Project To Improve Mobile Connectivity On East Coast Main Lone Reaches Key Milestone
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release on LNER.
This is the sub-heading.
LNER, Network Rail and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are collaborating to improve mobile connectivity on the East Coast Main Line.
These three paragraphs outline the project.
The joint project, which is delivering new mobile phone infrastructure into tunnels outside London King’s Cross station, has reached an important milestone, with the installation of a bespoke antenna. The work inside Gasworks and Copenhagen tunnels will mean most customers can expect a more reliable and consistent mobile phone and on-train Wi-Fi connection and see the removal of ‘not-spots’ customers can experience when travelling through the tunnels.
The successful delivery of the project, funded by LNER working in collaboration with Network Rail and major mobile network operators, will mean the tunnels will be the first on the country’s operational railway to be fitted with the bespoke solution, with the system installed by rail connectivity and technology integration specialist Linbrooke. Rigorous testing has been carried out at Network Rail’s Innovation and Development Centre between Network Rail and the phone companies before introduction onto the network.
The technology will mean from later this year most customers will be able to maintain direct voice and data access to their mobile provider, keeping their calls connected and meetings online as they approach and leave the capital.
Anything that improves connectivity is to be welcomed.
The Cure For White Coat Hypertension
At one of my previous GP practices the two excellent nurses had banned my GP from taking blood pressure as she always raised the patient’s blood pressure, by the way she took the pressure.
This page on a blog at the London Cadiovascular Clinic is entitled White Coat Hypertension, gives this definition.
White coat syndrome, also known as white coat hypertension is a phenomenon in which your blood pressure is artificially raised due to the stress of being in a clinic, hospital, or even just taking your own blood pressure. This usually happens due to the stress and anxiety associated with having medical investigations done. Your reading will be higher than it would be if you measured it at home.
A week ago, I had a message from my GP practice to come in and measure my blood pressure in their machine in the waiting room.
So I went in and took my blood pressure about an hour ago.
I just put my hand in the hole at the front, shook hands with the machine, pressed the green button on top and it inflated a glove around my hand and lower arm to take the pressure.
Ears Are A Black Body
When I worked for ICI in Runcorn in 1968, one of my colleagues; John Baxendale developed or acquired one of the first remote infra-red thermometers.
ICI needed one for taking the temperature of hot vessels , pipes and reactors on chemical plants and in laboratories. John’s thermometer solved the problem, by measuring the black body radiation of the object.
John found that to calibrate his instrument he could point it at a colleague’s ear. As the ears emit black body radiation, the device should have read 36.9°C, as it generally did.
These so-called tympanic thermometers are now in regular use and cost about twenty pounds.
John is one of those people that has stuck in my mind from all those years in the past. He was a surfer and probably the only one, I’ve ever met in my life. I remember some weekends, he used to take his Morris Minor Traveller all the way to the North of Scotland to go surfing. Visiting that area has been on my bucket list for years. The closest I got, was to fly in my Cessna 340A to the Orkneys.
British Gas Joins Forces With Samsung To Help Customers Power Smarter Energy Use
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
British Gas and Samsung have today announced the exciting first step in a long-term venture – aimed at helping customers better manage their energy use and increase the adoption of low carbon heating technologies in homes across Britain.
These are the first two paragraphs.
The collaboration will see British Gas integrate with Samsung’s SmartThings app to help customers optimise their home appliances to use energy when the cost and demand are lower. This is now possible through the integration of SmartThings Energy and British Gas’ PeakSave demand flexibility scheme informing customers (by sending notifications via their smartphone, TV or other compatible devices) of the best times to use household appliances to save money.
The PeakSave scheme includes PeakSave Sundays, running every Sunday until the end of February with half-price electricity from 11am to 4pm for British Gas customers and PeakSave Winter events which encourages customers to move their electricity use out of peak times when there is high demand on Britain’s energy grid.
As a Graduate Control Engineer, I believe that this could make optimising your energy use much easier.
- It would surely be a lot easier to check usage on your phone rather than a smart meter, when you perhaps cook a ready meal, so that you can see if your microwave or traditional cooker is cheapest.
- Suppose you and everybody, who lives with you are out for supper and British Gas want to cut off your gas for a reward, you can make an appropriate decision.
- Hopefully, if you have the right controls, you’ll be able to switch lights and appliances off and on.
The possibilities are endless.
I shall certainly be looking at the reviews of this app.
There is a section in the press release called Scaling Up Low Carbon Heating Opportunities, where this is said.
