How about harnessing the energy of the earths rotation? surley it could be done?

Question

How about harnessing the energy of the earths rotation? surley it could be done?

Answer 1

Yes, it's called wind.

Answer 2

As others have said, HOW? Capturing energy from ocean tides is the closest thing to doing that, but it isn't a very good energy source and so has been done only in a few special cases.

Answer 3

To use it is to stop it or slow it. Please read the "1st law of thermodynamics" or conseveration of energy.

Answer 4

and how do you plan on doing that?

Answer 5

I wouldn't mess with the earths rotation.

Answer 6

There's a mini market on the banks of the Hudson River in New York( in the Hudson Bay) that gets all its electricity from an underwater turbine spun by the tides and currents of the river. That's the only way dude. What else?

Answer 7

I know a guy, about 80, who is working on some kind of gyroscope which stays oriented one way while the earth moves.  Apparently he wants to harness the energy of 1 rotation per day, with *lots* of torque.

Answer 8

This is essentially how tidal energy works, as the tides are cause by the rotation of the earth and the moon's gravity.  Tidal energy is being harnessed in numerous places already.

Answer 9

would be too difficult, would have to attach something to another planet or the moon which in itself wouldn't be exactly stable, with the speeds we are talking about it would have to be smooth, also the shape is eliptical so the machine would have to stretch.

Answer 10

Some of the answers have good points, but they lack or have little explanation.

In general, energy of all forms is captured by harnessing something moving. In order to harness energy from something moving a stationary object is required. The stationary object proves to be a problem when you think about harnessing the earths rotation.

Geothermal power plants harness heat from underground...or locations where heat from underground is released into the atmosphere. The heat is harnessed in steam, then as the pressure of the steam is used to power mechanical movement it is released into the atmosphere. The power plant is the stationary object in relation to the flow of heat.

Hydro power plants harness Earths gravity from locations where large pools of water exist in a high location, and the water travels to the ocean. The hydro power plant is the stationary object in relation to the flowing water.

Solar power plants collect energy from the suns rays passing through them, bouncing off of them, or simply heating them. The solar collectors are stationary in relation to the suns rays.

Coal power plants, and other external combustion power plants burn coal to generate heat, then the heat is used in the same way geothermal power plants do before being released into the atmosphere.

Though some of the principles of internal combustion engines are the same, it is beyond the scope of this post to explain. I will point out that there are few similarities.

There is a major problem that we have to overcome Not counting the environmental effects. The only place I can see to put the stationary object is in space. (if it's on the planet it will spin with the planet, and thus not be stationary) As it harnesses the earth's rotation, it will want to start moving with earth, and we will need to use some power source to make it stationary in relationship to earth again. That power source will use more energy than is created based on all the laws of science. We might as well use the power source used to hold the stationary object in place to create the initial power.

That doesn't mean that we will never be able to harness a planets rotation to create more useful energy just that right now with our current technology it doesn't make sense to. I would imagine that by the time we can reasonable do so we will be beyond the need to because we will have far better power sources.

Answer 11

Nope. maybe tidal though.

Answer 12

I'm really not trying to sound like a smart mouth, but the way I see it,

We already do, wind energy.  It's the same principle as driving down the road.  When you're inside the car, you don't feel the wind, but if you roll down the windows, the wind goes screaming by.  

The earth works the same way.  You are travelling the same speed as the earth, but the earth is spinning so fast that you feel the smallest winds.