Energy Islands
08.01.08
at 06:17
at 06:17
tagged with:
The architect that put the windmill on Cameron's Notting Hill pad is proposing an idea to build artificial islands in the tropics to harness the natural energy that exists in those latitudes to produce electricity. For a while now I've been interested in something similar, but subtly different - the idea that if we could harness just a tiny proportion of the solar energy that reaches the earth we could solve all our energy needs.
From a distance it looks like an island paradise, but get closer and those tall structures that could be palm trees turn out to be wind turbines - and the surf laps against wave barrages instead of sandy beaches. Welcome to "Energy Island", a vision of how humans could help meet our future needs for energy, food and water using the power of nature in the tropics.
Alex Michaelis, the architect who gave David Cameron's west London home a green makeover - complete with miniature wind turbine, solar panels and water recycling system - will launch the concept this year with a bid for funding worth $25m (£12.6m) from Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Earth Prize.
His proposal, which is dramatically more ambitious than the work he did on the Conservative leader's semi-detached house, is to build archipelagos of artificial islands that will produce electricity, clean water and even food in the belt of warm water that passes from the Caribbean across to the south China Sea, the Indian Ocean and west Africa.
When I suggested using giant solar power stations to produce electricity in the Sahara the most common objection was the transmission losses that would incur transporting that power to where it was needed. So I developed my idea a bit. My solar power stations would not produce electricity, but take sea water and turn it into hydrogen for fuel cells. This hydrogen would be the thing that was transported to power hungry parts of the world, probably by ships themselves powered by fuel cells, and there used in its raw form for motor engines, but also turned into electricity for the grid closer to its destination and so with less transmission loss.
Maybe I should apply for the Branson money?
Trackback URL for this post:
http://www.jockcoats.org.uk/trackback/773
Comments
Great ideas, all. I wish we would do more as a country to innovate in this area. Global warming or not, the energy we consume cannot last forever so we must look for alternatives for all sorts of reasons, not least security.
What about solar arrays in the arctic to soak up all the sun which was previously hitting the ice and bouncing back into space? Its closer to Europe and it might just address the old melting icecaps issue as well. The sun rays would be weaker there but it could be beneficial.
We could even include decks for polar bears to use. We could then diversify into polar bear deckchairs and quoits...(sorry this started as a serious suggestion).
Articles with similar tags
-
Surveillance State: Select Committee catches on ten years too late?
(09-Jun-08)
-
Tories to bite the hand that feeds them?
(11-Sep-07)
-
Why you should vote Jock Coats, Liberal Democrat, on May 1st
(26-Apr-08)
-
Fair Trade PCs?
(05-Aug-06)
-
Is non-intrusive road pricing possible?
(09-Jun-08)
-
Taxing or trading?
(10-Nov-06)
-
Fighting the flyposters
(13-Jan-06)
-
Beginning of the end for VAT?
(21-Jul-08)
-
For any of you that believe "if you've got nothing to hide..."
(08-Jul-08)
-
Talking rubbish (again)!
(28-Aug-06)
Add comment
Why go to the expense of
Why go to the expense of building islands I wonder? There's plenty of spare land in the Sahara isn't there? A perfect opportunity for LVT based income generation by North African states I would have thought. And no danger of rising tides due to global warming!