Can A ‘Secret Sauce’ Help Store Renewable Energy?
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The US-Israel war with Iran has led to higher electricity bills and put the issue of energy security back in the spotlight.
These two paragraphs add more detail to the story.
Now a pilot project inspired by a 100-year-old idea aims to store renewable energy.
Those behind the high density hydro demonstrator scheme near Plymouth say the technology can “turn small hills into giant batteries”, as part of the transition away from fossil fuels.
This is one of those stories, that could only emerge in the UK.
If you have the time, click on the link to the BBC article and read it in full.
I have a feeling, that the world will be hearing a lot about RheEnergise.
I asked Google AI, “How Much Energy Can A RheEnergise Battery Store”, and received this reply.
A RheEnergise system acts like pumped-storage hydro, using a dense fluid instead of water to store energy.
Planned commercial facilities are designed to store 2 to 16 hours of energy capacity, offering between 10 MW and 50 MW of power generation.
The exact energy storage figures for their deployments scale depending on the site requirements.
The breakdown of how these installations store and yield energy includes:
Commercial-Scale Capacity: A standard commercial site ranging from 10 MW to 50 MW will yield between 20 MWh and 800 MWh of total energy output (based on operating at full capacity for 2 to 16 hours).
The “Secret Sauce”: The system uses a proprietary fluid called R-19, which is 2.5 times denser than water.
This density allows the system to generate 2.5× more power and energy from the same physical footprint and vertical drop compared to traditional water-based facilities.
Real-World Pilot: The company operates a 500 kW demonstrator project at Cornwood near Plymouth, UK. This smaller test-bed, if run continually, generates energy equivalent to powering about 400 homes for an entire year.
Zero Seasonal Losses: Unlike chemical batteries (like lithium-ion) that degrade and lose charge over time, pumped hydro setups suffer virtually zero energy loss while the fluid sits idle.
The Undersea Tunnel Network That Could Transform Shetland’s Fortunes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Shetland wants to ditch ageing ferries and replace them with undersea tunnels connecting five islands including Unst, the most northerly of the British Isles.
These three paragraphs add some more detail.
The plans sound grand but they have also been greeted with some scepticism.
Can the Shetland Isles really pull off such an ambitious plan, given the UK’s struggles to deliver big projects such as high speed rail?
Yes, says the prime minister of the tiny Faroe Islands, which are 200 miles further out into the Atlantic.
The Faroe Islands Tunnel Network
I asked Google AI to describe the Faroe Island tunnel network and received this answer.
The Faroe Islands tunnel network is a massive feat of engineering connecting the 18-island archipelago.
It features over twenty land tunnels and four ultramodern subsea tunnels.
The system replaces unpredictable ferries, drastically reduces travel times, and even features the world’s first subsea roundabout.
The subsea tunnel network links major islands and regions:
Eysturoyartunnilin (Eysturoy Tunnel): A major project stretching over 11 km that connects the capital, Tórshavn, to the towns of Runavík and Strendur.
It is famous for the world’s first underwater roundabout—dubbed the “jellyfish”—which sits 72 meters below the seabed and is illuminated by stunning blue light effects and sculptures by local artist Tróndur Patursson. Travel times between Tórshavn and Runavík plummeted from over an hour to just 16 minutes.
Sandoyartunnilin (Sandoy Tunnel): Spanning roughly 11 km, this subsea tunnel connects the island of Sandoy to Streymoy.
It reaches depths up to 150 meters below sea level and integrates a relatively isolated community into the mainland, turning an hours-long ferry journey into a brief 30-minute commute.
Norðoyatunnilin (Northern Islands Tunnel): A 6.3 km subsea connection linking the island of Eysturoy with Borðoy (home to Klaksvík, the second-largest city in the Faroes).
Vágatunnilin (Vágar Tunnel): The first subsea tunnel constructed (opening in 2002), spanning 4.9 km and connecting the main island of Streymoy to Vágar, where the Faroe Islands’ international airport is located.
How the Network Works
Design & Specs: All four subsea tunnels are spacious, two-laned, single-tube designs.
The speed limit throughout the tunnels is fixed at 80 km/h.
Safety & Depth: The tunnels can reach depths of up to 187 meters below the Atlantic Ocean. Despite this, the maximum road gradient never exceeds 5%, ensuring safety for all vehicles.
Toll System: All subsea tunnels require a toll fee. Drivers can either pay per single trip or purchase a Tunnel Pass that covers driving through any subsea connection over a specific timeframe.
How Were The Faroe Tunnels Funded?
I asked Google AI to say how the Faroe Tunnels were funded and received this answer.
The Faroe Islands’ extensive subsea tunnel network is primarily funded through public-private financial partnerships utilizing international bank loans, pension fund investments, and government guarantees.
