Readily Available Energy

Since a majority of 'modern world' power is used for heating and cooling...

Geothermal, I'm really surprised this isn't exploited more... In my area the ground temp rarely goes above 60F in the peek of summer, that is a lot of cooling power that could be exploited in the summer... And at 50F during the winter it's still a decent +20F heat source when outside temps are bellow 30F...

Also reflective solar, again something not exploited to the full potential in residential construction... Even poorly designed 'reflective solar' like green houses have a huge temp lift in the winter during daylight hours... I say poorly designed because they are far from exploiting the suns full potential as designed, due to fact that it's supposed to be a more controlled environment not a heat catcher/generator...

And last but not least a buried cable to your neighbors house...

 

there are so many different ways to make nergy, but the weirdest part is we still burn things to make heat which is used to turn a turbine to create electricity... to create heat....... that still perplexes me.
I have a good friend (who thinks himself a mad scientist... i don't think he is a scientist though) who came up with a few funny ideas but my favourite is storing heat in water using a magnifying glass (a nice 3 metre one).... its an energy alternative but it still seems a little out there.
salt water batteries are what I am looking at atm, dunno bout the possibilities or the average AH or size yet, but with so much saltwater I like the idea.

 

Hardly a new idea, it's already being done full scale using mirrors to boil water and drive steam turbines...

The reason we turn most of the created 'energy' into electricity is because it's the most economical and efficient way to transfer the energy from point A to B... Especially as the distance increases... Just think of how hard it would be to pump that hot water into houses to heat them, imagine the loss and energy needed to just pump that hot water a mile or two down the road...

 

lol at raven. its a great concept I say.

anyway as for cc's comment is the home owner can put said item into their house to create heat. the only issue I had was turning the dang thing off, and protecting the glass. its a great concept but as with all things it needs a few people smarter than my friend (who still checks 9volts on his tongue) to get it all sorted out.

I like the idea of using the ambient radio waves and sounds to create electricity. in reality its a small amount but having said that a lot of small amounts equals to 1 big amount.
also telluric current is yet another possibility as is tidal generators, microwave plants (always loved this idea, so stupidly complex) as well as others. the big issue is getting people working on them to a point where we can say this is green energy and cost effective.

 

My understanding is the corrosion caused by the really toxic substances found in geo wells, decomposes the supply lines. Regardless of whether or not fresh or groundwater is used.

 

Doesn't need to be 'well' the ground aka soil/clay itself can be used... Consider a deep cave, as soon as you get past the exposed entrance, winter or summer they regulate the heat real well inside... Same with basements in houses, it's amazing how much easier they are to regulate vs the surface floors... And last but not least, partially buried houses, using the soil and turf as an insulator on three sides and the top...

Also the new wave in burial pipe is PEX (polyethylene) it's for the most part impervious to most corrosive substances... It doesn't conduct heat as well as metal but it has other obvious advantages...

 

FYI an interesting video covering two Linear Technology devices for energy harvesting from thermoelectric and solar cell sources:

 

...for a while I wanted a long, small diameter tunnel through granite to heat water and generate electricity, but then I realised that our needs will always rise to meet availabilty, and now I think we'd be better off just using less energy.
I also mention that while I'm among those most likely to be called a space hippy, I am not also loony.
<3

 

How about these? Peel-and-stick solar cells! Not cheap though, I'm sure.
http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/tech-edge/4405025/Peel-and-stick-solar-cells

 

I have seen hot girls generate enormous energies.

 

There's quite a lot of current available at the top of a mountain, if you could get at it safely. The current arises due to the fact that the Earth attains a negative charge during solar evaporation of water. The charge migrates to the nearest high point and leaks off into the atmosphere, allowing raindrops to coalesce and letting it rain.
A possible means of getting at this source of power might be a network of spikes connected to one of the gold plates of a distilled water dielectric capacitor. The other plate of the capacitor would be connected to earth. A DC supply would be drawn from across the capacitor. Somehow, voltage would be regulated, which is where the idea loses all credibility.

I refuse all responsibility for the consequences to anybody in the event of someone trying this!

 

hey mystic haven't seen you for a while. any way to keep on topic with this thread you wanna make an earth battery? tully might be the best place or Atherton as the soil needs moisture and you know as well as I how wet those areas are. Brisbane is ok place to try it but not having much luck atm with the thing working. I am tryinga fewspots around the yard lol
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_battery

 

yes well, sometimes my little jokes go too far...
I don't know this "Earth Battery" concept, but what I have described amounts to getting power from lightning, and I won't be trying it myself since I don't wish to reinvent the light bulb, using myself as the filament.
Sorry!

 

lol I thought your idea was for lightning originally. but the earth battery was a technic used to boost signal on the old telegraph system. I am very dubious this will create huge quantities of voltage but yet it is another for of alternate energy that is out there.

 

Where did you get this idea from? Can you give a link to a source?