Is Match Of The Day Better Without The Chattering?
The BBC have just announced that last night’s Match of the Day-Lite had a million more viewers than last week’s full-fat edition.
I watched last night’s program and enjoyed it.
Perhaps, if the BBC wants to save money, they could go to a lite-format for MotD.
And whilst, they’re at it if they want more viewers, why not do MotD editions for the three other divisions?
National Grid Goes Carbon-Free With Hydrogen-Powered Substation Trial
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from National Grid.
These are the main bullet points.
- Hydrogen powered unit (HPU) quietly provided carbon-free electricity to National Grid’s Deeside Centre for Innovation
- Only emission is water
- HPUs could save an estimated 500,000 kg of carbon across all National Grid substation sites
I am an Electrical Engineer and I had never realised that all those electricity substations around the country need a backup electricity generator.
These four paragraphs describe the trial and the generator used.
A GeoPura 250kW hydrogen power unit (HPU) contained within a transportable shipping container measuring 7.2 m by 2.5 m was installed at DCI and produced the energy to power low-voltage equipment needed for National Grid’s innovation testing projects and site operations. The trial tested the capabilities and feasibility of HPUs as direct replacements for backup diesel generators across more than 250 National Grid substation sites, the data will now be analysed and shared later this year.
National Grid currently use diesel generators alongside batteries to provide backup power to a substation for key activities such as cooling fans, pumps, and lighting, enabling it to continue to perform its crucial role in the electricity transmission system.
These backup generators are rarely used and have less than a 1% chance of operating per year, however, on the rare occasion that backup power is required, changing from diesel to low-carbon emission alternatives have the potential to reduce carbon intensity by 90%* and save over 500,000 kg of carbon emissions.
The HPU at Deeside has power capabilities of up to 100 kW in continuous operation mode and up to 250 kW for 45 minutes and uses 100% green hydrogen. The unit is quieter and the hydrogen cannisters used to fuel the generators can be safely stored on site.
I have some thoughts.
Deeside Centre For Innovation
The Deeside Centre for Innovation (DCI), a state-of-the-art testing facility hosting a 400 kV modified substation, designed as a unique environment for development and trial of innovative technologies and practices.
I think there’s something rather cunning about the DCI, as it means that anybody with a good idea will probably approach National Grid for help with the testing.
Visit Deeside Centre for Innovation for more information.
GeoPura
GeoPura has a totally zero-emissions answer to how we’re going to generate, store and distribute the vast amount of energy required to decarbonise our global economies. Or so their web site says!
This page on GeoPura’s web site, gives several case studies of how they work.
They would appear to provide zero-carbon power in widespread locations for Winterwatch, Springwatch etc. for the BBC.
Is This The Television Program Of The Year?
I’m just watching The Mayfair Hotel Megabuild in BBC2.
It’s fascinating and a must watch, as builders and miners expand Claridge’s Hotel up and down!
- More rooms and a penthouse on top.
- A spa and two swimming pools in the basement.
- A large number of rooms are also being refurbished.
And all while the hotel is nearly fully occupied.
I suspect that a lot of the techniques shown in the documentary have been used on the construction of the Elizabeth Line and the execution of the Bank Station Upgrade.
Ruby Wax, Melanie Brown and Emily Atack Climb Pikes Peak
I have just watched these three ladies climb Pikes Peak in Colorado.
Around the age of 18, I used to regularly read the American car magazine; Road & Track and was fascinated to read about the annual hill climb, that took place on the 14,000 foot Pikes Peak.
I am surprised that the hill climb up Pikes Peak was not mentioned in the program.
I have only driven at anywhere near that height once, although, I flew my Cessna 340 at 24,000 ft several times.
When C and I had a memorable holiday in Ecuador, we took a small Chevrolet Metro, up to about 12,000 feet in the Andes.
Cars cough badly at that altitude!
Violence Against Women
The BBC is rightly having a campaign against domestic violence and violence against women in general.