The collaboration will also help support customers in their journey to decarbonising their homes by introducing smart technologies in a way that is simple and empowering. From early 2024, British Gas will include Samsung heat pumps in its offering to British households to support the UK’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050.
The venture will see specially trained British Gas surveyors and engineers working with consumers to explain the benefits of heat pumps and then conducting the installations on-site. Samsung will be supporting workforce training as part of their efforts to upskill the heating industry to ensure there are enough installers to service the expected growing demand.
British Gas also offers customers the chance to purchase heat pumps through flexible financing methods. This, combined with the recently increased UK Government Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of £7,500, creates an attractive package of financing options to help people make the transition more affordable.
Various plumbers, who I would trust, have given me different views about heat pumps.
I suspect the Samsung’s SmartThings app might be able to simulate your energy usage with or without the heat pump, as it would know your energy use with your current boiler.
I was doing similar calculations for chemical plants in the early 1970s at ICI, using a PACE 231-R computer.
Consider.
- It may look rather old fashioned, but it could solve a hundred simultaneous differential equations in one go.
- Two similar computers linked together were the analogue half of NASA’s moon mission simulator.
- Without these wonderful machines, NASA would not have been able to re-calculate the dynamics of Apollo 13 and the mission would be remembered as a disaster, rather than the first space rescue.
The average current smart phone has more computing power than a PACE 231-R.
What’s In It For Samsung?
I have a Samsung television, but unfortunately it has a screen fault because of age. So if I had the Samsung app and liked it, I might buy another Samsung TV.
Similarly, the app might give me a financial reason to buy a Samsung heat pump.
Samsung will sell more equipment.
What’s In It For Centrica?
Centrica would appear to be a loser, as bills will fall and they could be paying customers to not use energy.
But they are surely hoping that their market share will increase and I’m sure Samsung will give them a commission.
What’s In It For The Consumer?
Hopefully, they’ll get lower energy bills.
But also they might get a lot of convenience controlling their appliances and heating.
Conclusion
Using energy is becoming a computer game with monetary rewards.
Is the deal between Centrica/British Gas and Samsung another deal that has been brought to fruition by the Korean President’s visit to the UK?
It looks like this is the third recent deal signed between UK and Korean companies, after these two.
- South Korea, UK Strenghten Offshore Wind Ties
- UK And South Korea Help Secure Millions For World’s Largest Monopile Factory
I suspect, there might be a few more deals, if Charles and Camilla really turned on the charm.
In Mersey Tidal Project And Where It Is Up To Now, I wrote about talks between Liverpool City Council and Korea Water about a tidal barrage of the Mersey. This project must surely be a possibility!
This is said in the Wikipedia entry for Korean Air under Fleet Plans.
At the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines Assembly in 2018, Korean Air announced that it was considering a new large widebody aircraft order to replace older Airbus A330, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777-200ER and Boeing 777-300. Types under consideration for replacement of older widebody aircraft in the fleet include the Boeing 777X and Airbus A350 XWB. At the International Air Transport Association Annual General Meeting (IATA AGM) in Seoul, Chairman Walter Cho said Korean Air’s widebody order is imminent and it is considering an extra order of Airbus A220 Family including developing version, Airbus A220-500.
Note.
- Airbus A350 XWB have Welsh wings and Rolls-Royce engines.
- Airbus A220-500 are made in Canada with wings and composite parts from Belfast. Rolls-Royce may have a suitable engine.
Could a deal have something in it for the UK?
Although Korea has its own SMR program, I wonder, if there could be a link-up between Korean industry and Rolls-Royce over SMRs?
HyperTunnel Wins Government Backing For Revolutionary Underpass Tech
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the sub-heading.
Pioneering tunnel builders hyperTunnel have scored a major coup, securing UK government funding to showcase their revolutionary swarm construction technique at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in South Wales.
These four paragraphs outline hyperTunnel and its demonstration project at the GCRE.
Their underpass project is one of just 16 cutting-edge schemes set to be unveiled at the GCRE’s Dulais Valley site this year. hyperTunnel’s brainchild, the swarm construction technique, harnesses the power of AI, digital surveying, and robot swarms to essentially 3D print tunnels directly in the ground, eliminating the need for messy excavation.
This futuristic approach it hopes will transform underground construction, whilst slashing costs and timeframes. It can also help contribute to waste reduction, risk prevention and help reduce a projects carbon footprint compared to the traditional cut-and-cover methods which are frequently used.
