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CFS se Fusie pogings
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https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/15/climate/fusion-energy.html "Your machine has to survive the pummeling. But it also has to put the energy to work, producing electricity, keeping the reaction going, all without disturbing your plasma, which is as precarious as a toy top spinning on a fingertip". Van CFS se SPARC (Smallest Possible ARC) word gese^: "Here, in a room as airy and grand as a temple, a colossal machine will soon be placed at the altar. In a circle around its core will sit 18 giant magnets, each powerful enough to hoist an aircraft carrier." Daardie kleinste reaktor het betonwande 8 voet dik -- dubbeld so dik as Koeberg en soorgelyke fissie reakktore. Voorsorg teen disintegrasie a g v plasma-magneetveld onstabiliteite.
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Die Stellarator konfigurasie dateer reeds uit die 1950s of vroeer. Dis selfs ouer as die Tokamak, wat (anders as die Stellarator) nie in https://books.google.co.za/books/about/Project_Sherwood.html?id=Mg8jHmMQChoC&redir_esc=y beskryf word nie. Dit vereis baie spesifieke vorms van die "coils". wat eers relatief onlangs met beter rekenaartegnologie akkuraat ontwerp kon word. Daarom het dit vroeer min aandag gekry. Vandag fokus fusie navorsing in Duitsland en in China op Stellarators eerder as Tokamaks. Die Wendelstein is 'n moderne Stellarator, waarin die plasma veel langer ge"confine" kan word as in 'n Tokamak. Volgens https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666675823001650 "the stellarator has many advantages. (1) The stellarator avoids MHD instabilities and major plasma discharge disruptions with large electromagnetic forces in the structure of the device and energetic beams of runaway electrons caused by the large plasma current (mega-amperes) of the tokamak". Verder "Enormous external power is needed in tokamaks to maintain not only the plasma current but also the profiles of pressure and current for achieving a high bootstrap current fraction and steady-state operation. In contrast, the stellarator magnetic field that confines plasma and the rotational transform of the field lines are mainly generated by external 3D coils, eliminating the need for large toroidal current flowing in the plasma and thus the need for external current drivers, which greatly lowers recirculating power and cost". On 2024/12/27 10:30, bernhard wrote: Verreweg die mees koste-effektiewe maniere om fusie-energie na elektrisiteit om te sit is via fotovoltaiese, wind- en hidrokrag. Met battery en gepompte hidro as stoor bygevoeg waar nodig (buigsame hidro is meer energie-doeltreffend as gepompte). Die $2 miljard totaal wat CFS ingesamel het, is waarskynlik minder as wat die Oekraiense, Gaza, Hezbollah, Siriese, Houthi en ander oorloe per dag kos. Dis nou as die skade wat aangerig word by die militere koste getel word. Die aankondiging van die "400 MWe fusie kragstasie" is maar net nog 'n manier om hul stokperdjie te finansier! Daar sal NIKS wat ekonomies krag kan lewer van kom nie! Nie in hierdie eeu nie. Ook nie in hierdie millenium nie. Die wat dit "betwyfel", het nie die fisika van hitte-oordrag, plasma-stabiliteit en stralingskade ... behoorlik en eerlik toegepas nie. Tokamaks anders as sommige meer gekompliseerde konfigurasies (bv Wendelstein) se plasmas is inherent onstabiel en kan katastrofies "ontplof". 'n Magnetiese energie ontploffing van die soort wat keer dat die nog veel duurder ITER masjien voltooi word! Wee diegene wat naby is wanneer dit gebeur! On 2024/12/27 09:34, Wolhuter, Riaan, Dr [wolhuter@...] via groups.io wrote: Ek is net verbaas dat daar soveel geld ingestort word. From: ZA-energie@groups.io <ZA-energie@groups.io> On Behalf Of bernhard via groups.io Sent: Friday, 27 December 2024 05:46 To: ZA-energie@groups.io Subject: Re: [ZA-energie] Fusie Wensdenkery CAUTION: This email originated from outside the Stellenbosch University network. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dit begin met "IF all goes to plan ...". 'n Baie groot IF. AS die voorspellings van die fusie protagoniste gerealiseer het, was die reuse ITER reeds sowat 'n dekade gelede operasioneel, en teen 'n klein breukdeel van sy koste tot dusver. Maar nou word voorspel dat dit in die 1930s sal begin werk as prototipe om te wys dat fusie-krag dalk moontlik sal wees. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-the-worlds-first-nuclear-fusion-power-plant-be-built-in-virginia-heres/ gee meer besonderhede oor die beplande aanleg in Virginia. Dit se^ onder andere: " .. let’s hold our nuclear horses for just a moment: there are several steps that must be completed before this fusion plant, named ARC (for “affordable, robust, compact”), could be plugged into Virginia’s power grid. For one, CFS has not finished its demonstration machine, SPARC (“smallest possible ARC”). The company says it expec
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‘World’s first’ grid-scale nuclear fusion power plant announced in the US in another step for the futuristic energy edition.cnn.com Wikus van Niekerk +27 (0) 82 256 4131 wikus@... The integrity and confidentiality of this email are governed by these terms. Disclaimer Die integriteit en vertroulikheid van hierdie e-pos word deur die volgende bepalings bereël. Vrywaringsklousule
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Tech Alert: Growing Enthusiasm for EV Curbside Charging
