The UK's wind farms generated more power than its nuclear power stations on Tues

[rcjordan]

continuing our recent discussion on alt power

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29715796

[gm66]

Mainly due to high winds plus faults in the nuclear plants - not very comforting!

[rcjordan]

But it's a start.

Kencot Hill solar plant connected to British grid

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2014/10/31/More-solar-power-added-to-British-grid/6421414746922/


Meanwhile, a large solar farm is being constructed on the edge of my hometown. Anecdotal information points to Apple as the owner.  NPR says they now have 3 farms in North Carolina.

[rcjordan]

>Meanwhile, a large solar farm is being constructed on the edge of my hometown. Anecdotal information points to Apple as the owner.  NPR says they now have 3 farms in North Carolina.

In the year since this thread began, the NC eastern half (not sure about further inland, haven't traveled that way much) has had a LOT of solar farms spring up. When traveling the highways, it's pretty easy to spot a farm that's sporting a large array of panels, usually 10-12 acres of them, I'd say.  I saw at least 8 installations this past weekend on a fairly short trip.

I smell another disruption in the works.

[rcjordan]

<added>
North Carolina reaches solar power milestone

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Industry/2015/09/25/North-Carolina-reaches-solar-power-milestone/5621443180125/

[gm66]

I know it's old and there's lots of crap about it on the net but i'm working on using magnets to do work.

The only problem with magnets is that, as well as the free push, you get the opposing pull, so the forces balance out so net work is impossible according to Newton's third law.

So the system needs an imbalance to provide net gain, i've settled on using mu-metal sheeting to provide the imbalance by shielding appropriate parts of the magnets.

Mu-metal is quite amazing in sheeted form so that you can shape it around portions of a magnet, it really does negate the attraction/repulsion of nearby magnets, but only in certain topologies.

I was worried that, although it contained the field, it would still have a lot of attraction/repulsion but it cuts it down remarkably.

I've nearly finished the design and will send it off for laser-cutting by mid-November if all goes to plan.

Can't stand (the behavoiur of) energy companies.