GG, while storage is the issue, I don't know that VRB is the solution.
My BP Oil colleague and I used to discuss the fact that the industrial revolution internal combustion engine still ruled power supply after a century. 20 years on and it's still top of the pops.
It's a hugely complex Gordian Knot of levers, cams, bearings, pulleys, belts, cogs, pistons, valves, nuts, washers, bolts, shafts, pumps, chains, screws, turbines, generators, spark plugs, cables, gears, friction disks, hydraulics and so on, overlaid with silicon electronics, with engine management systems controlling each compression cycle, and myriad other functions from brakes to suspension and creature comforts.
It has become more and more complex, sophisticated, efficient and cheaper per bang.
From a puddle of pre industrial revolution technology, one would never say, "Hey let's build a car with an engine like this under the bonnet". It's like seeing a puddle of pre DNA amino acids and other primordial hydrocarbon goop and saying, "Hey, let's build a human - say 6 billion of them".
I'm developing a little one person [and not too hefty at that] city car with five moving parts = the wheels and the vehicle itself. Okay, it probably won't be that simple as there might be an open and shut glovebox and some knobs to twiddle on a radio. It's in the shed, coming alon well. Maybe some vanadium and sulphuric acid batteries would be just the ticket.
Fuel cells seem more the sort of thing I'm after - a quick refuelling with methanol or ethanol and we'd be off again. But maybe batteries could be unplugged and swapped for another ready to go. That would be even quicker than refueling by pumping 100 litres of liquid. Just unplug the discharged battery and plug in another. Hmmmm... food for thought.
Mqurice |
