There are experiments in this area, but there are many practical
problems which need to be overcome. This what NASA has to say on your
subject.
"Q. Can lightning be harnessed as a source of power?
A. People have considered harnessing lightning for electrical power,
but no serious attempts are currently under way, nor are any planned.
It is impractical for numerous reasons, as listed below.
1. Most of the power in lightning is dissipated as thunder and light,
which cannot be easily harnessed to generate electric power.
2. However, even just the electrical current of lightning is
considerable -- 20,000 amps on average, the same as 100 steel welders.
But the power is on for only a brief fraction of a second, so the
total power is actually small, only enough to power a 100-watt light
bulb for six months.
3. The huge surge of electrical current over very brief times makes
storing the energy impractical.
4. Lightning strikes to specific locations are infrequent and
inconsistent. This makes scheduling power availability impractical.
5. Lightning can be very damaging. The collection systems have to be
incredibly robust, which would drive up costs. Lightning is also very
dangerous, making it tough on the collection system workers.
6. Lightning would have to be collected over a huge area, making the
system impractically expensive.
First Science.com
"FS: Can we make use of lightning in terms of power?
EW: If lightning occurred in one place in a predictable manner day in
and day out, the harnessing of its energy might be seriously
considered. Such is not the case. Lightning does strike twice in the
same place, but extremely infrequently. To harness the energy, the
lightning must strike an electrode connected to a very robust bank of
electrical capacitors. One captured strike would deliver at most 10^8
joules. This would provide enough energy to power one electric
hairdryer for about ten hours. So clearly, a large number of captured
flashes would be needed to supply the energy needs of just a single
household." http://www.firstscience.com/site/articles/lightning.asp
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Muhyiddin Opens RM7.8 Billion First Private Coal-Fired Power Plant
PONTIAN, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today opened a 2,100MW (Megawatt) coal-powered Tanjung Bin Power Plant, the country's first private coal-fired plant, owned by Malakoff Corporation Berhad.
He said the whopping RM7.8 billion plant, incorporated with the latest clean coal technologies such as electrostatic precipitators and Flue Gas Desulphurisation, would generate adequate electricity to fuel the grwoth of Iskandar Malaysia, the country's 2,217 sq km southern region economic corridor,
Iskandar Malaysia is three times the size of Singapore and 48 times the size of Putrajaya, the Federal Government Administrative Centre.
"The plant is subjected to stringent scrutiny by the Department of Environment which has a Continuous Emissions Monitoring System connected on-line to the department," he told reporters after opening the plant whose construction began in 2003 and was completed in 37-and-a-half-month.
Saying that the plant has the latest green and environmental-friendly technology, Muhyiddin said that it was part and parcel of the technological advancement that the Government was looking forward to in this country.
The plant comprises three identical 700MW units which have 2,100MW capacity and makes up close to 42 per cent of Malakoff's total domestic power generation capacity of 5,020MW or about 25 per cent of Peninsular Malaysia's installed capacity.
Earlier, in his speech, Malakoff Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Halim Ali said the successful opening of the Tanjung Bin Power Plant was a milestone for Malakoff as a leading Independent Power Producer in Malaysia.
The plant is a pioneer as one of the biggest private coal-fired plants in South East Asia.
It will become an integral part of the Johor southern region's socio-economy as it will ensure there will be sufficient energy to fuel Iskandar Malaysia's rapid growth.