Their GCRE project will see them build a 20-metre pedestrian underpass beneath a test track, cleverly designed to keep the track operational throughout construction.
hyperTunnel’s overarching vision is to offer a financially viable alternative to perilous level crossings which it anticipates will boost safety, and increase rail capacity.
Note.
- To learn more visit hyperTunnel’s web site.
- The mission statement on the home page is Transforming Underground Construction Through AI, Machine Learning And Swarm Robotics.
I like this technology and think it will go a long way. Hopefully, in the right direction.
Aker Solutions To Pilot Floating-Wind Power Hub
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Aker Solutions.
This is the sub-heading.
Aker Solutions to pilot world’s first subsea power distribution system for floating offshore wind at Norway´s METCentre
These four paragraphs describe the system and explain how it works.
Note.
Aker Solutions has signed a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract with the Marine Energy Test Centre (METCentre) in Norway to pilot new subsea power system technology which has the potential to significantly reduce the costs and complexity of offshore wind farms.
The project will see Aker Solutions provide new power transmission technology, Subsea Collector, for the METCentre’s offshore wind test area which today consists of two floating offshore wind turbines located 10 kilometers off the southwestern coast of Karmøy, Norway. The test area will expand to seven floating offshore wind turbines from 2026.
Subsea Collector provides an alternative solution to connect multiple wind turbines electrically in a star configuration instead of the traditional daisy chain pattern, allowing for more flexibility in offshore wind farm architecture and construction. The design also allows for reduced cable length per turbine and park, as well as less vessel time and installation costs. Initial findings support total cost savings on a 1GW floating wind farm of up to 10 percent.
The main component parts of the Subsea Collector comprise a 66kV wet mate connection system provided by Benestad and subsea switchgear with supervisory control and data acquisition by subsea power and automation alliance partner, ABB. Installation will be carried out by Windstaller Alliance, an alliance between Aker Solutions, DeepOcean and Solstad Offshore. Aker Solutions will also provide the static export cable to shore.
Total cost savings of ten percent on any large project are not to be sneezed at.
I also feel that this sort of architecture will be ideal for a test centre, where configurations are probably changed more often.
World’s Tallest Wooden Wind Turbine Starts Turning
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
What is made from the same wood as a Christmas tree, held together by glue and manufactured in a Swedish factory for assembly later?
These three paragraphs outline the design of a revolutionary wind turbine tower.
If that calls to mind flat-pack furniture and meatballs, you’re wrong.
If you answered “a wooden wind turbine”, you could be a visionary.
According to Modvion, the Swedish start-up that has just built the world’s tallest wooden turbine tower, using wood for wind power is the future.
I feel that it is not as revolutionary as some people might think.
Forty years ago, I built an extension on my house that included a swimming pool and a barn. The swimming pool roof was based on laminated wood beams and the barn was constructed using traditional wooden beams, that were bolted together.
But surely the most amazing wooden structure of the last century is the DH 98 Mosquito.
This paragraph introduces the Wikipedia entry for this amazing aeroplane.
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British twin-engined, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the Second World War. Unusual in that its airframe was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the “Wooden Wonder”, or “Mossie”. Lord Beaverbrook, Minister of Aircraft Production, nicknamed it “Freeman’s Folly”, alluding to Air Chief Marshal Sir Wilfrid Freeman, who defended Geoffrey de Havilland and his design concept against orders to scrap the project. In 1941, it was one of the fastest operational aircraft in the world.
One of my friends from the twentieth century, had been an RAF Mosquito pilot in the 1950s and felt it was an unequalled design of aircraft.
The airframe of the Mosquito was built using similar materials and methods as Modvion’s turbine tower.
I have just found out, that the de Havilland Aircraft Museum, where the prototype Mosquito is displayed, is open at least until the 7th of January.
I shall be going by public transport and if anybody would like to accompany me, use the Contact Page to get in touch.
Great Western Railway Updates EHRT On Its Upcoming Operational Trial Of Fast Charge Tech
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Electric and Hybrid Rail Technology.
This is the sub-heading.
Great Western Railway’s senior program manager, Sonya Johns, speaks to Electric & Hybrid Rail Technology about the firm’s progress on developing ex-Vivarail Fast Charge technology for battery-powered trains, ahead of operational trials due to commence in 2024.
The article is a must-read as it describes the progress since First Group, acquired the assets and intellectual property of Vivarail and its Fast Charge battery train technology.
This paragraph describes the components of the Fast Charge technology.
