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Huiii
Joined: Sep 2, 2003
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blackouts more frequent ?
October 6, 2003 - 06:10 AM
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Hi!
I've just heard in the news about another power-blackout in Athens (Greece), after the ones in Italy and the big one in Canada/US.
Is it just that media is more sensible to this issue at the moment, bringing it more often, but some blackouts have always happend from time to time ?
Or is it really happening more often in the last times?
What are your experiences?
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Robert Margolis
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Coming to Roost
October 7, 2003 - 08:44 AM
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In the US, some of the blackouts are "chickens coming home to roost." That is, after cutting spending on transmission or transmission not keeping up with electric demand, it is over stretched and unable to handle problems as easily. Here in VA we also had a rare storm that came through and wiped out much of the grid.
There are newer technologies coming on the market that should help make grids more reliable. Maybe these blackouts will speed up the improvements.
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Huiii
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biomass
October 8, 2003 - 11:48 AM
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A friend of mine works for a company developing a power plant working with biomass, and designed to serve in households for electricity and heating.
He told me a few months ago about his work, and that one day, when electricity systems get overloaded, there will be frequent blackouts. And that will be the time of his biomass power plant.
Just – I didn’t think that this could start that soon…
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Robert Margolis
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Distributed vs Grid
October 8, 2003 - 12:40 PM
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Certainly much discussion has gone on as to whether the future is refurbished grids or whether to have individual power centers (e.g., biomass, microturbines, fuel cells, etc). My guess is that we will see more distributed generation in some areas, but most people will prefer a grid with specialists running and repairing it.
Best wishes on your friend's biomass effort.
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Christine Oldfield
Joined: Mar 3, 2003
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Re: blackouts more frequent ?
October 9, 2003 - 11:14 AM
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I can't answer the question about more frequent blackouts but I think it is worth noting that blackouts in many parts of the world are not at all uncommon. I lived in Mozambique for a year and the power went out one day. We inquired about when we would get power back and were told maybe tommorrow, maybe in four months. We didn't get power back for more than a month.
You don't usually hear about it when a city in Africa, Asia or Latin America falls into darkness. Maybe the question is why in developing countries does there seem to be a greater problem with the distribution of power.
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Robert Margolis
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Re: blackouts more frequent ?
October 11, 2003 - 09:42 AM
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It takes a large investment to establish an electric grid. West Europe's grid was rebuilt after WWII. My understanding is that their lack of reliable power is a symptom of the general lack of investment compared to the OECD countries.
I would be interested in the views of the developing countries on this. :-)
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