Rolls-Royce Provide mtu Trigeneration Plant For Largest Data Centre In Romania
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release on the Rolls Royce web site.
- mtu Series 4000 gas generator sets to provide electricity, heat and cooling for ClusterPower’s Technology Campus in Craiova
The completed campus will feature five data centers and provide a significant boost to the region’s global IT infrastructure competitiveness - Rolls-Royce, along with its distributor partner Knopf & Wallisch (K&W), has supplied three mtu customized and containerized combined cooling, heat and power plant (CCHP) trigeneration units to Romanian cloud service provider ClusterPower. They will be used for the efficient and sustainable energy supply at its new technology campus near the southern Romanian city of Craiova, where the IT company will open the largest data center in Romania.
The press release also says that trigeneration plants are hydrogen-ready.
The engines are gas engines, that can be converted to running on a mix of 25 % hydrogen and natural gas or eventually to pure hydrogen.
Conclusion
This would appear to be a neat way to sell the end customer an engine that can handle natural gas now and convert it over time to hydrogen.
Platform Construction Underway At Winslow On New East West Railway
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on Rail Advent.
This picture from Network Rail shows the Winslow station construction site.
This paragraph from the Rail Advent article describes the operation.
A 250 tonne crawler crane is being used to lift over 500 pre-cast concrete platform units into position within new railway cutting. As there is limited space available on site, a smartphone app has been developed to allow the platform units to be called for delivery in the exact construction sequence. The crane’ ‘lattice boom’ is 62-metres long , which is taller than Nelson’s Column.
That all sounds like good project management to me.
Caterpillar To Launch Demonstration Project Using Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology For Backup Power At Microsoft Data Center
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release on the Caterpillar web site.
This is the first two paragraphs.
Caterpillar Inc. today announced a three-year project through a collaboration with Microsoft and Ballard Power Systems to demonstrate a power system incorporating large-format hydrogen fuel cells to produce reliable and sustainable backup power for Microsoft data centers. The project is supported and partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the H2@Scale initiative and backed by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL).
“At Caterpillar, we focus on supporting our customers with reliable, resilient and economical power solutions while achieving their climate-related goals,” said Jason Kaiser, vice president for Caterpillar’s Electric Power Division. “This hydrogen fuel cell demonstration project enables us to collaborate with industry leaders to take a large step toward commercially viable power solutions that also support our customers in making their operations more sustainable.”
It certainly looks like Caterpillar are turning to the use of hydrogen to keep their existing markets.
This press release explains the cooperation in a paragraph.
Caterpillar experts in advanced power technologies, controls and system integration are working alongside Microsoft experts in data center design and Ballard experts in fuel cell design to demonstrate a 1.5 MW backup power delivery and control system that would meet or exceed the expectations set by current diesel engine systems.
Elsewhere the press release says that Caterpillar aims to be carbon negative by 2030.
Conclusion
We will see lots of systems like this providing reliable and sustainable power systems for entities like airports, city centres, data centres, hospitals, ports, shopping malls and other large users of electricity.
Is Thermify The Ultimate Zero-Carbon Boiler?
In The Sunday Times today, there is an article, which is entitled Tech Is Putting Net Zero Within Reach, which lists several ideas to help us achieve net zero.
The first is the best idea, that I’ve seen this year.
When you talk using a phone, tablet or computer to your family, preferred social network, bank or company, you are probably talking to or through a server somewhere on the Internet.
These servers are often a bank of computers and they use a lot of electricity and give out a lot of heat. So they are often located in unusual places like Iceland. Someone has even suggested putting them deep under the sea.
Under a section entitled Computer Power, the article in The Times introduces Thermify.
The Welsh company has combined a computer server with a heat exchanger to replace your gas-fired boiler.
I suspect all of these servers fit together just like data centres do all over the world.
It would be ideal for my house, as I only use gas for heating and hot water and I have solar panels on the roof and under-floor heating using hot water.
I shall be contacting the company next week.
Speak Up And Help Beat COVID-19
The title of this post, is the name of a research project, which is described on this page of the government web site.
This is the first paragraph.
We are seeking volunteers to take part in a study at the forefront of new and emerging science and technology.
Basically, you’re asked to record a few sounds including a cough and then AI attempts to decide, whether you have the dreaded covids or not. As you are invited to take this test soon after a full test for the covids, it’s quite easy for any intelligent computer, as she will look you up in the database.
