#Lebanon: The energy transition is a learning curve
Thread by PeterHarling on Thread Reader App – Thread Reader App
▻https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1621099501443518464.html
𝖯𝖾𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀
Feb 2 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
The best time and place to speak about solar power is during a stretch of bad weather, in a country where you usually have both a lively sun and a moribund electric grid. Solar should be a no-brainer, although it’s anything but ⤵️
Here, you can see in purple the moments where we received electricity from the public grid, over the past month, as well as their random distribution within a 24h hour timeframe. In yellow, our reliance on self-produced electricity. So far so good
▻https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fn9F1chXEAA9gVO?format=png&name=small
The problem with solar is that, even with capacious batteries and a merciful climate, you struggle to align production and consumption. Here, note that every day of ours is not only different energy-wise: It involves either a surplus or a deficit
▻https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fn9Hc09XgAAjQVx?format=png&name=small
In fact, under optimal conditions, surplus is the rule, and the data doesn’t account for it. When your batteries are full and your consumption is low, PV panels stop producing abruptly, as you can see here, when our office was empty last weekend
▻https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fn9JKM-WQAUqt0d?format=jpg&name=small
Although battery technology has improved, it will only make up for daily cycles and the occasional energy splurge. In bad weather, you must drastically curtail consumption. We use forecasts to reconcile today’s “budget” with future needs
▻https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fn9JilHXwAAjIPg?format=jpg&name=small
As we are willing to adjust constantly, our system is calibrated for sobriety. However, if you want to consume electricity by modern life’s standards, you need excess PV panels and batteries, which also imply a much larger, wasted surplus
In sum, the effective use of solar power requires much more than good weather, especially if it is to meet environmental concerns. It calls for some form of scale, where users share on a mini grid at least: for example, our office with residential neighbors
Second, it implies an energy mix. We use gas for cooking and occasionally for heating, which illustrates how solar energy cannot reasonably be expected to cover all needs at all times. Third, to adapt consumption, you need much better data
The points above bring us to a fourth and final one: Equipments must evolve. Most solar systems are not designed for mini grids and provide really shoddy data. In turn, most appliances are still meant for the pre-solar age of plenty.
The energy transition is a learning curve!
• • •
▻https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fn9Mv7tX0AIsMwy?format=jpg&name=small
#energy_transition #solar #photovoltaique
Mapping U.S. Military Dependence on Russian Fossil Fuels
▻https://watson.brown.edu/climatesolutionslab/research/2022/mapping-us-military-dependence-russian-fossil-fuels
We estimate that before Russia’s invasion of #Ukraine, U.S. bases in Europe relied on Russian fossil fuels to meet 30% of their annual energy needs. This means that American forces in Europe have been buying the #energy equivalent of nearly half a million barrels of oil from Russia every year.
]]>In der Schweiz wird eine riesige Batterie aus Beton gebaut - Magazin - 1E9
▻https://1e9.community/t/in-der-schweiz-wird-eine-riesige-batterie-aus-beton-gebaut/3384
Au Tessin, dispositif de stockage gravitaire d’énergie par empilement de blocs de béton. Fonctionnellement équivalent au STEP (station de turbinage et de pompage d’eau) sauf que ce sont des blocs de béton qu’on empile et qu’on dépile, le complément idéal (?) aux énergies intermittentes.
Reste à convaincre les populations qu’à côté du champ d’éoliennes on va monter des tours de blocs de béton de 80 mètres de haut…
via @cdb_77
Jan. ’20
Im schweizerischen Tessin wird derzeit eine gigantische Batterie gebaut. Rund 120 Meter soll sie in den Himmel ragen – und jede Menge Energie speichern. Dabei kommt diese Batterie ganz ohne Lithium oder Säuren aus. Denn der Erfinder der Mega-Batterie setzt auf ein so einfaches wie uraltes Konzept.
Sie tut sich schwer, aber sie geht voran, die Energiewende. Bereits jetzt werden 35 Prozent des Stromverbrauchs in Deutschland durch erneuerbaren Energien gedeckt. Aber diese Energiequellen haben ein Problem. Zumindest Wind- und Sonnenkraft gibt es nur, wenn der Wind weht oder die Sonne scheint. Und wenn zu viel Energie fließt, geht die gerne mal sinnlos verloren, wenn es an Verbrauchern mangelt. Denn bislang fehlen vielfach Möglichkeiten, um überschüssige Energie sofort, langfristig, schnell abrufbar und auch günstig zu speichern. Wasserpumpspeicherwerke brauchen viel Platz, virtuelle Kraftwerke aus Heimspeichern wie von Sonnen aus dem Allgäu stehen noch am Anfang und Batteriekaskaden wie die Powerpacks von Tesla sind teuer.
