Power In Scotland From Tides and Whiskey 170
tsamsoniw writes "Singapore-based Atlantis Resources Corporation, which brings to the table tidal-turbine technology, is partnering with Scotland-based datacenter developer Internet Villages International) to construct a tidal-powered 150MW 'Blue Datacenter,' InfoWorld reports. If all goes to plan, the facility will eventually be powered entirely by clean energy produced by tidal-current turbines in the Pentland Firth, the stretch of water between the far north Scottish mainland and Orkney. The firth's currents could generate 700 megawatts of electricity by 2020." And reader Mike writes "Here's something to raise a glass to: recently the Rothes consortium of whiskey and scotch distillers announced that they have partnered with Helius Energy to install a power plant fueled entirely by whiskey by-products. The completed plant will use biomass cogeneration to convert draff and pot ale from the distillery into 7.2 MW of electricity — enough to power 9,000 homes."
Re:7.2MW for 9000 homes? (Score:3, Insightful)
That's 800W per home. That's very little. A fridge, a microwave, and you're quickly over it.
What is, actually, the average power draw of a home in Scotland?
I was thinking that 9000 homes sounds like it should cover the whole of the Highlands.
Re:7.2MW for 9000 homes? (Score:5, Insightful)
The trick with these calculations is is that they're on average. Yes, during the day the plant will probably not be able to supply them all. But you should look at it this way: The plant generates x terajoules per year, and 9000 homes use x terajoules per year. In reality, sometimes the plant will only feed 1000 homes, sometimes it'll feed 18000 homes.
Re:7.2MW for 9000 homes? (Score:2, Insightful)
That's 800W per home. That's very little. A fridge, a microwave, and you're quickly over it.
What is, actually, the average power draw of a home in Scotland?
you keep your microwave running all day?
Re:Whisky (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:7.2MW for 9000 homes? (Score:3, Insightful)
This is just a Discovery Channel unit. How much is 7.2MW? About enough to power 9000 homes. How heavy is the space shuttle? About 400 Volkswagen Beetles. It's only done to give someone without a feel for how much a Watt is (there's loads of those people) an example of how much power this will generate.
Re:7.2MW for 9000 homes? (Score:1, Insightful)
Thank you for reminding me why I hardly ever come to /. anymore. The sheer stupidity and arrogance you show in this post is astounding.
Clearly you can do the job of designing the electrical grid better than the professionals who have been doing it for decades.
You're forgetting about the existence of the local and national grid.
You're forgetting they have nearly a century of data on electrical load trends.
You really don't know what you're talking about and should shut up.
not to rain on the parade (Score:2, Insightful)
but we have these in new york city in the east river, and one effect of tidal turbines is they increase silting because they slow the tides, possibly requiring the city to dredge at some point
not that the pentland firth is as shallow or has as many ships as the east river, but what it does have that the east river doesn't (because we killed it) is an ecosystem. slower water speeds changes the balance of natural flora and fauna that depend upon the tides to work at a speed they have worked for eons (filtration, transport, reproductive timing, etc.)
point being: there is no such thing as truly green energy. any energy source has a negative impact on the environment in one way or another
there is no such thing as a free lunch