The idea, is to see whether diagnosis is possible from a cough.
But then doctors have been asking Army recruits to cough since Wellington’s time.
Do they ask ladies to cough or is that now considered transphobic?
UK To Norway Sub-Sea Green Power Cable Operational
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the first two paragraphs.
The world’s longest under-sea electricity cable, transferring green power between Norway and the UK, has begun operation.
The 450-mile (725km) cable connects Blyth in Northumberland with the Norwegian village of Kvilldal.
The BBC article is based on this press release from National Grid.
The link has been called the North Sea Link (NSL).
These are some thoughts.
What Is The Capacity Of The North Sea Link?
The National Grid press release says this.
[The link] will start with a maximum capacity of 700 megawatts (MW) and gradually increase to the link’s full capacity of 1400MW over a three-month period.
It also says this.
Once at full capacity, NSL will provide enough clean electricity to power 1.4 million homes.
It is more or less equivalent to two or three gas-fired power stations.
What Is The Operating Philosophy Of The North Sea Link?
The National Grid press release says this.
The Norwegian power generation is sourced from hydropower plants connected to large reservoirs, which can respond faster to fluctuations in demand compared to other major generation technologies. However, as the water level in reservoirs is subject to weather conditions, production varies throughout seasons and years.
When wind generation is high and electricity demand low in Britain, NSL will enable renewable power to be exported from the UK, conserving water in Norway’s reservoirs. When demand is high in Britain and there is low wind generation, hydro power can be imported from Norway, helping to ensure secure, affordable and sustainable electricity supplies for UK consumers.
It almost seems to me, that the North Sea Link is part of a massive pumped-storage system, where we can bank some of our wind-generated electricity in Norway and draw it out when we need it.
I would suspect that the rate and direction of electricity transfer is driven by a very sophisticated algorithm, that uses detailed demand and weather forecasting.
As an example, if we are generating a lot of wind power at night, any excess that the Norwegians can accept will be used to fill their reservoirs.
The Blyth Connection
This page on the North Sea Link web site, describes the location of the UK end of the North Sea Link.
These three paragraphs describe the connection.
The convertor station will be located just off Brock Lane in East Sleekburn. The site forms part of the wider Blyth Estuary Renewable Energy Zone and falls within the Cambois Zone of Economic Opportunity.
The converter station will involve construction of a series of buildings within a securely fenced compound. The buildings will be constructed with a steel frame and clad with grey insulated metal panels. Some additional outdoor electrical equipment may also be required, but most of the equipment will be indoors.
Onshore underground cables will be required to connect the subsea cables to the converter station. Underground electricity cables will then connect the converter station to a new 400kV substation at Blyth (located next to the existing substation) which will be owned and operated by National Grid Electricity Transmission PLC.
This Google Map shows the area.
Note.
- The light grey buildings in the North-West corner of the map are labelled as the NSL Converter Station.
- Underground cables appear to have been dug between the converter station and the River Blyth.
- Is the long silver building to the West of the triangular jetty, the 400 KV substation, where connection is made to the grid?
The cables appear to enter the river from the Southern point of the triangular jetty. Is the next stop Norway?
Britishvolt And The North Sea Link
Britishvolt are are building a factory at Blyth and this Google Map shows are to the North and East of the NSL Converter Station.
Note the light-coloured buildings of the NSL Converter Station.
I suspect there’s plenty of space to put Britishvolt’s gigafactory between the converter station and the coast.
As the gigafactory will need a lot of electricity and preferably green, I would assume this location gives Britishvolt all they need.
Where Is Kvilldal?
This Google Map shows the area of Norway between Bergen and Oslo.
Note.
- Bergen is in the North-West corner of the map.
- Oslo is at the Eastern edge of the map about a third of the way down.
- Kvilldal is marked by the red arrow.
This second Google Map shows the lake to the North of Kvilldal.
Note.
- Suldalsvatnet is the sixth deepest lake in Norway and has a volume of 4.49 cubic kilometres.
- Kvilldal is at the South of the map in the middle.
This third Google Map shows Kvilldal.
Note.
- Suldalsvatnet is the dark area across the top of the map.
- The Kvilldal hydro-electric power station on the shore of the lake.
- Kvilldal is to the South-West of the power station.
Kvilldal doesn’t seem to be the biggest and most populous of villages. But they shouldn’t have electricity supply problems.
