Now you can vote and share your expert opinion, facts and figures and aurguments.
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
depends on where u r located....
some places have sun, some get strong winds, some have enuff oil/gas, some have coal readily available....
so it depends on ur resources....
gas turbines r most widely used and u missed out on them....
u aint really an engineer, r u????
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
Lets assume resources are in abundance. Only proper utilization is required.
I missed many like nuclear and fosil fuel. you can select 'other' for them. :)
I am not an engineer :p
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
if there is plenty available of the source then definitely solar energy isn't economically the cheapest. At the moment the cheapest would be oil/gas.
But if we keep in mind the developments of late, I'd go for solar or nuclear energy as economically the cheapest
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
^
engineering is about practicality and reality....
u cant just assume anything....
and engineering calculations r not as simple and straightforward as u think....
for pakistan: rivers r plenty, hydroelectricity is the success
for bahrain: oil is cheap and available, hence we used gas turbines....
solar energy --> electricity: u really need to study that hard to realize that it aint really as good as it sounds....
nuclear energy is tipped, however, to be the cheapest....
but then not many can afford to have it set up initially....
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
Nuclear is the cheapest
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
solar energy --> electricity: u really need to study that hard to realize that it aint really as good as it sounds....
Ditto.
Considering a country where there is plenty of sun, (like most of Asia, Africa,Austraiia etc.)
solar energy will still not be an efficient resource for production of electricity, becuase of costly overheads and downtimes.
I will go for hydro power for most parts of the world and second best is wind power.
About nuclear.... I am not so sure, It also involves costly overheads and initial cost is very high too.
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
I voted for Hydro energy, but I hope as soon as solar technology becomes affordable and more advanced, it will set a new standard.
That would be extremely useful for countries like Pakistan, too.
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
I think hydal power is the most efficient source. Because sun , wind are not available all the time and coal man that produces lots of ash and pollution.
but the most reliable for the time being is coal/thermal energy. in the first city i lived we never had power cuts as it had thermal power station but then their was lots of ash in the atmosphere. and there was no way of disposing the residue.
in next city it was hydal power as we had a big dam around. it was pretty good untill summer.
other city had solar but it is costly and not efficient.
same with wind energy in my fourth city, half of the time the wind mills would just stay still.
but if we could use the water resources properly then it might be the best idea.
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
Obviously nuclear... Thermal Electricity is a waste, hydel is too environment unfriendly.
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
nuclear has big waste management issues, and would cost a lot in the long run because even after you are done with the fuel, you need to spend big money on storing the waste safely for quite a long time.
i dont really understand the question. if resources are all available in abundance, how do you compare them economically? many of the sources considered "cheap" today have big costs waiting for us in the future in the form of ecological ruin.
hydel power ruins ecological niches, and in some cases even causes earthquakes.
fossil fuel thermal power generation is highly wasteful efficiencywise, not to mention pollution.
solar and wind dont have such consequences, but ways to generate large amounts of power by these non conventional means arent very practical yet. doesnt mean it'll always be that way.
oh and if they can really get cold fusion to work, that might be the best way!
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
Lets start with most low profile source of Energy production, Wind Energy
Use of wind energy goes back to 6 century BC in persia. and its been the primary source propellor while travelling in ocean (sailing )
I have a very good book on wind energy production and it detail, facts and figure. Specially with reference to India. India is producing lot of electricity through wind power. I will try to get the charts and tables from that book. They are very informative 
**India is already the fifth largest producer of wind energy in the world and has one of the largest renewable energy programs across the globe. With an installed capacity of over 2,800 MW of wind energy as of September 30, 2004, wind energy accounts for about three percent of the overall generation capacity in the power sector. India now has indigenous wind-energy equipment manufacturing capacity in excess of 1000 MW per year. There has also been a considerably increase in capacity installed from about 30 MW in 1990 to nearly 3000 MW at the end of 2004. **
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=22999
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
Wind mill power generation at beginer level
System A (Backbone System) … $4,996.00
1120 Watt Generation System
1.5 kVA Inverter with Continuous Output Capability. 120VAC
1 Lakota Wind Generator; 900 watts; (12 or 24 Volt)
1 27 Foot Tilt Up Tower (Tow27), 1 Lightning Arrest, 1 Interconnect Set
1 120 Watt Solar Panel (Sharp 123 Watt PV)
1 Inverter (DR1512-12V; DR1524-24V), 2 Cables
1 DC Disconnect & Accessory, 10 Interconnects 12V, 8 for 24V
1 Charge Controller (C40), Marine Upgrade Available
I am more interested in cost at local level. In india many companies are making windmill power generators.
here is more from Maharashtra India
The wind energy sector received its boom when wind turbine models up to 50 KW arrived in the market. The technology trend in the wind industry kept continuously up scaling when wind turbines of capacities ranging from 200 to 500 KW became popular and then by the end of century, turbines of higher capacities were introduced .In the near future, wind turbines mainly dedicated to 2 - 3 MW capacity will be erected.
[thumb=H]WE_Turbine16977_7098134.JPG[/thumb]
*1250 KW wind Turbine (Suzlon) *
Wind turbines were made more sophisticated by applying third generation electronics and hydraulics. They were further modified and upgraded by using software and programmable inputs, which improved the performance and durability of the turbines. Automation and remote controlling were added features.
[thumb=H]Vestas116977_7098134.JPG[/thumb]
*3MW Wind Turbine(VESTAS) *
Introduction of turbines with gearless technology improved the power factor and reduced production of reactive power. These turbines are computerised and use the technique of synchronised converter. The converter uses the technique of AC generation from wind generator which, is converted in to DC and again into AC through power electronics and circuitry. These turbines not only help to increase power output but get tuned to various wind speeds generating optimum output
[thumb=H]NEGMICON16977_7098134.JPG[/thumb]
*1500KW Wind Turbine(NEG MICON) *
These are produced in india :k:
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
Amazing that so many worthies have completley ignored the most renewable resource we have - methane - ie - the gas that is produced from human/animal waste. I look foreward to the day when the "Nation's of Oil" are rendered useless ..."
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
^ care to explain the porcess and provide stats in support of your aurguments ? :)
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
A major benefit is the reduction in the consumption of fuelwood. It is estimated that the average daily consumption of fuelwood is about 1.1 kg per person, so a digester used by a typical family of six people saves about 2.4 tonnes of fuelwood per year. The 250 digesters installed therefore save together about 600 tonnes of wood per year.
Biogas is a much cleaner cooking fuel than wood, and the reduction in smoke in the kitchens is immediately apparent, as is their general cleanliness. Not so apparent, but also important, is the reduction in the emission of carbon monoxide and other products of incomplete combustion. Smoke inhalation in third world kitchens is a major cause of eye disease, respiratory illness and premature death. Users also speak of their relief at not having to make extensive journeys into the park for wood, which sometimes involved a round trip of 20 km.
http://www.ashdenawards.org/winners_04_07.html
Re: Cheapest/ Most efficient form of Electricty production
i know there has been research in seeing how hydrogen and oxygen together could produce energy. any insights in that?