To crap with the Chevy Volt

[Jasper]

Huh.  Okay, and I assume that includes storm drains too?

[East Coast Hustle]

I don't know if that's actually feasible, but it's certainly a clever idea.

[Kai]

Huh.  Okay, and I assume that includes storm drains too?

Output of storm drains is untreated, it is simply piped to the nearest stream or lake.

[Jasper]

Huh.  Okay, and I assume that includes storm drains too?

Output of storm drains is untreated, it is simply piped to the nearest stream or lake.

Right, so those storm pipes could possibly be used to generate power?

Especially if you designed a storm drain system that was meant to generate the most possible power. 

[Kai]

Huh.  Okay, and I assume that includes storm drains too?

Output of storm drains is untreated, it is simply piped to the nearest stream or lake.

Right, so those storm pipes could possibly be used to generate power?

Especially if you designed a storm drain system that was meant to generate the most possible power. 

It could work. Would be event driven however. Only useful in the wettest climates.

[Jasper]

Oh, this is interesting.

http://earthanet.com/2008/01/28/plasma-arc-gasification-turning-garbage-into-gas/

Garbage into energy. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

yeah, it's called "hydroelectric power".

Incidentally, I had an idea.  I'm obviously no engineer, but what's stopping us from getting hydroelectric from certain city sewer systems?

You are trolling, aren't you?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Huh.  Okay, and I assume that includes storm drains too?

Output of storm drains is untreated, it is simply piped to the nearest stream or lake.

Right, so those storm pipes could possibly be used to generate power?

Especially if you designed a storm drain system that was meant to generate the most possible power. 

It could work. Would be event driven however. Only useful in the wettest climates.

In such wet climates, what with there being a river right there and all, and it would take such a quantity of stormwater routed together in a completely revamped drainage system, it might make more sense to just build hydroelectric plants right at the riv... oh, wait.

[Kai]

Huh.  Okay, and I assume that includes storm drains too?

Output of storm drains is untreated, it is simply piped to the nearest stream or lake.

Right, so those storm pipes could possibly be used to generate power?

Especially if you designed a storm drain system that was meant to generate the most possible power. 

It could work. Would be event driven however. Only useful in the wettest climates.

In such wet climates, what with there being a river right there and all, and it would take such a quantity of stormwater routed together in a completely revamped drainage system, it might make more sense to just build hydroelectric plants right at the riv... oh, wait.

Right. I was just considering whether it could work, not whether it made sense.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Huh.  Okay, and I assume that includes storm drains too?

Output of storm drains is untreated, it is simply piped to the nearest stream or lake.

Right, so those storm pipes could possibly be used to generate power?

Especially if you designed a storm drain system that was meant to generate the most possible power. 

It could work. Would be event driven however. Only useful in the wettest climates.

In such wet climates, what with there being a river right there and all, and it would take such a quantity of stormwater routed together in a completely revamped drainage system, it might make more sense to just build hydroelectric plants right at the riv... oh, wait.

Right. I was just considering whether it could work, not whether it made sense.

Yes, of course. I'm sorry you were caught in the wake of my mockery, I know you would not be so silly.

[East Coast Hustle]

Oh, this is interesting.

http://earthanet.com/2008/01/28/plasma-arc-gasification-turning-garbage-into-gas/

Garbage into energy. 

they turn trash into energy at a plant near where I live.

the people downwind of it have the most justifiable case of NIMBY ever.

[Kai]

Oh, this is interesting.

http://earthanet.com/2008/01/28/plasma-arc-gasification-turning-garbage-into-gas/

Garbage into energy. 

they turn trash into energy at a plant near where I live.

the people downwind of it have the most justifiable case of NIMBY ever.

Yeah, just think of all those VOC's and toxic/heavy metal particulates raining down on the countryside or the oceans.

[Jasper]

Oh, this is interesting.

http://earthanet.com/2008/01/28/plasma-arc-gasification-turning-garbage-into-gas/

Garbage into energy. 

they turn trash into energy at a plant near where I live.

the people downwind of it have the most justifiable case of NIMBY ever.

Yeah, just think of all those VOC's and toxic/heavy metal particulates raining down on the countryside or the oceans.

I'd be interested to know if they're using plasma arc gasification.  Only a couple places have started using it so far.

[Jasper]

Just burning garbage isn't what I'm talking about.

It uses plasma.
http://www.rexresearch.com/circeo/circeo.htm

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I do honestly, at least in my river-rich region, think we need a lot more modern, dam-free hydropower plants.

Felix, plasma incineration seems promising... did you read the whole article?

Here is a related article:
http://www.slate.com/id/2181083/

I honestly think garbage-to-ethanol systems are a better bet, but who knows... the next 15-20 years should reveal a lot.