https://rockawayrecycling.com/scrap-metal-prices-for-ny/
ENGL Proposal
Thunderbolt High Output Reactor(THOR)
Group: Ebtida Ahmed, Fadi Butt, Alex Enrique Castillo, Kowshik Barua, Jannat Nabonee, Martin Lopez
Summary: Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydropower, biomass and geothermal, offer promising alternatives to conventional fossil fuels, primarily due to their lower environmental impact. While these sources contribute to a cleaner energy mix, they are not without challengers. The environmental footprint and potential ecosystem disruption of these sources increase. Solar panels are the number one competitor in this market for renewable source for an individual consumer. With our new project we intend to rival this market by creating a safe and budget friendly form of renewable energy. The project aims to develop a copper-based lightning rod system designed to harness electrical energy for multiple households. Professional installation services will be employed to ensure safety and efficacy. The system incorporates one large generator able to hold 20,000 watts and two smaller generators able to hold 5,500 watts to efficiently generate electricity. The allocated budget includes $8,000 for the generators and $10,000 for the remaining components such as the copper for the top of the rod, and the wires on the rest of the rod connecting the base to the generators. The budget for this project is $18,000-20,000. This allocation reflects our commitment to cost-effective solutions without compromising the quality and functionality of the lightning rod system. Our goal is to ensure that resources are optimally utilized to achieve the desired outcomes.
Introduction: Electricity bills are issues for many people, and the only apparent solution is finding a renewed and efficient way to harness more energy at once in order to cut costs for all parties involved. The problem is the amount electricity bills can add up to, especially in cities with indefinite bills and costs constantly increasing. Our plan to counter this is to have a system that captures lightning, converts the wattage from the lightning, and stores it in multiple generators to prepare for a power outage or use it instead of conventional electricity. This is similar to solar panels but can generate copious amounts of energy simultaneously, as lightning bolts produce up to 1.21 gigawatts. This can provide energy for around 800,000 houses at once for one year and can be helpful to a largely populated city with only a few THOR mechanisms involved and bench the idea of solar panels completely. The approximate price range of solar panels for one home is $15,000-$20,000, and this is relative to our price range which is approximately $30,000 for one tower, but it accomplishes far less at once. Take the budget of NYC for the 2024 Fiscal Year Budget of $107 billion; if the city were to pay for everyone’s solar panels individually, it would far surpass 2024’s budget, whereas if they were to optimize THOR, it’d cost less and have a more extensive coverage. Although we don’t anticipate as much use for them in an area like New York, even they have a storm season, and only a few harnessed lightning strikes can power all of the buildings and homes in Manhattan alone. Not only can it benefit areas that don’t get as much rain/lightning, but it can significantly benefit more tropical areas and cut costs on electricity as a whole.
Technical Description:
Lightning rods: Copper rods are placed on top of the large generator tower and designed to efficiently attract lightning strikes. In the event of a lightning strike, these copper-based rods attract the electricity, establishing a direct pathway into the large generator.
Cables: Copper cables link the lightning rod to the primary generator, and they additionally interconnect the primary generator with the two smaller generators for efficient distribution of electricity in the storage.
Energy Storage Unit: The energy storage unit stores electrical energy and apply protective measures to safeguard against potential lightning-induced damage.
Distribution System: The energy distribution system monitors regulation of electricity flow to the two smaller generators and provides electricity to households based on their current energy requirements.
Innovation:
The lightning rod tower will be centralized around buildings that it will be operating on and will be 9 feet tall. Each tower will power multiple buildings. The generators will be placed under the tower in order to make sure that no buildings catch fire or explode from within. There will be copper wires connecting the rod to the generators since copper is a good conductor of electricity. There will be a PVC pipe coating those wires that run from the rod to the generator to maximize power input. The Generations will be connected to a person’s house via underground tunneling to ensure that the wire does not get torn by some wild animal or by poor weather conditions. 1 Lightning rod tower will take on 30kw worth of generators, meaning 5-6 regular household generators or 2-3 big generators.
