What are the most useful resources on the web and or in books that
focuses on using lightning or ball lightning as an energy resource.

Frankenstein is one of the few who have successfully utilised
lightning as an energy source -- in the creation of his monster. All
attempts to imitate his results have failed.

Why lightning is not a viable contender for an energy source, and why
it has never been done, check out :-


http://plaza.ufl.edu/rakov/FAQ.html
http://wvlightning.com/lmwn7.html

Best

I did not check the links. I think my plan would recover significant
energy from lightning, but it is far from cost effective. The metal
spire on the top of a tall building would be connected to two series
strings of high current diodes, which would be connected to two series
strings of heavy duty car batteries (or simular size deep cycle
batteries)(about 900 cranking amps) About 100 of the 12 volt batteries
would be located on each odd floor for the positive string and even
floors for the negative string. About 86,000 batteries are needed to
produce one million volts dc at up to about 1000 amps. This should
have some research applications as a billion watts dc is not available
in most cities. Hopefully lightning would strike the spire often
enough to keep the batteries charged. ie one million positive strikes
per year, plus one million negative strikes per year, averaging 10,000
amps for .01 seconds each = 100 million amp seconds = 27777 amp hours
= enough to charge 100 amp hour batteries 200 times during each year.
I think new batteries would easily absorb the very brief charging
pulses at better than 50% charging efficiency, but poor batteries
would deteriate rapidly and a rare battery burst open making a major
mess, and possible shock hazzard to the occupants of the building.  
Neil

fly a baloon, anchored by a pack of weenies, or a can of spam.  
 Lighting can be used to form sand into glass in a similiar fashion.
solar cells may register a voltage increase at night if the lighting
is close enough.
 If lighting could strike continously, it would be usefull to boil
water, which would run a generator, which would nuke a weenies or
whatever.