How Not To Resurface An Intersection
I took these pictures in the City of London at the North end of Moorgate this morning, where the road is crossed by Eldon Street and Ropemaker Street.
Note.
- I had only gone to the area to get a 141 bus to travel home and found that no buses were running on Moorgate.
- There was no information or signs displayed to help travellers.
- The Marks and Spencer’s store appeared to be completely cut off.
- I believe that this road is the responsibility of the London Borough of Islington, not the City of London.
- Luckily, Leon was unexpectedly open, so I popped inside to have a delicious Full English, gluten-free breakfast and a cup of tea, before my walk.
- Also, one of their staff was tall enough to see over the road works and ascertain, that the buses were running in Finsbury Square.
With difficulty, I was able to walk to the next bus stop on Finsbury Square and get safely home.
I have a few thoughts.
This Was Mushroom Management At Its Worst!
All it needed was a few signs on the bus stop by Moorgate station and dotted around the site to explain the situation, but no-one took the responsibility to provide the information.
Surely, This Is The Type Of Site, Where Hydrogen Powered Construction Equipment Should Be Used!
- It would provide better atmosphere for workers and passers-by.
- Some equipment would be quieter.
‘Our Wind Farm Won’t Discourage Bronte Tourists’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-title.
The developers of England’s largest wind farm have claimed that the turbines will not discourage visitors to moors once loved by the Bronte sisters.
These three paragraphs add more detail.
Calderdale Energy Park is applying to construct 34 turbines on Walshaw Moor, between Hebden Bridge and Haworth – the village associated with Bronte tourism.
As a nine-week public consultation begins, chief executive Christian Egal told objectors that the development would provide “cheap, reliable and stable” energy.
Campaigners who oppose the plans for the West Yorkshire moorland said that the wind farm would turn the scenic area into an “industrial complex”.
It is worth reading the whole BBC article as it gives a lot of detail and if you are worried about this sort of development, you should visit.
I have some thoughts.
Saint Brieuc Wind Farm
This wind farm has a web site.
Christian Egal says this about this wind farm of the coast of Brittany in France.
“There are thousands of visitors every day taking a boat to visit the wind farm, it has been demonstrated that at similar sites the balance is not negative, there are lots of circumstances where wind farms attract a lot of interest.”
The developers should make the wind farm visitor-friendly.
Peat
I know that peat on these and other moors is a sensitive subject and this is said about it.
Access roads will be built over the moor but Egal said: “We avoid deep peat, each turbine is located where the peat is shallow and any peat that is removed will be reinstated locally so the net balance will be zero loss of peat.
That looks to be the right attitude!
Will There Be A Battery?
This Google Map shows Haworth.
Note.
- Haworth is outlined in red.
- There appears to be something like a quarry on the Eastern edge of the map.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a suitable space for on of the new technology batteries can be found.
Rheenergise is one company that comes to mind.
How Green Are The Valley Lines?
This news item from Transport for Wales is entitled 100% Electrification Of The Core Valley Lines Complete.
This is the sub-heading.
Transport for Wales has completed the full electrification of the Core Valley lines, at the heart of the South Wales Metro, delivering one of Wales’ most ambitious rail infrastructure transport projects.
These two paragraphs describe the current status.
Dubbed the ‘Welsh Tube’, the £1bn project brought electric tri-mode trains to the South Wales Valleys for the very first time in 2024. This spring, TfW will introduce the first of its 36 fully electric Class 398 tram-trains. The new fleet will initially operate between Pontypridd and Cardiff Bay, providing greener, more frequent services as part of the South Wales Metro.
Passengers are already benefitting from these improvements with the Core Valley lines being one of the most punctual and reliable networks in Great Britain over the past 6 months.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification in the Cardiff area.
Note.
- Red tracks are electrified.
- Black tracks are not electrified.
- Cardiff station is indicated by the blue arrow.
- The black track going West from Cardiff is the South Wales Main Line to Llantrisant, Bridgend, Port Talbot and Swansea.
- The red track going East from Cardiff is the South Wales Main Line to Newport, the Severn Tunnel, Bristol Parkway, Reading and London.
- The lines going North up the valleys are from the West to Maesteg, Treorchy, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Ebbw Vale.
- The most Easterly line is the Newport and Hereford Line.
I will now look at some of the electrification.
Caerphilly Station
Caerphilly statition is on the Rhymney Line.
In June 2018, I wrote Caerphilly Station and took these pictures of the station.
At the time, I considered it a difficult station to electrify.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the completed electrification through Caerphilly station.
Note.
- Red tracks are electrified.
- Black tracks are not electrified.
