The Energy Matrix
A Science Ebook e-zine  Winter 2007 Edition

This e-zine will examine all alternative energy technology and new energy conservation systems.

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Water Falls

Two large ducts carry some of the water from this river to a generating plant near base of fall.  When the river is near flood stage most of the water goes over the fall and the energy is dissipated.  Some estimate that the United States is only exploiting a fraction of its potential hydro-electric 
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Cheap Oil, Jan.19,2007 

Bad news for clean alternative energy, oil drops to about $50 a barrel. If your trying to sell or develop alternative energy, cheap oil is bad news, because it undercuts alternative products.
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Cogeneration growing. 

Central heating systems date back to the days of DC power generation in lower Manhattan during the Edison/Telsa Era. High Pressure Steam Plants provided steam
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Heat Storage 

Heat storage are an important  element of solar power systems.  Power plants that use concentrated solar heat to generate steam to drive turbine driven electric generators, require heat storage to maintain steady power output. See reference article, Click here . Heat stored in super heated water can provide steam to meet sudden changes in load.   
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Hydroelectric

Beauty and Power Plant. The potential energy of the water at top of waterfall, is converted to kinetic energy at bottom of fall.  The kinetic energy is converted to turbulence, noise, and spray at bottom of the waterfall.  

Part of river goes over the falls and part of the river is piped to the turbine/Generator.

The water enters the power station under great pressure. The turbine/generator restricts the flow of water and converts most of its energy to electricity.

I estimate diameter of left pipe is over three meters.

Water from huge pipes passes through turbines and is returned to river.  Turbulence indicates that a small amount kinetic energy has not been converted to electricity, but most of it has. 

What is the Matrix?

I am beginning this eZine with a list of alternative energy technologies. These will create the vertical axis of the matrix.  It will be become apparent that most of these technologies can be combined to form various energy systems. For example solar energy could be combined with heat storage technology, or it could be combined with battery technology. Thus must technologies must also be listed on a horizontal axis if all possible energy systems are to be included in the array.  The reason so many systems need to be defined and eventually computer modeled is so that only the best can be selected.  Eventually our energy department will have to calculate the best approach to deal with our future energy needs.

In the future we will consider questions such as "Is corn a better solar collector than silicon"

Nuclear Energy and HVDC

The safety of nuclear energy is hotly contested in the US.  High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission will not effect nuclear plant safety.  It could make worst case scenario nuclear accidents economic impact less severe. HVDC 
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Practical Electric Cars  by 2010

By 2010,Japan will have electric cars  with 50 mile range and capability of being recharged in 15 minutes.  The cars will use lithium battery packs that will last 
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Last updated: October 30, 2007.