The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 04: Come On In

[Zeb_Carter]

I am in my element. I can see a new career ahead of me - long haul truck driving - yo know, 300mph down the freeway in one of those huuuuge trucks. Woo hoooo. Okay, time to cut back on the coffee.... I’m just waiting for the furniture movers to arrive and get their instructions and I’m on a run....

My granddaughter is a long haul trucker out of Phoenix. She, her husband, and their dog go on trips together.

Here she is in the back of the rig, with her doggy.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Trucks... Bane of my work life

The standard truck carrying logs or wood chips to the port nearby is an A-double. Prime mover towing two trailers, total length 36m (about 120 feet). They destroy roads that never were built for such beasts. The timber companies are supposed to maintain the roads they use, but they do a really cheap job.

We also have windfarm components coming out of the port. The blades are 70m (230 feet) long, and the nacelles weigh about 120 tonnes.

 

[Rustyoznail]

And what happens when an idiot driver of a fully loaded Kenworth decides to drive around a road closed sign and hits about 4 feet of water at 50 mph.

***bugger. Won't let me post it. ***

 

[TxRad]

Chocolate cake with cherry frosting for supper.

Growing up is optional at this point.

Big trucks driving in certain parts of Houston are now required to have water wings.

 

[NotWise]

Growing up is optional at this point.

You've done it once and you have the merit badge. Why would you have to stay that way?

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Discounting the skill of the driver for a moment, I have to wonder at the 'road planners' who put such a perilous roadway for such huge vehicles. I mean, if you gonna have a site for a wind farm (huh !), let us at least expect a decently navigable road for access, huh ?

Time, I think for a mugful of Tea.

well, the roads and the towns and the, you know, geology were all there a long, long time before wind turbines were developed. And the wind turbines have to go where there's a decently steady flow of wind. The one built near where I lived at the time was built in that particular place because of the relative elevation, and that the land was so cheap to purchase (or maybe lease from farmes, I'm not entirely clear).

And, obviously, they did stay on the main roads as long as they could.

Here's the Wikipedia page for the farm i'm referring to: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_Ridge_Wind_Farm

 

[AloneTooLong]

wind farns and Texas

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bu...d-generation-keeps-growing-state-13178629.php

 

[oggbashan]

Coffee! More coffee!

I have just hit submit on my first story for September. It is short for recent oggbashan at 1,650 words.

 

[Handley_Page]

well, the roads and the towns and the, you know, geology were all there a long, long time before wind turbines were developed. And the wind turbines have to go where there's a decently steady flow of wind. The one built near where I lived at the time was built in that particular place because of the relative elevation, and that the land was so cheap to purchase (or maybe lease from farms, I'm not entirely clear).

And, obviously, they did stay on the main roads as long as they could.

Here's the Wikipedia page for the farm i'm referring to: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_Ridge_Wind_Farm

1] If they (?) are going to set up a Wind Farm from scratch, and have to do construction things to make it possible, why not do some construction things by way of navigable roads ? (I have to say that lady driver did an amazing job).

2] Bearing in mind the motive power (the Wind) is nigh-on free, how much less is the electricity Bill for the average householder ?

Of course, we have several windy things, including the 'London Array' off-shore doings.


Enough of this nonsense; it's time for a large coffee.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

1] If they (?) are going to set up a Wind Farm from scratch, and have to do construction things to make it possible, why not do some construction things by way of navigable roads ? (I have to say that lady driver did an amazing job).

2] Bearing in mind the motive power (the Wind) is nigh-on free, how much less is the electricity Bill for the average householder ?

1) Access cost is always one of the design constraints. Building nice, straight, wide roads to move a few large objects is very expensive, not only in terms of money but also in really annoyed people having (for instance) their family farms paved over, especially as the nice new road isn't going to be used much thereafter.

In short, if they can make it work using an existing road network, they'll take it slow and easy, hire really good drivers and hopefully get some good happy-snaps.

2) That's a big question.

In many cases alternate energy is simply not as cost-effective as old, traditional sources. That's changing with newer technology and pollution is always a consideration, but but TANSTAFL still applies.

Another thing to keep in mind is that in almost every location, most alternate energy sources are not 100% reliable. You tend to need some sort of backup generating capability - nuclear, gas, oil or coal - on-line and capable of rapid spin-up to meet the demand when the wind dies down or the sun hides behind the clouds. So that additional capability - a parallel and often redundant generation system - must be factored into the cost.


Personally, not being a physicist or an engineer, I am still putting my hope on breakthroughs in fusion generation.


Meanwhile, a coffee seems in order. Something to push me out the door towards the gym on a cold, dark and rainy morning. Moan, whinge.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Another thing to keep in mind is that in almost every location, most alternate energy sources are not 100% reliable. You tend to need some sort of backup generating capability - nuclear, gas, oil or coal - on-line and capable of rapid spin-up to meet the demand when the wind dies down or the sun hides behind the clouds. So that additional capability - a parallel and often redundant generation system - must be factored into the cost.

Some discussion of that here (Australian context, but much of it applicable elsewhere): https://www.energycentral.com/c/iu/myth-baseload-power-australia

Coal isn't good for rapid spin-up; it takes hours to respond to changes in demand. Storage tech, e.g. batteries, thermal, or pumped hydro, can respond much faster than generators, if you can muster the capacity. The article also notes that wind/solar variability becomes less of an issue as you disperse the grid over a wider area.

Nuclear is safer than coal, all things considered, but it's hideously expensive and takes a long time to build. France started building Flamanville 3 in 2007, due to be finished in 2012; currently the ETA is "not before the end of 2022" and it's blown out from three billion to eleven billion euro.

 

[MagicaPractica]

A lazy Monday morning here. Made a frittata out of left over spicy rice noodles for breakfast. Doing the bare minimum today -playing games with the munchkin, a little writing, etc. We're expecting rain and she goes back to school on Wednesday. Gonna try to work out the plot points for one story today, and create a blog post.I

Have a relaxing day, everyone.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

1] If they (?) are going to set up a Wind Farm from scratch, and have to do construction things to make it possible, why not do some construction things by way of navigable roads ? (I have to say that lady driver did an amazing job).

Yes, i'm sure they built roads in the farm to handle the placement of the things. But they couldn't completely reconstruct 90 miles (144Km) of Interstate (M-roads, I think, are the equivalent in Britain), or the other highways/motorways that led to the general area where the farm was going. Which, IIRC, was another 30 miles (48Km), off the interstate, and reachable only by basic paved raods (one lane in each direction). Not to mention navigating through intersections. I didn't watch the video. What i'm remembering is watching footage of the turbine blade going through one of the towns on the way to the plateau where the farm is situated.

2] Bearing in mind the motive power (the Wind) is nigh-on free, how much less is the electricity Bill for the average householder ?

The farm that was built near me mostly sent it's electicity to New York City (downstate by about 300 miles [500Km]). The area I lived mostly got it's electricity from hydro. And, it wasn't completely online by the time I moved. So I don't know about a cost differential to the average household.

And I concur about the need for coffee.

 

[TxRad]

Good Morning One and All. Fresh coffee for the holiday crowd whether you have one or not.

All of the old coal fired power plants down here are now gas fired. Cheaper and cleaner all the way around. We have more natural gas drilled now than we will use in the next thirty years or so. We are even exporting it.

Ogg, I sent in my first of this moth also and it is the longest of the four I've posted to the Summer contest. We're flooding the market.

Laurel will be sending out feelers to see if our accounts have been hacked by imposters.

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

Just started writing on my Halloween story and already got an idea for a different story. Now the two are wrestling for my attention in my head. It's hard to work on either of them, because the moment I do the other idea demands attention. I like both ideas, and they each have a good reason to be written first. One is very short, so I could write it now and get it out of the way, but the other is pretty long and it would be good to start on it already. So yeah... Could use some coffee while I ponder which story to write.

 

[TxRad]

Just started writing on my Halloween story and already got an idea for a different story. Now the two are wrestling for my attention in my head. It's hard to work on either of them, because the moment I do the other idea demands attention. I like both ideas, and they each have a good reason to be written first. One is very short, so I could write it now and get it out of the way, but the other is pretty long and it would be good to start on it already. So yeah... Could use some coffee while I ponder which story to write.

Plot bunnies breed plot bunnies.

Write the short one and let it stew while you get the long one started good. Then edit the short one and you've got something to submit. The finished one will leave you alone, more or less and you can concentrate on the longer one.

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

Plot bunnies breed plot bunnies.

Write the short one and let it stew while you get the long one started good. Then edit the short one and you've got something to submit. The finished one will leave you alone, more or less and you can concentrate on the longer one.

Good idea, thanks. Will do that.

 

[oggbashan]

Plot Bunnies?

I am trying, but failing, to keep up with plot bunnies bred from my review of outstanding incomplete stories. I have just submitted yet another shortish one.

 

[Handley_Page]

I'm still researching stuff for one of my stories "in production".

But it's gone cool and I need a hot mug full of good Tea.

 

[TxRad]

Have you ever had a runaway nap? Scary things they are.

Fresh coffee for the late evening bunch.

Tomorrow, the last of my Summer Contest crap, uh, stories comes out. I can see you are happy to hear that.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Have you ever had a runaway nap? Scary things they are.

Fresh coffee for the late evening bunch.

Tomorrow, the last of my Summer Contest crap, uh, stories comes out. I can see you are happy to hear that.

I try to have a runaway nap at least once per weekend.

And somehow I doubt any of your stories are crap...

 

[TxRad]

I try to have a runaway nap at least once per weekend.

And somehow I doubt any of your stories are crap...

Oh yeah, there are a few stinkers hiding in all that brush of stories.

 

[TxRad]

Since I'm awake still and checking contest scores, I might as well make a pot of coffee.

Three votes so far. A 2, a 4, and a 5. Pretty much in that order.

 

[NotWise]

Monday comes on Tuesday this week, and I still have writing to do before I have a story for Summer Lovin'.

 

[oggbashan]

Names again! Sigh.

I've just had a useful comment from WilCox on one of my recent stories Auditions Two.

I changed the name of a minor character at the end of page 2, and kept her with the new name until the end - 29 times!

I ought to know better. I know that inconsistency in characters' names is a frequent failing of mine.

I have just submitted an edit to correct that.