I’ve Gone Cashless
I have now setup my bank account, so that I can make small payments using from my phone, using the contactless facility.
These are a few short observations.
- The thirty pound limit may be a little too low.
- You can’t be cashless on the Blackpool tramway. I was allowed to go free!
- Some small shops still won’t accept them or apply a minimum spend. Obviously, they don’t want my business and didn’t get it.
- I never have any change for beggars. I follow TfL’s advice and give to the Whitechapel Mission, who look after the genuine homeless.
- Some estabishments have gone cashless only!
The only time I use cash, is for tips in restaurants and paying black cabs.
Investors Hit The Gas On Hydrogen Producers
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the FT.
The sub headline is.
Hydrogen producers leap on hopes of fossil fuel death.
The article then shows three share price graphs for ITM Power, PowerCell and Ballard Power Systems.
All prices are rising steeply.
A a small investor in the first company, I am pleased and I certainly got that call right!
Note that, the companies are British, Swedish and Canadian respectively.
World’s Largest Green Hydrogen Plant Begins Operation In Austria
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Recharge.
This is the subtitle, which says it all.
The 6MW facility in Linz, running Siemens electrolysers, will provide clean H2 for steel production.
Steel-making is a large source of carbon-dioxide emissions and this is said about how hydrogen can be used in the process.
In light of global climate targets, Voestalpine is currently investigating the practicality of a hybrid technology to bridge between the existing coke/coal-based blast furnace route and electric arc furnaces powered with green electricity partly generated using green hydrogen,” says Voestalpine. “If economically feasible, from today’s perspective this option would reduce the group’s CO2 emissions by around a third sometime between 2030 and 2035.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see steel-makers beat that target, especially as renewable energy production and hydrogen electrolyser capacity increases.
The article also details two other large green hydrogen production electrolysers.
A 10MW PEM electrolysis plant, REFHYNE, is under construction at Shell’s Rheinland refinery in Wesseling, Germany, and is due to be completed in the second half of 2020, while a 30MW pilot — part of a 700MW project — is expected to be up and running in northwest Germany by 2025.
There’s more about REFHYNE on their web site.
This is the introduction on the web site.
The REFHYNE project is at the forefront of the effort to supply Clean Refinery Hydrogen for Europe. The project is funded by the European Commission’s Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) and will install and operate the world’s largest hydrogen electrolyser the Shell Rhineland Refinery in Wesseling, Germany.
The plant will be operated by Shell and manufactured by ITM Power. The electrolyser has a peak capacity of 10 MW (megawatts) and will be able to produce approximately 1,300 tonnes of hydrogen per year. This decarbonised hydrogen can be fully integrated into refinery processes including the desulphurisation of conventional fuels
Hydrogen is coming.
It could be coming in a big way to the UK, as we have the capability to generate gigawatts of off-shore wind power and ITM Power have the world’s largest PEM electrolyser factory in Rotherham.
Trump And Flight PS572
What puzzles me about all this is Trump’s reaction.
If he were true to his past persona, he would be very much angrier and vowing vengeance, but his reaction seems almost calm and very measured.
Perhaps, he knows for certain, that it was a tragic accident, that happened to Flight PS572. After all the UK, US, Canada and Ukraine seem to be saying similar things.
Someone or something, seems to have got Trump to see sense!
Melania, Justin, Boris, Emmanuel, Dominic or Angela? Or was it the Italian guy, who does his hair?
Walking Between Blackfriars And Hungerford Railway Bridges
These pictures were taken as I walked between Blackfriars and Hungerford railway bridges.
I was walking along the South Bank of the Thames.
The Times Had A Hydrogen Saturday
The Times had a feature on Saturday about converting our gas grid to hydrogen and especially about using hydrogen boilers in our homes.
I believe that perhaps in ten years, our gas grid will be full of hydrogen and our central heating boilers will be powered by hydrogen.
The carbon emissions saved with be massive
I don’t know about cooking, but my Michelin-starred Scottish friend and chef, says that we’ll all cook on an electric induction hob.
A Large Collateral Benefit?
I think there will be a large collateral benefit.
At present there are only two feasible methods to power a vehicle without producing carbon emissions; battery or hydrogen.
- Battery vehicles need to be recharged and we need an enormous number of charging stations.
- Hydrogen vehicles need to be filled up from a hydrogen filling station.
It should be noted that the current Hyundai ix35 FCEV has a range of 369 miles on hydrogen.
But as you have a hydrogen gas supply to your house, could you fit a compressor in your garage to pump up your car’s hydrogen tank, when it needs it?
The technology is well-proven.
The only problem, that I can see, is that how will the Government tax it?
The future’s not orange it’s hydrogen.
Qassem Soleimani
Yesterday, The Times had an article, which was entitled Rising stars: Twenty faces to look out for in 2020.
I read the article on my phone and it was a good read.
One of those people mentioned was Qassem Soleimani
He was certainly somebody to look out for and I wondered what he would get up to next!
I don’t have to wonder anymore.
This article on the BBC is entitled Qasem Soleimani: US kills Iran Quds Force leader, Pentagon confirms.
Apparently, the killing was on the direct orders of President Trump.
He obviously hasn’t read about the Greek Monster, where when Heracles cut off one head another appeared.
I certainly fear for the hostages caught up in this Iranian mess!
Trump is staggering blindly towards a disaster!
A First For Christmas Day
I am reading today’s copy of The Times on my computer.
I’ve never read a newspaper published on Christmas Day before.
They’ve even published a set of their puzzles as an alternative to Happy-Clappy Television
But I’m sure other papers have published digital editions.
I’m Not Dreaming Of A Wet Christmas
I took these pictures yesterday, close to my house.
I have a feeling that a Wet Chistmas, is what we’ll get in London.
Eco-Friendly Party Bag Wrapping
I usually do the party bags for Christmas Day and these pictures show how I wrap the goodies.
Note.
- The cotton drawstring bags come from The Clever Baggers.
- I found the little plastic pots called Mini Bites in Robert Dyas.
- The Mini Bites have a screw lid, which is easier to open than most packaging.
They have lots of reusable possibilities.
- Last night, I found that the capacity of one Mini-Bite is ideal for frozen peas for one.
- I keep shoes in the cotton bags.
- I shall be using a Mini Bite to hold a selection of my daily pills.
- As the pictures show, they hold a sensible portion of nuts, sweets or chocolate.
- Are they a daily pack of forbidden foods, like chocolate and sweets?
We need more packaging ideas like these!
The Anonymous Widower 