The Fast Charge system consists of three key components: retractable charging shoe gear, which is mounted to the underframe of the train; short (4m) charging rails mounted between the underframe of the train; and the Fast Charge Battery Bank (FCBB) installed beside the track, acting as an energy buffer between the train and the grid.
This paragraph outlines the benefits of the system.
The Fast Charge system has several benefits, according to Johns, including high charging power, enabling the train to be recharged in around 10 minutes; a standard DNO connection, avoiding costly power supply upgrades; full automation, with no driver interaction required; low safety risk (the charging rails are never live unless fully covered by the train); and minimal disruption during installation, as the FCBB is manufactured offsite and the charging rails are attached to existing sleepers.
This sounds like a system, that has been designed by someone fed up with regulators saying no to innovative ideas.
Other points from the article include.
- The shoe gear has been designed to be easily installed on any rolling stock.
- The one-year trial of the Fast Charge technology and the Class 230 battery train on the West Ealing and Greenford line will commence in spring 2024.
- GWR will capture and analyze data during the trial to understand how the technology performs in different conditions.
The article finishes with this paragraph.
The work, according to GWR, is part of its commitment to reduce the carbon emissions of its train fleet with a view to removing all diesel-only traction from the network by 2040, in line with the Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
Adrian Shooter would have been pleased if he was here to see it.
The Proof Of The Pudding
In A December Treat For £3.70, I talked about buying English strawberries in Marks & Spencer in December.
I said I’d post again, when I ate them.
This picture shows the pack on a plate.
And this a close-up of a single strawberry, which cost 37 pence.
I’m afraid the photos don’t do justice to their taste, as they were definitely some of the best strawberries, I’ve ever eaten.
I did buy another two punnets this morning, to see me through the weekend.
Dyson Farming has a web page, which describes how they produce the strawberries.
The page contains an explanatory video, which is well worth a watch.
Will developments like this be the future of farming?
British Land Unveils Plans To Transform London’s Euston Tower Into A Life Sciences And Innovation Hub
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from British Land.
The Wikipedia entry for the Euston Tower gives this paragraph of history.
The site was developed by Joe Levy who bought properties along the north side of Euston Road to enable him to build a complex of two tower blocks with office shops and apartments. The building, which was designed by Sidney Kaye Eric Firmin & Partners in the International style and built by George Wimpey, was completed in 1970. It is 36-storeys and 124 metres (407 ft) high. Early tenants included Inmarsat and Capital Radio.
When you get to over fifty years old, various parts of your body get tired and I suspect it is the same with buildings.
These are the two bullet points of the press release.
- Euston Tower represents a major retrofit and redevelopment opportunity at the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter
- Proposals aim to transform the building into a world-class net zero home for world-leading life science and innovation occupiers
These two paragraphs then add a bit more vision.
Leading property company British Land has unveiled plans to redevelop Euston Tower through an innovative combination of retention, re-use and an ultra-low carbon new structure. The plans would transform the building into a pioneering, modern, net zero workspace for cutting-edge businesses of all sizes, including new world-class, lab-enabled spaces at the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter.
Currently under discussion with Camden Council and other local stakeholders, the vision for Euston Tower will lead the way in low carbon retrofit and construction techniques, using inclusive design which creates high quality workspaces and continues to support the local community and economy. The current proposals will bring forward lab-enabled spaces for start-up and scale-up innovation businesses, as well as spaces for the local community to support education and training opportunities.
These are points from the press release.
- Leading the design are award-winning Danish architecture practice 3XN.
- They are supported by London-based architecture and landscape studio DSDHA who re-designed much of Broadgate’s public realm, including Exchange Square.
- In line with British Land’s longstanding commitment to net zero development, the design’s sustainability strategy is based on retaining, re-using and re-cycling existing material, specifying low carbon and recycled materials where new is required and only using certified carbon offsets as an action of last resort.
- This multi-layered approach to net zero development aims to create a blueprint for the sustainable redevelopment of challenging, inflexible old buildings that can be used in the future.
British Land has owned and operated Regent’s Place for nearly 40 years, which means they must have a lot of knowledge about how best to develop the building and its surroundings.
They certainly seem to be applying a modern net-zero approach to a building that was iconic and modern in the 1970s.
This afternoon I walked down the Euston Road between Euston and Great Portland Street stations and took these pictures.
Note.
- Euston Station is a shadow of its former self.
- Euston Tower is the boxy tower on the North side of Euston Road.
- University College London Hospital (UCLH) is the tower on the South side of Euston Road.
- I believe the glass-fronted building opposite the hospital and Euston Tower contains a lot of BT infrastructure.
