Comments on: Using I.T. to add green power to the network http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/ Tom Raftery, social media consultant, speaker, blogger and podcaster Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:37:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Vern http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-114906 Vern Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:31:24 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-114906 With all the hoopla about green power these days, few people stop and think that you just can't magically tie it all together. It's encouraging to see people thinking about the big picture as well as their individual requirements. Vern With all the hoopla about green power these days, few people stop and think that you just can’t magically tie it all together. It’s encouraging to see people thinking about the big picture as well as their individual requirements.

Vern

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106627 Tom Raftery Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:20:04 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106627 Philip, I have come across the Gaia solution previously - basically they are a UPS which can take in power from utility, wind and/or solar. They have a low rating which means they are suitable more for residential than commercial uses. But, if enough of them were deployed, they could, like the vehicle-to-grid idea, act as a store of electricity and release at times of maximum demand. Philip,

I have come across the Gaia solution previously - basically they are a UPS which can take in power from utility, wind and/or solar.

They have a low rating which means they are suitable more for residential than commercial uses.

But, if enough of them were deployed, they could, like the vehicle-to-grid idea, act as a store of electricity and release at times of maximum demand.

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106625 Tom Raftery Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:14:49 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106625 Oops, forgot to address your meter going backwards point. In fact, if you are a micro-generator, you can effectively make the meter go backwards by selling to the grid when you are generating and buying from the grid when not. Oops,

forgot to address your meter going backwards point.

In fact, if you are a micro-generator, you can effectively make the meter go backwards by selling to the grid when you are generating and buying from the grid when not.

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106624 Tom Raftery Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:12:12 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106624 John - sorry. Obviously I failed to show the bigger picture in my post. John, Ireland has an electrical demand of between 5GW to 6GW. At present there are over 2GW in outstanding applications for wind power which are not being allowed onto the grid for reasons of primarily network instability. If a grid of data centres were to act as a flywheel to counter-balance the instability of wind power, that 2GW of green energy could be brought onstream straightaway. If that grid of data centres was burning bio-diesel instead of regular diesel, the carbon impact of such a strategy would be massively reduced. There would still be an impact, sure. But when you weigh that against the 2GW of wind power which it enables to come onto the grid, I think it is a no-brainer. John - sorry. Obviously I failed to show the bigger picture in my post.

John, Ireland has an electrical demand of between 5GW to 6GW. At present there are over 2GW in outstanding applications for wind power which are not being allowed onto the grid for reasons of primarily network instability.

If a grid of data centres were to act as a flywheel to counter-balance the instability of wind power, that 2GW of green energy could be brought onstream straightaway.

If that grid of data centres was burning bio-diesel instead of regular diesel, the carbon impact of such a strategy would be massively reduced.

There would still be an impact, sure. But when you weigh that against the 2GW of wind power which it enables to come onto the grid, I think it is a no-brainer.

]]> By: Philip http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106613 Philip Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:22:16 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106613 <blockquote>Imagine a backup generator that is virtually silent and requires zero fossil fuels, creating no CO2 emissions. That's what Gaia Power Technologies has successfully created in the PowerTower. http://tinyurl.com/29k29x</blockquote> You've probably seen this, Tom, but just in case not, it may be of interest.

Imagine a backup generator that is virtually silent and requires zero fossil fuels, creating no CO2 emissions. That’s what Gaia Power Technologies has successfully created in the PowerTower.

http://tinyurl.com/29k29x

You’ve probably seen this, Tom, but just in case not, it may be of interest.

]]> By: John Handelaar http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106610 John Handelaar Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:37:54 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-it-to-add-green-power-to-the-network/#comment-106610 OK, to a point, but a) ESB meters don't run backwards when you're sending power back to the grid b) Biodiesel is a perpetual motion machine: you're getting less energy out than you put in, it just doesn't look like it. It's the opposite of sustainable. If we used every field in Ireland to grow it we'd still be 60% short on domestic petrol demand, <strong>and</strong> the demand would increase because of all the additional food we'd have to import. Just say no. OK, to a point, but

a) ESB meters don’t run backwards when you’re sending power back to the grid

b) Biodiesel is a perpetual motion machine: you’re getting less energy out than you put in, it just doesn’t look like it. It’s the opposite of sustainable. If we used every field in Ireland to grow it we’d still be 60% short on domestic petrol demand, and the demand would increase because of all the additional food we’d have to import. Just say no.

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