Question • Engineering & Physics

Tornado as Energy Source: Cool idea or Lame idea?

raves +3 by KayDee [Racoon] posted Jul 03, 2008 10:46PM GMT

The average tornado contains as much energy as the average power plant, but is completely clean energy. Canadian Engineer, Louis Michaud, has created his own man-made tornado (an Atmospheric Vortex Engine) which can extract 200 megawatts of electricity, which is enough power to run a small city. In order to create a tornado, you simply need to "heat an elevated layer of air so that the temperature is much higher than that of the air below." For 200 megawatts of energy, it would cost $60 Million, but that is lower than just about any other power source for the same amount of power.
intriguing

Share this Question
Grab this Widget
Answers
Results
Who Answered?

Lets start making some tornadoes!
Tornadoes are dangerous... keep thinking.
The idea is intriguing, but....

Comment

Add Image Add Video

resize

* these fields are required to answer the question

* Nick Name

* Email

* Password

Gender

Male
Female

Birthdate

I agree to the SodaHead TOS and Privacy

Top Comment

raves +3 by Seminole Winds posted Jul 04, 2008 09:33AM GMT

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....

Lions & Tigers & Tornadoes..........Oh My!

view thread

Sort By: Raves | Date 1 2 Next » Last » Comments

raves +1 [-] by Cassie12321 posted Jul 09, 2008 04:39PM GMTJuly 09, 2008 16:39:59

reply

Answered Lets start making some tornadoes!
WOO!!!
raves +1 [-] by qwert posted Jul 07, 2008 05:24PM GMTJuly 07, 2008 17:24:44

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
Wow a perpetual motion machine. I laugh in the face of the rules of thermodynamics. Now I'm going to create a car that generates gas as you drive it instead of burning it. Anyone that never studied physics want to send me some research funding. I accept paypal, visa, mastercard and cash
raves +1 [-] by Eddie posted Jul 07, 2008 05:16PM GMTJuly 07, 2008 17:16:42 (edited)

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
I'm more concerned about our safety
raves +2 [-] by maegan posted Jul 06, 2008 10:12PM GMTJuly 06, 2008 22:12:00

reply

Answered Lets start making some tornadoes!
go for it if u can doit safely
raves +2 [-] by Ellie posted Jul 06, 2008 06:26AM GMTJuly 06, 2008 06:26:24

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
How would you harness it?
raves +1 [-] by Meisha|Apocalypse™ posted Jul 05, 2008 12:33AM GMTJuly 05, 2008 00:33:04

reply

Answered Lets start making some tornadoes!
That sounds groovy!
raves +2 [-] by endless-nights posted Jul 04, 2008 09:07PM GMTJuly 04, 2008 21:07:11 (edited)

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
the idea needs to be carefully looked into.
raves [-] by Eddie posted Jul 07, 2008 05:14PM GMTJuly 07, 2008 17:14:20

reply
I agree
raves +1 [-] by stoney posted Jul 04, 2008 02:37PM GMTJuly 04, 2008 14:37:30

reply

Answered Lets start making some tornadoes!
as long as we can control there nature there is hope look at wind turbines
raves +2 [-] by Twilight_Luver_15 posted Jul 04, 2008 09:36AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 09:36:58

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
I do believe in the concept of making the best out of a bad situation, but I think if the idea were to be persued it should be to extract energy from the natural tornadoes,instead of making "man made" ones which could result in a hay-wire operation. (we arent in kansas anymore....)
raves +3 [-] by Seminole Winds posted Jul 04, 2008 09:33AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 09:33:13

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
Lions & Tigers & Tornadoes..........Oh My!
raves +1 [-] by the kid posted Jul 04, 2008 07:43AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 07:43:56

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
I'll get you and your little dog.
raves +2 [-] by ăđăм™ posted Jul 04, 2008 06:08AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 06:08:47