- Caerphilly station is indicated by the blue arrow.
- Tracks to the North of Caerphilly are electrified.
- Tracks to the South of Caerphilly are not electrified.
- The electrification layout allows station with its two bridges and the 1784 metre Caerphilly Tunnel to the South of the station, to be unwired.
- There appears to be another section of plain track to the North of Caerphilly.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the completed electrification through Caerphilly station.
Note.
- Red tracks are electrified.
- Black tracks are not electrified.
- Caerphilly station is indicated by the blue arrow.
- The electrification continues to the Western end of the station.
- The two main platforms 2 & 3 are not electrified.
- The bay platform 1 is electrified to charge trains for return to Cardiff.
- Class 756 tri-mode electric-diesel-battery trains are already in service.
- There appears to be a comprehensive bus interchange.
Is Sumitomo Heavy Industries Highview Power Energy Storage System On Line At Hiroshima?
From some work I did at ICI in the 1970s on a PACE231R analog computer, I believe that Highview Power may have an extremely promising way of storing energy.
The Highview Power web site talks of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, who are building one of Highview’s batteries at Hiroshima in Japan.
So I asked Google AI the question in the title of this post and received this comprehensive answer.
Yes, the Sumitomo Heavy Industries (SHI) Highview Power liquid air energy storage (LAES) commercial demonstration plant in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, is operational, having commenced operations on December 1, 2025.
Key details about the plant:Location: Within the Hiroshima Gas Hatsukaichi LNG Terminal.Capacity: 5 MW output with 4-hour storage (4 MW charging).Technology: Uses Highview Power’s CRYOBattery™ technology, specifically utilizing waste cold from the adjacent LNG terminal to improve efficiency.Role: The facility is designed to support grid stability and enhance renewable energy integration.A completion ceremony for the project was held on December 9, 2025. This news item from Sumitomo Heavy Industries gives more details.This paragraph describes Liquid Air Energy Storage or (LAES).
- It looks like the battery has a capacity of 5 MW/20 MWh.
- As it talks about using waste cold, this looks to be a very professionally-designed specialist application.
- But surely, that would be expected from a company like Sumitomo Heavy Industries.
There are hundreds of LNG terminals globally, with significant growth driven by over 300 projects (roughly 177 import/regasification and 124 export/liquefaction) expected between 2025 and 2030. In 2023, there were 22 countries with active liquefaction (export) capacity, while Europe alone operates roughly 28 large-scale terminals, supplemented by a rapidly expanding fleet of FSRUs.Export Capacity: In 2023, global liquefaction capacity was 472 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), with top exporters being Australia, the U.S., and Qatar.Expansion: By 2027, 52 new liquefaction terminals are expected to commence operations.Import Growth: European regasification capacity is expanding, with major terminals in Spain, France, Italy, and new additions in Germany and other nations.U.S. Infrastructure: The U.S. alone has more than 170 LNG facilities performing various services.
- They are listed in this Wikipedia entry.
- There are around thirty in Japan alone.
- Will Centrica add a 5 MW /20 MWh Highview Power battery to their Grain LNG Terminal?
- Each facility installed is claimed to be designed to support grid stability and enhance renewable energy integration, so the last part must cut carbon emissions.
Yes, several major chemical engineering and industrial processes generate significant amounts of “waste cold” (low-grade thermal energy or cryogenic energy) that is often discarded. While the chemical industry conventionally focuses on recovering waste heat, recovering waste cold is becoming increasingly popular for improving energy efficiency, particularly in cryogenic processes.
- Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Regasification
- Cryogenic Air Separation Units (ASUs)
- Dry Ice and CO2 Liquefaction
-
Liquid Nitrogen Vaporization
-
Emerging: Cryogenic Carbon Capture
- Creation of this page was not difficult, but you have to get the tricks right.
- I used Google Chrome and Google AI.
- My blog is hosted in WordPress.
- All pages on this blog, where I have had help in their creation from Google AI are tagged as such.
I would be happy to help anybody, who wanted to use Artificial Intelligence to create blog pages.
Centrica Energy And Seneca Resources Company Sign First-of-Its-Kind Long-Term MiQ Methane Emissions Certificates Agreement
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
Centrica Energy and Seneca Resources Company are proud to announce a groundbreaking agreement, marking the first long-term deal of its kind to support independently verified methane emissions from an MiQ-certified US natural gas producer, helping to underpin reductions over time. This ten-year agreement underscores the commitment of Centrica and Seneca to support global efforts to reduce methane emissions.
This first paragraph added more detail.
