2011 what should KI get

[alluna]

Yes. But as I`ve said, the investment on a per kilowatt hour basis is still more expensive than coal power. So parks have little incentive to invest the capital. And while his utility bill drastically decreased, it doesn`t mention how much money he invest in reducing his utility bill. Given the huge surges seen when some rides operate, solar power is unrealistic to provide all the power to a park. Can a park use solar power to help offset some peak demand energy usage and save a little bit on their energy bill. Of course. Has it been done before. Yes, see my example of Dollywood. Is it something most seasonal parks are going to do? No, because they are not open year round, and would not likely see a big enough benefit.

And technically, they would be selling the energy back to Duke, since Duke Energy Ohio has the service area in Mason.

Hagman's setup was $750,000.00. You can watch him talk about it in the video included in the realty link I provided in the last post: http://hookedonhouse...or-9-5-million/ This was in 2003, so the cost would be more, but is probably right around a mil or so. And does it matter if they're selling it back to Duke or Mason? They can most definitely sell it. Someone here also said that solar energy can not be stored or is difficult to store, which is not the case.

From Wikipedia:

Solar energy is not available at night, and energy storage is an important issue because modern energy systems usually assume continuous availability of energy.^[96]

Thermal mass systems can store solar energy in the form of heat at domestically useful temperatures for daily or seasonal durations. Thermal storage systems generally use readily available materials with high specific heat capacities such as water, earth and stone. Well-designed systems can lower peak demand, shift time-of-use to off-peak hours and reduce overall heating and cooling requirements.^[97][98]

Phase change materials such as paraffin wax and Glauber's salt are another thermal storage media. These materials are inexpensive, readily available, and can deliver domestically useful temperatures (approximately 64 °C). The "Dover House" (in Dover, Massachusetts) was the first to use a Glauber's salt heating system, in 1948.^[99]

Solar energy can be stored at high temperatures using molten salts. Salts are an effective storage medium because they are low-cost, have a high specific heat capacity and can deliver heat at temperatures compatible with conventional power systems. The Solar Two used this method of energy storage, allowing it to store 1.44 TJ in its 68 m³ storage tank with an annual storage efficiency of about 99%.^[100]

Off-grid PV systems have traditionally used rechargeable batteries to store excess electricity. With grid-tied systems, excess electricity can be sent to the transmission grid. Net metering programs give these systems a credit for the electricity they deliver to the grid. This credit offsets electricity provided from the grid when the system cannot meet demand, effectively using the grid as a storage mechanism.^[101]

Pumped-storage hydroelectricity stores energy in the form of water pumped when energy is available from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation one. The energy is recovered when demand is high by releasing the water to run through a hydroelectric power generator.^[102]

Just sayin.

[Fear the Four]

It is entirely possible to run large amounts with electricity with solar panels. Larry Hagman, (Major Nelson from I Dream of Jeannie and J.R. from Dallas) has enough solar panels on his property that he actually generates enough energy to sell back to the city and power the houses that surround his house! I think the simply quoting how much energy it takes to run each ride isn't a feasible argument on what could provide that energy. You have to also look at how much kw an array of panels can put out.

Larry's ranch is on 43 acres. From his realtor: "Hagman is a major proponent of alternative energy and equipped his estate with one of the largest residential solar power systems in the United States. When Hagman first installed the system in 2003, his annual electric bill plummeted from $37,000 to $13. His system generates some 150,000 kilowatts per hour enough energy to power not only the entire estate, but a dozen or more average households."

150,000 kw per hour provided by a system installed on private property. Imagine what could be done if a theme park budget took some land and put solar panels on it. Even if you didn't set up the system to power ALL of the electricity needs, a system like this can ALWAYS offset the cost and use of resources. I think that some people here are missing the point. Offsetting a percentage of the cost is still a significant savings. It would take time to install an array of panels to cover all electricity needs, but a small portion of existing panels will still save lots of money and offset those energy needs.

So even if you have an array that only puts out 150,000kw per hour, like Hagmans, that would be 319 rides on Delirium per hour (a silly amount, I know, but I'm going with the numbers already provided), 40 rides on Back Lot Stunt Coaster per hour, or 300 rides on The Crypt per hour (again, an unlikely amount per HOUR, but you get the idea.)

Do you know how much power it takes to run rides. I did some research and here are some examples.

Delrium(giant frisbee)- 470kw

The crypt(giant top spin)- approx 500kw

HUSS rides

Back lot stunt coaster(LIM Terrain Following Coaster) 3,700kw but I'm not so sure on this one.

Premier rides

Could solar sytems be used for powering rides? No

Simply saying 'ooh' and 'ahh' at the number of kw needed to provide BLSC with power is not a good basis for a statement such as 'Could solar sytems be used for powering rides? No '

Yes, it sounds like a lot of power, but solar panels are quite capable of producing it.

Those were examples I was using. There is no way to run a whole park off of solar panels. I'm sure rides like The Beast, Diamondback, Flight of Fear, The Racers, Firehawk, and maybe even the fountains use a lot more power then the rides I listed.

