Yes, I have been looking into this approach. I think the use of a massively huge capacitor may be the key to storing the charge created by a lightning strike. First, you need to hold a huge electron transfer in a short period of time, then you need to be able to slowly pull the electrons off under controlled circuits to make it useful.
I had originally thought that I could use a large inductor, but the reluctance of one that large makes it impractical. I really wish I knew what Nicola Tesla knew about these types of circuits.
Right now, I think a electric charge harvester circuit might be able to slowly pull down the charge from the air and not trigger a full strike. Still thinking about it though.
By the way, I think I saw the bottom of both a Red and Blue Sprite over my house during a recent thunderstorm. I have contacted NASA and several of the severe storm experts to see if they can confirm that they occurred and that I really saw them at that time. If so, I think I understand how they are triggered.
Perhaps direct electricity capture is not the approach you should take.
A lightening strike temperature can be in the range of 30,000 °C (54,000 °F). If you are able to capture even a small portion of that potential heat energy, that would be an achievement. Though a strike's footprint is rather small, approx 1" diameter. If the bolt is grounded through a tube lined with thermalvoltaic elements, it might work out. Or, funnel strikes through a medium that can absorb heat. Store the energy for later.
Also, DAB is on to something. In 2007, Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc demonstrated that by shunting a (artificial) strike with a capacitor residual energy, they could power a 60wall light bulb for 20 minutes. However, the company said that their tech could not reproduce the effect all the time.
Perhaps direct electricity capture is not the approach you should take.
A lightening strike temperature can be in the range of 30,000 °C (54,000 °F). If you are able to capture even a small portion of that potential heat energy, that would be an achievement. Though a strike's footprint is rather small, approx 1" diameter. If the bolt is grounded through a tube lined with thermalvoltaic elements, it might work out. Or, funnel strikes through a medium that can absorb heat. Store the energy for later.
Also, DAB is on to something. In 2007, Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc demonstrated that by shunting a (artificial) strike with a capacitor residual energy, they could power a 60wall light bulb for 20 minutes. However, the company said that their tech could not reproduce the effect all the time.
I thought about the heat transfer approach and you have the same problem with thermal transfer as you do with the electrical transfer. Too much, too fast, and too little time to actually store the energy efficiently. Most materials do not have the specific heat transfer capability to change state during the strike time.
However, if you could use the flash burst to trigger a fusion event in an enclosed plasma chamber, then you just might be able to contain the energy long enough to pull the electrons out of the plasma in a controlled level. Unfortunately, the amount of power transferred is different for each lightning flash, so you really don't know what your upper most limit needs to be. Either way, the danger factor is quite high.
Keep thinking everyone, I feel it in my bones that we can solve this problem, we just have to keep looking.