Centrica Energy sources and delivers gas and LNG globally, including LNG shipped from the US to international markets. Under the terms of the agreement, Centrica will procure 250,000 MMBtu per day of MiQ-certified gas certificates over the next ten years, a strategic move that positions Centrica at the forefront of methane reduction initiatives, aligns with emerging regulatory requirements, and reinforces leadership in sustainable energy practices.
MiQ is new to me, so here is what the press release says about MiQ.
MiQ is a global leader in methane emissions certification and data. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to lower emissions gas by providing a credible and transparent certification system that drives regulatory compliance, incentivizes continuous improvement, and ensures methane accountability in the oil and gas sector throughout the entire supply chain.
It appears to me that MiQ-certified low-emissions gas is almost like an equivalent of FairTrade coffee.
If the UK buys its gas as MiQ-certified low-emissions gas, it could claim, that it has cut its gas emissions.
Google AI On Low-Emission Natural Gas
I asked its view and received this answer.
Low-emission natural gas refers to methane-based energy with significantly reduced greenhouse gas, methane leakage, and particulate emissions, often achieved through enhanced extraction, certification, or blending with cleaner gases. It offers up to 40% less (CO2) than coal and 20-30% less than oil, serving as a critical transition fuel to support renewable energy.
low-emission natural gas would seem to be a sensible way to go.
Treasures Found On HS2 Route Stored In Secret Warehouse
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Treasures unearthed by hundreds of archaeologists during the ongoing construction of the controversial HS2 train line have been shown exclusively to the BBC.
These three paragraphs add detail to the story.
The 450,000 objects, which are being held in a secret warehouse, include a possible Roman gladiator’s tag, a hand axe that may be more than 40,000 years old and 19th Century gold dentures.
It is an “unprecedented” amount and array of items, which will yield new insights into Britain’s past, says the Centre for British Archaeology.
Major building developments in the UK need land to be assessed by archaeologists as part of the planning process, to protect heritage sites.
Crossrail also collected a lot of artefacts in an archaeology programme, that I wrote about in Bison to Bedlam or How To Make Friends.
Typing “TransPennine Route Archaeology” into Google AI gave this answer.
AI Overview
Archaeological investigations for the Trans-Pennine upgrades are split into two major, parallel projects: the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine road project and the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) rail project. Both have revealed significant historical, archaeological, and industrial remains.
A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Upgrade (Road)
As part of the A66 upgrade between Penrith and Scotch Corner, Oxford Cotswold Archaeology (OCA) is conducting extensive excavations.
Key Finds: Archaeologists have identified prehistoric settlements, Neolithic stone axes, and evidence of a 60-meter-wide posthole structure.
Roman Discovery: A major Roman vicus (settlement) and the original Roman road have been uncovered, revealing a “grid of Roman field systems and ditches” near Brough.
Locations: Key sites include Brougham, Brough, Kirkby Thore, and Crackenthorpe.
Significance: These findings illustrate the area’s long-distance connection, trade, and culture from prehistoric through Roman times.
Transpennine Route Upgrade (Rail)
This project, involving Network Rail and ASWYAS (Archaeological Services WYAS), is upgrading the railway between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York.
172-Year-Old Railway Siding: A mid-19th-century railway siding was uncovered at Hillhouse Sidings in Huddersfield, revealing two turntables and brick-built engine sheds.
Roman Settlement (Ravensthorpe): Excavations at Ravensthorpe (for a new station) uncovered a large, hexagonal-shaped feature thought to be an Iron Age or Roman-British enclosure, featuring ceramics, glass, and animal bones.
Mirfield Viaduct: An investigation of the Grade II-listed Mirfield Viaduct (built 1836-1839) was conducted to record its structure before upgrade works.It could be a very large exhibition in the North, if High Speed Two and the two Transpennine Route Upgrades were combined in a single exhibition.
I asked Google AI, what is the largest exhibition centre in Yorkshire and received this answer.
The largest exhibition sites in Yorkshire are concentrated in Harrogate, anchored by the Great Yorkshire Event Centre and the Harrogate Convention Centre. These venues offer a combined total of over 10,000 square meters of exhibition space, accommodating major national events, conferences, and large-scale outdoor exhibitions.
I suspect Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield could have other ideas.
How Did South East Water Become Such A Disaster?
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
As tens of thousands of homes in Kent and Sussex lose supply the company and its well-remunerated boss, David Hinton, face a torrent of anger
These two paragraphs add some detail.
Perhaps the worst moment for South East Water was when it opened a bottled water station in the wrong town. Staff set up in Tonbridge, Kent, and not Tunbridge Wells five miles away, where the company had left some 24,000 properties without drinking water for two weeks.
