Scottish Wave Energy Plans Move Forward 100
It's been a long time coming (2007, 2005, and 2002 respectively), but the project to harness wave energy off the Scots coast is finally coming together. Reader krou writes: "The BBC is reporting that ten sites on the seabed off Scotland in Pentland Firth and around Orkney have been leased to energy companies with the hopes of generating wave and tidal energy. 'Six sites have been allocated for wave energy developments potentially generating 600 megawatts of power and four for tidal projects, also generating 600 MW.' The leases were awarded to SSE Renewables Developments, Aquamarine Power, ScottishPower Renewables, E.ON, Pelamis Wave Power, OpenHydro Site Developments, and Marine Current Turbines. Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said that 'These waters have been described as the Saudi Arabia of marine power and the wave and tidal projects unveiled today — exceeding the initial 700MW target capacity — underline the rich natural resources of the waters off Scotland.'"
They're missing some.... (Score:4, Funny)
The aim is to generate 1.2 gigawatts
I think they'll find they need another 10MW to achieve what they're really after....
The big question (Score:5, Funny)
Removing this energy from the ocean may cause an imbalance in the gravitational effects between the Earth and the Moon. Well, not imbalance, but rather a rebalance.
If we cause the Moon to move away from our planet, we lose both our astrodebris sweeper and more importantly our tide maker. Anthropogenic effects are real, and I'm not sure I'm happy to see the deliberate removal of energy from the ocean without further study on longterm planetary effects.
Re:The big question (Score:4, Funny)
The electricity generated will power devices that shed heat, the heat adds to global warming, the global warming increases intensity of hurricanes and cyclones, the hurricanes and cyclones stir the oceans...no problem!
Re:The big question (Score:2, Funny)
I wonder what it will be like for those humans, a million years from now, when they realize that the moon is crashing into the earth because their great-great-great-great-etc uncles needed more electricity to post on slashdot.
It figures (Score:5, Funny)
Re:They're missing some.... (Score:4, Funny)
We're givin' her all she's got, cap'n!
Re:We Are Swimming in Clean Energy (Score:5, Funny)
I'm glad that blog has the word 'science' in its title, otherwise I would think it was a load of made up nonsense.
Re:Transmission (Score:5, Funny)
Depends where you are - if you live in Orkney, it's not remote, everywhere else is :-).
Re:Should have an advantage over wind.. (Score:5, Funny)
Not only that but by converting gravitational potential energy into heat we create photons which transfer momentum to the moon and push it away faster. I propose that all future lunar landings be on the far side to compensate.
We can use it to power a gun! A BIG gun! (Score:3, Funny)
In fact, a "Wave Motion Gun!"
Re:The big question (Score:5, Funny)
The tidal bulge on the Earth actually drags on the moon and increases its orbital velocity. It does this because the rotation of the Earth drags the bulge ahead of the sub-lunar point. The gravitational field of the bulge attracts the moon so the earths rotation slows as the moons orbital velocity increases. Eventually we will be tidally locked like Pluto and Charon and tides will be much smaller.
My preferred solution is to dump a whole lot of nuclear waste on the far side of the moon and turn it into a bomb. I wanted my proposal implemented by 1999 but not enough people saw the gravity of the situation.
Re:They're missing some.... (Score:5, Funny)
Scotty, I'm really tired of that cliché. You're fired.
Re:The big question (Score:3, Funny)
I think looking at a Scottish pub would be quicker.
Re:The big question (Score:1, Funny)
Full disclosure: I used to be a pretty good physicist, but that was a long time ago.
Right you are mate. Now wheres mah chip butty?
Re:The big question (Score:4, Funny)
Mods are on crack. That deserves a +5 troll, because that was the most successful troll I've seen... well, in a few days. But still, a hearty chuckle ye brought me, Bad Analogy Guy.
Re:Transmission (Score:5, Funny)
No, they're just going to fire the electricity into the air. They have no plans to actually deliver and sell it. You see, people who invest in this sort of thing simply hate money.
Re:The trouble with Scotland (Score:3, Funny)
"It won't last; they're are natural enemies. Like Englishmen and Scots. Or Welshmen and Scots. Or Japanese and Scots. Or Scots and other Scots. Damn Scots, they ruined Scotland!"
Re:The trouble with Scotland (Score:1, Funny)
Well the English did try sending some of the Scots back to their native Ireland, but the other Irish complained about that rather vigourously with Semtex.
If it's not Scottish Wave Energy... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:The trouble with Scotland (Score:3, Funny)
Not really. We will be cheering on Algeria, Slovenia and USA in the world cup in June, and if that fails, we will have some more countries to cheer on. In the case of the USA, it wouldn't surpise me if there are more Scottish fans cheering on the team than natives.