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Kyk ook oor waterstofgedrewe treine ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: IEEE Spectrum <ieee-spectrum@...> Date: Thu, Dec 26, 2024 at 10:01 AM Subject: Tech Alert: Growing Enthusiasm for EV Curbside Charging To: <pwvanderwalt@...> Plus AI companies getting bad grades on safety. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ To view this email as a webpage, click here. [ Image ] JOIN IEEE [ Image ] 26 DECEMBER 2024 [ Image ] [[https://spectrum.ieee.org/ev-charging-stations?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=techalert-12-26-24&utm_content=httpsspectrumieeeorgevchargingstations]] Enthusiasm Grows for Curbside EV Charging > Voltpost and other companies are making it easier to own an EV in big cities. [ Image ] [[https://www.ansys.com/resource-center/brochure/navigating-tomorrows-skies-autonomous-systems]] ADVERTISEMENT Explore Virtual Solutions for A&D > Prepare yourself for the challenges of creating cutting-edge A&D autonomous tech. Download the e-book to explore how autonomy is transforming the aerospace & defense industry. [ Image ] [[https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-safety?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=techalert-12-26-24&utm_content=httpsspectrumieeeorgaisafety]] Leading AI Companies Get Lousy Grades on Safety > A new report from the Future of Life Institute gave mostly Ds and Fs. [ Image ] [[https://spectrum.ieee.org/tuberculosis?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=techalert-12-26-24&utm_content=httpsspectrumieeeorgtuberculosis]] It's AI Versus the World's Largest Tuberculosis Epidemic > An Indian group has built tools to help with diagnosis and treatment. [ Image ] [[https://spectrum.ieee.org/carbon-capture-2670435467?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=techalert-12-26-24&utm_content=httpsspectrumieeeorgcarboncapture2670435467]] Sewing In Copper Threads Could Improve Carbon Capture > Copper threads suggest a way to make gas diffusion electrodes better and larger. [ Image ] [[https://spectrum.ieee.org/hydrogen-trains?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=techalert-12-26-24&utm_content=httpsspectrumieeeorghydrogentrains]] The Man Behind Hydrail > Stan Thompson's vision for greener trains is reshaping rail transit worldwide. [ Image ] [[https://spectrum.ieee.org/qualcomm-developer-kit?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=techalert-12-26-24&utm_content=httpsspectrumieeeorgqualcommdeveloperkit]] Latest Qualcomm RB3 Gen 2 Developer Kit Unlocks AI Computing for IoT Edge Innovation > New kits put advanced AI edge computing power into the hands of developers everywhere. [ Image ] [[https://engage.ieee.org/Climate-Tech-Alert-Sign-Up.html]] SPONSORED WEBINARS IEEE offers free PDH certificates to attendees of these webinars as credits for Personal Development Hours. 5G NTN: Use Cases, Challenges, Modeling, and Simulation > This webinar covers modeling 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN) using satellite links, orbit propagation, coverage maps, Doppler compensation, 5G NR PDSCH throughput, and NB-IoT NTN links. [ Image ] [[https://engineeringresources.spectrum.ieee.org/free/w_math24/prgm.cgi?a=1]] Designing Batteries with Modeling and Simulation > In this webinar, we will discuss battery mo
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Dit begin met "IF all goes to plan ...". 'n Baie groot IF. AS die voorspellings van die fusie protagoniste gerealiseer het, was die reuse ITER reeds sowat 'n dekade gelede operasioneel, en teen 'n klein breukdeel van sy koste tot dusver. Maar nou word voorspel dat dit in die 1930s sal begin werk as prototipe om te wys dat fusie-krag dalk moontlik sal wees. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-the-worlds-first-nuclear-fusion-power-plant-be-built-in-virginia-heres/ gee meer besonderhede oor die beplande aanleg in Virginia. Dit se^ onder andere: " .. let’s hold our nuclear horses for just a moment: there are several steps that must be completed before this fusion plant, named ARC (for “affordable, robust, compact”), could be plugged into Virginia’s power grid. For one, CFS has not finished its demonstration machine, SPARC (“smallest possible ARC”). The company says it expects the completed SPARC to show net energy production in 2027. That alone would be a feat." Voordat daardie maatskappy (CFS) se SPARC werk, is dit blote wensdenkery van hulle om so groot van hierdie beoogde ARC te praat. Soos male sonder tal met fusie in die afgelope driekwart-eeu, sal daar niks meer as grootpratery van kom nie. Ek sien nerens dat hulle die wesentlike probleme van enorme stralingskade a g v die ultrasnel (14.3 MeV) neutrone bespreek nie. Teen 400 MW kraglewering gaan daardie supersnel neutrone hulle superduur kriogene supergeleiers taamlik gou vernietig. Ek sien ook nie hoe hulle genoeg tritium brandstof (wat nie in naastenby genoegsame hoeveelhede in die natuur voorkom nie, en wat tot nou toe uit Kanada se CANDU reaktore verkry is) gaan kry nie. Kanada het intussen meeste van sy CANDU reaktore gesluit, en beplan om ook die origes binnekort te sluit. Tritium het 'n halfleeftyd van sowat 12 jaar. M a w die bestaande beskeie voorraad daarvan word elke 12 jaar met die helfte verminder. So wanneer hierdie beloofde reaktor oor 12 of meer jare gereed sal wees sal daar maar min brandstof beskikbaar wees. On 2024/12/27 01:56, Van Niekerk, Wikus, Prof [wikus@...] via groups.io wrote: ‘World’s first’ grid-scale nuclear fusion power plant announced in the US in another step for the futuristic energy edition.cnn.com Wikus van Niekerk +27 (0) 82 256 4131 wikus@... The integrity and confidentiality of this email are governed by these terms. Disclaimer Die integriteit en vertroulikheid van hierdie e-pos word deur die volgende bepalings bereël. Vrywaringsklousule
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Eskom se salarisse is al jare lank buitensporig.
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The first nuclear fusion power plant?
Geseende Kersfees! Dit lyk nie juis asof hierdie groep (oorspronklik van MIT), wat reeds jare lank groot aansprake maak waarmee hulle miljarde se befondsing gekry het, veel vertroue het in hulle tegnologie nie! Subject: Tech: The first nuclear fusion power plant? Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:00:48 +0000 (UTC) From: Scientific American <newsletters@...> Reply-To: newsletters@... To: bernhard@... Tech Newsletter 12/24/24 | Technology | Scientific American View in web browser December 24—There’s a new plan to build a nuclear fusion power plant in Virginia, chemists create the world’s smallest pasta, and mathematicians determine the ideal shape for a beer glass. Those and more below! This newsletter is off next week and will return in 2025. Have a very happy New Year. --Ben Guarino, Associate Editor, Technology P.S. I'd love to hear from you! Email me with feedback and suggestions at benjamin.guarino@.... Top Stories Will the World's First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant Be Built in Virginia? Here's Why We're Skeptical The fusion power plant would go live in the next decade and produce 400 megawatts of electricity, says Commonwealth Fusion Systems Ben Guarino 78 Books Scientific American Recommends in 2024 A collection of nonfiction and fiction books Scientific American editorial staff and contributors read and recommend in 2024 Brianne Kane NASA’s Beloved Voyager Probes Find Puzzles beyond the Solar System For two decades now, the iconic twin Voyager spacecraft have been quietly overturning everything we thought we knew about the boundary between our solar system and interstellar space Meghan Bartels Chemists Seeking Better Bandages Make World’s Smallest Pasta Researchers seeking better bandages are creating extremely thin fibers of starch Ben Guarino Will AI Audio Replace Podcasts? Not So Fast Translating complex information into captivating podcasts is no simple task. Is AI up to the challenge? Rachel Feltman; Allison Parshall; Fonda Mwangi The Perfect Beer Glass Shape, according to Math A mathematician has calculated the ideal shape for a beer glass to keep the liquid inside as cool as possible Manon Bischoff Please Don’t Take Moral Advice from ChatGPT Before turning to a large language model for ethical counsel, consider what makes for good advice Ana Gantman WHAT WE'RE READING Websites are vanishing: the Internet isn’t forever after all. | The Verge Hot Ones, the interview show in which celebrities eat spicy wings, is a YouTube sensation. But are the heat labels for its sauces scientifically sound? | Howtown Google's proposed solution for fixing its search monopoly. | The New York Times From the Archive Google Search Ruled a Monopoly: What’s Next? An antitrust expert explains Monday’s landmark legal decision that Google illegally cemented its dominance in Internet search Ben Guarino Follow Us Instagram | X/Twitter | Threads | Facebook | YouTube Manage your email preferences | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy | Contact Us Scientific American One New York Plaza, New York, NY, 10010
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Eskom Prepaid Breached
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https://mybroadband.co.za/news/security/576690-eskom-prepaid-electricity-system-breached.html Eskom prepaid electricity system breached By Hanno Labuschagne An investigation has uncovered that security controls in Eskom’s online vending system (OVS) were breached and the system was used to generate illegal electricity tokens in bulk. The power utility suspects some of its own staff may be involved in the crime and has appointed an external IT company to conduct a forensic probe into the breach and to make recommendations on fixing the OVS’s vulnerabilities. The OVS was first implemented by Eskom in 2008 to combat so-called “ghost” vending of electricity tokens sold through offline credit dispensing units which were stolen or lost. The OVS facilitates the dispensing of prepaid electricity via virtual channels including banking apps, remote terminals such as ATMs, and other vending stations. “The system vends electricity tokens from the main Eskom central server through approved national vending agents using a secure backend in real-time,” the power utility explained in its 2024 integrated report. “The system should not permit any external vending channel to vend a token if the vending agent cannot communicate with the Eskom server or cannot be authenticated via the secure protocol.” “Once the token is generated, it is encrypted, stored in the OVS database, and sent to the customer by the vending agent.” “Once the customer enters the token, the prepaid meter decodes the 20-digit token using the Standard Transfer Specifications security protocol, and only accepts the token if all the related information matches the OVS system and is accepted as valid.” “If the information does not match, the token will be rejected.” However, these controls were not sufficient, and Eskom strongly suspects that some of its own staff had successfully colluded with illicit operators and compromised the OVS to facilitate the creation and sale of fraudulent prepaid electricity tokens, both for key revision number (KRN) 1 and KRN 2 meters. An infographic comparing the basic functioning of Eskom’s discontinued offline and online vending systems. Concerns over sole supplier’s conflict of interest The utility’s Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) acknowledged that the prepaid electricity ecosystem exposed Eskom to various risks, including the creation and use of illicit tokens from which the uitility derives no revenue. In addition, Eskom relies on a single supplier for the OVS’s software and hardware solutions. The supplier is also a distributor of the tokens, creating a possible conflict of interest. The ARC provided oversight of the