Like CoastersRZ posted...

Well, remember that Cincinnati sees a lot of cloudy days. PV panels become even less efficient when it is cloudy out. When it is really cloudy, they are essentially useless until the sun comes out. They also are not very efficient (in the range of 60 to 70 percent) because they produce electricity in direct current, which then has to be transformed into alternating current, which is the standard in the United States. Another factor, is that electricity cannot be effectively stored. So even if the park were to install PV panels, they`d still have to be connected to the grid. And, electricity produced by coal (which is what is used primarily in the Cincinnati area) is relatively cheap per kilowatt hour. PV is more expensive than coal per kwH. There simply isn`t a financial incentive for the large outlay of capital to switch over to solar electricity.

Switching to Solar is not the best option. I Don't know where Kings Island can put a acre of Solar panels in. Beyond from center of the park all it is hills and valley's.

[selective]

I can do it.... cause I think different than most people...

Everyone that says it can't be done already has a picture in their mind of what they THINK is needed, and this is where everyone goes wrong.

OK.... plain and simple

the cost is $1.00 a watt

the rest of the cost would be for building them and installing them. Which is not much.

Space could be over the entire parking lot which would offer shade for vehicles from the sun, and on the frames of the coasters, and roof tops of all the buildings.

It doesn't have to be sunny all the time. The solar systems collect electricity and store it, so figuring out the most time needed between power storage is the first step.

The technology now is very advanced. They even discovered how to make plastic and paints that collect solar power. Solar Panels now make twice as much power in half the size they used to in 2008.

[Guest IceCream329]

I like the idea but I really wouldn't like the idea having a dark parking lot.......and KI runs on WAY WAY WAY too much electricity....having solar panels over the parking lot alone won't even come close to the energy needed to run the park....Also the park has come up with many new ideas for cleaner environment....The park is going green, they said that they will be having more environmentally friendly ways of operation!! Recycling, ect..

EDIT: the park does do alot for the environment, you may not see it but I do, and I sure am proud!!!

[Fear the Four]

Space could be over the entire parking lot which would offer shade for vehicles from the sun, and on the frames of the coasters, and roof tops of all the buildings.

Delete

[TH13TEEN]

^ SHOCKER! That cost money...

[CoastersRZ]

Solar panels can, and have been used in parking lots before. As mentioned, this reduced the urban heat island effect caused by passive solar heat gain on the parking lot surface/cars parked in the parking lot. Check out this image to see an example of how solar panels are used in parking lots:

Selective, I still think you grossly underestimate the cost of PVs. Not to mention that there are tons of intelligent people currently working on them to perfect them and bring their price down so that they are more affordable. Secondly, you mentioned that the panels can store the power. That is not accurate. They produce the power. While some energy can be stored in batteries, this is again not very efficient and you loose some power in the transfer to the batteries. That is why the current electric grid is dependent on real time consumption. In other words, utilities generate exactly enough electricity to meet the demands at any given time, since they cannot effectively store it for use at a later time.

[TH13TEEN]

Put it this way... Kings Island in 2011 will NOT get solar panels. Not for a long time that is...

I can do it.... cause I think different than most people...

We've noticed.

[The Interpreter]

...This would have to turn right-side-up for the break areas though, cause if it ever broke down there's no way I want to be stuck upside-down....

Kings Island has already had a coaster with a break area. July 9, 2006. Once was more than enough....

[TH13TEEN]

^ Horrible day indeed.

[beastrider97]

As my signature suggests, theneed to GET rid of SoB and add a good ride...

[bkroz]

EDIT PART DEUX:[/b] Also, there is an off-season at KI where the produced energy could be sent right back into the Mason grid. Essentially, KI could sell the unused energy to the city during these months.

The idea of sunshine touching Ohio between November and March!

[CoastersRZ]

Beastrider97, the day of record breaking coasters being built is essentially over. There simply is not a big enough return on investment to continue building them. Yes, Intimidator 305 is one of the tallest coasters built in the country, and it just opened. But Kings Dominion is in the same general market as Busch Gardens Europe, so they had to differentiate the ride somewhat from Apollo`s Chariot. Look at Diamondback. Its not a record breaking ride, but most would agree it is an excellent ride, and exactly the type of ride that Kings Island needed.

[gad198]

I'd love to see KI get something along the lines of the Breakdance down at Kentucky Kingdom. It's one of the few flats I immediately wanted to re-ride. The only thing with that ride is the relatively high height requirement, but man that thing was so much fun!

