Technology – Gravitricity
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Mine shaft storage on news
- Thread starter tomferry
- Start date
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cavemanmike
Well-known member
A friend of mine in university finance told me that they were given 6 million pounds grant to find a sustainable house that required as few external components as possible and the best thing they came up with was a fully insulated log cabin . 6 million.wtf that’s where you’re tax is going 🤦♂️🤦♂️People keep calling it a 'scam'
I'm not sure that's fair. This is just folks hunting around for any opportunity to generate energy as cleanly and renewably as possible, and as people seem to be hell bent on shouting about on the Mars/Space thread, there's apparently loads of cash floating around for research and development.
I entirely agree, that this is just "Micro" generation. Just like the many micro hydro system that have sprung up on hillsides all over wales. But every little helps.
I agree that the opportunities are probably limited and in sure the investors are over egging it.
Its so funny that on one thead, everyones exhorting the virtues of farting about with drones on mars and to hell with the cost and the rocket fuel, but lambasting those down here on earth who are casting around for solutions to the energy crisis and saying its a waste of money, a 'scam' even.
True story
Cantclimbtom
Well-known member
The idea that one day Elon Musk could be sent on a one way trip to Mars is almost irresistible.
The smart money is on really huge rockets that can also take career politicians and anyone that has ever hung a small plastic bag of their dog's waste from a tree next to a public right of way rather than binning it.
I'm not sure it's fair to call or compare this odd scheme to micro generation, it's storage rather than generation
Jim MacPherson
Member
Many years ago (1976/7?) my girlfriend and I went to Machynlleth Alternative Technology site, it had quite recently started. I managed to utterly muck up the pronunciation so she was in hysterics anyway. One of their features at the time was an energy efficient modern-sized house, looked quite normal on the outside, inside you became aware that the walls were about 2 feet thick so living space was a bit limited, doubt they spent £6m on researching and building it even allowing for inflation, by then she was even gigglier. Don't think it caught on but I'm sure useful as a proving ground.
We also stopped at a ruined 18th C water-powered corn mill that the then owner was quite happy to let two strange folk wander about, possible a more useful source of power than lobbing a weight down a mine shaft. Gayle Mill near Hawes seems to be doing a good job at re-purposing such a mill site and feeding into the grid. Wonder what Brewery Shaft at Nenthead could manage, 300ft head and all, the concrete walling looks pretty solid, the pelton wheel might need refurbishment
Jim
cavemanmike
Well-known member
I could never understand why united utilities have not put a turbine in the portal of the milwr tunnel, millions of gallons exit from their every day 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️Many years ago (1976/7?) my girlfriend and I went to Machynlleth Alternative Technology site, it had quite recently started. I managed to utterly muck up the pronunciation so she was in hysterics anyway. One of their features at the time was an energy efficient modern-sized house, looked quite normal on the outside, inside you became aware that the walls were about 2 feet thick so living space was a bit limited, doubt they spent £6m on researching and building it even allowing for inflation, by then she was even gigglier. Don't think it caught on but I'm sure useful as a proving ground.
We also stopped at a ruined 18th C water-powered corn mill that the then owner was quite happy to let two strange folk wander about, possible a more useful source of power than lobbing a weight down a mine shaft. Gayle Mill near Hawes seems to be doing a good job at re-purposing such a mill site and feeding into the grid. Wonder what Brewery Shaft at Nenthead could manage, 300ft head and all, the concrete walling looks pretty solid, the pelton wheel might need refurbishment
Jim
Dave Tyson
Member
Although the volume is high, the pressure is very low and it's quite difficult to design turbines which are efficient with this type of flow. Of course the head could be increased by throttling the flow and letting the water back up in the tunnel & shafts - but this would probably damage the (already fragile) lining and letting water back up in mines is risky as it can appear suddenly where you don't want it...
Dave
alanw
Well-known member
There's an Archimedes Screw generator in Settle that works on a low head.
settlehydro.org.uk Settle Hydro - The Hydroelectric Plant
Settle Hydro - a pioneering, community hydroelectric scheme generating funds for local community projects from the River Ribble in Settle in the Yorkshire Dales.
www.settlehydro.org.uk
2xw
Active member
Most university finance people don't really know what a university does or how they work to be fair. Vast majority of that will have been spend on buildings and salaries - 80% of my grant did. A significant proportion was skimmed off the top by vastly over payed and over inflated admin budgets for finance departments...