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Actually, from my work in the energy industry, the big power is made at Energy Northwest's nuclear reactor. It produces exponentially more than the wind farms in Goldendale and ellensburg WA. The solar fields here are a joke. Seriously... the cost vs output for commercial solar fields is stupid. The damns are great but there is much more environmental damage.

 

The reactor generates so much energy the grid can't handle it and it has to be ground out. If you wanna solve the "energy crisis" they need a reactor in SoCal. You're right, a shitload of the energy is wasted on lousy transmission. Those electromagnetic fields around high voltage lines aren't free.

 

The US turned its back on nuclear energy about 30 years ago. For better or worse. Those things definitely produce the juice.

 

I did get a chance to observe a new piece of tech that uses the energy potential from thermal variations in each room of a house, to include the attic and crawl space, that manipulated the current by way of thermocouples to generate energy. They had a house in the tri-cities rigged up with it. The system was designed by kids at the local STEM school who'd partnered with engineers from several local companies. It nearly generated enough power to run the entire house when I looked at it last fall.

 

The patent was... regretfully purchased by a division of Exxon Mobil... so I doubt we'll be seeing it commercially available.

 

The kids however were making remote operated drones using the tech that generated enough energy they could remain continuously airborne until component failure.

I'd be very interested in that drone write up. Sounds like it breaks all the rules. I'd buy it up too.

 

Nuclear Energy has the unique ability to power massive demand with minimal observable impact. But it is falling out of favor seemingly because of the issue of waste storage. These "spent" rods are extremely toxic and have the potential energy to self ignite, or melt down. They require active cooling at a maintained facility 24/7. Thus getting rid of your spent fuel is not cheap. I foresee, as do most, continued issues in this part of the equation. If our power grid ever does get attacked with say an emp grenade, it could kill power to these storage facilities, including backup generators. Creating massive meltdowns scattered across the country. This is paranoia, and I hope never a reality, but storage will always be an issue. The newer technology coming out that does not use rods shows promise, but the waste is still there, just much, much smaller problem. Regardless. Nuclear was a much cheaper option 5 or 10 years ago. Other technologies have just gotten so cheap it really can't make an strong argument. Public perception is too far opposed after Fukushima. Here's a chart analyzing the entire us map for most affordable source of energy development by county. You will see lots of nice solar land down there in California desert land.

33EF090A-3B95-4A93-8103-D2D285E5E2DA.png

I was into nuclear in the past. Im not very convinced anymore. It's great tech though. I want geothermal to take a bigger share of our energy sector. That's such a simple solution for firm power.

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I'd be very interested in that drone write up. Sounds like it breaks all the rules. I'd buy it up too.

Nuclear Energy has the unique ability to power massive demand with minimal observable impact. But it is falling out of favor seemingly because of the issue of waste storage. These "spent" rods are extremely toxic and have the potential energy to self ignite, or melt down. They require active cooling at a maintained facility 24/7. Thus getting rid of your spent fuel is not cheap. I foresee, as do most, continued issues in this part of the equation. If our power grid ever does get attacked with say an emp grenade, it could kill power to these storage facilities, including backup generators. Creating massive meltdowns scattered across the country. This is paranoia, and I hope never a reality, but storage will always be an issue.

I was into nuclear in the past. Im not very convinced anymore. It's great tech though. I want geothermal to take a bigger share of our energy sector. That's such a simple solution for firm power.

I don't know who told you this, but it has no factual basis. I remove these rods. I know exactly what they are, what they do, and how to contain them. The rods coming out of these power plants are physically warm to the touch. They're stored an a concrete pad in a fenced security area after they are spent.

 

What I assume you are talking about is the waste products that occur from weaponizing the contents of those rods. Those substances created by the chemical decomposition of spent fuel rods can create problems. It can ignite, and cause devastating results. But, that's like saying we should ban fertilizer because you can use it to blow up a federal building.

 

Also, an EMP won't shut down a nuke facility. They're operated by manual mechanical devices. To further that point, the reactors are a massive faraday cage. So you're going to need to use a bunker busting conventional munition or nuclear explosive device.

 

While I do concede that the events of three mile island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima are regrettable tragedy more people are killed by medical malpractice than those three events. Fukushima went critical because of damage incurred by an earthquake. The same thing could potentially happen at energy northwest or at any other nuclear plant. This is also possible if an earthquake took out the Hoover Damn, or any of the multiple damns on the Columbia River.

 

There is a lot of misinformation that was created in the 40's, 50's, and 60's. Those ideologies carry today. There are positives and negatives to all forms of energy generation. The big problem in the CA desert is actually the permit process as to environmental impact according to research in the DOE. Which will most likely fall under Rick Perry.... a guy that said he wanted to close doors on that department during his bid for the presidential nomination.

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Yeah, so I work in the nuke industry... those modular plants were put together to deal with power grid failures. I would love to get my filthy mitts on one. Use it to power vitrification of liquid and substrate tank waste in WA,ID, and NM... you'd be printing your own money and cleaning up the environment.

just to ask, after reading about these modular units, then looking up some video it would almost seem a no-brainer to bring them on line. So the question dose it take so long for approval to bring them on line? Like that Idaho plant is at least 9 years out.

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just to ask, after reading about these modular units, then looking up some video it would almost seem a no-brainer to bring them on line. So the question dose it take so long for approval to bring them on line? Like that Idaho plant is at least 9 years out.

Really good question. The first reactor ever built is this one,

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_Reactor

 

It broke ground in Oct 44 and had achieved reaction by Sep 45, 11 months later. When the gov is doing something for a weapons project the red tape evaporates. They just made slugs for bombs there. It's still standing and you can tour it. If you do it let me know and I'll try to schedule so I can be there. I have a bit more access.

