How could we collect energy from lightning bolt streamers for use by humans in electricity or otherwise?

Question

I am thinking electrically using current transformers, but there must be many ways if we can predict where lightning will strike or it's path? Just being in the vicinity of a lightning strike with a collection device for that energy would put you in an ideal collection point, for possibly sending some of that energy to a storage device?

Being around a strike of lightning could charge giant capacitors that could save enough energy to be released slower later into the grid using batteries that could be charged or what have you? Heating water to steam? The list could go on and on.

And how about turning water into steam with heaters?

Man is already capable of identifying receptors for lightning on earth, right?

What would be our roadblocks in this endeavor?

Answer 1

Mostly the impractical nature of it all, coupled with the inability to predict lightning strike locations.  The cost of a set of capacitors that can suddenly absorb that much power in the course of a second or so, then gradually meter it out, would be enormous.  And then you'd have to have them scattered about across the countryside, in order to catch enough strikes to be practical.  

Besides - geothermal energy is everywhere, much cheaper, a lot quieter, doesn't stand out like a sore thumb or giant windmill, and probably won't curl your hair when you try to collect it.