Why is this problem and solution different from say EMP's from nuclear blasts?
Because frequency, intensity and duration of EMP might be different. It probably changes nothing, as it will damage the same systems.
How are the solutions and protection different also?
They might be the same. The frequency of solar storm induced EM pulse should be much lower and the pulse would affect the whole planet.
Would things like Faraday cages protect critical infrastructure?
They could protect all except for power lines. For protecting power lines we need fuse breakers and excess voltage discharge devices, and a lot of effort to repair the damaged equipment after the EMP.
What about putting some large capacitors in series with the transformers?
Are you serious? The capacitors could easily end up larger than transformers that they are protecting. Even if someone would try to use the capacitors, the resulting system would act like gigantic antenna tuned to some frequency. If the EMP or EM storm pulse frequency is close enough to the resonant frequency of the transformer/capacitor/power-line large amount of EM energy will end up in power distribution system as a power spike, which is not good at all.
As a cyborg (literally, if technically) I have to wonder what such a solar electrical storm would do to implanted electronic medical devices, such as my pacemaker.
I don't think that standard EM storm could damage your pacemaker directly. However, electric energy tends to accumulate in power grid and might burst as local EM discharge, which if is close enough, can damage your peacemaker. An lightning strike is a natural EM discharge. I'm sure it could damage an pacemaker if discharge is close enough.
Bottom line: Wear your EM filed suppressor shirt all time.
I thought we had circuit breakers to prevent these problems.
You don't need a closed circuit to fry a small coil with a big enough inductive load.
No, you don't, but inductance of the transformer coil will prevent the surge current form burning out the wire. The resulted voltage spike is conducted via discharge path. Transformers are usually fairly protected against surges. Sadly, power lines are poorly protected, I guess they are bound to fail.
But aren't these things fairly well shielded anyway? I can't imagine a big EMP pulse getting through a zinc wrapper (galvanised steel can, isn't it?) and then I'd think you're dealing with some fairly heavy duty windings. Power line transformers survive lightning strikes sometimes, don't they?
Most transformers are self shielded by design. They do not relay on external shielding / Faraday cage. Yes, windings in most power transformers can survive lightning strikes, but that is mostly because of external protection.
If it's almost free, then why don't you do it? Surely you can afford to implement an almost free energy generation system.
I'll tell you why: Land, infrastructure, maintenance, delivery, and research are not cheap. You can't afford to do it. Shell has decided it can't, either.
Wrong. Here is how capitalism works:
A) You made it. You can use it, but if you sell it You'll have the money.
B) You made it. If you sell it today, you'll have money today, but not tomorrow. You need to make another one to sell it tomorrow to have money tomorrow too.
C) You made it. You can sell it, but if you rent it you'll have money today and tomorrow and day after tomorrow and so on... so why selling it?
I think Shell is moving From B to C as much modern production model with their biofuel / carbon sequestration. Also staying with biofuel means no surge investment in infrastructure, only gradual investing in carbon sequestration / biofuel production.
Let the machine do the dirty work. -- "Elements of Programming Style", Kernighan and Ritchie
