Breakthrough - superconductor

[Chris Hogg]

Which spot had you in mind? UK or world-wide? A tidal barrage, like La Rance in France, or tidal flow, like in the Pentland Firth?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Neirher of which proved economically viable

[Tim Streater]

I suspect he'll say Bristol Channel, and when it's pointed out that tidal is no better that wind for providing continuous 24x7 power, he'll say that we build another at Grimsby or wherever the tide is in a suitably different phase. It'll be the usual story of not noticing that he's built two power stations to get the output of one.

[The Natural Philosopher]

And the Grimsby tides are about one tenth of the power of the atlantic ones

And tidal power is not renewable. It slows the moon down

[Tim Lamb]

In message [e-mail]>, Tim Streater [e-mail] writes

Gulf of St. Lawrence?

>

[Tim Streater]

Worse: it causes the Moon to recede from the Earth. One important thing the Moon does is stabilise the Earth's spin axis. Once it gets too far away, that interaction will be reduced to an extent where chaotic gravtitaional effects from other planets (such as Jupiter) will start to become important. Then, there is quite a non-zero likelihood that the Earth's spin axis could tip over to horizontal, which would totally f*ck up life on the planet.

[Jethro_uk]

I think you underestimate the ability of humans to totally not give a f*ck about the future.

[Dave Plowman (News]

But it's likely something we could do in house. And not rely on the likes of China to provide the know how.

I've got a name for this. Taking back control. ;-)

[Chris Hogg]

I thought the Pentland Firth project was going well, albeit...er...intermittently!

[Vir Campestris]

No way anything we do will move the moon enough to detect.

It's mass is apparently 7x10^22Kg. That's a _lot_.

Andy