Der Schweizer Ingenieur Andrea Pedretti aus Lugano schlägt daher noch eine andere Lösung vor – eine ziemlich einfache, die er mit seinem Start-up Energy Vault verwirklichen will. Er will überschüssige Energie in Betonklötzen speichern. Denn seine Batterie soll aus einem Kran mit sechs Armen bestehen. Und eben zahlreichen Betonblöcken. Gibt es eine Überproduktion von elektrischem Strom, wird der Kran genutzt, um die aus Bauschutt gepressten 35-Tonnen-Blöcke aufeinander zu stapeln. Dadurch wird der Strom in potentielle Energie umgewandelt – also jene Art von Energie, die ein Objekt durch Masse und Höhe gewinnt. Es ist das gleiche Prinzip, das bei Wasser- und Pumpspeicherkraftwerken genutzt wird.
Je höher ein Betonblock sitzt, umso mehr Energie speichert er – auf physikalisch natürliche Weise. Hunderte davon sollen sich in einer Turm-artigen Struktur aufeinanderstapeln lassen. Wird die Energie wieder benötigt, greift der Kran die Betonblöcke und lässt sie zur Erde zurückfahren, wo sie als Mauer um den Turm herum aufgestapelt werden. Dabei wird die Energie über Rollen und einen Generator wieder in elektrischen Strom umgewandelt – und das mit einer Effizienz von 85 Prozent. Im Gegensatz zu anderen Speichermöglichkeiten soll der Turm nahezu überall installierbar sein. Er funktioniert in Wüsten- wie auch Eis- und Tropenregionen. Dazu ließe sich das Konzept anpassen. Statt Betonklötzen könnte der Kran ebenso Steinquader oder ausgemusterte Schiffscontainer aufnehmen und aufeinandersetzen. Eben das, was in der entsprechenden Region einfach herstellbar und verfügbar ist.
L’énergie du thorium, l’avenir vert du nucléaire ? Jean-Christophe d...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/12738437
L’énergie du thorium, l’avenir vert du nucléaire ? Jean-Christophe de Mestral at TEDxParis
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0G8QxaYRds
Filmé à TEDxParis le 28 novembre 2013 à la Gaîté Lyrique. Plus d’interventions sur ▻http://tedxparis.com Administrateur dans différentes sociétés de finance ou de high-tech et élu local en Suisse où il réside, Jean- Christophe, physicien, est un fervent défenseur de ce qui pourrait être une révolution énergétique : l’énergie nucléaire issue du Thorium. Conscient des enjeux technologiques et économiques, il s’engage pour que tous les acteurs du secteur disposent d’une information complète pour un véritable débat sur le nucléaire. Il est également membre fondateur de l’international Thorium Energy Committee dont le siège est à Genève.
]]>Millions of Texans Are Freezing Right Now — Our Deregulated Electri...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/12479561
Millions of Texans Are Freezing Right Now — Our Deregulated Electrical Grid Is to Blame
▻https://jacobinmag.com/2021/02/texas-power-electricity-grid-weather-winter-storm
]]>Do Financial Concerns Make Workers Less Productive? (▻https://www.nb...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/12465346
Do Financial Concerns Make Workers Less Productive? | #poverty #anxiety #stress #energy #mentalhealth #insecurity #productivity
]]>Electric car batteries with five-minute charging times produced (ht...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/12324332
Electric car batteries with five-minute charging times produced | #energy #mobility #car #battery #electricity #storedot
]]>The Potentially Revolutionary Celera 500L Aircraft Officially Break...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/11554941
The Potentially Revolutionary Celera 500L Aircraft Officially Breaks Cover | #aviation #energy
]]>The End of the Oil Age Is Upon Us (▻https://www.vice.com/en_us/artic...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/11554947
]]>European power grid organization says its IT network was hacked (ht...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/10590063
European power grid organization says its IT network was hacked | #cybersecurity #energy #ENTSO #europe #hack #power
]]>17 ways to make your website more energy efficient
▻https://www.wholegraindigital.com/blog/website-energy-efficiency
Mostly good advices for webmasters but be careful, some advices are questionable. Most are correct but will not be followed by corporations ("less tracking").
