Solar power? pff...say hello to RAIN power bitches

[Atomic_Piggy]

Researchers have developed a system able to recover the vibration energy from a falling raindrop as it impacts a piezoelectric structure.

The CEA/Leti-Minatec R&D institute scientists found that the system could recover up to 12 milliwatts from one large raindrop.

The system could become an alternative to solar power systems in raining outdoor environments.

http://www.physorg.com/news120216714.html

 

[Tyguy]

water and electricity....i cant wait to see how this turns out

 

[Remus]

Solar power? pff...say hello to RAIN power bitches

I literally went "LOL WHAT?" when I saw this title

 

[Druckles]

England is saved!

 

[noQ]

Pretty cool and innovative in my opinion, hope they can get it to the public someday.

 

[Eejit]

You're still screwed if you live somewhere it's cloudy and it snows.

 

[Sedako]

water and electricity....i cant wait to see how this turns out

You've never heard of Hydroelectric power? It's been around since the late 1800s.

 

[Remus]

You've never heard of Hydroelectric power?

 

[Parrot of doom]

And the energy used to construct these transducers is less than the energy gained?

Bullshit.

 

[No Limit]

Wow. 1 whole watt per quare meter in places where it rains a lot. If you buy an acre of land you might be able to power your computer in a rain storm.

Its an interesting concept but it wont change much of anything. Nuclear power is the only real solution right now.

 

[Sedako]

Nuclear power is the only real solution right now.

But it's so dangerous!

/Sarcasm

 

[lePobz]

Free energy = a solar pannel up bob geldof's arse.

 

[Mr Stabby]

The rain power technology is still in it's infancy, but it's a bloody clever idea. It probably won't be viable for another 15 years.

 

[Jintor]

Australia needs both.

Flood, Drought, Flood, Drought, Flood, drought...

 

[15357]

And the energy used to construct these transducers is less than the energy gained?

Bullshit.

Over time....

 

[theotherguy]

Worthless in places like down here in Texas.

Interesting idea nonetheless.

 

[delusional]

worthless for me too, it rains about 10 times a year or so (pulled that outta my donkey). Its actually raining right now but its rare.

 

[Raziaar]

Now we just need to modify the clouds so that they produce larger raindrops. Frequency might be a problem... but maybe we can bloat those babies to the size of baseballs or softballs even.

 

[delusional]

Now we just need to modify the clouds so that they produce larger raindrops. Frequency might be a problem... but maybe we can bloat those babies to the size of baseballs or softballs even.

While we are at it why don't we modify the clouds so there is one giant raindrop and it goes through Hydro plant, it'll be like a Hydro-electric plant but Vertical.

 

[Raziaar]

While we are at it why don't we modify the clouds so there is one giant raindrop and it goes through Hydro plant, it'll be like a Hydro-electric plant but Vertical.

Brilliant! Now you're thinking with science!

Woe be to the poor souls who get caught beneath one.

 

[delusional]

Brilliant! Now you're thinking with science!

Woe be to the poor souls who get caught beneath one.

Then we should only do it over New Orleans.

 

[Parrot of doom]

Over time....

If windfarms can't recoup their initial outlay of energy within their lifespan, how do you expect raindrops to do the same?

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

These things should have a much longer lifespan, but if you recall solar cells were not very impressive when they were introduced.
Now they are kinda efficient.

 

[Dan]

We already have rain power. It's called hydroelectric. As for the tech being put forward, I would question how much energy it could generate per given area. I doubt it would beat solar power. Most piezoelectrics I have seen are used in instrumentation to measure things, not to produce power.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

I bet you could fit both technologies into one panel.

 

[phantomdesign]

This is a pretty worthless idea. Consider the principles of [1] conservation of energy and [2] terminal velocity. When raindrops reach a terminal velocity they don't contain much kinetic energy at all; which according to conservation of energy means not much energy can be generated.

Hydroelectric damns make 100x more sense to me, even wind, tidal, geothermal, nuclear, coal, solar, but this?

 

[Ravioli]

wait...if it makes energy by vibration...then cant they just make a machine that continously vibrates the thing? Non-stop energy flow? Or just hire a bunch of 3rd world kids to vibrate it for you.

 

[Vegeta897]

While we are at it why don't we modify the clouds so there is one giant raindrop and it goes through Hydro plant, it'll be like a Hydro-electric plant but Vertical.

I freakin' lol'd

Interesting idea but I am skeptical as to how practical it is.

lol Ravioli, I hope you're joking about the making a machine thing. Do you not understand how energy works?

 

[Dan]

Most vibrations have very low energy. The sound of an entire football stadium yelling at the top of their lungs has just about enough energy to power a 100 watt lightbulb.

 

[Vegeta897]

The sound of an entire football stadium yelling at the top of their lungs has just about enough energy to power a 100 watt lightbulb.

But what about...

 

[Avoidist]

Rain? This Is SOLAAAAAA!

Taking a leaf out of solar power plants, could not a combination of a very large funnel and a cheese grater give both more rain and larger drops?

 

[Kyorisu]

Solar and the likes are ****ing pipe dreams. They do not recoup their cost to create them over their life span. Why do you think no large company has mass produced anything of the sort yet? Well except for this thing which uses hot air;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tWlP0knKQU

But it's quite a ways off as it is.

 

[Avoidist]

I remember seeing that ages ago. Weren't they going to build one of those in NSW?

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

Why do you think no large company has mass produced anything of the sort yet?

Because it's expensive? If the shit were cheap everyone would be using it, and coal power would go out of business.

 

[soulslicer]

That video is impressive. But I don't get how transferring thermal energy upwards generates electricity. All I see are like turbines at the bottom spinning, nothing in that hollow chimney.

 

[Vegeta897]

That video is impressive. But I don't get how transferring thermal energy upwards generates electricity. All I see are like turbines at the bottom spinning, nothing in that hollow chimney.

Answered your own question?

The turbines spin because of the airflow. I don't know the name for the principle but the difference in air temp causes flow.

 

[soulslicer]

Answered your own question?

The turbines spin because of the airflow. I don't know the name for the principle but the difference in air temp causes flow.

Yes, but my point is, there are only turbines at the bottom, why don't you have it all through the hole of the Chimney? More efficiency..

 

[Vegeta897]

Yes, but my point is, there are only turbines at the bottom, why don't you have it all through the hole of the Chimney? More efficiency..

Er, no. Turbines create resistance. This is why power is generated. If there were more turbines, the air would be flowing slower, and the same amount of power would be generated regardless.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

England is saved!

If the flooding doesn't kill you, the expose power cabling will

 

[Parrot of doom]

Because it's expensive? If the shit were cheap everyone would be using it, and coal power would go out of business.

Solar panels never recoup the initial energy cost of designing, building, and operating them.

They are a red herring.