progress of the investigation into the breach of the OVS and the implementation of action plans. The latter includes improved cybersecurity controls to prevent the creation of illicit tokens as far as possible. ARC also requested that all service-level agreements in the prepaid electricity ecosystem be reviewed and that the related risks be evaluated and appropriately addressed. “This could include the possible exit of agreements where the risk is considered intolerable, as well as implementing a process where national vending agents must provide assurance reports on controls and submit independent confirmation that their systems are secure and that they are only selling valid prepaid electricity tokens,” Eskom’s integrated report said. In his introductory comments at Eskom’s 2024 annual financial results presentation on Thursday, 19 December 2024, Eskom board chairperson Mthetho Nyati said the issue contributed to the delay in the publication of Eskom’s results. Eskom typically announces its annual results in the third quarter of each year. Nyati explained that Eskom was unable to reliably estimate its potential financial obligation from the exposure that illicit tokens could be used in the future. There is a high level of uncertainty around the number of illicit prepaid electricity tokens generated through OVS that remained in circulation and compatible with Eskom meters after the KRN rollover. Eskom said it would provide
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General Motors in China -- from leader to 16th place
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https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/business/gm-china.html China has long, and persistently, prioritized electric & hybrid vehicles G.M. Led in China for Years. Here’s How It Ended Up 16th in Sales. General Motors has gone from market leader to also-ran in the world’s largest car market, stymied by its own missteps and Chinese policies that favored its local rivals. Listen to this article · 12:56 min Learn more Share full article 165 Bringing American auto technology to China included training employees in partnership with a local carmaker. Workers in Shanghai examined a Buick’s undercarriage in 1998.Credit...Greg Girard/Contact Press Images, for The New York Time By Keith Bradsher Keith Bradsher, who has covered General Motors’ China business since 2002, reported from Shanghai. Dec. 19, 2024 阅读简体中文版閱讀繁體中文版 General Motors was a pioneer in China, where for a quarter-century the company drew enormous profits and vied with Germany’s Volkswagen as the top seller of cars. Those days are over. G.M.’s sales in China have entered a death spiral, falling 42.5 percent in the first 11 months of this year. The company now ranks 16th by sales. The dizzying collapse of its China business forced G.M. to take a roughly $5 billion charge against profits this month. It was a drastic comedown for the company, which started in China in 1996 with an initial investment of $350 million and went on to build a network of factories, churning out vehicles and sending billions in profits to its headquarters in Detroit. G.M.’s early China executives were highly responsive to the unique characteristics of the market. They built bulky minivans with lots of sparkling chrome to appeal to leaders of the state-owned companies that were big customers. They sold Buicks, a faded brand in the United States that still had cachet in China. For rural farmers, G.M. offered vans and pickup trucks with flimsy seats and no air-conditioning that cost only $5,000. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT In many ways, the story of G.M. in China tracks the experience of all foreign automakers in what is now the world’s largest car market. China allowed foreign carmakers like G.M. into the country only as part of a publicly stated, long-term policy to gain technology and build its own globally competitive industry. Government leaders were also intent early on to shift away from cars that needed gasoline, which China mostly imports, and toward electric cars powered by energy sources at home like coal, solar and wind. G.M. executives foresaw China’s strength, particularly in electric cars. “China is well positioned to lead in this,” David Tulauskas, an early G.M. director of China government policy, said in a 2009 interview. But after years of success, G.M. has found it increasingly difficult to compete with Chinese rivals or adapt to the rise of electric cars. Image Potential buyers looked at an inexpensive Wuling minivan in 2005 at a dealership near the company’s factory in Liuzhou, China. G.M. had invested in Wuling three years earlier.Credit...Chang W. Lee/The New York Times Government policies that forced G.M. into joint ventures with Chinese companies meant that G.M. ended up teaching much of what it knew about car manufacturing to local rivals that now outsell it. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Since 2008, Beijing has collected taxes totaling more than 100 percent on large, imported cars and sport utility vehicles. The taxes are so high that G.M. does not even try to import some models, like the Cadillac Escalade. That full-size S.U.V. starts at $87,595 in the United States but costs $186,000 including tax in China, when purchased through an import agent. Electric cars made in China face only a 13 percent tax. In addition to wielding tax policy at foreign carmakers, Beijing limited or blocked government subsidies for cars built by foreign companies. Partly as a result, G.M. has not competed effectively in battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid cars. These models together accounted for 52.3 percent of the Chinese market in November, the China Passenger Car Associatio
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Elektromeganies!