[RingMaster]

It should also be duly noted that Kings Island has a lot of firsts, onlys, and regular record-breakers in its lineup:

Invertigo - only inverted face-to-face coaster in the Midwest

Drop Tower - Tallest gyro drop

Delirium - first Giant Frisbee

Son of Beast - tallest, fastest wooden coaster (used to also be the only coaster with a loop)

Flight of Fear - first LIM-launched coaster

Vortex - first coaster to have six inversions

Firehawk - only flying coaster in Ohio

The Beast - Longest wooden coaster

The Crypt - only Giant Top Spin (for good reason, ) and also only indoor Top Spin

Diamondback - only coaster of its kind (hyper/mega coaster) with a splashdown finale

Flying Ace Aerial Chase - first kids' inverted coaster

Surf Dog - only Disko Coaster with a Skater-style car

[selective]

CoastersRZ

When I said they collect electricity and store it, I was explaining how the entire solar system works when fully rigged together.

It's like saying a car rolls. Does a car really roll? No, the wheels do, but we both know what I mean.

Thanks for finding that pic, I had one somewhere but couldn't find it. There are many other ways they can be designed for parking lots also.

True the coast is high, but not if you are the one making them.

I think a small group of us should get together some time and work on a small test project to see what we can come up with.

[alluna]

EDIT PART DEUX:[/b] Also, there is an off-season at KI where the produced energy could be sent right back into the Mason grid. Essentially, KI could sell the unused energy to the city during these months.

The idea of sunshine touching Ohio between November and March!

My hubs is a roofer and his sun burnt nose would beg to differ. I really want to build a wacky Pee-Wee Herman type invention that hits him in the face with sunblock as he walks out the door!!

[The Interpreter]

What should Kings Island get for 2011? Perhaps, given yesterday, a refurbishment of its electrical system?

[HTCO]

I finally rode SkyHawk at CP on Friday, and now I can safely say... Kings Island needs one of those! Best flat I have ever ridden.

[IBEW_Sparky]

A new CEO... or maybe more. A Q that remains to be answered.

[diamondback1]

idk if i would want ki to get a coaster but if so i would want it to be like top thrill dragster but taller than kingda ka.

[The Interpreter]

Of all things, I can assure you with nearly 100 percent accuracy that won't be happening:

a. Mr. Kinzel will not allow that to happen to Cedar Point.

b. Mr. Kinzel will not allow that to happen with INTAMIN. Surely, even he has learned yet another lesson from Shoot the Rapids...

c. The great coaster wars are, by now, over. Debt, debt, debt everywhere, the lenders are not going to be amused with such an expenditure for that. Nor would be the great question mark, Q.

[Jasper]

I would love to see KI get a GCI woodie like Thunderhead, or Terminator Salvation. However I have not rode a plug and play, I have heard amazing reviews of El Toro so I would love to see one of those either, I wouldn't be upset if we got one and not the other though. I also wouldn't be mad to see us get a B&M custom invert like a Raptor or Alpengeist.

[Guest Millennium]

Raptor isn't very exciting to me. The park needs some better flats IMO, so I'll stick with a screaming swing. My 1st choice would be an Intamin prefab or a B&M Dive Machine. And while GCIs are fun, I haven't ridden one yet that blows my mind.

[Cormaster]

I think the park does need a good inverted Coaster but it could definitley use more flats. You figure really Beyond Drop Tower, Delerium, and The Crypt, what do we have? Not a whole lot, a couple fair type spinning rides thats about it. I'm all about the Screaming Swings

[Jasper]

A Screaming Swing would be a really nice addition, not occupying much room, and a very thrilling exciting ride.

[HTCO]

Raptor isn't very exciting to me. The park needs some better flats IMO, so I'll stick with a screaming swing. My 1st choice would be an Intamin prefab or a B&M Dive Machine. And while GCIs are fun, I haven't ridden one yet that blows my mind.

Have you ever ridden Raptor in the back? THAT is a VERY exciting experience. To me.

[Guest Millennium]

If it is a Screamin' Swing, PLEASE be one like @CP, and not at Dorney where you must pay an additional fee!

Raptor isn't very exciting to me. The park needs some better flats IMO, so I'll stick with a screaming swing. My 1st choice would be an Intamin prefab or a B&M Dive Machine. And while GCIs are fun, I haven't ridden one yet that blows my mind.

Have you ever ridden Raptor in the back? THAT is a VERY exciting experience. To me.

I rode it a couple weeks ago -- maybe it had a bad day? While it was fun, I didn't have that "Wow" feeling anymore that I got from a coaster like Montu. I still like it.

[Pillsberry123]

Well, Rivertown has been fixed up, Planet Snoopy has gotten redone... I'd like to see Coney Mall get fixed up. A fresh coat of paint on The Racer and some of the buildings would suffice. To be honest, I don't think Kings Island needs any new attractions at the moment. A new flat in X-Base would be fine, but I'd rather see older things restored/improved before new things come around.

[bkroz]

A new flat in X-Base would be fine, but I'd rather see older things restored/improved before new things come around.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that X-Base get no new rides until it gets a bathroom and a connecting path to somewhere else in the park. The "dead end" thing is not cute anymore. Another suggestion: put a sign out at X-Base's entrance when Firehawk or Flight of Fear is closed... That's an awful walk mid-day only to find the ride you were going for it closed. Frustrating.