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1.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Ed Halley, Aug 22nd, 2003 @ 1:09pm

   
   

   The prime benefit to centralized electrical generation is to centralize the pollution. If you reduce pollution in a plant by 1%, that's 1% immediately for all regional users. Conversely, distributed generation is only improved at the whim of the individual owners, much like automobile pollution. How many 1980s "antiques" are still on the road?

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2.  

   Re: No Subject Given

   

   mhh5, Aug 23rd, 2003 @ 11:16pm

   
   

   Hmm. 1) I'm not sure "centralized pollution" is actually a benefit, and it costs a lot to upgrade one big power plant. 2) If you live in CA, all cars made after 1970 must pass a minimum smog test, so presumably, decentralized power plants could be held to the same kind of standards or have their operating licenses revoked.

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3.  

   What about distribution capacity?

   

   dorpus, Aug 24th, 2003 @ 11:42pm

   
   

   On a more mundane level, I read over on Slashdot a few days ago about the electronic problems associated with having decentralized power generation systems. Even with centralized generation, we do have a complex system of high-powered lines and transformers, vulnerable to choke points.
   
   
   

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4.  

   Wrong question, wrong answer

   

   Paul Jardine, Sep 28th, 2006 @ 5:52am

   
   

   I don't think the issue is with generating power, it's with storage.
   Take the IP world where there is streaming video, and stuff you download. If I can store power locally for later usage and 'bit-torrent' it down to my local storage, then peer-to-peer power supply is a definite possibility.

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5.  

   home built power plant

   

   frank, Jun 29th, 2008 @ 11:36am

   
   

   it can be done..theres a componie called EEStor. who claims to have produced a new batery that will replace all we have and be the answere to any problem relateing baytery storage.and the rest ime not going to elabarate on.its not rockit science and if one would educate them selves on all the new /old ways of skinning a cat .think out of the box.and allso think beond large componies holding your life in bondage by owning your sorce of power.this would free up the plants we allreddy have to deal with large catastrofic disasters witch are going to happen. i think i said enough.its more then possable ,the only rezistance we will have is big money not wanting to let go of its strangle hold on the american people ,the verry thing thats been holding us back.

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6.  

   

   Rakhitha Karunarathne, Aug 14th, 2008 @ 8:58pm

   
   

   Centralizing the pollution has many advantages.
   1. You can move the pollution to a area that minimizes the impact.
   
   2. Some of the pollutants can be collected, managed, used commercially when they are produced in large quantities.
   
   3. Also upgrading a one large plant actually cost less than upgrading million smaller plants. (most of the time)

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