounding area, across the country, approximately 370 licences have been granted for similar schemes but only half are currently operational,



message to all the tree hugers and greenies, get behind ideas like this using a constantly renewable energy source and perhaps most normal people will take you seriously!

No comments: