Renewable energy & the national grid

Credit: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA)

Around the world, national power grids have evolved to distribute power from sources such as coal, oil & nuclear fired generation. Such sources have come to be known as, “base load”. With ~100 years of development, these systems have become very good at balancing load & supply.

More recently, new understandings, have forced a rethink. Most obvious of these is climate change, but also important has been a growing understanding of the other costs & dangers of base load.

Renewable sources of energy avoid the dangers of fossil & nuclear, but present a new set of problems which have to be overcome.

“All of our research has shown that being part of a large integrated power system makes renewable integration easier.”

“Denmark & Germany have been very successful at balancing the variability of their renewable resources because they are strongly interconnected with other countries in Europe & imports & exports minute by minute, hour by hour & day by day can balance the variability of the renewables.”

“Renewables are variable – there are clouds & the wind goes up & down, but renewables are actually very predictable. We can predict renewables a day ahead. We know what the weather will be like tomorrow & so we can actually predict the output of wind & solar tomorrow with a high degree of accuracy … California, Germany, Denmark, Spain have all evolved very advanced day-ahead weather forecasting to predict accurately, the output of the wind & solar, so that they can be accommodated & scheduled properly.”

Stream or podcast all of the above & more at:

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/rearvision/renewable-energy-and-the-national-grid/7987134 / renewable sustainable energy electricity power generation renewables solar wind turbine photovoltaic photo-voltaic PV solar hydro electricity hydro-electricity storage battery pumped hydro /

More lithium ion battery fires – not just phones

It isn’t news to anyone that the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was recently discontinued due to fires originating in the lithium ion (LiIon) battery.

Less widely known is a single claim of an iPhone 7 Plus delivered after apparently having a battery fire in transit.

And it’s not just phones. Fires in e-cigarettes have demonstrated that anything containing a LiIon battery is at risk.



A solicitor said that the victim suffered third-degree burns which will require surgery.

https://www.cnet.com/news/e-cigarette-explode-in-mans-pants-lawyer-says/

Further risks are posed by the chemicals inside a LiIon battery & the toxic smoke produced by their combustion.^1,2

What you can do:

● avoid subjecting a device to any force which may deform the case – & potentially, the LiIon battery

● a pants pocket is one of the worst places to carry a device containing a LiIon battery:

◌ may be bent when the user sits down

◌ places only one layer of (usually thin) fabric between the user & the potentially pyrotechnic device

◌ better alternatives to a pants pocket include a jacket pocket, backpack, handbag, bumbag, or holster

◌ See also, "Jeans with a dedicated phone pocket", https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2017/04/jeans-with-dedicated-phone-pocket.html

● avoid exposure to smoke or other chemicals which may be released in a battery fire

● if possible, move the device to a well ventilated area, away from flammable materials – although this may conflict with the previous point

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¹ Energizer Battery Manufacturing Inc: “Energizer Product Safety Datasheet – Lithium Ion Batteries”, http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/lithiumion_psds.pdf

² Honeywell Batteries: “Material Safety Data Sheet – HD220R-Li, HDR202-Li Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery”,

“When exposed to extreme heat/fire batteries may rupture leaking corrosive material &/or emit toxic fumes. Burning batteries may emit acrid smoke irritating fumes, & toxic fumes of fluoride.”

“Cobalt: Suspected human carcinogenic agent.”

http://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/application-notes/hdr202li_hd220rli_battery_msds.pdf

/ Samsung Galaxy Note 7 production permanently discontinued Samsung permanently discontinuing production Galaxy Note 7 smartphones halted global sales devices reports replacement devices catching fire South Korean regulatory filing stop manufacturing Note 7s consumer safety Samsung struggling regain consumer trust recall recalls prompted criticism faulty devices company's handling of the problem global halt sales Note 7 multiple reports exploding batteries major retailers stopped selling phones Samsung recalled devices initial recall identified manufacturing defect batteries battery top-of-the-line smartphone shipping new Note 7 phones safe safer reports replacements catching fire Samsung announcement announce stopping sales devices Monday Tuesday Wednesday South Korean firm comment identified cause of the fires replacement devices officials in Seoul several possibilities including batteries more difficult analyse cause accidents various patterns of the accidents official Korean Agency for Technology and Standards met with Samsung experts company offering exchange Note 7s other products refund them Note 7 could cost Samsung $17 billion analysts Samsung's decision pull Note 7s off the shelves raises fresh doubts about firm's quality control huge financial and reputational costs analysts permanent end Note 7 sales cost Samsung $17 billion tarnish other phone products minds consumers carriers investors wiped nearly $20 billion off Samsung Electronics market value Tuesday local time shares gadget vape vaping e-cigarettes e-cigarette /

What is the Internet?

Credit: The Book of Sorrows/Tumblr

“The Internet is the repository of the greatest library of useful & valuable information the world has ever seen – interspersed with the greatest collection of misinformation, biased reporting, nonsense, myth, rumour, half truths, error, misrepresentation & outright lies the world has ever seen.” – adapted from a submission by an ABC RN¹ listener

Thanks to John for his input to this item
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¹ ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), www.abc.net.au/radionational/ / what is the Internet what is the World Wide Web what is the WWW what is the Cloud online communications /

Tesla P85D instant acceleration for accident avoidance

A few more seconds on the end of the video above would help, but it looks like the Tesla's acceleration prevented an accident.

To a greater, or lesser extent this is true of all EVs. Because electric motors produce maximum torque at zero rpm, throttle response of an electric vehicle is much better than with an internal combustion engine vehicle – turbos even worse than normally aspirated. Although almost none can match Teslas at the moment, even EVs with moderate performance have instant throttle response. An important safety feature of EVs.

This video demonstrates the same thing in less pressing circumstances:

/ EV electric vehicle battery lithium ion LiIon charge recharge torque instant throttle response /

How many people are in space right now?

– as of this posting
Credit: howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com

There's an app for that (three actually – for Android, iOS & Apple Watch), plus a website.

Other features include names of astronauts & cosmonauts with bios + notifications.

Website:
http://www.howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com/

Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aeos.peopleinspace&hl=en

iOS
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/people-in-space-follow-astronauts/id901580852?ls=1&mt=8 / download new iOS Android app notifications photos videos from space astronaut profiles and more first social network for space is now at your fingertips follow the astronauts as they work play explore zero gravity keep in touch with your inner space explorer people in space shows the number of astronauts cosmonauts currently in space what countries they come from how long they've been in space access official biography each spaceman or spacewoman People in Space notify notifications when new people launch arrive in space when they return to Earth DashClock extension included see the number of people in space lock screen DashClock widget first social network for space follow the astronauts as they work play explore in zero gravity /

Google Takeout – backup all the data you have stored with Google

Just how much data do you have stored with Google? Email? Contacts? Calendar? Photos? Blogger? Other data?

How hard would it be to recover if your data was lost? Or you lost access?

Recently, some Google users who were allegedly involved in a scalping scheme with Google Pixel phones had access suspended,¹ & received a notice like this:


Credit: Dans Deals/Ars Technica

Google has since relented, but even a few days without access could be inconvenient, or worse.

A few years ago a friend had a Hotmail account hacked, password changed, & was never able to convince the administrators to restore his access.

All of the above points to the need for backups of your cloud data. Do you have backups?

Turns out Google thinks you should have backups too, & has provided a utility, called Google Takeout, to let you do it.