These multi-million-pound infrastructure projects pay for themselves entirely over time through user tolls.
The mechanics of this self-financing model operate as follows:
Public Companies & Bonds: The government establishes dedicated, publicly-owned companies (such as P/F Eystur- og Sandoyartunlar) that build, own, and manage the infrastructure. These companies take out large loans from international financial institutions—including UK and US pension funds—and issue bonds to private investors.
Toll Revenue Repayment: The loans and bonds are secured against future toll revenues, which are collected from motorists using the tunnels.
Government Guarantees: The Faroese government provides financial backing, essentially guaranteeing minimum traffic usage to reassure institutional investors.
Cross-Subsidization: To ensure all islands benefit, highly-trafficked tunnels (like the Eysturoy tunnel) subsidize the costs of less-trafficked tunnels (like the Sandoy tunnel).
Inside The Faroe Tunnels
This article on the BBC is entitled Faroe Islands: Inside The Undersea Tunnel Network.
It is worth a look.
Green Tea, Broad Beans, Berries — Are You Eating The Best Five-A-Day?
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
We need 500mg of flavanols a day for heart and brain health, new research shows. Here’s how to boost your intake
These three paragraphs add more details.
You may have ticked off fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch and pulses and veggies for dinner to get your five a day, but you could still be missing out — specifically on key nutrients called flavanols, which are important for disease prevention.
Not all fruit and veg are created equal and while a variety of plant foods is best for all-round health, researchers from the University of Reading, Harvard Medical School and the University of California Davis stressed this week that our focus should be on getting more flavanols, a specific group of antioxidant compounds found in foods such as berries, apples, kale, grapes, tea and cocoa. These matter because they support blood vessels, circulation and heart health.
For their study, published in the latest edition of the Food & Function journal, the scientists tracked the diets and urine biomarkers of more than 30,000 people from the US and the UK, and confirmed that a daily intake of 500mg of flavanols reduced deaths from cardiovascular disease by 27 per cent. Their results also showed that fewer than one in five people get enough flavanols in their diet and even those who hit standard NHS healthy eating guidance are often found to be lacking in the nutrients.
I eat a lot of strawberries, as I find strawberries and yoghurt in the afternoon helps to calm my uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease.
I also drink two or three bottles a day of Adnams Ghost Ship Alcohol Free Beer.
Does Low-Alcohol Beer Contain Flavanols?
I asked Google AI and received this slightly surprising answer.
Yes, low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beers contain flavanols. The brewing process retains a significant portion of these bioactive polyphenols (antioxidants).
How Flavanols Get into the Beer
Hops: Hops are the primary source of specific flavonoids and flavanols.
They are also the unique source of prenylflavonoids (like xanthohumol), which are known for their strong antioxidant and potential anti-inflammatory properties.
Malt: Barley and grains provide the majority (70-80%) of the total polyphenolic compounds found in a standard brew.
Brewing: Because non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beers undergo many of the exact same initial fermentation and brewing steps as regular beers, they naturally retain these compounds from the raw ingredients.
Style: Darker, heavier, or more heavily-hopped beers generally contain higher amounts of total flavonoids and polyphenols.
Processing: Certain filtration and stabilization methods used to reduce haze during production can also slightly decrease the flavonoid content.
Health Value: Because low-alcohol variants bypass the negative effects of ethanol, they are often highlighted by dietitians and nutritionists as a great way to enjoy the functional and nutritional benefits of beer, such as antioxidants and vitamins.
I also feel that a lot of what is said here could also apply to real ale.
Does Real Ale Contain Flavanols?
Yes. Real ale contains flavanols (such as catechins and epicatechins) and various other flavonoids, primarily sourced from the hops and malt used in the brewing process.
Key Flavonoids and Polyphenols in Real Ale
Flavanols: Compounds like catechin and epicatechin are present in beer, providing a source of antioxidants.
Flavonols: Real ales contain flavonols such as quercetin and rutin.Prenylated
Flavonoids: Hops provide unique prenylated flavonoids (like xanthohumol and isoxanthohumol). Because ales are typically more heavily hopped than lagers, they often boast higher concentrations of these specific compounds.
Why Real Ale is a Notable Source
Ales are top-fermented at warmer temperatures and are traditionally more heavily hopped than lagers, which aids in the extraction of these plant polyphenols. Furthermore, because real ale (or cask-conditioned ale) undergoes a secondary fermentation in the container from which it is served and is typically unpasteurized and unfiltered, it retains high amounts of these natural plant compounds compared to mass-produced, heavily filtered beers.
I’ve rarely drunk any foreign lager, since my father introduced me to Adnams at about 11.
The Anonymous Widower 