Contributing to the Energy Grid with lightning
Question:
Hello, I am just some crank who knows jack about how electical systems, but I had an idea I was hoping for some feedback. Assuming: 1. It is possible for anyone to insert power into the power grid, rather than just draw it. 2. A lightning bolt contains about 1 billion volts of electricity. Would it be possible to build a lightning rod that inserted the energy from lightning into the electrical grid. Has anyone tried? I imagine, that if every building and every house had such lightning rods, then a single lightning storm could provide a boat load of energy. That is provided we had the means to collect and store it. Has any reasurch been done to this end? thanks
Response:
>>I imagine, that if every building and every house had such lightning >rods, then a single lightning storm could provide a boat load of >energy. That is provided we had the means to collect and store it. > Despite the high voltage, loud cracks of thunder, and bright flashes, a > lightning bolt actually contains surprisingly little energy. Sure, it > represents a tremendous power surge, but it is so short in duration that > the total amount of energy it contains is not large. IIRC, a typical > lightning bolt contains enough energy to light a 100W light bulb for > just a few minutes.
I thought, from a programme about the storms you guys in Texas and Oklahoma have, that the amount of lightning you see during the average hurricane could run New York for about an hour. Mind you they looked some quite spectacular shows of lightning streaking across the sky. — Forth based HIDECS Consultancy …..<http://www.amleth.demon.co.uk/> Tel: +44 (0)1235-811095 …. see http://www.feabhas.com for details. Going Forth Safely ….. EBA. www.electric-boat-association.org.uk..
Response:
1. is a correct assumption, 2. is sort of correct (a cloud to ground strike is 100 million to one billion volts), but immaterial. No, you can’t use lightning bolts. part of the problem: lightning reaches 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, 4 times as hot as the sun’s surface. air is a poor conductor of electricity and acts to insulate the cloud and ground charges, preventing the flow of current until enormous electrical charges have built up. http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1997/BrookeHaramija.shtml — Steve Spence Renewable energy and sustainable living http://www.green-trust.org Discuss vegetable oil and biodiesel powered diesels at http://www.veggievan.org/discuss/
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello, I am just some crank who knows jack about how electical > systems, but I had an idea I was hoping for some feedback. > Assuming: > 1. It is possible for anyone to insert power into the power grid, > rather than just draw it. > 2. A lightning bolt contains about 1 billion volts of electricity. > Would it be possible to build a lightning rod that inserted the energy > from lightning into the electrical grid. Has anyone tried? > I imagine, that if every building and every house had such lightning > rods, then a single lightning storm could provide a boat load of > energy. That is provided we had the means to collect and store it. > Has any reasurch been done to this end? > thanks
Response:
Related Posts