Kvilldal Power Station And The North Sea Link
The Wikipedia entry for Kvilldal power station gives this information.
The Kvilldal Power Station is a located in the municipality of Suldal. The facility operates at an installed capacity of 1,240 megawatts (1,660,000 hp), making it the largest power station in Norway in terms of capacity. Statnett plans to upgrade the western grid from 300 kV to 420 kV at a cost of 8 billion kr, partly to accommodate the NSN Link cable] from Kvilldal to England.
This power station is almost large enough to power the North Sea Link on its own.
The Kvilldal power station is part of the Ulla-Førre complex of power stations and lakes, which include the artificial Lake Blåsjø.
Lake Blåsjø
Lake Blåsjø would appear to be a lake designed to be the upper reservoir for a pumped-storage scheme.
- The lake can contain 3,105,000,000 cubic metres of water at its fullest.
- The surface is between 930 and 1055 metres above sea level.
- It has a shoreline of about 200 kilometres.
This Google Map shows the Lake.
Note the dam at the South end of the lake.
Using Omni’s Potential Energy Calculator, it appears that the lake can hold around 8 TWh of electricity.
A rough calculation indicates that this could supply the UK with 1400 MW for over eight months.
The Wikipedia entry for Saurdal power station gives this information.
The Saurdal Power Station is a hydroelectric and pumped-storage power station located in the municipality of Suldal. The facility operates at an installed capacity of 674 megawatts (904,000 hp) (in 2015). The average energy absorbed by pumps per year is 1,189 GWh (4,280 TJ) (in 2009 to 2012). The average annual production is 1,335 GWh (4,810 TJ) (up to 2012)
This Google Map shows the area between Kvilldal and Lake Blåsjø.
Note
- Kvilldal is in the North West of the map.
- Lake Blåsjø is in South East of the map.
This second Google Map shows the area to the South-East of Kvilldal.
Note.
- Kvilldal is in the North-West of the map.
- The Saurdal power station is tight in the South-East corner of the map.
This third Google Map shows a close-up of Saurdal power station.
Saurdal power station is no ordinary power station.
This page on the Statkraft web site, gives a brief description of the station.
The power plant was commissioned during 1985-1986 and uses water resources and the height of fall from Lake Blåsjø, Norway’s largest reservoir.
The power plant has four generating units, two of which can be reversed to pump water back up into the reservoir instead of producing electricity.
The reversible generating units can thus be used to store surplus energy in Lake Blåsjø.
Is Lake Blåsjø and all the power stations just a giant battery?
Economic Effect
The economic effect of the North Sea Link to both the UK and Norway is laid out in a section called Economic Effect in the Wikipedia entry for the North Sea Link.
Some points from the section.
- According to analysis by the United Kingdom market regulator Ofgem, in the base case scenario the cable would contribute around £490 million to the welfare of the United Kingdom and around £330 million to the welfare of Norway.
- This could reduce the average domestic consumer bill in the United Kingdom by around £2 per year.
- A 2016 study expects the two cables to increase price in South Norway by 2 øre/kWh, less than other factors.
This Economic Effect section also talks of a similar cable between Norway and Germany called NorGer.
It should be noted, that whereas the UK has opportunities for wind farms in areas to the North, South, East and West of the islands, Germany doesn’t have the space in the South to build enough wind power for the area.
There is also talk elsewhere of an interconnector between Scotland and Norway called NorthConnect.
It certainly looks like Norway is positioning itself as Northern Europe’s battery, that will be charged from the country’s extensive hydropower and surplus wind energy from the UK and Germany.
Could The Engineering Be Repeated?
I mentioned NorthConnect earlier.
- The cable will run between Peterhead in Scotland and Samnanger in Norway.
- The HVDC cable will be approximately 665 km long.
- The cable will be the same capacity as the North Sea Link at 1400 MW.
- According to Wikipedia construction started in 2019.
- The cable is planned to be operational in 2022.
- The budget is €1.7 billion.
Note.
- Samnager is close to Bergen.
- NorthConnect is a Scandinavian company.
- The project is supported by the European Union, despite Scotland and Norway not being members.
- National Grid is not involved in the project, although, they will be providing the connection in Scotland.
The project appears to be paused at the moment, awaiting how North Sea Link and NordLink between Norway and Germany are received.
There is an English web site, where this is the mission statement on the home page.