 

I don't have the plans for those on my plate. I know they've been discussed and you could file a FOIA with the Dept of Energy and they'll tell you.

 

I don't have a security clearance at this place, so I'm not divulging anything that's not readily available on the internet.

 

Honestly this tells you everything you need to make the bomb listed... it's not rocket science....

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_Man

 

There you go North Korea.... now you just need to reverse the chemical equations and you'll know how to make big boom... considering they've had a reactor since 63' they've probably had nuclear weapons potential since 64', 66' at the latest.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_North_Korea

 

I tried to find a link to my favorite little nerds "perpetual drone" but his Facebook page is locked. Must be grounded. I'll msg his dad tomorrow and see what's the what on that thing. But thermocouples are hella easy. You just take two dissimilar metals and link them together. The energy potential between them creates electromotive force creating an electromagnetic field. This is what your thermostat probably works off to electronically determine temperature. Unless you have old equipment with Mercury.

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Um.... don't you need wind to have a wind farm? Not saying California doesn't have wind but is it in places that interfere with property values or taxes??? West Texas has wind and lots of empty space. California? I don't know does it?

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California has some wind power, tons of desert wasteland. There are some people that research and know more than me here but, we've got no nuclear, hydroelectric and some solar experiments. So the wind farms have to power up using the grid. Offshore or wind from the east is strong but inconsistent.

 

Pretty sure they have to feed 'fossil power into the grid when not producing with wind

 

Think they might just be big subsidised Fans

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Wind power messes with grid frequency so it'll never account for more than a small percentage of overall production. Solar only works during the day, so it'll always need another source of firm power. Storage, or firm production are the only ways to get to full on renewable. Hawaii has a directive to reach 100% renewable by 2030, so we are installing grid level batteries right now. Interesting stuff

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I just accept that most of the entertainers out there are Liberal types that will pretty much reject everything I believe in. I just want them to entertain me and that is how I use them. 

Pretty much like paying for a prostitute. I am not paying you to talk, honey! 

 

So this is the entertainment world to me in one picture. Here is your nickel, now dance! 

 

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Popcorn time people. The Donald just called the democrat bluff. Jeff Sessions the AG is going to look into voter fraud.

 

The media is going to go into melt down to try and cover up the very clear and often used fraud the democrats use to stack numbers. Just like in the 3 state recounts where The Felon lost 1000's of votes before it was closed down.

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Popcorn time people. The Donald just called the democrat bluff. Jeff Sessions the AG is going to look into voter fraud.

 

The media is going to go into melt down to try and cover up the very clear and often used fraud the democrats use to stack numbers. Just like in the 3 state recounts where The Felon lost 1000's of votes before it was closed down.

I'm loving it!

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Yeah, looking at grid production right now our dam is making 23%, -3% solar, 8% wind, everything else is coming outta the reactor.

 

Solar this far north in latitude is not great in the short days we have. And it's overcast, but they're no making enough to run their own diagnositics. Best choice for renewable on an island is a tidal generator. On a volcanic island I can't imagine why they're not using geothermal like Iceland does. Those are two massive energy sources that are relatively easy to harness.

 

CA is nowhere close to being sustainable.... but really not many states are.

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The patent was... regretfully purchased by a division of Exxon Mobil... so I doubt we'll be seeing it commercially available.

 

 

Aside from this,the only other avenue that has held back so many totally viable energy production and/or advanced technology that could cut oil independence in a heartbeat is the US Patent Office denying use of patent application tech on the basis of "National Security"

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this is just my opinion...I think we have to rely on all types of resources, not just fossil fuel or nuclear.  Some places is not practical to have wind power or nuclear power.  I read an article awhile back and they were talking about wave/ocean power in Hawaii, not sure if that ever went through.

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NELHA built a deep sea pipeline that drew deep ocean water (cold) and used surface water (warm) to generate electricity from the differential temperature. It worked but is no longer in operation. Because of a higher bit on the equipment. Japan uses the deep sea water, de-salinates it, and sells it for crazy yen. Most expensive bottled water you can buy. Tidal generation not really a thing here, but wave generators are. Basically same thing. All of them are expiramental at this time. Most hindering is insurance and permitting. Geothermal is the best solution I see. People here are resistant to the drilling and fear water table damage. I'd personally love to see more geothermal.

 

We have the highest renewable portfolio in the nation approaching 50%, but still have the highest dependence on petroleum in the nation. Solar energy has gone down almost 70% in cost over10 years, and it is on over 20% of homes in the state. (Maybe just Hawaii island, can't recall for sure). But there is more momentum in Solar than anything else right now because it is cheap, clean, and incentivized.

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May just be me, but for the past five days or so, I've heard 'President BHO' maybe six or eight times on the tube; and pretty much every time the sentence also contains the word 'LEGACY'.

 

Yeah, Honey, fix me another dirty martini. and turn the volume up a notch or two !!

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Here in SoCal, Antelope Valley to be specific we have the largest solar farm and wind farm. Lots of wind and sun but both are subsidized by the government so not sure if they are actually a benefit. Maybe once all the loans are paid.

I think nuclear is the answer but not the ancient water cooled reactors. Liquid metal cooled or sodium cooled is the safest and most cost effective reactors. Unfortunately years of bad PR and the 3 major accidents have hurt public opinion. Terrapower and other companys are making advancements and issues about spent depleted rods could actually be recycled in these newer reactors. Sounds like a win win to me.   Time will tell.

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