]]>#Bande_passante & #Bond : les jeux vidéo en streaming.
Le service de jeu vidéo à la demande lancé par Google s’annonce très consommateur en bande passante. Un obstacle potentiel à son déploiement, et un point de friction probable avec les fournisseurs d’accès internet.
▻https://www.lesechos.fr/tech-medias/hightech/jeux-video-la-connexion-internet-pourrait-limiter-les-ambitions-de-google-a
#fai #bandwidth #energy #energie #5G #lobby
traduction : une connexion haut débit - voire très haut débit - sera obligatoire pour s’offrir l’expérience minimale du service de jeu vidéo à la demande en termes de résolution et de graphisme. Pour la 4K, le débit nécessaire est évalué à 30 mégabits . Sans compter le débit requis par la manette sans fil, elle aussi connectée
]]>The Mind at Work: Karl Friston on the brain’s surprising energy (ht...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/9954062
The Mind at Work: Karl Friston on the brain’s surprising energy | #active #brain #energy #freeenergy #inference #technology
]]>Renesas Electronics Develops Low-Power Technology for Embedded Flas...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/9208636
Renesas Electronics Develops Low-Power Technology for Embedded Flash Memory Based on SOTB™ Process to Enable Energy Harvesting and Eliminate Need for Batteries.... Achieves Read Energy of 0.22 pJ/bit at 64 MHz – Among the World’s Lowest Levels for Embedded Flash Memory on an MCU. #technology #electronics #science #physics #Energy #Harvesting #Flash #Memory #hardware #computer ▻https://www.renesas.com/eu/en/about/press-center/news/2019/news20190612.html
]]>A Reliable #blockchain Platform for Renewable #energy Sector
▻https://hackernoon.com/a-reliable-blockchain-platform-for-renewable-energy-sector-b25a7eecdf5d?
TerraGreen PurposeThe general thought behind #terragreen is to use blockchain technology and cryptocurrency to make the earth (Terra) a greener place. The focus of TerraGreen is to produce renewable energy that is generated from renewable materials and waste productions instead of using fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas. In the end, TerraGreen’s purpose is to create a truly sustainable and clean community which will allow consumers to directly participate in the renewable energy industry positively.TerraGreen intends to break down the walls between energy producers, investors, consumers, and utilities so that people get involved and influence their energy is produced.TerraGreen Motivation.Environmental stress to earth has induced an urgent quest for innovation in energy (...)
]]>Why Industry Leaders Should Leverage #blockchain to Bring #energy Forward
▻https://hackernoon.com/why-industry-leaders-should-leverage-blockchain-to-bring-energy-forward-
Energy BlockchainA growing number of industries are beginning to embrace disruptive technologies like blockchain and cryptocurrency. Energy companies that commit to this change will benefit from a enhanced efficiency and transparency.In our current climate, blockchain goes hand in hand with disruptive tech companies and solutions like cryptocurrency. However, we’re seeing a number of other industries — specifically those that are slow to evolve — integrate this technology into their operations.Leading energy traders and banks recently launched a new digital platform in which blockchain facilitates crude oil trading, with more energy-specific use cases possibly on the horizon. While technological advances in this sector aren’t rare, the industry’s largest players typically anchor their (...)
]]>Trading #energy: Will #blockchain disrupt the energy industry?
▻https://hackernoon.com/trading-energy-will-blockchain-disrupt-the-energy-industry-34a6a9e90112?
By Ledgerback, in collaboration with Joshua SagisiHow the Brooklyn Microgrid is attempting to localize the energy industry by combining blockchain and microgrid technologyThe energy industry is an industry that can reap many benefits from blockchain #technology.In the energy industry, blockchain has many applications such as carbon emissions accounting, peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading (synonymous with local energy trading), incentivizing renewable energy production (e.g., Solarcoin), and improving “smart” meters [3][4][5] .For this piece, we shall discuss P2P energy trading, the two major technologies that can make it possible, blockchain and microgrids, and the Brooklyn Microgrid, a P2P energy trading microgrid project in Brooklyn, New York.P2P Energy TradingP2P energy trading is just as (...)
