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Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:12 pm to Korkstand
quote:
It is, but I don't think the suggestion is this should be a major source of energy. It would only be applicable in areas where water already flows of course, and where a dam isn't feasible or desirable for whatever reason.
I just don't see how the amount of energy created would be more than the energy required to run the system.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:15 pm to hikingfan
They could implement this in all the neighborhoods where all us Boomers went to school. We all walked uphill both ways to get to school. Just reverse the direction and it's downhill all the time. 
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:21 pm to upgrayedd
quote:
Plus kids could walk uphill to school both ways just like our parents did!
Dammit.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:24 pm to hikingfan
Hello, I’m Bob from Mountainside GPE Power and Light, please have your helicopter drop off your generator truck at our Summit Facility and we’ll get y’all going right away.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:29 pm to udtiger
quote:
how's the truck/tank gonna get back to the top of the mountain?
Duh, you just have a factory to build the trucks uphill. They never make the return trip. Think of the jobs. lol
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:31 pm to upgrayedd
quote:I think what you and seemingly everyone else in here is missing is that the energy comes from the water loaded at high elevation and unloaded at lower elevation. The water is never brought back up the hill. The weight of the water does work as it "falls" down the hill. The idea is to extract that potential energy, just like a dam would. The difference is the generators would be in the trucks instead of at the bottom of a dam.
I just don't see how the amount of energy created would be more than the energy required to run the system.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:34 pm to Korkstand
quote:
I think what you and seemingly everyone else in here is missing is that the energy comes from the water loaded at high elevation and unloaded at lower elevation. The water is never brought back up the hill. The weight of the water does work as it "falls" down the hill. The idea is to extract that potential energy, just like a dam would. The difference is the generators would be in the trucks instead of at the bottom of a dam.
Well, the gigantic heavy batteries are also unloaded at the bottom of the hill too. They have to get back up as well.
The beauty of a stationary generator is that you don't have to waste energy moving it.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:41 pm to upgrayedd
quote:Yes and the truck itself. I don't see any details in the link, but if we assume something like a 10k gallon tanker that would be 80k lbs of water coming down that doesn't go back up.
Well, the gigantic heavy batteries are also unloaded at the bottom of the hill too. They have to get back up as well.
quote:Right, but it seems pretty clear in the article that this could potentially be utilized where damming is not feasible.
The beauty of a stationary generator is that you don't have to waste energy moving it.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:41 pm to Abstract Queso Dip
quote:
This sounds about as good as my idea inventing an outtertube to replace inner tubes because they keep the outside air inside the tube and it doesn't leak inside air out.
You had me at outtertube. Please accept the $10K I just mailed you for a 2% share in this venture.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:42 pm to upgrayedd
Wait, what if Maxwell's Demon is getting the truck back up the hill? 
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:52 pm to Korkstand
quote:
I think what you and seemingly everyone else in here is missing is that the energy comes from the water loaded at high elevation and unloaded at lower elevation. The water is never brought back up the hill. The weight of the water does work as it "falls" down the hill. The idea is to extract that potential energy, just like a dam would. The difference is the generators would be in the trucks instead of at the bottom of a dam
It’s just a bad design with too many moving parts that will fail and need to be replaced.
Instead of all this truck nonsense, build an aqueduct going out from the source of the water, out across to where the village is.
Have a stack of water wheels that turn when the aqueduct stops, forming a waterfall. The many wheels turn, providing power as well as water to the village.
No trucks needed.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 12:56 pm to Korkstand
quote:
Yes and the truck itself. I don't see any details in the link, but if we assume something like a 10k gallon tanker that would be 80k lbs of water coming down that doesn't go back up.
It still takes a good bit of energy to get all that back up the mountain, which drastically reduces efficiency.
quote:
Right, but it seems pretty clear in the article that this could potentially be utilized where damming is not feasible.
Let's be clear. This is meant to be in lieu of damming. The green folks hate hydro as much as nuclear.
This post was edited on 3/16/22 at 1:01 pm
Posted on 3/16/22 at 1:04 pm to fr33manator
quote:Surely, I'm not arguing that. I'm just trying to explain to all the knuckleheads in here that you can, in fact, extract energy from falling water.
It’s just a bad design with too many moving parts that will fail and need to be replaced.
quote:I'm sure it's been done. As a counterpoint trucks are more versatile so can provide value elsewhere. Again not arguing that this idea is viable, I'm just saying it has more legs than the "hur dur infinite energy" folks think it does.
Instead of all this truck nonsense, build an aqueduct going out from the source of the water, out across to where the village is.
Have a stack of water wheels that turn when the aqueduct stops, forming a waterfall. The many wheels turn, providing power as well as water to the village.
No trucks needed.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 1:04 pm to Clames
quote:
Lying by omission, notice that the link is several years old and there isn't anything on these trucks' performance after several years in active mine service.
I am as skeptical on EV's as most, especially when it comes to heavy industrial use. I have to say though, the way they are using it in this mining operation has potential.
You make a valid point about the long term feasibility when it comes to an EV's performance and reliability in that type of environment, but for what I assume is a first generation prototype, it looks like it could be a viable alternative to ICE vehicles when you consider that the battery technology/longevity is going to improve over time.
This post was edited on 3/16/22 at 1:11 pm
Posted on 3/16/22 at 1:06 pm to hikingfan
How do they go uphill? Unicorn farts? Fairy dust? No diesel but let’s ignore that.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 1:14 pm to hikingfan
This would also give them an outlet to hire illegal immigrants because who the hell else is going to want the job of constantly driving up and down a mountain?
Posted on 3/16/22 at 1:15 pm to upgrayedd
quote:Economic efficiency is the deciding factor, not the efficiency of the energy extraction process.
It still takes a good bit of energy to get all that back up the mountain, which drastically reduces efficiency.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 1:25 pm to Korkstand
quote:
Economic efficiency is the deciding factor, not the efficiency of the energy extraction process.
Not really, but it certainly plays a large role.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 1:40 pm to upgrayedd
quote:What I mean is even a 1% efficient process can be viable if the available potential energy pool is large enough and the cost small enough. Doing nothing results in 0% efficiency and 100% wasted potential.
Not really, but it certainly plays a large role.
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