The Foul-Smelling Fuel That Could Power Big Ships
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
The article talks in detail about using liquid ammonia to power large ocean-going ships.
- A research project is underway in Copenhagen.
- The ammonia would be green ammonia produced by renewable energy.
The aim is to seriously reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from shipping.
A Train Of My Own!
To get to the the best Marks and Spencer food shop near me, I walk to Essex Road station and take a train to Moorgate or Old Street stations depending on the weather.
As it was sunny today, I took a private train to Old Street station.
Everybody else was asked to get on the Rail Replacement Bus.
The Changing Face Of Silicon Roundabout – 6th November 2020
I took these pictures, as I walked round Silicon Roundabout this morning.
This map from Transport for London shows the future layout.
The current status of the four sides of the roundabout are.
- North-East – Closed
- North-West – In Use – Two-way
- South-West – In Use – Two-way
- South-East – In Use – Two-way
Note.
- At least the South-East side is substantially finished, with more space for vehicles.
- The North-East and North-West entrances to the station are still open for passengers.
It does look to me, that someone has done their project management.
Inside A $4 Million Electric Plane, The First Full-Size, All-Electric Passenger Aircraft In The World
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Business Insider.
Watch the video and think. Is it Alice in Wonderland?
I am looking forward to my first flight in an all-electric aircraft.
Approaching Kings Cross – 4th November 2020
I came into Kings Cross station backwards on the train from Grantham station. I took these two series of pictures.
Approaching Kings Cross
There are signs of track appearing and being laid.
From The Tunnel To The Platforms
My train arrived in Platform 5.
Conclusion
It is now possible to see how the two extra tracks into the station will significantly increase capacity.
Avanti West Coast Set To Transform Motherwell Cross-Border Connectivity
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
These are the first two paragraphs of the article.
Motherwell is set to see a transformation in services as Avanti West Coast announces plans for a major timetable boost on its Anglo-Scottish route.
The change in Avanti West Coast’s timetable will see the cross-border operator serve Motherwell with a further 96 services per week, the most substantial increase in cross-border rail services for the Scottish town in decades.
I used to have a client in Motherwell, thirty years ago, when I lived in Suffolk and that sort of service, would have been very helpful then.
Consider.
- CrossCountry and TransPennine Express services also call.
- Motherwell station seems to have a variety of connections, most of which are electrified.
- It is likely in future, an electric route will be created between Motherwell and Perth.
In the future High Speed Two will call half-hourly.
Conclusion
This seems to be an excellent proposal.
Ireland’s First Green Hydrogen Project To Come On Stream ‘In Weeks’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Irish Times.
This is the first two paragraphs.
Belfast is set to receive Ireland’s first hydrogen-powered double-decker buses in coming weeks using fuel coming from wind energy generated in nearby north Antrim.
The initiative is the first “green hydrogen” project on the island of Ireland and the first step to decarbonise Northern Ireland’s public transport by 2040, according to Mark Welsh, energy services manager with Energia, which is generating the hydrogen at its wind farm near Ballymena.
Green hydrogen is produced by an electrolyser powered by renewable electricity.
The article gives a good summary of the use of hydrogen in Ireland in the future.
But isn’t all hydrogen created and used on the island of Ireland green?
Plans For £45m Scottish Green Hydrogen Production Plant Revealed
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on H2 View.
This is the opening paragraph.
UK-built hydrogen buses powered by Scottish-made green hydrogen, transporting COP26 delegates around Glasgow in 2021: that’s the vision of a new £45m project unveiled today (3rd Nov).
Some details of the plant are also given.
- It will be built at Lesmahagow.
- It will be co-located with wind turbines and solar panels.
- It will have an initial capacity of 9 MW, with a possible increase to 20 MW.
- It will produce 800 tonnes of hydrogen per annum.
- The company behind it, is called Hy2Go
It sounds like the electrolyser is the one mentioned in Green Hydrogen For Scotland, which was announced in a press release from ITM Power.
Although, that electrolyser may be situated at Whitelee Wind Farm, which is a few miles closer to the coast.
Will Scotland Have Two Electrolysers To the South Of Glasgow?
Consider.
- Whitelee is the UK’s largest onshore wind farm with a capacity of 539 MW.
- It is planned to install a large battery at Whitelee. See Super Battery Plan To Boost UK’s Biggest Onshore Windfarm on this page on the Scottish Power web site.
