Eurovision: Russia Banned From Competing At 2022 Song Contest
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Russia will no longer be allowed to participate in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, the European Broadcasting Union has said.
The EBU, which produces the event, said Russia’s inclusion could bring the competition into disrepute “in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine”.
It’s going from Vlad to verse.
Winning the Eurovision Song Contest is not easy for Russia, as although they can rig the votes, doping doesn’t help singers and musicians to perform better.
Putin Loses A Decisive Poll!
The Times is asking if Russia should be banned from international sport on its web site.
This is a screen capture.
It appears that Putin can’t win them all!
Ukraine Conflict: Champions League Final Moved from Russia To Paris
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
UEFA has done the right thing!
How will Putin get his own back on UEFA?
He could stage the Anti-Nazi World Cup by inviting Belarus, Brazil, China, Cuba, Iran, Kazakstan, Myanmar, Syria, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
Russian Grand Prix Cancelled Following Invasion Of Ukraine
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
Formula One has done the right thing!
How will Putin get his own back on Formula One?
He could ban Formula One for ever from Russia, but then somewhere else like Ukraine, Poland or one of the Baltic States would happily stage a Grand Prix.
The Joy Of Freedom
I set out my views on masks in the title of Should We Be Given More Discretion Over Mask Wearing?.
Today was the first Friday under the relaxed rules on masks, when I have done my pre-weekend Friday morning routine.
- Take a bus and a Northern Line train or a direct bus to Moorgate.
- Have a Full English breakfast in Leon.
- Visit Marks & Spencer on Moorgate and get my weekend food.
These are my comments on today’s trip.
- I rode the bus to Angel without a mask and had a pleasant chat with a lady of my age about Putin.
- We felt that the Brutus solution for Vlad the Poisoner would be best!
- On the train between Angel and Moorgate stations, I was the only passenger not wearing a mask.
- It was easy to walk up the steps at Moorgate station.
- Leon was busy, with about half of customers and all staff wearing masks.
- Marks was about half full and it was nice to be able to shop wearing my glasses, which don’t fit my mask.
- I should say, that I need my glasses to read sell-by dates.
- There were no naked faces on the bus home.
It was such a joy for me, to be able to travel and do my shopping without a mask.
But then at no time, was I in a crowd, which might have made me reach for my mask.
Conclusion
I doubt at no time, I’ll go back to full-time mask wearing.
Incidentally, I used to have a racehorse called Joy of Freedom.
Timber Freight Train Runs For First Time In 18 Years
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Network Rail has partnered with Colas Rail in a pilot project to run a timber freight train for the first time in 18 years.
A sawmill in Abergavenny has received the first rail-transported timber since 2004 which was transported 92 miles from Hackney Yard near Newton Abbot.
I do wonder how many other specialised freight trains like these could be run.
As it was only 320 tonnes on eight wagons, it was probably hauled by a diesel Class 66 or Class 70 locomotive.
If there were hydrogen-powered locomotives available, would this encourage more companies to switch from road to rail.
It also appears that for this movement, Network Rail had strengthened a bridge. Are there enough yards, where heavy trucks can access the railway?
Timber Imports
With the situation in Ukraine, I wondered if we imported any timber from Russia, that could perhaps be replaced by locally-grown timber.
I found this page on the Forest Research web site from the UK Government, which is entitled Origin Of Wood Imports.
Our biggest timber imports from Russia are wood pellets and plywood.
Wood pellets are an obvious import, as we also import large amounts from the United States and Canada and all three countries have extensive forests and I suspect they all produce large amounts of woody waste, that is only suitable for making into pellets.
Are we recycling scrap wood and woody waste, as best we can in the UK or are we just burning it on bonfires? The guy opposite lost a tree in the recent storms and a tree surgeon came with a special truck and a shredder to reduce it to small pieces of woody waste. Did that go to make pellets for Drax and other boilers that burn them?
It strikes me, that there may be opportunities For creating or enlarging our own wood pellet industry to cut imports.
Plywood comes mainly from China (37 %), Brazil (18 %), Finland (9 %) and Russia (8 %). Of these, I suspect only one has good environmental standards.
As this softwood plywood for lower-grade applications only needs wood from trees, that we can grow in this country, perhaps we should make a lot more in automated plants.
I’m sure Network Rail would be happy to arrange the transport.
Where Are The Warthogs?
It must have been over twenty years ago, when I ended up in the Clopton Crown public house, spending an evening’s drinking with two USAF pilots, who lived locally.
