tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10911751.post1658361944129990561..comments2024-03-07T02:00:01.582-05:00Comments on NEI Nuclear Notes: Rock Paper NuclearUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10911751.post-85004313278655884422010-09-09T01:01:23.855-04:002010-09-09T01:01:23.855-04:00@Anon - The news media generally is innumerate and...@Anon - The news media generally is innumerate and scientifically illiterate, that's why they are so easily duped into thinking wind and solar are "new". Because the source is "free" they think the output is also free - never doing the math of material inputs to convert that "free" kinetic or radiant energy into useful electricity.<br /><br />See: www.bravenewclimate.com (the TCASE series - left hand side)DocForesightnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10911751.post-26717914601446144842010-09-08T09:27:13.982-04:002010-09-08T09:27:13.982-04:00If there are any technologies out there that are p...If there are any technologies out there that are poster children of "the energy technology of yesterday" they are wind and solar energy. Those are ancient, ancient energy sources. Windmills date back to the early Middle Ages, and solar energy to the neolithic era. I've never understood why so many, especially the media, consider these "new" and "modern", while things like nuclear are "yesterday". The most modern technology out there is nuclear, being the most recently-developed source of energy production on an industrial scale.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10911751.post-29747522911484147422010-09-08T07:32:30.629-04:002010-09-08T07:32:30.629-04:00The argument that wind power being new makes it be...The argument that wind power being new makes it better is weak. It's also fundamentally flawed.<br /><br />History lesson!<br /><br />7th-9th Century A.D.: First practical windmills built in Sistan region.<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_wind_power#Antiquity<br /><br />July 1887: James Blyth constructs the first wind turbine to produce electricity.<br /><br />http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/dnb/100957.html<br /><br />19 October 1941: The Smith-Putnam Wind Turbine feeds AC power to the electric grid, the first wind machine ever to do so.<br /><br />http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/10/1019wind-turbine/<br /><br />2 December 1942: Enrico Fermi's Chicago Pile becomes world's first artificial nuclear reactor.<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Pile-1<br /><br />20 December 1951: Experimental Breeder Reactor I becomes first nuclear reactor to generate electricity.<br /><br />http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/logos20-1/ebr1.htm<br /><br />26 June 1954: Obninsk nuclear power plant is first nuclear reactor to supply electricity to the gird.<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obninsk_Nuclear_Power_Plant<br /><br />If nuclear power is the technology of yesterday, wind power is the technology of last week.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10911751.post-28030233845801769252010-09-08T01:20:55.631-04:002010-09-08T01:20:55.631-04:00Isn't the basic premise of the wind advocates ...Isn't the basic premise of the wind advocates incorrect: wind power isn't new, we've known about the potential of wind for power since the first helmsman figured he'd get fewer hand blisters from rowing if he'd just unfurl some goat skin fashioned into a sail.<br /><br />His next trick was to coax the wind to cooperate on command. Not unlike wind turbines of today.<br /><br />Yes, donb, that affordable, abundant, on-demand energy must be of nefarious origin! Check the usual suspects and play it again, Sam.DocForesightnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10911751.post-29536926692583106062010-09-07T17:18:14.409-04:002010-09-07T17:18:14.409-04:00Sounds like an evil conspiracy to keep the price o...Sounds like an evil conspiracy to keep the price of electricity low. Someone needs to get to the bottom of this!donbnoreply@blogger.com