]]>For #energy, It’s Digitization Before Decentralization
▻https://hackernoon.com/for-energy-its-digitization-before-decentralization-823ac7db733e?source=
Roughly 10 years ago the vision of a peer-to-peer electronic cash system was published, marking the launch of #bitcoin and the foundation of #blockchain. While an explosion of new startups have enamored the cryptocurrency craze, the energy sector has envisioned leveraging blockchain for reasons similar to that of finance — transparency, trust, and automation. I’d like to highlight a few observations (and debunk a myth or two) now that blockchain hype is subsiding and new distributed energy solutions remain scarce.The youth is starting to changeMany have speculated the crypto-revolution in finance will naturally come for other industries like energy. However, what finance had that energy did not is a disruption moment from mobile and digital — a trend that forced incumbent monopolies to rethink (...)
]]>How Big Oil Dodges Facebook’s New Ad Transparency Rules
▻https://www.propublica.org/article/how-big-oil-dodges-facebooks-new-ad-transparency-rules
We’ve identified 12 ad campaigns in which energy, insurance and other industries masked their sponsorship of political messages on Facebook. A Facebook ad in October urged political conservatives to support the Trump administration’s rollback of fuel emission standards, which it hailed as “our president’s car freedom agenda” and “plan for safer, cheaper cars that WE get to choose.” The ad came from a Facebook page called Energy4US, and it included a disclaimer, required by Facebook, saying it was (...)
#Energy4US #Facebook #algorithme #bot #manipulation #publicité
]]>Publicités politiques : les hésitations des gouvernements européens et des réseaux sociaux
▻https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2019/03/08/publicites-politiques-les-hesitations-des-gouvernements-europeens-et-des-res
L’encadrement politique des publicités ciblées est encore balbutiant, alors que c’est l’un des outils préférés des campagnes d’influence, où règne parfois la désinformation. Comment éviter le fiasco de 2016, lorsqu’il avait fallu des mois après l’élection présidentielle états-unienne pour comprendre avec quelle facilité les agences de propagande russes avaient utilisé les réseaux sociaux pour diffuser leurs messages ? C’est, en substance, la question que se posent aussi bien la Commission européenne et les (...)
#Google #algorithme #bot #élections #manipulation #SocialNetwork #publicité #Energy4US
]]>AI in Action : #mining & #energy
▻https://hackernoon.com/ai-in-action-mining-energy-940a42c5cb0a?source=rss----3a8144eabfe3---4
This is the fifth in a series of articles highlighting the many applications of Artificial Intelligence.The “extractive industries” as they’re sometimes called, Mining and Energy, were the first truly global vertical, and continue to span the globe in the pursuit of access to natural resources. AI can be of great service in innumerable ways in this field. Here’s a few examples:Risk ManagementI was talking to a pipeline company last year about risk management. At the time I was selling a tablet-based inspection system. “Data collection is not our problem” I was told. “we have lots of data automatically collected via SCADA — our need is to interpret this data effectively.” They had a great deal of data being collected along the hundreds of miles of pipeline, but were having trouble processing it (...)
]]>The dangers of Li-ion batteries you might not be aware of
▻https://hackernoon.com/dangers-li-ion-batteries-might-aware-4960f2f75ae7?source=rss----3a8144ea
Since their first introduction in 1991 by Sony, Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have become an integral part of our daily lives. Their rechargeable properties make them ideal for an array of devices, including the smartphones and laptops we use every day. Despite this, Li-ion batteries are still criticized because of the potential safety concerns that they pose.According to #battery University, there was a huge recall of rechargeable Li-ion batteries in 1991. The inherent instabilities of lithium metal, particularly during charging, created early problems. In some cases, batteries would release hot gases, which were enough to cause burns. In order to combat the problem manufacturers developed Li-ion batteries without any metallic properties, making them far safer to use.This has not (...)
]]>Bitcoin’s energy use got studied, and you libertarian nerds look ev...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/7175905
Bitcoin’s energy use got studied, and you libertarian nerds look even worse than usual | #energy #bitcoin
]]>How Blockchain Is Solving the #energy Crisis in Developing Nations
▻https://hackernoon.com/how-blockchain-is-solving-the-energy-crisis-in-developing-nations-440f5b
This paid story is brought to you by ImpactPPABasic electricity access is taken for granted in the tech and cryptocurrency worlds, but many people across the globe lack this basic commodity. 1.1 billion people globally lack energy access; many more communities have inconsistent or prohibitively expensive electricity.Electricity poverty has serious ramifications for quality of life in communities experiencing it. Without electricity, many modern medical procedures are impossible to do safely. Well water can’t be drawn with electric-powered pumps, lighting and climate control can’t provide basic comforts to students studying for exams or government workers carrying out important administrative tasks. Many communication tools, such as internet access or even computers themselves, are (...)