They flew A10 Thunderbolt IIs out of RAF Bentwaters.
These aircraft are effectively a flying-gun, which are affectionately known as Warthogs, were designed with one purpose in mind and that was to stop Russian tanks marching through Europe.
When I told the pilots, that I had several hundred hours flying light aircraft. they told me, how easy the Warthogs were to fly.
Perhaps the Americans should have brought a few out of store and given them to the Ukrainians with a training package?
“Game-Changing” Long-Duration Energy Storage Projects To Store Power In Hydrogen, Compressed Air And Next-Gen Batteries Win UK Government Backing
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from EDF.
These are the first two paragraphs.
EDF UK has received £2 million in funding from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to support four innovative methods of storing energy for longer periods of time.
The four longer-duration energy storage demonstration projects will help to achieve the UK’s plan for net zero by balancing the intermittency of renewable energy, creating more options for sustainable, low-cost energy storage in the UK.
These are the projects.
Tech Transfer And Modification Of Metal Hydride Storage Used In Fusion Sector For Hydrogen (Protium) Storage
The project is described like this in the press release.
The first project will store electricity as hydrogen in a chemical form using depleted uranium hydride (UH3). The project will utilise Urenco’s depleted uranium liability – a waste product from fuel production and reprocessed spent MOX fuel – to safely store hydrogen as UH3, which has approximately twice the volumetric energy density as liquid H2. The project will see EDF R&D lead a consortium combining expertise in engineering and materials from University of Bristol, operating metal hydride storage at UKAEA and handling depleted uranium from Urenco.
Sounds like a good project. Especially, as it finds a use for Urenco‘s depleted uranium.
Pivot Power
Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, will work on two projects.
- Delivering Power On Demand From Solar PV Using 40MWh Vanadium Flow Battery Storage System
- Accelerate Commercialisation Of Zinc-Based Battery Storage
The first project was described in Longer Duration Energy Storage Demonstration Programme, Stream 1 Phase 1: Details Of Successful Projects.
This is what EDF says about the two projects which are linked.
Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, will support the delivery of two demonstration projects. The first project, delivered in partnership with Invinity Energy Systems plc (AIM:IES), will establish the feasibility of developing one of the UK’s largest storage-enabled solar power resources. If selected, Phase Two of this project, which includes a utility-scale 10 MW / 40 MWh Invinity Vanadium Flow Battery, would receive funding under the programme.
Pivot Power will also work alongside e-Zinc, with support from Frontier Economics, to ‘metalize energy’, deploying breakthrough technology that stores energy in zinc, an inexpensive and widely available metal that has a high energy density.
I’m a believer in storing energy in zinc, until it is proven, it’s not a good method.
The final project was also described in Longer Duration Energy Storage Demonstration Programme, Stream 1 Phase 1: Details Of Successful Projects.
The EDF press release adds this.
The final project will explore how electricity, converted into compressed air, can be stored in EDF’s existing gas storage facilities, where EDF Thermal Generation and R&D will partner with io consulting and Hydrostor.
I have a good feeling about this project.
UK Government Awards Funding To Longer-Duration Energy Storage Tech Projects
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Energy Storage News.
The article gives a list of all the projects.
I looked at the Stream 1 projects in Longer Duration Energy Storage Demonstration Programme, Stream 1 Phase 1: Details Of Successful Projects.
I’ll put a link to Stream 2 projects here.
Energy3 – A Thermal Energy Storage System Providing Heating, Hot Water And Electricity
Energy3 – A Thermal Energy Storage System Providing Heating, Hot Water And Electricity
This article on Current News is entitled BEIS Unveils Nearly £7m Long Duration Energy Storage Funding.
One of the ideas, that has received funding is Energy3, which is an idea from the University of Edinburgh.
This is the introductory paragraph on the home page.
Renewable energy sourced from the sun, wind, waves, or tides is clean and secure. Unfortunately, the energy that can be extracted from renewables and the demand for it varies both temporally and spatially. To allow a household to be fully reliant on renewables or for grid operators to use a high proportion of renewable energy, storage is essential.
The University has developed a storage system based on heat, that is charged by using low-cost electricity. This heat can then be delivered during the day as heat, hot water and electricity.
Two sizes are available.
- mUHTS – A small cubic metre size, which is ideal for the average house.
- megaUHTS – A container sized system, which is aimed at a business.
They can also build bigger systems to replace thermal power stations.
This is a very interesting concept and I can see other similar systems being developed, by companies all over the world.
The Anonymous Widower 