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Hairyloon

Costing the Earth: Energy storage.

Now playing on Radio 4...
Nick

Compressed air in hollow salt caverns. Very interesting!

And, the Sheffield firm, ITM, selling technology to the Germans for hydrogen storage are very interesting people. And customers. Wink
baldybloke

Bang goes the Theory discussed liquidified air a while back. Looked really interesting. Listening to the programme on I Player at the moment.
Hairyloon

Compressed air in hollow salt caverns. Very interesting!

Led me to think of all the abandoned mine workings around the place and whether any of those can be made airtight.
dpack

Compressed air in hollow salt caverns. Very interesting!

Led me to think of all the abandoned mine workings around the place and whether any of those can be made airtight.

mostly not imho
Shane

They were trialling the compressed air thing in the States a few years back, from memory (didn't listen to the programme - apologies if it was covered).

I'd think that pumping water up high and then using it run turbines on the way back down again must be more efficient - compressors waste a lot of energy by heating up the air that they compress. But then I guess you don't have to worry about 10% of your air evaporating, so maybe it's swings and roundabouts.
baldybloke

Nobody is considering reducing the amount we consume and using what we have more efficiently. Nick

They were trialling the compressed air thing in the States a few years back, from memory (didn't listen to the programme - apologies if it was covered).

I'd think that pumping water up high and then using it run turbines on the way back down again must be more efficient - compressors waste a lot of energy by heating up the air that they compress. But then I guess you don't have to worry about 10% of your air evaporating, so maybe it's swings and roundabouts.

The limit is that we don't have many high places we can shove a billion gallons of water without trashin the place. Underground is easier. A point they made is these are not either /or answers, we need multiple solutions.

Reduction is part of the issue, but not the brief of this show, to be fair.
Shane

Underground is only easier if you have a spare salt cavern lying around that hasn't been earmarked for gas storage... Nick

They were making them, in Northern Ireland. vegplot

I didn't listen to the programme but the way we generate and consume energy is very mis-matched. Did it discuss ways of better utilising the energy at the point of production to avoid costly storage? Nick

Nope, it was about Energy Storage, rather than avoiding it. Hairyloon

Because almost all of our renewable energy is neither constant nor under our control.

I'm surprised they didn't mention flow batteries (unless I missed it). They seem like quite a good idea...
alison

Nobody is considering reducing the amount we consume and using what we have more efficiently.

Agree

We are trying to have a plan to wean off of oil, but it is long term, as I cannot waste the 2 x oil boilers we have that are 10 years old. I was talking to the engineer yesterday, and it is definately something that is closer, as I think the life expectancy of our boiler is about 15 years.
Hairyloon

Nobody is considering reducing the amount we consume and using what we have more efficiently.
Agree
There was a discussion about it on the wireless some time back. I was proper annoyed with them because they cut it short for a non-discussion about poultry fraud. Mad

Quote:
We are trying to have a plan to wean off of oil, but it is long term, as I cannot waste the 2 x oil boilers we have that are 10 years old. I was talking to the engineer yesterday, and it is definately something that is closer, as I think the life expectancy of our boiler is about 15 years.

Will it not burn biofuel?
baldybloke

If we are really honest with ourselves, the Western consumer society is totally and utterly unsustainable. We all need to question our levels of consumption and reduce where we can. I use the need/want question quite a lot when purchasing.
If we don't start taking responsibility for our actions, sometime soon we will probably be forced to. Personally I would rather go willingly than under duress.
I have been managing my energy consumption for some time now and am well under the average figure of C02 emissions on the Energy Saving Trust's website. In fact when you get into it, changing your patterns of consumption ca become quite addictive.
Pilsbury


I have been managing my energy consumption for some time now and am well under the average figure of C02 emissions on the Energy Saving Trust's website. In fact when you get into it, changing your patterns of consumption ca become quite addictive. what sort of changes have you conciously made and what have had the biggest effect do you think baldybloke

Did an Energy Measurement course with the OU a few years back. Came with 2 energy meters. One for measuring each appliance and another that tell you what the house is using. Currently reading 0.22KWh.
Got rid of a fair few appliances and did more tasks manually. For instance the Tefal steamer went and I now use a pan on the hob whilst cooking other veg. Bought a small halogen oven that heats instantly and uses a fraction of the energy my main oven does. Also use the pressure cooker lots.
I try and buy just what I need, nothing more, using local produce if I can. I also try not to bring packaging into the house and buy lose items.
Also trying to grow more and this is on going.
Improved the insulation and draft proofing on the house and use heavy curtains.
I might pay more for some items but I use less ultimately saving money as well. The fun is in how inventive you can be.
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