Hi Roy
On (11 Dec 96) Roy J. Tellason wrote to BILL BAUER...
 RJ> 3.  Power need.  I read an article some time back that ran the numbers, 
 RJ> and if you were to convert all of our existing transportation as it 
exists
 RJ> now (assuming that it was feasible for technological reasons) you'd have
 RJ> to *double* the existing power grid.  Not too likely...
         ^^^^^^
No big deal. Power grids since 1945, have typically doubled in capacity at
intervals of about 8 years thanks to the hunger for energy and the wasting of
it. I guess that now, the redoubling period is more like 10 or 12 years.
From 1946 to 1976, NSW regularly commissioned one turbo- generator per annum.
The sizes just kept climbing- 30MW set in 1950, 275 MW set in 1965, 660 MW
set in 1980. These were all single shaft 3000 rpm 50 cycle machines, steam
turbine driven.
Battery cars are far too dear for you and me right now. Taxes and regulations
will change the ways our children travel in the decades ahead. It will be
battery cars, bikes and shoes. And mebbee a few horses!
HOMEPOWER independent outfits, will probably not be able to economically
charge the golf cart minicar. Grid networks, are the responsible way of the
future. You and I can put together neat outfits in our own homes, but the non
technical and the elderly, need the ready service and reliability that grids
provide. HOMEPOWER must co- exist in a friendly way, with the utility
companies. Future HOMEPOWER sites will link into the grid and spin the meters
backwards when the sun or wind or water, are delivering more than we consume.
Cheers....ALEC
... ....Horsepower was a wonderful thing when only horses had it
--- PPoint 1.92
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