Disgusting. They really take away from the beautiful contrast of brown and orange hills.

Correct and the good thing is that they can harness energy close to populations which reduces costs and increases benefits.

In Australia, our issue is that the 'best' spot to put one of these things is in South Australia and Western Australia 100's of k's from any sort of city. Putting it anywhere else apparently (from 1st year at uni) would not be beneficial cost wise.

Joe Hockey said it

There are a few harbours with tidal generators like Kaipara in New Zealand, and they're working on projects in Dover UK, Tacoma Washington and Zeeland in the netherlands off the top of my head, but the cost of construction and maintenance is proving to be inhibitive.

Edited by afromanGT: 8/5/2014 11:36:31 PM

Installing offshore turbines is a huge cost. If you put one in Moreton Bay off Brisbane you're looking at a 40m pile length minimum. Consider a 2m diameter x 40m concrete pile in terms of cubes of concrete. Having a machine with the power to drill/drive a pile that deep is understandably expensive and specialised. You'd have to either drill and case or jack up a ship and drive. Think about the affects sea water would have on the turbine over a short duration.

I am not aware of the cost benefits of placing them out there though in terms of output vs. cost.

Cost would be an issue. You have to find a location with fast moving tidal currents, then attempt to build without your foundations being swept away and protect the structure from corrosion. Then you have to contend with all the fish, dolphins, whales, logs and debris that will be swept into the unprotected blades.


That's called an oscillating water column. Wollongong University has one of those.


WA has a system of buoys that generates energy when waves pass through their movement.

When I did the sustainable energies course at uni the wave energy generating product closest to being commercially viable was the Oyster. They all have the problems of maintenance and how you are going to transport the energy from offshore sites; or the most viable near shore sites are either shipping lanes or where we like to swim.

Pretty sure WA have functional working tidal generators?

-PB

I find this thread offensive. #notsrs

Heard Dr. Karl say the cost is extreme and the maintenance alone is a problem.

I have seen a design in a mag for a platform that floats above the water and generates power as waves force it up and down.... Probably wouldn't output enough juice though....

Who'd have thought there'd be a reduction in emissions in SA as our wind power generation has increased?


Nope not a real solution [-x

That picture that does the rounds on fb of the underwater turbines with the caption "why aren't we funding this" - are they an actual option or is it too difficult in practice?

Love that our state is leading the way in renewable energy. 56% of the wind power connected to the grid is in South Australia. To me they look a lot nicer than

In Netherlands they place a lot of them on the boarder with Germany, so the Germans can look at them.

Maybe we should place lots on the boarder with SA and NSW

Windfarms are awesome!

I know someone who's father (a huge sheep farmer) had a secret second family and when it all came out and the divorce occurred the mother got to choose half the paddocks during the settlement. Because of a wind farm proposal she chose every paddock that was earmarked for a turbine, sold the paddocks at a premium and raked it in. All the while this lowlife stays on the farm looking at ten turbines on his former property and nothing he can do about it.

As they say...what goes around comes around...

But yeah I don't mind them at all, we have a lot at Ararat, Waubra and now out at Mount Mercer, they generate enough power for all of Ballarat with plenty to spare and I personally don't mind how they look. They have rejuvenated the communities they have placed them in (Waubra especially), and given farmers much needed relief with an additional source of income.

Is this a shot at ricecrackers?

Because that really sounds like something he would say :lol:

I like it.

Well played pala.

wat

How windfarms RUIN landscapes - shocking illustration of the destruction wrought by wind industry fanatics: