Can Windmills cause Global Cooling???

During another one of my now frequent brain storming sessions, where I think about everything from the upcoming harry Potter flick, to the electro magnetic pulses generated as a result of a Nuclear explosion, I made a rather startling observation. Wind power which is touted as one of the most promising alternative source of energy, might actually have long term consequences on the regional weather and may be even climate.

Winds, as we all know, are caused mainly by differential heating of Earth, so they can be imagined as agents taking energy (heat) from the hot regions (near the equator which receive maximum solar radiation)towards the poles. Similarly there are seasonal winds and local ones near large water bodies, where they are produced due to high specific heat of water, which makes sure that there is always a temperature gradient during the day and night(Wind blows from the water body towards the Land during day, and vice versa during the night). There are also localized forms, where vertical winds are produced due to high temperature at the sea level compared to higher altitudes.

Now, a wind turbine taps the Kinetic energy of the wind (which is in turn a function of the temperature gradient across which wind flow is taking place). So, at the outlet, the wind will have significantly less speed as compared to the upstream of the turbine. So, for this subdued wind to reach its destination (where it would have reached had there not been a wind turbine), the wind will have to absorb the heat from the downstream of the wind mill. And there we have it, the wind mill has resulted in localized regional cooling.

So, let us assume that we install a sufficient number of wind turbines near, say a coastline. So by above logic, wind flowing from the sea towards the surface will loose a major part of its energy at the turbine(where we are harnessing this energy to produce electricity), and will absorb heat from the surface in the turbines's downstream to renew its onward journey. So, we are seeing a localized cooling effect (neglecting heat generated due to blade friction, which might as well cancel out the marginal cooling thus produced).

So, while also helping the cause of Green energy, the wind mills may also offset global warming.

But it should be noted that in a sufficiently large number they can also influence local weather in the immediate vicinity and the implications of any such trends can not be simplified based on just a few scientific variables.

A new Solar approach...

During one of my off late recurring sessions of black-out, where I stare at nothing in particular, thinking about vague things, I came up with the idea of using Silicon based photo voltaic cells in a new way.

We all know that Silicon being a semi-conductor (having an energy gap in between that of metals and non-metals) gets excited by a certain frequency of electro-magnetic radiation, which leads to production of holes (absence of electrons) which leads to a current in the circuit. Since, photons of visible light are able to provide this requisite energy, solar cells are used in a few commercial purposes as an alternative, clean energy source.

However, this method has one disadvantage. Due to the rotation of Earth about its axis, we do not get the electricity during night or even cloudy days, when there is no sunlight; and even during the length of a day, the orientation of the solar panels needs to be adjusted continuously to get the highest intensity of light, thus making solar energy obsolete for large scale purpose.

Which brings us to my new idea, that of using solar photo voltaic effect to produce electricity from the residual radioactivity from the fuel used in nuclear plants or spent fuel which needs to be disposed off safely, and has no use. After all, the energy carried by the Gamma rays produced as a result of radioactivity has a much higher energy (though that won't influence the amount of electricity so produced) than visual light, so it can very well be used. There are still a few loose points in this theory regarding how to maximise the intensity of the Gamma rays to an extent as to make for economical electricity production (which unlike in the case of visible light will be available round the clock and throughout the year),and if there will be some effect on the Silicon nuclei as a result of this residual radioactivity, which might affect its properties. There is also the issue of practicality of such an experiment, as maintenance of the solar panels will be difficult in such high radiation zones.

Nevertheless, I personally believe that such alternatives need to be considered if we want solar photo voltaic technology to be feasible enough for large scale purpose.

Not a party person...

After spending 3 years at the college, it will come as a surprise to many people that I have attended a total of 4 parties in the last three years, 2 of which were school affairs.

I feel helpless while formulating a valid reason to not attand a party. Not only do I have to make sure that the person concerned does not imagine apparent contempt towards their achievement from me, but also that the reason seems reasonable enough.

Having said that, it is my humble appeal to all my friends that I do not need a party for an excuse to feel happy about your achievement, I already am, and I sincerely hope that all of you succeed in your respective lives. So, please be understanding when I quite unceremoniously or bluntly tell you that I won't attend your job or b'day treat. Nor do I feel the need to throw an exorbitant party, just to make you feel good about my accomplishment. So, if I ever do give a party, it will be a decidedly small affair, most probably in the eternally cheap canteen.

If it is of interest to you, when I was young, I used to celebrate my b'day 3-4 times a year, as a one year wait seemed a bit too long to me. But over the years, I have transitioned into a completely different person. I am uncomfortable in very large gatherings (more than 8-9 people) as it becomes difficult to process all that information at one go. I do not generally dance in large crowds(I do not think of it as dance, some people just keep on jumping at a single spot, while others make wierd gestures with their limbs). So, logically speaking there is not much for me to do at a party.

The following lines may sound as if coming from an obnoxious person and a protectionist economist. I am sure most of my friends will not agree with most of the stuff, as they hold emotional value in much high regard over anything materialistic. But this is a no holds barred narrative, so bear with me. And for the record, I am a supporter of free market economy.

I feel that partying is the most inefficient way of splurging hard-earned money. It does not involve possession of any hard commodity so it does not have any intrinsic physical value. Though I agree, it does fuel demand for the ever-expanding Hospitality industry, I would rather prefer Foreign income in the form of Tourism instead of recirculation of Domestic currency. This may sound protectionist as it invariably supports a decrease in economic activity, and a higher savings rate, these are my real views on the phenomenon of partying.

I am also sceptical (as is my favourite screen character Mr. Sheldon Cooper) of the institution of Gift giving. Not only is it a tedious and wasteful enterprise, it involves careful analysis of the physical and emotional needs of a person better understood by the individual himself. So, I would prefer if instead of spending on a party, you would spend your money on something that you hope to buy for yourself some day.

That being said, do party hard. You have my best wishes!!!