That 'Electric ' Feeling
June 17th 2009 04:04
Throughout the world the demands for electricity is continually growing. Power for homes, factories and communications networks. There is a push from Govts to reduce the pollution given off when power is produced, which I agree with, ostensibly to alleviate the global warming we are all being warned about. However, no one seems to be concerned about how much its costs to distribute this power to the consumers, nor how much of what is generated is wasted in the power lines.
My thoughts are that in Australia, where sunshine is more than adequate for the production of solar power, little research is being done to the possibility of using solar energy in the vast rural areas. There must be thousands of miles of copper wire carrying power to outlying towns and villages. Think of the amount of electricity being used up just keeping these power lines alive.
Add to that the fact that almost all the power generation stations are close to the densely populated areas and it would seem logical to an old man like myself that solar stations could be built to cater for the needs of each town and village as a separate entity. This would remove the need for all those miles of poles and wires all over the landscape.
I have heard that about one third of power generated is wasted in transmission lines, but the cost of producing every kilowatt of electricity must be paid for. Does this mean that we, as consumers, are actually paying for all that wastage as well as the power transmission grids all over the country that cause that waste?
Why not subsidise the supply and installation of solar units at every farm, sufficient for the farmers needs; bigger units for villages and towns.
There would be enough rooftops and such in most towns and villages to install solar units more or less out of sight and thus not create an eyesore in any place at all. I doubt if the sight of a few solar panels here and there would be any more of an eyesore than miles of poles with wires strung on them as it is now.
I may be old and out of date, but the technology is available and reliable, so why not use it. The savings on the usage from current big generators could then be used in the cities and the really big towns closer to the source of the supply. What is saved in maintenance of power lines could be used to reduce the cost of electricity to the consumers in the cities and perhaps promote the expansion of businesses who use large quantities of power to operate their business.
It is really a damn shame that politicians must play politics and ignore logic, when creating their legislation.
I guess they have to look after those who finance them into their positions in Government, whatever political persuasion they profess to follow.
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Comment by Lawrie
Political World
Political Views
Have I Arrived?
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Lawrie
Thoughts 'n' Things
I couldn't agree more. You and I seem to be able to agree on most things whether it be Mother Nature, the environmental issues of the day, politicians etc.
I guess if someone went mad and chopped down the telegraph poles and blew up the electricity pylons, then those opposed to solar panels because "they're an eyesore" would soon come to like them.
I would have thought your beloved homeland would be a godsend to politicians when it comes to leading the world in solar energy. Instead of studying their navals and their bank balances, they should be thinking, (yes I know politicians and thinking should never be mentioned in the same sentence,) of the prestige and also the money making opportunites waiting to be exploited as Australia proves to the world the use of solar energy.
Comment by Tricia Benet
The Green Edition
The Night Owl
Yorkie Yappers
It'll never work. It makes sense, so that means it is out of the question. It sounds like your government is trying to conserve power about like ours is.
Keep trying though. Maybe, someone will listen.
Trish
Comment by Robert Bruce
Australian Storyteller
Storyteller - prose and poetry
Bushwriter
Cheers my dear
Bob