hydro electricity

[kronoSX]

As usual posters like you double down on the stupidity...

• What YOU call the balls are of zero consequence and has no bearing on the lack of facts in your OP.
• The balls are not filled with water at the factory...are you kidding?!?! It is the process of manufacturing those balls, that use the water.
• I suggest following my "kak" advice and doing better research.

if only you knew what it is to be human.Kak advice is kak advice. btw the balls are filled with water beech.Why dont you do your research cause i did mine and yes they are filled with water.

 

[kronoSX]

South Africa has one of the longest coastlines in the world.

Why can't sea currents or waves be used to generate power?

i love that idea

 

[itareanlnotani]

i love that idea

Low hanging fruit.

We have plenty of other cheaper, better alternatives to look at first.

Solar PV, Onshore Wind, OffShore Wind, CSP, Hydro, Pumped Storage etc

Tidal power is still expensive in comparison, and has high maintenance costs.
I'd look at offshore wind before Tidal for ROI.

Tidal will be definitely be viable, but not right now. It will get there, but we'll need to get the cheaper options built out first.

 

[Gordon_R]

Overview of potential upgrades at Steenbras, and other sites in Cape Town.

The TLDR here is that the costs are not that high, and it's doable. Will also lead to increased capacity, especially at Steenbras;

By synchronising and refurbishing the generator equipment it would be possible to double the electric output of the plant and by re-sizing and replacing the turbine, a further 1.7 GWh can be generated

https://carbonn.org/uploads/tx_carbonndata/Micro-hydro%20Bulk%20Water%20Prefeasibility%20Report_01.pdf

There's a factor of a hundred missing somewhere in those numbers, if you seriously want to add capacity. Add up all the micro schemes in that report and it comes to a few MW continuous, nothing like the 400MW of the Palmiet and 180MW of the Steenbras pumped storage scheme.

Some history: https://www.ee.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/B-Barta-Energy-and-Water-Resources-Engineering.pdf

 

[itareanlnotani]

There's a factor of a hundred missing somewhere in those numbers, if you seriously want to add capacity. Add up all the micro schemes in that report and it comes to a few MW continuous, nothing like the 400MW of the Palmiet and 180MW of the Steenbras pumped storage scheme.

Some history: https://www.ee.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/B-Barta-Energy-and-Water-Resources-Engineering.pdf

I've read that, heck, I posted it in this thread telling you to read it

The Micro Hydro Feasibility Report only covers Cape Town. Don't forget about the remainder of the country.
The TLDR of the CPT report is that its viable to cheaply increase existing infrastructure generation capabilities.

It's a good read, albeit long, and given some of the options in there, I'm surprised that CPT hasn't gone for the upgrades.

 

[wingnut771]

 

[deweyzeph]

Decentralised electricity generation is the future. Whether it's at the provincial level, municipal level, or household level.

 

[DanDango]

Just annex Lesotho, we can then built a nice hydro electricity plant.

 

[deweyzeph]

Just annex Lesotho, we can then built a nice hydro electricity plant.

Lesotho is basically a province of South Africa in all but name only. Nothing happens in Lesotho without South Africa's say-so.

 

[DanDango]

Lesotho is basically a province of South Africa in all but name only. Nothing happens in Lesotho without South Africa's say-so.

Yes but if they don't get their way Lesoto can cut of the water to force South Africa to bent to their will. Annexation of Lesotho will benefit both countries.

 

[deweyzeph]

Yes but if they don't get their way Lesoto can cut of the water to force South Africa to bent to their will. Annexation of Lesotho will benefit both countries.

You won't get any argument from me. I'm all for annexing Lesotho, in all seriousness. It's a shell of a country that exists purely for historical reasons. There is already a lot of support within Lesotho for integration with South Africa. The only reason it hasn't happened yet is because of greedy politicians who would lose power if Lesotho was officially annexed by South Africa. In any case, if there really was a dispute with South Africa, Lesotho would come off second best. South Africa controls all of Lesotho's borders, imports, exports, electricity, customs duty collections, etc. Lesotho could cut off water to South Africa, but South Africa could bring Lesotho to its knees economically.

 

[Geoff.D]

Decentralised electricity generation is the future. Whether it's at the provincial level, municipal level, or household level.

You mean we are returning to decentralised electricity generation!

 

[thehuman]

Wonder how feasible pumped storage could be by using sea water .

One problem will be salts leeching into resovour surroundings.

 

[wingnut771]

 

[Oldfut]

Just annex Lesotho, we can then built a nice hydro electricity plant.

Pretty much already done; I think about 180MW generated by the LHDA; when they aren't re-lining tunnels and other dodgy stuff. Also suffers in dry weather.

 

[Lupus]

South Africa has one of the longest coastlines in the world.

Why can't sea currents or waves be used to generate power?

Could you imagine the environmental impact of that? Large underwater turbines the sea life would be devastated, there already is a clean option but the world got scared of it so development slowed down and initial costs are high.
Nuclear, sure the initial costs are high but it eventually evens out, it's like buying a house vs renting it.