NorthConnect will provide an electrical link between Scotland and Norway, allowing the two nations to exchange power and increase the use of renewable energy.
This sounds very much like North Sea Link 2.
And then there is Icelink.
- This would be a 1000-1200 km link between Iceland and the UK.
- It would have a capacity of 1200 MW.
- National Grid are a shareholder in the venture.
- It would be the longest interconnector in the world.
The project appears to have stalled.
Conclusion
I can see these three interconnectors coming together to help the UK’s electricity generation become carbon-free by 2035.
Will Some Word Processing Software Object To Someone Typing Battersea Power Station Station?
It is quite likely, that someone will need to type “Battersea Power Station Station” into a document.
I’ve just tried to type it into Word and it objects!
Twenty Years On!
On the eleventh of September in 2001, I had three jobs to do in London.
- I had to visit my press cuttings client near Borough tube station to talk about something, which I have long forgotten.
- I had to deliver a thousand Al Stewart CDs to his manager, as the singer was going on tour. The handover was to be performed in Waterloo station.
- I was then going on to Soho to see a Chinese bookmaker, for whom I offered computer advice.
I parked my car on a meter and went to visit the first client at about two.
When I returned to the car, I needed to phone my wife; C about something. My phone was installed in my Discovery and it didn’t have any calling list, as I remembered numbers and just typed them in.
But for some reason I couldn’t remember her mobile phone number or the Office number at home, so I didn’t make the call.
This was very unlike me, as I’ve always had an excellent memory. Especially for numbers.
I did remember to deliver the parcel to Al Stewart’s manager and made my way to Soho, where I parked in an underground car park.
It was only when I got to the bookmakers did I realise what was going on in New York, as they had the televisions on and were watching the drama continuously.
I have a feeling, that I made my excuses and returned quickly to Suffolk.
By this time, my memory had returned and I was able to phone C.
But the worst terrorist attacks of recent memory were probably over.
Did my brain pick up the bad news or was it due to being close to the City of London, where there would have been a large amount of electronic communication to New York?
I have no idea.
But there is another incident, where I may have picked up tragic news through the ether.
On Sunday, the 31st August 1997, I woke up about five as I generally do and remarkably said to C. “Something tragic has happend! I think Tony Blair has been assassinated!”
She told me to stop being silly and I went downstairs to make a cup of tea and do some programming. It was then that I turned on the radio and heard that Princess Diana had died in the traffic accident in Paris.
Building Council Flats In London
I was told this tale by the Head of the Construction Branch of the Greater London Council, who was a big user of the first Project Management System;PERT7, that I wrote in the 1970s.
The GLC were building some council flats alongside the railway.
There were four parallel blocks with five floors and I’ll number them 1 to 4, with 4 alongside the railway and 1 furthest away.
The plan to build them involved the following.
- Deliveries were planned, so that the many residents around the site and British Rail were not inconvenienced.
- Site access was arranged with British Rail along the railway on a track to and from a major road a few hundred yards away.
- The site would be cleared with all the rubble going out in the reverse direction.
- The plan then was to build the blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4 towards the railway.
- This was logical, as when each block was completed it could be occupied and the new tenants wouldn’t be living in a building site, as what needed to be done was towards the railway.
But he was overruled by a vociferous local lobby and some local politicians, who had convinced themselves that building away from the railway in a 4, 3, 2, 1 order would be better.
In the end they were built in the 4, 3, 2, 1 order with budget and time overruns and endless complaints from residents.
If there is a lesson from this fairly insignificant project, it is that in a construction project, there is often one way to build it, that minimises construction time and disturbance to neighbours and maximises the cash flow from the development.
Metier’s First And Second Ipswich Office
My Scottish Borders correspondent has asked me about the first office Metier had in Ipswich.
Courtesy of Google Streetview, I was able to capture this image.
Note.
- They were in the four story building with the yellow cladding.
- I see it’s still called Pearl Assurance House.
- Shadu Hair and Beauty used to be a rather good camera shop.
For those of you, who don’t know Ipswich, if you walk straight ahead and keep right, you end up in the centre of Ipswich.
It wasn’t very large, but it was certainly in better condition, than some of the offices we had in London.
This is the second office in Fore Street.
If I remember correctly, the office was found by Wendy, who responded to my advert in the East Anglian Daily Times, saying, that we were looking for an Office Dogsbody.
The Anonymous Widower 