Harnessing lightning energy is challenging due to several factors. Lightning strikes are highly unpredictable in terms of timing, location, and frequency. This unpredictability makes it difficult to deploy infrastructure specifically designed to capture and store the immense energy released during a lightning strike. Additionally, the extremely high voltage and current associated with lightning poses significant engineering challenges in safely and efficiently capturing this energy without damaging equipment or causing safety hazards. Moreover, the rapid discharge of energy in lightning strikes lasts for a very short duration, making it challenging to develop energy storage systems capable of handling such high-power bursts effectively.
Harnessing electricity directly from lightning strikes is impractical for several reasons. Lightning bolts carry extremely high voltages (up to several hundred million volts) and currents (tens of thousands of amperes). Capturing and safely conducting such high-energy discharges is technically challenging and would require specialized equipment capable of withstanding intense electromagnetic fields, heat, and mechanical stresses associated with lightning strikes. Moreover, the sporadic and unpredictable nature of lightning strikes makes it difficult to implement reliable and cost-effective systems for harvesting electricity from lightning on a large scale.
While lightning can be artificially created under controlled conditions in laboratories or using specialized equipment, creating lightning artificially in the open atmosphere is not feasible with current technology. Natural lightning is typically triggered by the buildup of electric charge within thunderclouds and the subsequent discharge of this charge through the atmosphere. Replicating these complex atmospheric conditions and processes to generate lightning artificially on a large scale remains beyond current scientific and engineering capabilities.
Using lightning as a direct source of energy for widespread use is impractical due to several reasons. Firstly, the unpredictability and sporadic nature of lightning strikes make it unreliable as a consistent energy source. Secondly, capturing and converting the immense energy of lightning strikes into a usable form of electricity requires highly specialized and expensive equipment, which may not be economically feasible compared to other renewable energy sources like solar or wind power. Additionally, the infrastructure needed to harness lightning safely and efficiently on a large scale would be technically challenging and potentially hazardous due to the extreme voltage and current associated with lightning.
Earthing or grounding is a crucial safety measure to protect structures and individuals from the destructive effects of lightning strikes. Lightning seeks the path of least resistance to ground, and when it strikes a building or other structure, it can cause significant damage if not properly grounded. Earthing involves connecting conductive materials (such as metal rods or cables) from a structure to the ground or earth to safely dissipate the electrical charge from a lightning strike. By providing a low-resistance path to ground, earthing helps to prevent electrical surges, fires, and other hazards that can result from lightning strikes, thereby protecting buildings, equipment, and people from lightning-related damage and injury.