- Lesmahagow’s turbines and solar panels have not been installed yet.
- Much of the wind power in the South of Scotland and the North of England is mainly onshore, rather than onshore.
- The location of the Lesmahagow electrolyser will be close to the M74.
- The location of the Whitelee electrolyser will be close to the M77.
- There is a good motorway network linking the electrolysers’ to the major cities in the South of Scotland and the North of England.
- Newcastle might be a bit difficult to supply, but that may receive hydrogen from Teesside or the Humber.
Perhaps, the economics of onshore wind, with electrolysers nearby, makes for an affordable source of plentiful green hydrogen.
I would expect that if Scotland built two large electrolysers South of Glasgow, they wouldn’t have too much trouble using the hydrogen to reduce the country’s and the North of England’s carbon footprint.
Have These Two Projects Merged?
Consider.
- The Lesmahagow site is stated in the article to possibly have two electrolysers with a total capacity of 20 MW.
- The Lesmahagow site is in an excellent position close to a junction to the M74 motorway, with easy access to Edinburgh, Glasgow and England.
- The Lesmahagow site could probably have a pipeline to a hydrogen filling station for trucks and other vehicles on the M74.
- The Whitelee wind farm is huge.
- Lesmahagow and Whitelee are about twenty miles apart.
- More wind turbines might be possible between the two sites.
- There must also be a high-capacity grid connection at Whitelee.
Combining the two projects could have advantages.
- There could be cost savings on the infrastructure.
- It might be easier to add more wind turbines.
There may be time savings to be made, so that hydrogen is available for COP26.
Conclusion
Scotland is making a bold green statement for COP26.
A network of very large hydrogen electrolysers is stating to emerge.
- Glasgow – Lesmahagow.
- Herne Bay for London and the South East – Planning permission has been obtained.
- Humber – In planning
- Runcorn for North West England – Existing supply
- Teesside – Existing supply
Joe Bamford’s dream of thousands of hydrogen-powered buses, is beginning to become a reality.
Talks Take Place Over Plans To Reopen Railway Line Between Lichfield And The National Memorial Arboretum
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Lichfield Live.
The title is a good summary of what happened between the local MP, the Chief Executive of the West Midlands Rail Executive and the Chief Executive of the National Memorial Arboretum.
This map shows the National Memorial Arboretum.
Note.
- The village of Alrewas is to the North West of the arboretum.
- The Burton and Lichfield line lies between the village and the arboretum.
- The station will go on this line.
The article also gives details of the station.
- It would initially be a simple single-platform station.
- Trains would not be electric.
- if successful, a two-platform station would be built.
- This station would be connected to the village by a footbridge over the A38.
- Many visitors would be able to walk to the arboretum, but an environmentally-friendly shuttle would be provided.
One of those at the talks is quoted as calling the station; National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas.
A Train Service To National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas
Currently, there is an electric train service to the high-level platform at Lichfield Trent Valley station, which is shown in this picture.
Note.
- The service runs with a frequency of two trains per hour (tph) across the City of Birmingham to either Redditch or Bromsgrove.
- The trains are being replaced with new Class 730 trains.
- Lichfield Trent Valley and Alrewas are about six miles apart.
- Lichfield Trent Valley and Burton-on-Trent are less than fifteen miles apart.
As the new Class 730 trains are Aventras, there is the possibility, that battery electric versions could be created.
Because of the distances involved, extending this route to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas or even Burton-on-Trent, using battery electric trains is a very feasible proposition.
No new infrastructure, except for the new station at National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas would be needed.
Conclusion
This is a very sensible proposal and I can’t understand, why when the National Memorial Arboretum was first proposed, that this rail service wasn’t built at the same time.
Greener And Brighter Stations Across Hampshire And Surrey
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 hope to save 25% in electricity by rewiring and relighting their Wessex Route stations.
Worcester Park and Andover stations are two of the latest stations to be rewired, forming part of the drive to replace old and inefficient electrical equipment and incandescent lights at 32 stations in Hampshire and Surrey.
As Worcester Park station is Freedom Pass territory, I went to have a look.
Note.
- It appears that all the original light fittings have been updated with some form of LED conversion.
- The LEDs are clearly visible in some of the pictures.
The whole project is called Rewire and Relight and is due to be finished in 2024.
Conclusion
I suspect Network Rail can apply these techniques to a lot more places, than just 32 stations in Hampshire and Surrey.
The Anonymous Widower 