IFT - Infratil

[BlackPeter]

Power transmission
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/worl...rlds-lights-on

Well - its a bit more than just power transmission. A global power network (incl. generation) transporting energy right across the globe. Not trivial, but maybe technically imaginable (would not say feasible) ... if you put infinite money into it and manage to align all world powers to work towards one common good. Obviously none of the world powers would want to use such a network for power games (excuse the pun ...).

Not sure though, whether there would be a business case - pulling e.g. a DC power cable through the Pacific would be a bit more expensive than just a fibre optical cable ... and this costs already 100's of millions of dollars. Think billions for one long power cable, and you will need plenty of them. As well - the losses will be horrible - maybe another method to boil the oceans, if global warming does not work?

Still interesting idea, and maybe if we manage to resolve the bottleneck of our Cook Street Cable (meagre 40 km undersea), than we might have the expertise to connect the other islands around (Australia, America) as a global fore rider. How hard can it be?

[kiora]

Well - its a bit more than just power transmission. A global power network (incl. generation) transporting energy right across the globe. Not trivial, but maybe technically imaginable (would not say feasible) ... if you put infinite money into it and manage to align all world powers to work towards one common good. Obviously none of the world powers would want to use such a network for power games (excuse the pun ...).

Not sure though, whether there would be a business case - pulling e.g. a DC power cable through the Pacific would be a bit more expensive than just a fibre optical cable ... and this costs already 100's of millions of dollars. Think billions for one long power cable, and you will need plenty of them. As well - the losses will be horrible - maybe another method to boil the oceans, if global warming does not work?

Still interesting idea, and maybe if we manage to resolve the bottleneck of our Cook Street Cable (meagre 40 km undersea), than we might have the expertise to connect the other islands around (Australia, America) as a global fore rider. How hard can it be?

BP NZ not likely even considered in this one for reasons you have given but Aus renewable energy ,wind farms etc to Asia? I wouldn't rule it out.
As an aside.Why doesn't NZ have DC current transmission lines?

[Bjauck]

BP NZ not likely even considered in this one for reasons you have given but Aus renewable energy ,wind farms etc to Asia? I wouldn't rule it out...

Think of the politics that would come into play. Doesn't Russian gas get piped into Poland and Ukraine and beyond. When those countries fell out with Russia, didn't all sorts of "contractual issues" become important. In the 1970's, OPEC held the oil consumer countries to ransom. Independent supply can be worth the extra cost.

[Harvey Specter]

Think of the politics that would come into play. Doesn't Russian gas get piped into Poland and Ukraine and beyond. When those countries fell out with Russia, didn't all sorts of "contractual issues" become important. In the 1970's, OPEC held the oil consumer countries to ransom. Independent supply can be worth the extra cost.

I think Russia blocked gas to the Ukrane which caused issues as that meant it couldn't go further on to Germany?? I remember something like that.

A line from the Sahara to Europe (Morocco to Spain would be easy) could make sense but it would be unlikely NZ would ever be connect unless we were just a stepping stone which seems unlikely.

[Jantar]

As an aside.Why doesn't NZ have DC current transmission lines?

We do. The Benmore - Haywards line, also known as the Cook Strait Cable, is DC. HVDC is great for long distance interconnections, not not fornormal transmission. At each end of the line there must be a converter station, and these are expensive. Also switching AC circuits is quite straight forward as there is a natural zero current state 100 times every second where quenching the switching arc is relatively simple. With DC, there is no zero current state, so switching must be done on the AC side of the converter, or within the converter itself.

[see weed]

Looking pretty good lately, must be a div announcement soon.

[King1212]

Hi guys, I have spare money...looking to get in and buy some IFT share...is it good time? Thanks

[couta1]

Hi guys, I have spare money...looking to get in and buy some IFT share...is it good time? Thanks

I don't think so, reckon you'll get them cheaper if you wait a bit.

[King1212]

I don't think so, reckon you'll get them cheaper if you wait a bit.

Eehm..cheaper...dividend forecast coming soon...

[couta1]

Eehm..cheaper...dividend forecast coming soon...

Looks like you answered your own question then aye.