More Renewable Energy
Delaware is just in love with it now.
From the News Journal:
A Frankford company that is promoting turbines as a way to use fast-moving water to generate electricity has received preliminary approval for a $52,400 grant from the Delaware Green Energy Fund.
The grant money will be used to test one of the turbines at the Indian River Power Plant, said David O. Rickards, general partner with UEK Delaware LP.
Rickards said the plan is to install one hydrokinetic turbine at the cooling water intakes for NRG’s Indian River facility. Water flowing over the turbine would produce electricity and offset energy used in the cooling process, he said.
…
If the turbine at Indian River works, the plan would be to install five of the turbines with the capacity to produce 442 kilowatts of electricity annually, Rickards said.
LOL
I’m going to be charitable and assume the people who are proposing this have done the analysis and that the turbines will do what they say.
That said, even if everything works as planned this will result in lower the cooling flow which will result in lower efficiencies for the main power plant.
Also, what’s this nonsense about “patented hydrokinetic turbines?” Water turbines have been around since about 1700, nd while I don’t doubt that this specific design is patented, it is inconceivable that they’ve invented a new type of turbine. They should call it what it is, so everyone can talk about it without having to figure out what they’re trying to obfuscate.
Mebbe it’s a case of doing the right thing for the wrong reason?? I don’t care if it is the wrong reason just so they do the right thing.
Our campaign met with Mr. Rickards and we gave a joint presentation to the Center for Inland Bays with us in June.
He attended our nedia event in Millsboro on extending and enlarging tax credits for energy systems and also a dollar for dollar tax credit for an energy audit for your farm, home and business.
His plan has great merit and is part of our renewable energy and alternative energy plan.
Mr. Rickards deserves credit for staying the course on this idea.
“staying the course” is a phrase forever running by Bush. It should never be used again.
Staying the course on Energy is a nice way of guaranteeing you will move backwards.
“…five of the turbines with the capacity to produce 442 kilowatts of electricity annually”
Is that each or combined? Either way, I’m not impressed.
A kilowatt is equal to about 1 horsepower. So someone please tell me why I should be so excited about this?
The article should have said 442,000 Kw/h per year.
There are over 10,000 facilities nationwide that use cooling towers. After this test at the NRG power plant, promotion videos will be sent to all the other companies. Since UEK Delaware will be building all small units for the country in Seaford, this usage of turbines could generate many new jobs for Sussex.