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November 01, 2005
Big Australian Balls
Over at The Ergosphere, there's an interesting post proposing that alternative energy is civil defense. What with one thing and another, we all live in potential disaster areas and I've long thought that we don't emphasize civil defense enough in this country. Though one can argue over the details of what makes for a more robust infrastructure, I would hope that all of us agree on the need for it. Check it out. More pleasant to think about (unless you're James Kunstler) is this post regarding a reconception of marine power. ...the high cost of oil is rekindling interest in sail. Modern materials and automation have reduced the labor requirements to use it. Roller-furling jibs are one thing, but computer-controlled parafoil kites are a whole new game. Flying well above the waves, these kites can capture more power than even the highest topsail of a clipper ship. With favorable winds, even large cargo ships can see substantial fuel savings, greater speeds or both. I had a rather cursory link to this concept last Earth Day, but the Ergosphere's coverage puts mine to shame. He devotes much more time to the idea of power kites that generate useful levels of electricity regardless of wind direction. Now, some of you may remember Cousteau's old wind turbine ship, the Alcyone, and wonder why we need anything as cumbersome and Rube Goldbergesque as a kite. The answer can be found in this wonderful paper, The Case for Transport Sail Craft. One of the big advantages of kites over conventional rigs, rotating cylinders, and wind turbines is the relative freedom from heeling moment. This will allow us to attach kites to most commercial ships without significant modifications. Another advantage is dynamic sheeting, or the ability to fly patterns in the sky to maintain relative winds at the kite that are several times stronger than the wind on the deck. So much to learn and so little time. It's humbling. But what about those titular Australian balls? Relax, we're almost there. This will call for a slight change of tack, but we'll still be in peak oil survival waters. They're powerballs. Solar power, specifically. Australia's Green & Gold Energy is preparing to market what they call SunBalls to the Australian consumer. I have to say, the individual units are sort of cute, in an R2-D2 kind of way. But cute is irrelevant when what you're paying for is juice. By that standard, and assuming that the company's claims stand up to scrutiny, these power units will be freaking beautiful. An example from their FAQ... What's different about the solar cells used in the SunBall™ Solar Appliance? Great stuff, eh? If you're even slightly interested in home power, I would urge you to give their website a closer look. Don't miss their calculator feature. I know we've all had our hopes raised and dashed a few times in regard to affordable solar power, but don't let that crimp and sour you. Hope is good for the heart. posted by Justin on 11.01.05 at 11:55 AM |
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