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https://spectrum.ieee.org/electric-supercar-battery?utm_source=thefuturelane&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=thefuturelane-12-11-24&utm_content=httpsspectrumieeeorgelectricsupercarbattery&mkt_tok=NzU2LUdQSC04OTkAAAGXU7SvGVJIyZmBXRfQzYJNH611w__PexDDIl6qVoTfRcsiZ-ptvbS2aBNdV9lM8oQBUQJYQwpezSRCQLDFH7F3AOXCxA_b9rnkFa6V5RbA04RP
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The role of conventional nuclear power in our energy future
https://www.rethinkx.com/faq-and-mythbusting/what-is-the-role-of-conventional-nuclear-power-in-our-energy-future "The primary shortcoming of nuclear power is that it is extremely expensive compared to all other energy options. This is because nuclear fission is an inherently dangerous technology, which necessitates very costly safeguards during construction, operation and decomissioning, as well as for the radioactive fuel and waste. "The cost of electricity from a new nuclear power plant ranges from three to over thirty times more than the electricity from solar, wind and battery power (SWB) "The cost of nuclear power has risen over 25% in the last 10 years, while in the same period the cost of solar power has fallen almost 90%, the cost of wind power has dropped fallen nearly 50% and the cost of batteries has fallen roughly 90%."
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How Much Cleaner Energy Could Save, in Lives and Money
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/climate/heat-pumps-savings.html How Much Cleaner Energy Could Save America, in Lives and Money Widespread adoption of heat pumps could prevent thousands of premature deaths and save billions on energy bills, according to a new analysis. Listen to this article · 5:15 min Learn more Share full article An electric heat pump in a home in Farmingdale, Me.Credit...Tristan Spinski for The New York Times By Cara Buckley Published Dec. 10, 2024Updated Dec. 11, 2024, 12:05 p.m. ET Electric heat pumps, the most affordable and energy efficient way to heat and cool homes, continue to outsell gas furnaces nationwide. They can also reduce outdoor pollution and, as a result, save lives, according to a report issued on Tuesday. The study, by Rewiring America, a nonprofit group that promotes electrification, calculated that if every American household got rid of furnaces, hot water heaters and clothes dryers powered by oil or gas and replaced them with heat pumps and electric appliances, annual greenhouse gas emissions could drop by about 400 million metric tons. Fine airborne particulate matter and other air pollutants could decrease by 300,000 tons, the equivalent of taking 40 million cars off the road. Roughly two-thirds of the country’s households burn fossil fuels such as natural gas, propane and fuel oil for heat, hot water and drying clothes, releasing nitrogen oxides and other pollutants into the air. While a transition to electric appliances could shave $60 billion off people’s annual energy bills, it could also deliver important health rewards, researchers found. It could prevent 3,400 fewer premature deaths per year, 1,300 fewer hospital visits and 220,000 fewer asthma attacks, all of which amounted to about $40 billion in benefits, according to the study. your times access Have a moment? Play these games. Spelling Bee Make as many words as you can with 7 letters. Play Wordle Create words using letters around the square. Play Connections Group words that share a common thread. Play “Just swapping out appliances, it’s eye-opening in terms of the significant impacts,” said Wael Kanj, senior research associate with Rewiring America and the lead author on the report. Get the best of The Times in your inbox Sign up for The Evening:Catch up on the biggest news, and wind down to end your day. Sign up for The Morning:Make sense of the news, every day, with David Leonhardt. Sign up for Opinion Today:Get expert analysis of the news and a guide to the big ideas shaping the world every weekday morning. The amount of pollution reduction would depend on whether the electricity needed was generated by low-carbon sources like wind and solar power or came from gas or coal-fired power plants. “The report rightly highlights the need to produce clean energy,” Rob Jackson, a climate scientist at Stanford University who has researched the health impacts of gas stoves, wrote in an email. “Electrifying our homes will have fewer benefits in West Virginia, where around 90 percent of electricity comes from dirty coal, than in other states with cleaner electricity.” Mr. Kanj said if the grid decarbonized faster than forecast, the pollution reductions and health benefits would increase. Yifang Zhu, a professor at the U.C.L.A. Fielding School of Public Health and an expert in air pollution, said the ways household appliances affected outdoor air pollution had largely gone understudied and that the new research helped fill in a gap. “Every sector needs to be looked at,” she said. “People can realize there are more benefits than just improved indoor air quality by electrifying households.” Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT The effect of gas stoves on indoor air came into sharp focus this past year after a study linked their use to up to 19,000 deaths in the United States and 50,000 cases of childhood asthma. More American households are moving to heat pumps, which have outsold gas furnaces in recent years and are on pace to do so again in 2024. The report from Rewiring America, titled “Breathe Easy,” drew from data, analyses