I have some thoughts.
Traffic Along The Euston Road
I took the pictures around 1400 in a Friday and they show how busy the Euston Road is most of the time.
According to the Wikipedia entry for the Euston Road, there was a plan to remove the underpass.
In the early-21st century, the Greater London Authority commissioned a plan to improve the road from the architectural firm, Terry Farrell and Partners. The original study proposed removing the underpass (which was subsequently cancelled) and providing a pedestrian crossing and removing the gyratory system connecting the Tottenham Court Road and Gower Street. The scheme was approved by the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone as “the start of changing the Marylebone to Euston road from a highway into a series of linked public spaces.” The pedestrian crossing opened in March 2010. Livingstone’s successor, Boris Johnson, favours keeping the Euston Road underpass and declared it to be a good place to test his nerves when cycling around London.
Nothing is said about, where the traffic would have gone, if the underpass had been closed.
I walked along the South side of the Euston Road past the hospital and the air couldn’t be considered clean. As I write this, this website rates it Hazardous.
If we ignore the pollution for pedestrians and cyclists, is it really a road, that is fit for the purpose of moving traffic between King’s Cross and Baker Street, and vice-versa? I don’t think so!
The UK Needs More Lab Space
Cambridge innovators and developers were always saying they needed more lab space.
I also suspect, they are moaning in Oxford too!
So building high-quality space in London could reduce the pressure.
In Canary Wharf Boosts Its Science Ambitions, I talked about the ambitions of Canary Wharf to be a life sciences hub.
The Euston Tower Is Well-Connected
Consider.
- The Euston Tower is within walking distance of Euston, King’s Cross and St. Pancras stations, with all their long distance connections.
- The Euston Tower is within walking distance of Euston Square, Great Portland Street, King’s Cross St. Pancras and Warren Square stations, with all their Underground connections.
- There are buses everywhere.
But that’s not to say, that these links cannot be improved.
Euston High Speed Two Station Could Be Euston Tower’s Sister?
This Google Map shows the location of Euston Town and the proposed Euston High Speed Two station.
Note.
- Euston Tower is marked by a red arrow in the South-West corner of the map.
- The existing Euston station is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The High Speed Two station will be built along the Western side of the existing station.
With good landscaping, an excellent walking route, and perhaps a people mover Euston Tower could have superb connections to the rest of the UK.
Cycling And Walking Could Be A Possibility!
This Google Map shows the wider area around Euston Tower.
Note.
- Euston Tower is marked by the red arrow towards the bottom of the map.
- To its West lies the cycling- and walking-friendly spaces of Regents Park and Primrose Hill.
In the 1970s, I regularly walked or cycled across the park from where we lived near Primrose Hill to a client in Great Portland Street.
I also suspect other cycling and walking routes could be developed to Euston Tower from Euston, King’s Cross, St. Pancras and other stations.
Crossrail 2
Crossrail 2 would certainly help travelling to the Euston Tower, by linking Euston, King’s Cross and St.Pancras to North-East and South-West suburbs of London, with trains at frequencies of up to 30 thirty trains per hour (tph) in the central tunnel.
But.
- The new line will cost at least £31.2 billion. Who can afford it?
- The Elizabeth Line took sixteen years from approval to full opening.
- Crossrail 2 would still be a walk from Euston Tower.
So Crossrail 2 is unlikely to be any help to the redevelopment of Euston Tower.
Improving The Sub-Surface Lines
The Euston Tower is close to two stations on the sub-surface lines; Euston Square and Great Portland Street.
Services through these stations are currently as follows.
- Circle Line – 6 tph – In both directions all day.
- Hammersmith & City Line – 6 tph – In both directions all day.
- Aldgate and Amersham- 2 tph – In both directions all day.
- Aldgate and Chesham – 2 tph – In both directions all day.
- Aldgate and Uxbridge – 6 tph Peak – 8 tph – Off-Peak
- Aldgate and Watford – 4 tph – Peak
Note.
- In the Peak there are 26 tph through Great Portland Street and Euston Square stations.
- In the Off Peak there are 24 tph through Great Portland Street and Euston Square stations.
- In this article on Modern Railways,it is said that after digital signalling is installed on the sub-surface lines, the capacity on the lines, will be 32 tph in the Peak and 27 tph in the Off-Peak.
These figures give a 33 % capacity increase in the Peak and a 28 % increase in the Off Peak.
Both Great Portland Street and Euston Square stations are cramped and not fully step-free stations and could struggle with a 28 % and upwards increase in passenger numbers.