Or maybe it was when David Hinton, the chief executive, repeatedly called the local MP one evening not to apologise but to berate him about the crisis — not, Hinton later admitted, “my finest moment”. Or it could have been when more properties lost their supply only hours after Hinton had told MPs his company’s response to the incident should score eight out of ten.
It wasn’t exactly the water industry’s finest moment.
I played a small and hopefully professional and a hundred-percent scientifically correct manner in the formation of the modern water industry in the UK.
In the 1970s, I wrote the software, that WS Atkins rented from their time-sharing computer to the Water Resources Board at Reading to model water supply in all or part of the UK.
My differential equation solving software had been designed to handle up to around a million equations and the contact at the WRB was a Dr. David Dimeloe.
I was never given details of their model and the conclusions, but I assume they must have done a good job, as there haven’t been too many problems with actual water supply, but mainly with management, ownership and failure of ancient infrastructure.
In my 79 years in the UK, I’ve never had a problem with water supply.
Searching for the WRB on the Internet finds one in Sri Lanka.
It would be good to get a copy of that report or even talk to one of the engineers on the project.
First Monopile In At ‘Most Ecological Offshore Wind Farm Yet’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Van Oord, using its installation vessel Boreas, installed the first monopile at the Ecowende offshore wind farm on 3 December. The project, a joint venture between Shell, Eneco and Chubu Electric Power, is being built off the coast of the Netherlands and is said to become the most ecological offshore wind farm to date.
These four paragraphs add more details.
The offshore wind farm, located approximately 53 kilometres off the Dutch coast near IJmuiden, will have 52 monopile foundations produced by Sif and Smulders supporting 52 Vestas V236-15.0 MW wind turbines.
The offshore wind farm is dubbed “the most ecological to date” since it incorporates several technologies and methodologies that are nature-inclusive, including monopiles coming in two diameters, 8.8 metres and 9.3 metres, to support varying turbine tower heights, as research indicates that higher turbine tip heights may allow birds to fly more safely between the structures, reducing collision risks.
Some of the wind turbines will feature red blades as part of a trial to assess whether increased visibility reduces bird collisions.
Offshore construction on Ecowende (Hollandse Kust West Site VI) offshore wind farm started in September with the installation of eco-friendly scour protection.
Note.
- It looks like its a 780 MW wind farm.
- They’re certainly looking after the birds.
- Scour protection is mainly to protect the wind farm, but at least it’s eco-friendly.
But then the Dutch must know a bit about building windmills, that last a long time.
US Installs 11.7 GW Of Clean Power In Record Q3
The title of this post, is the same as an article on Renewables Now.
Searching for the title of this post on Google AI gives this informative answer.
The United States installed a record 11.7 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale clean power capacity in the third quarter of 2025, marking a 14% increase over the same period in 2024. The data comes from the American Clean Power Association’s (ACP) latest “Clean Power Quarterly Market Report”.Key highlights from the report:
- Total Capacity: The 11.7 GW of new capacity includes utility-scale solar, energy storage, and onshore wind projects.
- Storage Surge: Battery storage set a new Q3 record with 4.7 GW installed, ensuring 2025 is on pace to be the biggest year for clean power deployment yet.
- Solar & Wind: Solar accounted for a large portion of new installations, and land-based wind increased 131% over Q3 2024.
- Strong Year Overall: Year-to-date installations reached 30.9 GW, already surpassing the pace of the previous record-setting year of 2024.
Despite the strong performance, the report also warns of future risks due to policy and regulatory uncertainty. Leading indicators, such as power purchase agreements (PPAs), fell significantly year-over-year, which points to potential slowdowns ahead. The full report with underlying datasets is available to ACP members, while a public version can be accessed via the press release on their website.
Island’s Birds Thriving Decade After Railway Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
An island transformed into a nature haven thanks to excavations from a major engineering project is thriving with record numbers of birds.
These two paragraphs add detail to the story.
RSPB Wallasea Island, a 740-hectare reserve at Rochford in Essex, was created using more than three million tonnes of earth, brought by boat from the tunnels and shafts created by the Crossrail scheme.
Before work began more than a decade ago there were just a small number of birds present – but almost 40,000 arrived last winter.
This Google Map shows the location of Wallasea Island.
Note.
- Wallasea Island is indicated by the red arrow.
- Southend-on-Sea is in the South-West corner of the map.
- To the East of Wallasea Island is Foulness Island, which at one time was to be the location for London’s third airport.
- In the Summer, there is a ferry to Wallasea Island from Burnham-on-Crouch, where there is a railway station.
- The distance between the quay and the station loooks to be about five hundred metres.
I will make a trip.
The Anonymous Widower 