Harnessing the power of lightning?

Question

why haven't scientists developed a way to harness the power of lightning? i know there are many variables such as there is no guarantee when and where lightning will strike....but it is cheap, virtually no pollution, and seems relatively simple

Answer 1

They already have the technology to make it. Just attach a transformer to a lightning rod. To store all that energy, they could use electrolysis.

They don't do it (as you said) because lightning is unpredictable which makes it an unreliable source. It probably costs money to maintain equipment.

Answer 2

There are ways, but it costs too much to do it.. And, the results that you get are pathetic, there's not really that much 'useful' energy in lightning as you may think ;)

~DigiTaLizeD

Answer 3

There are a couple problems.  First, as you have noted, there is no way to know when or where one will strike.  Another problem is even if one could induce a strike, there is a storage problem.  Lightning is powerful, but very very brief.  There is currently no way to store that much power in the brief time that the lightning strikes.  Storage units for electricity typically need time to safely build and store the energy, certainly much longer than the second or two that lightning occurs at any one time.