It also appears to me, that women seem to get killed and attacked, a lot more than they did a couple of decades ago.
Is there too much violence against women in TV dramas, so men with small brains think it is acceptable? Surely, it is also wrong to have a TV drama called Killing Eve?
I have only watched a couple of TV dramas or films, in the last couple of years; Some Like It Hot and SAS Rogue Heroes.
Is The Truth Getting Through To The Man Or Woman On The Moscow Tram?
I ask this question, as it appears that Russian TV is parroting, the Kremlin’s lies.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, I used to work for ICI.
A couple of times, I came across fellow engineers, who had worked on the Polyspinners project.
In this Wikipedia entry for September 1964, this is said about Polyspinners.
Edward du Cann of the British Board of Trade announced the signing of the largest trade deal in the history of British relations with the Soviet Union, with the Soviet purchasing agency Techmashimport and the British conglomerate Polyspinners, Ltd. agreeing for the supply of British textile machinery to a polyester fiber plant being constructed in Krasnoyarsk in Siberia. In all, the United Kingdom agreed to advanced $67 million of credit over a 15-year period.
It was a large project and ICI did well out of it.
My colleagues at ICI generally spoke well of the project and friends they had made in Russia and in those pre-mobile phone and internet days, they regularly sent each other cards and letters.
That was nearly sixty years ago, but human beings generally want to be friends with each other, so how many links are there between people living in Western Europe, North America, Australia and other countries and those living in Russia, which started as family, business or historic links or even casual meetings on say a holiday in the Mediterranean?
I should say that two of my best British friends in the UK, I met on holiday in St. Kitts and Moscow.
There must be millions of these links and they will surely allow the truth to get through to the man or woman on the Moscow tram.
Germans Turn To Humour In ‘Spritzkrieg’ On Antivaxers
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Times.
A German television show has proposed a plan to persuade far-right antivaxers to get jabbed by offering them free swastika-shaped Bratwursts, dressing staff up as Nazi nurses and calling the vaccination centre Spritzkrieg (Jab War).
Reading the article it sounds like the Germans have asked Mel Brooks for advice.
We should use humour much more against the covids. Or does it have protection under the Virus Rights Act?
The Times says there is a clip on YouTube, but I can’t find it.
Thanks to Robin, here is the video.
If there was an British mockumentary in the same vein perhaps Call The Midwife or Casualty should be given the Blackadder treatment?
Will Bread And Circuses Help Us Through COVID-19?
Bread and circuses is an old phrase that goes back to Roman times.
It looks like TV and on-line cooks and chefs and the supermarkets have given us the first, so do we need more of the second?
At the weekend, I enjoyed watching quality horse-racing on ITV, so wouldn’t it be sensible to get football on free-to-air television as soon as possible.
It might encourage people to stay-in, rather than gather in groups.
Would it cut the spread of COVID-19?
Will Sky Ever Broadcast A Freeview Sports Channel?
Yesterday, Sky held the rights to both the Cricket World Cup Final and The British Grand Prix.
But in the end Sky shared the coverage of both events with Channel 4!
Now that both events have successfully concluded, Sky will have the details of the following.
- Number of viewers.
- Advertising revenue on both Sky and Channel 4.
- Reaction from politicians, some of whom are not very pleased with Sky.
This will enable the company to decide, whether it is in the company’s interest to do it again.
- I can also see a scenario, where if a Sky Freeview channel exists, that sports would want to do promotional deals to get their sport in front of viewers, by perhaps having the top level on satellite and lower levels on Freeview.
- Sky uses a lot of repeats on its Sports Channels at Off Peak times.
- Freeview technology will also be allowing more channels.
- Sky must be a bit worried about competition from other broadcasters woth bottomless pockets.
I don’t think we can rule anything out, as Sky are an innovative and ambitious broadcaster.
Wimbledon Comes To The City
I took these pictures in Spitalfields today.
Perhaps, we should do it more often!
The Anonymous Widower 