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Outrage at Eskom's huge tariff increase application
https://www.energize.co.za/article/nersa-concludes-public-hearings-overwhelming-rejection-eskom-tariff-hike NERSA concludes public hearings with overwhelming rejection of Eskom tariff hike Yesterday - by Kimberley Kersten Facebook Twitter LinkedIn E-mail Print Public hearings on Eskom’s sixth multi-year price determination revenue application (MYPD6) for 2026-2028 have concluded with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) hearing widespread rejection from stakeholders regarding Eskom’s proposed tariff increases. Eskom is seeking tariff hikes of 36,15% in 2025, 11,81% in 2026 and 9,10% in 2027 – a 66% increase over three years. The final round of public consultations, held in Durban last week, revealed significant dissatisfaction with the proposal. “There has been widespread opposition – even outrage – at the application,” said Chris Yelland, Managing Director of EE Business Intelligence. “I’m not aware of any organisation putting their names down in support of this application.” The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) and City Power made detailed submissions opposing the proposed increases, citing concerns about Eskom’s financial management, cost control and focus on price hikes rather than operational efficiency. “Despite massive revenue and price increases over the past 15 years, Eskom’s primary focus remains on ensuring cost reflectivity by increasing tariffs further with little attention to reducing costs or improving efficiency,” OUTA said. Yelland agreed: “Eskom seems to think that the only solution they can propose is to put up their prices. They don’t discuss how they can reduce their costs.” City Power also raised concerns about Eskom’s rising primary energy costs, which are projected to increase by 38% from R92 billion in the current financial year to R128 billion in the next. The utility argued that Eskom has not provided sufficient justification for this “astronomical increase”. Additionally, City Power criticised Eskom’s delays in implementing the independent power producer programme, suggesting that funding for this initiative should be tied to progress that can realistically occur within the tariff implementation window. City Power recommended a tariff increase capped at 11% annually – far below Eskom’s proposal. “The recent implementation of a 12,75% tariff increase has already placed immense financial strain on our residents, pushing many to the brink of economic hardship. A further increase of this magnitude is unsustainable and morally unacceptable,” City Power said. OUTA suggested Eskom should reduce its primary energy costs by reducing its overdependence on coal, replacing aging coal-fired power stations with cleaner and more cost-effective alternatives and addressing corruption in coal procurement. OUTA also recommended Eskom focuses on its staffing costs. “OUTA recommends that NERSA commissions its own independent study to assess Eskom staff’s remuneration levels, hiring policies and the potential impact of downsizing.” Eskom told Energize that it agrees only efficient costs should be recovered from customers. To achieve this, the utility has implemented various business initiatives to optimise its costs. “When applying for tariff increases, NERSA requires that prudency assessment criteria be applied. It is NERSA’s role as the regulator to evaluate the efficiency and prudency of Eskom’s financial and technical practices. In line with this, NERSA has conducted numerous audits to ensure Eskom’s compliance with regulatory and licensing requirements. Additionally, Eskom undergoes independent audits in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and compliance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA),” Eskom said. According to Eskom, the average price increase is imperative in its efforts to migrate towards financial stability, be financially independent and reduce its reliance on government. “The current returns are not sufficient to allow Eskom to be financially sustainable,” Eskom said. NERSA will review all submissions and make a final determination on Es