#blockchain-technology #paid-story #developing-nations #blockchain-startup
]]>Are the smart contracts going to replace lawyers?
▻https://hackernoon.com/are-the-smart-contracts-going-to-replace-lawyers-c2d68840cb81?source=rss
Blockchain technology is certainly a very creative and ingenious invention that has transformed the digital world. As a world’s leading software platform, #blockchain allows cryptocurrencies to expand without need of a bank or a government, and it also saves you time.Blockchain — it is a great innovation, a decentralized system that exist between all parties and there is no need of a “middle men”. Of course that there could be some problems sometimes, but the blockchain technology resolves them in a cheaper, faster, and more secure way, which is why many banks are turning to it instead of using the traditional systems.In 1994, Nick Szabo, a cryptographer, was interested in this area and came up with an idea that the decentralized ledger can be used for smart contracts, also called as (...)
]]>New Release - #Energy #Transitions in the #Gulf: Key Questions on #Nuclear Power - Book Edited by Ali Ahmad
▻http://aub.bmetrack.com/c/v?e=C42219&c=33CE3&t=0&l=1181D762&email=SPojvuYjb%2FC2RIrz0o8eBqgp9yWU
Despite being among the world’s top oil producers, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Gulf’s largest economies, have ambitious plans to invest in nuclear power. As the interest in nuclear energy in the region grows, the need to better understand the underlying economic and security issues becomes a necessity.
In our new edited volume, “Energy Transitions in the Gulf: Key Questions on Nuclear Power” we examine the challenges and opportunities of nuclear power deployment in the Gulf and the wider Middle East region. The book is a result of a workshop held as part of the 2016 Gulf Research Meeting at the University of Cambridge, UK, under the auspices of the Gulf Research Center.
Content:
Introduction by Ali Ahmad
Download Introduction
Chapter 1: Economic Determinants of Nuclear Power in the Gulf by Omer Akkaya
Download Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Economics of Nuclear and Solar Desalination for the Middle East by Rami W. Bitar and Ali Ahmad
Download Chapter 2
Chapter 3: Requirements for High Solar Penetration in Electricity Production in Saudi Arabia by Philippe Chite and Ali Ahmad
Download Chapter 3
Chapter 4: Nuclear Energy for the Middle East: Technology Choices and Considerations by Abdalla Abou Jaoude and Anna Erickson
Download Chapter 4
Chapter 5: Iran, Uranium, and Future Proliferation Dynamics in the Middle East by Ryan Snyder
Download Chapter 5
Chapter 6: Confidence Today, Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone in the Middle East Tomorrow by Marianne Nari Fisher
Download Chapter 6
Download Entire Book ▻http://aub.bmetrack.com/c/l?u=785E5A1&e=C42219&c=33CE3&t=0&l=1181D762&email=SPojvuYjb%2FC2RIrz0o
Studie: Heranwachsende von der Schule gestresst (►http://www.zeit.d...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/5986643
Studie: Heranwachsende von der Schule gestresst
Kopfschmerzen, Rückenschmerzen, Schlafstörungen – Schüler leiden unter den Anforderungen des Alltags. Bereits Fünftklässler behelfen sich mit Energydrinks.
#schule #studie #heranwachsende #kopfschmerzen #rückenschmerzen #schlafstörungen #schüler #anforderungen #alltag #fünftklässler #energydrink #news #bot #rss
]]>Alphabet’s company X works on project “Malta”, a low-cost energy storage solution using salt and antifreeze.
▻https://9to5google.com/2017/07/31/alphabet-x-malta-clean-energy-storage
Malta’s solution is to contain just captured electricity as thermal energy. The work behind it comes from Nobel prize-winning Stanford physics professor Robert Laughlin who created as “theoretical system that stores electricity as heat (in high temperature molten salt) and cold (in a low temperature liquid similar to the antifreeze you have in your car).”
