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63 results found
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| Solar panel retrofit to wind turbines 
Large windfarms generally take up a lot of land and that space on the turbine blades or the top of the generator house retrofitted with flexable solar cells could easily increase the amount of power produced without taking up any more land. Anyone else have any other ideas on increasing the renewable power production on current power installations shout it out.Reward: More power from the same amount of land space 
There is 1 reply to this idea
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| Many wind turbines, one generator
Current wind turbines are EACH equipped with a generator and a gearbox. We know large generators (such as used in electricity power plants) are more efficient, would it make sense to connect an array of wind mills via driveshaft to one large generator on the ground.Advantages:
1) high(er) efficiency generator
2) use only one big generator, not many small ones
3) big generator on the ground is easy to maintain (no climbing in towers)
4) individual wind mills can be cheaper (basically rotor, nacelle, tower and driveshaft)
5) total cost of such a wind energy cluster may be cheaper.Obviously some energy is lost in transporting mechanical energy via driveshafts. But since wind itself is free and if the total cost per generated kW is cheaper in this configuration - it might bring down the price per kW in this cluster configuration.Reward: I believe that any idea that can help our civilization to survive the inevitable fossil fuel energy crisis should be voluntary donated asap. If this proves to be one - please use it!
There are 18 replies to this idea
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| New houses to have solar panels by law
The government should pass a law that all new houses must be fitted with solar panels. Costs (typically $3000 or £2000) would be split by the buyer and the house builder. Benefits to the environment would be massive. Imagine whole new housing estates with solar panels on the roofs, net contributors to the country's energy supply.Reward: Free solar panels
There are 7 replies to this idea
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