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Sput-nuke Space-based Nuclear Bomb
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/05/opinion/nuclear-weapons-space.html The Warning Share full article 250 By W.J. Hennigan Graphics by Taylor Maggiacomo and Jeremy Ashkenas Mr. Hennigan writes about national security for Opinion. U.S. military personnel at Space Command, in Colorado Springs, have kept a close eye on Cosmos 2553 ever since it reached orbit. Bathed in the bluish glow of their computer screens, they sit and watch what’s going across all of space day after day, tracking the latest information on satellite constellations, coming rocket launches and the daily operation of the space-based systems that shape modern life. But Cosmos 2553 is different. It circles Earth every two hours in a region called a graveyard orbit. Only 10 other satellites are out there, and all of them have been dead for years. The area is rarely used in part because it’s inside the Van Allen belts, zones of high radiation that encircle the planet. That’s why Moscow claims Cosmos 2553 is there — to test out “newly developed onboard instruments and systems” against radiation. But what it’s really doing, U.S. officials say, is testing components for a Russian weapon under development that could obliterate hundreds, if not thousands, of critical satellites. Cosmos 2553 isn’t armed, but it does carry a dummy warhead, one of several details being reported here for the first time. So while the orbiting satellite poses no imminent danger, the officials caution it does serve as a forerunner to an unprecedented weapon. This article is part of the Opinion series At the Brink, about the threat of nuclear weapons in an unstable world. Read the opening story here. Although they are almost invisible in our day-to-day lives, satellites increasingly control how we live. Everything from pumping gas to trading stocks to checking tomorrow’s weather forecast depends on satellite signals, and the world’s collective appetite for these systems is growing. More satellites have been launched into orbit in the past five years than in the previous six decades as commercial companies and governments spend billions to build new constellations for communications, Earth imagery and other services. Most of them travel around Earth in a part of space called low-Earth orbit, an area within 1,200 miles of the planet. Satellites in low-Earth orbit todayReplay Source: T.S. Kelso, CelesTrak Note: Satellites for past years shown as of Jan. 1. U.S. intelligence analysts haven’t determined if it’s this region or some other area that Russia may one day threaten if it ever deployed such a device. In any scenario, a nuclear weapon detonated in outer space wouldn’t have a localized impact like a direct hit with a missile strike. It would be indiscriminate, affecting all nations. If the Kremlin decided to use a Sput-nuke, as the device is sometimes derisively called, it holds the unambiguous potential to disrupt the future of America’s military space operations and the lives of hundreds of millions of civilians around the globe. Once considered a largely peaceful domain, space is now viewed by many American lawmakers and military commanders as a place where the next major global conflict might unfold. If Moscow is working on a space nuke, it would be merely one of dozens of space weapons under development or already in use by Russia, China and the United States. All three nations have tested high-flying missiles capable of targeting space systems from the surface and have lasers, signal jammers and other devices that can disrupt space operations. Russia has deployed nesting doll satellites (in which one satellite births a smaller satellite that is maneuverable and armed with a projectile) and China and the United States have demonstrated grappling satellites, which can sidle up to another satellite and tug it out of its orbit with robotic arms. It may sound as if these technologies were torn from the pages of a science fiction novel, but none of them come close to doing what a nuclear weapon could in space: wipe out clusters of satellites at once. As the risk of conflict in
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Kernfusie nog eens
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https://spectrum.ieee.org/google-nuclear-energy?mkt_tok=NzU2LUdQSC04OTkAAAGXJ053pckrohw5XvynnK0LPEKLm5KhGn_TPFSRFiti_EFopMaWej0fS3bzy0P8OVb0ivcNoscLejFoMBXvPtUcOzJtM7JVRzJ4oalT8mEAhyms
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How to make a Distributed Energy Management System (DERM) Work Really Well
https://www.power-grid.com/smart-grid/comeds-derms-is-working-really-really-well/ Essensieel vir alle netwerkstelsels met diverse insette van son- wind- en ander genereerders.