Google Takeout
https://takeout.google.com/settings/takeout

How to Create & Download an Archive of All of Your Google Data
http://www.howtogeek.com/216189/how-to-create-and-download-an-archive-of-all-your-google-data/
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¹ Ars Technica: “Don’t mess with Google: Pixel phone scalpers get their accounts shut down”, http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/11/google-bans-users-involved-in-pixel-phone-resale-scheme-later-relents/ / Google Takeout backup data stored Google Google announced download an archive all your search data download other valuable data little-known service called Google Takeout Google Takeout download all your Google Docs in one go Google has been gradually adding products Takeout download +1s calendars contacts Hangouts mail download your Blogger blogs Google product obtain regular archives all your Google data keep store export to another service Google Takeout download your Google data access your account settings click user profile button Google account click Account browsing Account settings page scroll Account tools click on Download data Select none/all button click Select none deselected download specific Google products select each one create custom archives only download one particular item Blogger data some products have further options Details Blogger example several different blogs archive one of them click on the item expand to show you more options Select specific blogs Include all blogs Blogger data exported Atom XML format format archives HTML XML JSON Google Search archive article format Google product exported to selected deselected all your products click Next Creating and Downloading Your Archive customize your download format archive everything in ZIP no problems opening it on any computer system archives larger than 2GB split among multiple files TGZ TBZ archives lesser known formats may require additional software to open handle archives larger than 2GB receive your archive by emailed link added to your Google Drive click Create archive assembled archive email notifying Google Drive route open Takeout folder new archive delivery method download your archive open your computer contents open index.html file archive was completed archive’s folders make individual archives back up backup your Google Photos select the products interested mail photos contacts other products choices are entirely up to you Google Takeout /

Tesla Model S P100D performance Easter egg & Supercharger costs

Credit: Tesla/Iulian Mitrica/Google

Tesla Superchargers are free for all Model S & Model X vehicles. But … from next year, new Tesla owners will have to pay for Supercharger use, apart from 400 kWh of free Supercharging credits per year.

Free use of Superchargers for Model 3 cars was ruled out some time ago.

Tesla will continue to honour its undertaking to provide free Supercharger use for the life of existing vehicles.

Tesla – An Update to Our Supercharging Program
https://www.tesla.com/en_AU/blog/update-our-supercharging-program?redirect=no

Wired has suggested that this is a sign of Tesla morphing from a startup to a mainstream car manufacturer.

Wired – As Tesla Grows Up, It Gives Up on Free Charging
https://www.wired.com/2016/11/tesla-grows-gives-free-charging/

On the other hand, an over-the-air software performance upgrade of the Model S P90D will require owners to work out how to enable it. I.e., an Easter egg – which is more tech-head in-joke than mainstream vehicle manufacturer.

Elon Musk tweeted about it

Looks like the Model S P100D Easter egg will allow it to do 0 to 60 mph in 2.4 sec and a 10.6 sec 1/4 mile via software update next month

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 16, 2016

Bloomberg – Tesla ‘Easter Egg’ Makes the World’s Fastest Car Even Faster
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-16/tesla-easter-egg-makes-the-world-s-fastest-car-even-faster / Tesla grows up free charging Supercharger Tesla gorgeous cars ludicrous acceleration Autopilot over the air updates luxury electric vehicle EV free charging automaker international network Supercharger stations Tesla customers plug in chargers add 200 to 300 miles of range per hour top up depleted battery about 30 minutes driver has a bathroom break bite to eat approach convenience pumping gas conventional car free for life new Tesla buyers plug pay up Tesla Tesla electric vehicle industry Supercharging order Tesla 400 kWh free Supercharging credits per year 1,000 miles of driving Tesla how much it will cost limit small fee cheaper than buying gas ordered charge for free for life 373,000 people $1,000 deposit reserve Model 3 order Tesla new income build new Superchargers worldwide 4605 charging points expand the network Tesla owners free lunch all you can eat buffet not unusual queue of Model S and X cars waiting busy locations August 2015 letter Tesla chided owners over-using Superchargers day-to-day charging at home something away for free harder to manage Art Wheaton studies the auto industry Cornell University’s Worker Institute small dollar amount per fill should encourage people to only take what they need help manage the lines Tesla crucial maintaining positive user experience expensive supercharger Paul Mutolo energy storage chemist Cornell University bunch of cars charging at once big spike power demand big bills from utility companies demand charges making money allow Tesla build Superchargers CEO Elon Musk vision sustainable transport solar panels batteries store energy buffer demand cutting costs at the same time more chargers are coming /