▻https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-31/alphabet-wants-to-fix-renewable-energy-s-storage-problem-with-salt
]]>Climate change and the vulnerability of electricity generation to w...
▻https://diasp.eu/p/5793964
Climate change and the vulnerability of electricity generation to water stress in the EuropeanUnion #climate #electricity #energy #europeanunion #water
]]>Leaked Documents Reveal Counterterrorism Tactics Used at Standing Rock to “Defeat Pipeline Insurgencies”
▻https://theintercept.com/2017/05/27/leaked-documents-reveal-security-firms-counterterrorism-tactics-at-sta
A shadowy international mercenary and security firm known as #TigerSwan targeted the movement opposed to the Dakota Access Pipeline with military-style #counterterrorism measures, collaborating closely with police in at least five states, according to internal documents obtained by The Intercept. The documents provide the first detailed picture of how TigerSwan, which originated as a U.S. military and State Department contractor helping to execute the global war on terror, worked at the behest of its client #Energy_Transfer_Partners, the company building the #Dakota_Access_Pipeline, to respond to the indigenous-led movement that sought to stop the project.
]]>#USA #energy use in one #diagram
▻http://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/4/13/15268604/american-energy-one-diagram #visualisation #visualization #énergie
“Nothing like this will be built again”
▻http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/rants/nothing-like-this-will-be-buil.html #énergie #nucléaire #électricité #electricity #energy #nuclear
#Total : An Illusion of Climate Strategy
▻http://multinationales.org/Total-An-Illusion-of-Climate-Strategy
Total likes to present itself as a responsible business with a strategy for dealing with #climate_change. The French company even published its own climate strategy, explaining how it intends to contribute to the goal of keeping global warming below 2°C. But as 350.org France and Observatoire des multinationales reveal in this new report, Total’s actions and strategy are completely at odds with effective action to tackle the climate crisis. Total is facing pressure from some of its investors (...)
/ A la une, #Extractive_Industries, #Energy, Total, #Greenwashing, #Fossil_fuels, climate change, #shale_gas, #greenhouse_gas, #marketing, #energy, new (...)
#new_technologies
« ▻http://www.total.com/sites/default/files/atoms/files/integrating_climate_into_our_strategy_eng.pdf »
« ►https://multinationales.org/IMG/pdf/en_total_report.pdf »
« ►https://multinationales.org/IMG/pdf/350-total.pdf »
►http://multinationales.org/IMG/pdf/en_total_report.pdf
Great Barrier Reef and the Amazon Rainforest Among Outstanding Natural Sites Under Threat from French Multinationals
▻http://multinationales.org/Great-Barrier-Reef-and-the-Amazon-Rainforest-Among-Outstanding-Natu
Half of World Heritage sites are currently threatened by industrial development, and the oil and mining sectors pose a particular threat. So many invaluable sites and #biodiversity sanctuaries face being wiped off the map just because we are unable to do anything about our voracious model of development. Several French transnational corporations are among those involved in projects that could herald the end of these exceptional sites. Some of the sites facing destruction include national (...)
/ A la une, #Extractive_Industries, #Australia, #Brazil, #Canada, #Guatemala, #Guinea, #Indonesia, #Malaysia, #Netherlands, #Peru, #DR_Congo, São Tomé, #ArcelorMittal, #Areva, Bolloré, #EDF, Engie (ex GDF Suez), #Eramet, #Lafarge, #Maurel_et_Prom, #Perenco, #Total, #Socfin, (...)