- 1 lightning rod tower.
- 20 kw power generator.
- 10 kg of PVC pipes.
- 3 lb of copper wiring.
Appendices :
A: Cost Breakdown for Lightning Rod Tower Project
1.Lightning Rod Tower Components:
- Copper materials for the lightning rod: $400 – $500
- PVC tubes for insulation: $0.27 – $0.28 per kilogram
- Copper wires for electrical connections:
-Copper Tubing/Flashing: $3.00/lb
-Copper Tubing/Bus Bar: $2.85/lb
-Insulated Copper Wire: $1.00/lb
- Koher 20 Kw Aluminum Home Standby Generator: $4,990.00
- Installation cost: $1,500.00
- Total Budget Allocation:
- Generators (including one large and two smaller generators): $8,000
- Lightning rod materials (copper, PVC, copper wires): Approximately $500
- Installation cost: $1,500
- Total Project Budget: $20,000
B: Project Overview
Renewable Energy Source: Lightning Rod System
Objective: Our project aims to develop a copper-based lightning rod system designed to harness electrical energy for multiple households. The system will capture lightning, convert its wattage, and store it in generators to provide an alternative and cost-effective source of electricity. The primary goal is to offer a budget-friendly and efficient renewable energy solution that can rival traditional solar panels.
Project Components:
- Copper materials for the lightning rod
- PVC tubes for insulation
- Copper wires for electrical connections
- Koher 20 Kw Aluminum Home Standby Generator
- Installation services
Project Scope: The lightning rod system will consist of one large generator capable of holding 20,000 watts and two smaller generators with a capacity of 5,500 watts each. The system will efficiently generate electricity from lightning strikes.
Environmental Impact: This renewable energy solution seeks to minimize environmental impact by utilizing naturally occurring lightning strikes, reducing the need for conventional electricity generation methods that rely on fossil fuels.
Budget Allocation: The budget for this project is allocated as follows:
- Generators: $8,000
- Lightning rod materials: Approximately $500
- Installation: $1,500
- Total Project Budget Range: $18,000 – $20,000
C: Comparison with Solar Panels
Solar Panel Cost:
Approximate cost for one home: $15,000 – $30,000
Lightning Rod System Benefits:
- Can generate copious amounts of energy simultaneously.
- Lightning bolts produce up to 1.21 gigawatts.
- Can provide energy for a large number of houses at once.
- Especially beneficial for areas with sporadic rain/lightning.
- Potential to significantly reduce electricity costs in tropical areas.
- Suitable for areas with storm seasons.
Profit:
It would be 50% of profit. 40% will be used to have a secure profit; the other 10% is for any general risks or eventualities such as transportation damages, installation damages and/or any other deduction that may occur, as well as for discounts or offers due to price complaints. This 10 % will protect the 40% of safe profit and our budget from being affected.
In short terms the total price would be $30,000. $20,000 for total expenses, $8,000 for safe profit and $2,000 for any damages that could happen.
Potential Impact:
- A few harnessed lightning strikes can power multiple buildings and homes.
- Can benefit densely populated areas like Manhattan during power outages.
- Offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional solar panels.
Our lightning rod system presents a promising renewable energy solution that can outperform solar panels in terms of energy generation and cost-effectiveness.
Conclusion: Our project aims to provide a sustainable and efficient source of electricity by harnessing the power of lightning. With a budget-friendly approach and a commitment to quality, we aim to revolutionize the renewable energy market and provide a viable alternative to traditional solar panels.
Credit
https://www.xometry.com/resources/materials/polypropylene-vs-pvc/
https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/Kohler-20RCA-Standby-Generator/p102508.html?gad=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9tCh9ZPBggMVmU1yCh383wxbEAQYASABEgJRrvD_BwE
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