Electric cars

[sparky Paul]

It will be interesting to see how they intend to mitigate the risks from these SMRs in areas where nuclear installations are not currently constructed.

[Westy36]

...and cooling water.

That's why they are not built on rivers in the UK, only coastal and on large reservoirs of water. They cannot guarantee supply of cooling water.

We took a tour of Sizewell B in 2016. It was very interesting, and free.  I recall the guide proudly stating that sea water was used for cooling and that half of marine life survived! He wasn't impressed by my pointing out that therefore half dies........not the positive spin EDF wanted to put on it.

In the Guardian yesterday, a lengthy article about lithium and the environmental damage in sourcing it.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/dec/08/the-curse-of-white-oil-electric-vehicles-dirty-secret-lithium
Towards the end of the article, is some interesting work being done in recovering lithium from used batteries.

[ColinS]

I started my working life as an apprentice and later in the design offices of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and I felt perfectly safe.  I was getting irradiated more sat in front of our CRT television at home than I was at work.

At that time we were at the forefront of reactor development and were putting 100mW into the grid by way of demonstrating that we could.  It was public misinformation that stopped us from developing our own power stations as people didn't want them on their doorsteps.  So what do we do but buy electricity from French nuclear power stations, also on our doorsteps.

Ironic isn't it?

[JimSh]

Port delays caused by businesses panic buying - just like the muppets did with bogroll and pasta and anything in a tin at start of lockdowns -

Sign of things to come?

[MartinJG]

I wonder how long it would take for RR to get them up and running.

Wind & Solar is seasonal and time of day as mentioned. With the upcoming reliance on electric they need to 'extract their digit' as my wife would say.

Or their heads.

[MartinJG]

I started my working life as an apprentice and later in the design offices of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and I felt perfectly safe.  I was getting irradiated more sat in front of our CRT television at home than I was at work.

At that time we were at the forefront of reactor development and were putting 100mW into the grid by way of demonstrating that we could.  It was public misinformation that stopped us from developing our own power stations as people didn't want them on their doorsteps.  So what do we do but buy electricity from French nuclear power stations, also on our doorsteps.

Ironic isn't it?

Always reminds me of the Billy Connolly joke about X rays. 'Why do they tell you everything will be just fine and then leave the room and close the 12" lead lined door behind them'....

[richardfrost]

I'm still waiting for my Mr. Fusion. Seems like Back to the Future 2 got the timeline slightly wrong, although Nike did make self tying laces for 2015 I believe.

[madasafish]

Port delays caused by businesses panic buying - just like the muppets did with bogroll and pasta and anything in a tin at start of lockdowns -

Sign of things to come?

Err unlikely.
US ports are the same. Not enough empty containers, not enough ships, world trade affected by Covid.

https://www.cips.org/supply-management/news/2020/november/-the-perfect-storm-hits-supply-chains-with-300-freight-increase-/

and
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/12/09/uss-busiest-port-runs-space-global-shipping-chaos-mounts/

[ColinS]

I started my working life as an apprentice and later in the design offices of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and I felt perfectly safe.  I was getting irradiated more sat in front of our CRT television at home than I was at work.

At that time we were at the forefront of reactor development and were putting 100mW into the grid by way of demonstrating that we could.  It was public misinformation that stopped us from developing our own power stations as people didn't want them on their doorsteps.  So what do we do but buy electricity from French nuclear power stations, also on our doorsteps.

Ironic isn't it?

Always reminds me of the Billy Connolly joke about X rays. 'Why do they tell you everything will be just fine and then leave the room and close the 12" lead lined door behind them'....

And that just about sums up my point.

You can easily take a burst from one x-ray.  The radiologist would not survive the 100 bursts a day 5 days a week.

[JimSh]

Port delays caused by businesses panic buying - just like the muppets did with bogroll and pasta and anything in a tin at start of lockdowns -

Sign of things to come?

Err unlikely.
US ports are the same. Not enough empty containers, not enough ships, world trade affected by Covid.

https://www.cips.org/supply-management/news/2020/november/-the-perfect-storm-hits-supply-chains-with-300-freight-increase-/

and
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/12/09/uss-busiest-port-runs-space-global-shipping-chaos-mounts/

Just didn't want to mention the b word.
If this is a perfect storm without it ..........?

[madasafish]

Port delays caused by businesses panic buying - just like the muppets did with bogroll and pasta and anything in a tin at start of lockdowns -

Sign of things to come?

Err unlikely.
US ports are the same. Not enough empty containers, not enough ships, world trade affected by Covid.

https://www.cips.org/supply-management/news/2020/november/-the-perfect-storm-hits-supply-chains-with-300-freight-increase-/

and
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/12/09/uss-busiest-port-runs-space-global-shipping-chaos-mounts/

Just didn't want to mention the b word.
If this is a perfect storm without it ..........?

There is a lot of Pre B .....buying and stockpiling . Tesco are - non perishable food. I am sure others are.

"Expect a month or so of disruption" and then some normality is what I am reading. Well as smooth running depends upon untested Government software to handle processing of documentation and    transaction volumes at least five times current levels.. and that assumption may be optimistic.

[madasafish]

I wonder how the real cost of the charging compares with petrol? A 100kWh battery would cost £15 to £20 to fully charge at current domestic tariffs. Free / subsidised charging will disappear as the number of electric vehicles increases.

Hybrid has a lot of potential as (i) there's the recovery of energy lost to braking and (ii) it allows the engine to spend more of its time operating under the most efficient conditions. Honda's Mk 2 Jazz hybrid was a bit half baked as both the battery (a heavy lead acid lump) and motor/generator were of limited capacity. A hybrid version of the Mk 3 Jazz is sold in some parts of the world but not here.

The motor battery (as opposed to the traditional car battery) was NIMH at first , then Lithium post 2011.

[JimSh]

"Expect a month or so of disruption" and then some normality is what I am reading. Well as smooth running depends upon untested Government software to handle processing of documentation and    transaction volumes at least five times current levels.. and that assumption may be optimistic.

Just a tad optimistic.

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/scheme-to-hire-50000-brexit-customs-officers-is-funding-staff-poaching/27/10/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/no-deal-brexit-what-happens-b1768233.html?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=Feed

Latest edit Added 2nd link

[sparky Paul]

Just watched episode 3 of an interesting programme on BBC Alba called An Lan (Tide) about the tide, and those who earn their living working with it. It is narrated in Gaelic with English subtitles, but worth a watch.

There's a bit about the Surf & Turf operation in Orkney at about 46 minutes in, and tidal energy in general.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00052k0/an-lantide-series-1-3-a-beartachadh-an-lainharnessing-the-tide

[JimSh]

More bad news for Wales.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/dec/11/car-battery-firm-scraps-plan-to-build-uks-first-gigafactory-in-wales

See also
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/20/uk-first-car-battery-gigafactory-amte-power-britishvolt
For background