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Nuclear model is flawed
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https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2024-11-21-neil-overy-sa-governments-nuclear-model-is-flawed-and-not-economically-viable/ NEIL OVERY: SA government’s nuclear model is flawed and not economically viable Ownership options are fantasies as neither Eskom nor the state have the ability to raise sufficient capital to build a power plant 21 November 2024 - 05:00 by Neil Overy Advertisement Koeberg nuclear power station is shown in Cape Town. Picture: MISHA JORDAAN/GALLO IMAGES How would you like to start paying for a nuclear power station years before it’s even been built? How about also paying for cost overruns incurred by the vendor building the plant? Under the current ownership and funding options being proposed by government in its reckless pursuit of new nuclear power, both are a real possibility. ADVERTISEMENT Jimny 5-Door – Born for More! Find out more Empower your adventurous spirit to explore further into the unknown. Book a test drive & experience a fresh start. Inspired by According to a presentation made by the department of mineral resources & energy to the portfolio committee on energy & electricity in late August, three ownership options are being considered for the new nuclear power station. The first two options — that the plant would be completely, or majority, owned by Eskom — are fantasies because neither Eskom nor government has the ability to affordably raise sufficient capital for either option. Not that any private institutions would finance the power station anyway. This means the third option — a public-private partnership (PPP), with the government having a minority shareholding (likely to be tiny) — is the only realistic option. The department’s proposed PPP (subject to vendor approval) is a build-own-transfer model, whereby the vendor will build and own the nuclear power station, which will be transferred to the state when the vendor has made what it considers to be a suitable return on investment. Under this arrangement Eskom would be the operator, despite not owning the asset. What this means in terms of insurance and liability is anyone’s guess. This arrangement would mean the costs (financial risk) of the new plant appear on the vendor’s, as opposed to Eskom’s or government’s, balance sheet. According to the department, this financial risk for the vendor can in theory be mitigated. It provides three ways of doing so — a power purchase agreement (PPA), a contract for difference agreement, or via something called the regulated asset base (RAB) model. It has become common for nuclear vendors to fund nuclear power stations via a PPA signed between the vendor and an electricity offtaker (such as Eskom). A PPA fixes the price of electricity (inflation linked) at such a level (strike price) that assures the vendor can recover costs and make a return on investment even if the wholesale price of electricity falls in the respective electricity market. Eskom’s unbundling is set to create such a market. For example, in Turkey in 2010 a 15-year PPA was signed between Rosatom and the Turkish Electricity Trade & Contract Corporation for the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power station. A 35-year “contract for difference” was signed between the world’s largest nuclear operator, EDF, and the British government for the construction of Hinkley Point C in 2016. In terms of this contract if the wholesale price of electricity goes above the strike price the offtaker is refunded the difference. If the wholesale price is below the strike price it acts in the same way as a normal PPA. When it comes to nuclear power stations PPAs have proven to be bad news for consumers because strike prices are inflated by vendors in the expectation that it will guarantee their revenues and shift some of the construction risk to consumers. For example, it has been calculated that electricity consumers in Turkey will pay 275% more for their electricity over the 15-years of the PPA compared with the price of renewables. The British government’s public accounts committee has estimated that the deal signed between EDF and the
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INVITATION | CDE Conversations | Mteto Nyati on Eskom, SOEs, leadership and SA's future | Tue 19 Nov 2024 | 5 to 6 pm SAST
Ann se onderhoud met Mteto was verfrissend adders! Uiteindelik 'n voorsitter wat rasioneel dink en teenproduktiewe beleid bevraagteken! En Gwede is heel uit die prentjie uit. PW ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Ann Bernstein <bernstein.ann@...> Date: Mon, 04 Nov 2024, 10:14 Subject: INVITATION | CDE Conversations | Mteto Nyati on Eskom, SOEs, leadership and SA's future | Tue 19 Nov 2024 | 5 to 6 pm SAST To: Pieter Van der Walt <pwvanderwalt@...> Dear PieterMteto Nyati is the chairman of Eskom and executive chairman of BSG, a consulting and technology company. He is the former group chief executive of Altron, former CEO of MTN SA, an author and the recipient of several leadership awards. See his bio here.Ann Bernstein, CDE’s Dear Pieter Mteto Nyati is the chairman of Eskom and executive chairman of BSG, a consulting and technology company. He is the former group chief executive of Altron, former CEO of MTN SA, an author and the recipient of several leadership awards. See his bio here. Ann Bernstein, CDE’s executive director will be in conversation with Mteto Nyati. She will talk to him about Eskom, state owned enterprises, business and leadership. Date: Tuesday 19 November 2024 Time: 5 to 6 pm SAST Registration: https://cde-org-za.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MhUN4B-gTbKKf2BrfjMGlA You need a Zoom account to register, and you can sign up (at no cost) on zoom.us. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. For further information, please contact events@.... For nearly 30 years, CDE has influenced policy in South Africa’s democracy. We have established ourselves as a unique policy think tank and prominent public ‘voice’ promoting enterprise and development in South Africa and emerging markets. We have built a wide network throughout the country and with leading global experts and think tanks, especially in democratic developing countries. CDE’s flagship project, AGENDA 2024: Priorities for South Africa's new government, based on extensive policy work and collaboration with experts, business leaders, former public servants and academics, sets out to answer what is by far the most important question facing South Africa: What can a new government do to get the country back on track after 15 years of stagnation and decline? See related media statements here, the op-eds here and the first reports in the ACTION series, here. CDE would like to open up this lecture series widely. Please share this invitation with your networks. *By registering you are automatically added to our database. You can unsubscribe at any time. Enter your text here Copyright© the Centre for Development and Enterprise all rights reserved. 5 Eton Rd, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193 PO Box 72445, Parkview 2122 Tel: 011 482 5140 | Fax: 011 482 5089 | info@... Manage your preferences or unsubscribe
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BYD EV Flying Car for $4999?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_Ty5NwVRhQ Klink amper te goed om waar te wees!
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