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
Is the energy created enough to off set the energy used to create... Hey this can keep spinning round in circles...
Maybe the whole idea is just hot air blowing in the wind.
raves +1 [-] by Miss Rana ಌSHTBಌ posted Jul 04, 2008 10:06AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 10:06:44

reply
LMAO!
raves +1 [-] by Tonio31 posted Jul 04, 2008 02:05AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 02:05:54 (edited)

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
...it's tornadoes we're talking about.
raves +1 [-] by shanester posted Jul 04, 2008 01:52AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 01:52:14 (edited)

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
I"m not one to vote for tornadoes
raves +1 [-] by alw_ays posted Jul 04, 2008 12:04AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 00:04:30

reply

Answered Lets start making some tornadoes!
mmmm tornadoes...
raves +1 [-] by WinBro777JOT...McCain/Palin'08 posted Jul 03, 2008 11:59PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 23:59:47

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
...I think you'd "throwing your money to the wind!" :}
raves +1 [-] by WinBro777JOT...McCain/Palin'08 posted Jul 04, 2008 12:01AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 00:01:13

reply
Wow! This is a twister on the concept of alternative energy sources! :)
raves +1 [-] by shanester posted Jul 04, 2008 01:51AM GMTJuly 04, 2008 01:51:19

reply
wow, you just full of those aren't ya? Both of them good though!
raves +1 [-] by WinBro777JOT...McCain/Palin'08 posted Jul 04, 2008 02:30PM GMTJuly 04, 2008 14:30:27

reply
Yeah, Dude! I've been told that I was "full of it" all my life! LOL!

That's why I'm so "In-Your-Face" without letting other people's attempts at social "arm-twisting" even matter!

I refuse to be a lemming! I'm me! :) Thanks for the encouragement! :)
raves +1 [-] by Raindropkitten posted Jul 03, 2008 11:43PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 23:43:52

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
i live in Nebraska so i know the devestation they cause and no one wants them to continue and if the devestation is the result so we can have power...then screw that idea lol
raves +1 [-] by Kim [Ninja]™ posted Jul 03, 2008 11:43PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 23:43:35

reply

Answered Lets start making some tornadoes!
You spin me right round right round... Wow that was a lame response. I think this a good idea though!
raves +1 [-] by sd (SHTB) posted Jul 03, 2008 11:33PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 23:33:46

reply

Answered Lets start making some tornadoes!
Maybe.... as long as they were made in a confined fool proof enviroment.
raves +1 [-] by roger posted Jul 03, 2008 10:54PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 22:54:26

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
get real!
raves +1 [-] by Dave Sawyer (McCain-Palin '08) posted Jul 03, 2008 10:52PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 22:52:57

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
How much energy does it take to heat the "elevated layer of air" and where does it come from?

Somewhere over the rainbow may not be that far off?
raves [-] by KayDee [Racoon] posted Jul 03, 2008 10:54PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 22:54:13

reply
good question... i don't know the answer though.. we'll have to find out. =D
raves +1 [-] by Rover.......McCain/Palin '08 posted Jul 06, 2008 12:43AM GMTJuly 06, 2008 00:43:14 (edited)

reply
Ya know, KayDee... the 'global warmers' are gonna get after you! I fear for you... but will protect you!.... LMHO... Let's try harnassing the heat from the volcanoes under the arctic ice cap!!
raves +1 [-] by Ace posted Jul 03, 2008 10:52PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 22:52:33

reply

Answered The idea is intriguing, but....
You need energy to make the tornado in the first place.
raves +2 [-] by Rover.......McCain/Palin '08 posted Jul 03, 2008 10:50PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 22:50:45 (edited)

reply

Answered Tornadoes are dangerous... keep thinking.
I wanna see you chasing a tornado with a whirlygig hooked up to a generator... and if it gets loose???
raves +1 [-] by KayDee [Racoon] posted Jul 03, 2008 10:53PM GMTJuly 03, 2008 22:53:38

reply
do like they do in Twister, and start running!