In The New Step-Free Entrance At Euston Square Station, I detailed TfL’s plans to put a new full step-free entrance South of Euston Road at Euston Square station.
This would not directly help travellers going between Euston Tower and Euston station, but hopefully, it would help to make Euston station less crowded and more passenger-friendly.
It would certainly ease walking between University College and the hospital, and the station.
This map from cartometro shows the Underground lines at Great Portland Street station.
Note.
- The yellow and mauve tracks are the sub-surface lines.
- The black tracks are the Northern Line.
- The blue tracks are the Victoria Line.
This Google Map shows the Euston Tower, Great Portland Street and Warren Street stations.
Note.
- The Euston Tower is indicated by a red arrow in the top-right corner of the map.
- Great Portland Street station is in the bottom-left corner of the map.
- Warren Street station is at the left of the map.
I wonder if the platforms were to be extended Eastwards at Great Portland Street station, that a new entrance to the station could be created perhaps fifty metres from Euston Tower.
I am convinced that the extra passenger traffic created by the life sciences and innovation hub can be handled by an augmented transport infrastructure, which would rely mainly on planned improvements to the sub-surface lines, which are approaching their final stages.
Conclusion
Converting Euston Tower into a life sciences and innovation hub is a plan that I believe can work well!
I would recommend the following improvements to public transport.
- The planned extra step-free entrance to Euston Square station on Gordon Street is constructed.
- An extra fully step-free entrance is built at the Eastern ends of the platforms at Great Portland Street station, which would be about halfway between Euston Tower and the station.
As improvements to the signalling of the sub-surface lines will deliver an upwards of 27 % capacity on the sub-surface lines, the life sciences and innovation hub might as well take advantage.
Seratech’s Technology Explained
I first wrote about Seratech in Carbon-Neutral Concrete Prototype Wins €100k Architecture Prize For UK Scientists, after reading about this carbon-neutral concrete in the Architect’s Journal.
I have just received Seratech’s October 2023 Newsletter, which contains two must-read articles.
Olivine In The Age Of Climate Crisis
I’d never heard of olivine until I read about the architecture prize, that was won by Seratech.
This is the Wikipedia entry for olivine.
These are the first three paragraphs of Seratech’s article.
On the west coast of Norway, a few kilometres from the village of Åheim, is an open excavation pit – home to the largest commercial olivine deposit in the world.
This seaside quarry, run by Belgian industrial minerals company, Sibelco, works to extract olivine from the earth’s crust by drilling, blasting and crushing. A single blast (used to break up the rocks) removes up to 40,000 tonnes of olivine.
The site is predominantly powered by hydroelectricity and boasts a 4km conveyor system for transport which limits the need for heavy vehicle or double-handling of materials in a bid to reduce emissions.
This is Sibelco’s video of their impressive mining process.
Note.
The mining operation is fully-integrated with its own ort.
- The video does the mining operation justice.
- Sibelco aim to make the mining of olivine carbon-neutral.
Olivine has this Wikipedia entry, which gives more information.
This Google Map shows the port complex at Åheim.
It looks like mine, processing and port all on one site.
The Big Interview With Mike Eberlin
This is the sub-heading.
Former Managing Director of Tarmac Cement & Lime and chair of MPA Cement, Mike Eberlin, became Seratech’s business advisor in June this year. He was intrigued by the novel technology Sam Draper and Barney Shanks had uncovered
These paragraphs are a summary of what Mike Eberlin said.
As we begin to talk, Mike is quick to point out there are two big advantages to Seratech: “They are using magnesium silicate as a starting material which produces silica as a cement replacement and magnesium oxide which can then absorb CO2”.
The CO2 absorption is what fascinates Mike as the type of magnesium carbonate Seratech produces is a “slightly unstable” version which when cured, becomes stable and reverts to the rock-like substance you would find in nature. “This came as a surprise because the chemistry wouldn’t indicate that was possible,” he explains.
Following this discovery, and as Seratech’s research progressed, it soon became apparent that the magnesium carbonate lends itself well as a binder and can be used in applications like building blocks and plasterboard: “It’s effectively carbon capture and use, not carbon capture and storage because you are mineralising the CO2 into a product.
“We end up in this clever situation whereby it’s not that we don’t emit the CO2, it’s better than that, we absorb CO2 and create two binders that replace cement”.
That’s what I call an endorsement.
Conclusion
I have this feeling that Seratech will be a very significant company in a couple of years.
The Anonymous Widower 