prodigal1 wrote:
RW Salnick wrote:

As soon as it becomes economically feasible to tear down the coal-,
oil- or gas-burning power plants and replace them with windmills
and/or solar cells, it will be done.


Welcome to the future. The province of Ontario will see the building of
nearly 3000 windmills over the next 5 years. Total output of 4500
megawatts or approx. 17% of the province's maximum daily summertime
usage. At a current construction cost of approx. $2.5 million each, the
construction costs are recouped in 10 years at current electricity rates.

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Loc...24583-sun.html

not that this has anything to do with hydrogen fueled boats

It does answer the question that was asked "where are we going to
get all this energy?" That was intended to "charge up the hydrogen
tanks," but is relevant whatever conditioning the energy requires to
substitute for fossil hydrocarbons.

If high compession H2 storage is elusive, it leaves it to us to
consider what format for H2 could benefit from low pressure tanks,
and that solitary format inevitably involves a gasbag, dirigible or
otherwise, even inflated kite sails made from non-static materials.

I want a low noise, low cost helicopter style sailboat, and am
convinced that a dirigible, pre-stressed inflated frame will make it
possible, if a little gargantuan. A neutral bouyancy active
hydrodynamic keel would enable an airship sailshape to sail to
windward. A longer line should enable a dirigible sailboat to
handle high seas and high winds over deep water.

Imagine a lawn chair, suspended on ropes by an H2 sail shaped
(lifting body shape) dirigible, and using a steerable lightweight
leeboard towed below in the water. A bellows able to apply nad
release a little overpressure to an inner chamber containing a
percentage of the H2 might enable a dirigible to ascend or descend
like a fish using a swim bladder only, or water could act as it does
in a MAC 26.

Tents and dodgers with inflated tube frames are the newest thing,
soon to become more popular than cheap balloon sofas?

A question in this regard, previously unanswered: at what pressure
does hydrogen weigh the same as air at STP? About 8 or 9
atmospheres? Could a kevlar or carbon fibre bag sealed with some
plastic film inside maintain neutral bouyancy (in air) H2 fuel pressure?

Neccessity is not yet percieved as pregnant enough, I guess.

Terry K