#São_Tomé #Bolloré #Engie_ex_GDF_Suez_ #Energy #Extractive_Industries #environmental_impact #resource_overexploitation #extractive_industries
“►https://www.bastamag.net/De-la-Grande-barriere-de-corail-a-l-Amazonie-ces-sites-naturels-d-exceptio”
“►http://www.wwf.fr/vous_informer/actualites/?7841/La-moitie-des-sites-du-Patrimoine-mondial-sont-menaces-par-des-activites-industr”
“►http://whc.unesco.org/fr/peril”
“►http://www.socfin.com/Files/media/News/2016-03-04---Menaces-sur-forets-africaines.pdf”
“►http://www.perenco.com”
“►http://e360.yale.edu/feature/how_nations_are_chipping_away_their_protected_lands/2989”
“►http://www.padddtracker.org”
“►http://marketforces.org.au/banks/map”
“►http://www.societegenerale.com/sites/default/files/documents/Document%20RSE/Finance%20responsable/Principes%20Generaux%20Environnementaux%20et%20Sociaux%20de%20nos%2”
“►https://www.societegenerale.com/sites/default/files/documents/Document%20RSE/Finance%20responsable/Politique%20Transversale%20Biodiversit%C3%A9.pdf”
“►http://blog.greenpeace.fr/bollore-zero-deforestation”
“►http://forets.greenpeace.fr/la-socfin-menace-toujours-les-forets-africaines”
À l’heure des data center détenus par la NSA ou les GAFAM, bref de la (re)concentration informatique, de l’hyper-concentration, l’argument des #bitcoin et #blockchain comme « #pair_à_pair » ou outils de désintermédiation laisse rêveur. On peut déjà noter que le bitcoin est une régression puisqu’il cherche à contourner la gestion politique de la #monnaie (alors que cela a toujours été le cas et qu’on en est de plus en plus conscient) en revalorisant d’une manière (néo)classique, ou plutôt capitaliste, la « preuve de travail » jugée sur le temps-énergie (#Proof_of_work).
Ne faudrait-il pas plutôt parler de ré-intermédiation ? Une transformation du système d’intermédiaires, très certainement au bénéfice des propriétaires (de machines, d’énergie, de compétences logicielles, des terrains nécessaires à la production de machines mais aussi des capitaux nécessaires à enrôler-salarialiser les travailleurs indispensables).
#Bitcoin_Mining Farm Build Out in Iceland - Genesis #Mining
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A-mcSOGolM
Je me mets de coté toute une série de critiques qui pointent la consommation énergétique (la production d’ #énergie, encore une industrie connu pour son caractère #décentralisé et #désintermédié) et autres problèmes générés par ces technologies :
Consommation d’énergie (et de matière) :
▻http://seenthis.net/messages/131228
▻http://seenthis.net/messages/424376#message424451
▻http://seenthis.net/messages/355322#message355337
▻http://seenthis.net/messages/137297
►http://seenthis.net/messages/137297#message137543
éventuelles « solutions » à ce problème (ce sont plus des contournements) :
►http://seenthis.net/messages/280500
▻http://seenthis.net/messages/312332
Des critiques plus globales :
▻http://seenthis.net/messages/279395#message279408
▻http://seenthis.net/messages/135202
▻http://seenthis.net/messages/218268
▻http://seenthis.net/messages/468936
Pour se rendre compte de la désintermédiation et dé-concentration du Bitcoin ces vidéo sont sympas :
A LOOK INSIDE AMERICA’S LARGEST #BITCOIN_MINING_FARM
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ihMqEDs4B8
Life Inside a Secret Chinese #Bitcoin_Mine
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8kua5B5K3I
Et ces articles écrits à un moment où moins d’un millième des internautes utilisent le bitcoin ou une technologie similaire
▻http://www.e-ducat.fr/cop21-et-blockchain
Les participants à la Cop21 sont peut être majoritairement persuadés par le discours du lobby bancaire que le minage des bitcoins est un gaspillage énergétique.
Quand est il vraiment ?
La puissance de calcul totale du réseau est de 500 milliards de Mhash/sec (à la date d’aujourd’hui, 28 novembre 2015).
L’efficacité du matériel de minage peut être estimée autour de 2000 Mhash/J.
La #consommation_électrique totale du réseau bitcoin, disponible dans le monde entier, se situe donc autour de 250 MJ/sec = 250 MWatt, c’est à dire l’équivalent de 100 000 maisons aux Etats-Unis.
A titre de comparaison, il existe environ deux millions de distributeurs de billets de banque dans le monde, chacun consommant en moyenne 200 Watts, même si les modèles les plus récents affichent une consommation théorique de 70 Watts (source : diebold.com).
Au final, les seuls ATMs (sans compter les réseaux et data centers auxquels ils sont connectés) consomment donc 400 Mwatts.
Si l’ impression des billets de banque sur papier de haute qualité et leur transport en camions blindés sont pris en compte, l’adoption de masse de Bitcoin comme cash électronique permettrait de diviser l’empreinte carbone des systèmes de paiement par trois ou quatre.
Avec un coût moyen de l’ #électricité aux US de 10 cents par Kilowattheure en 2015, on obtient un coût de 25 000 US dollars pour 150 bitcoins générés par heure, soit un coût de “production” de 167 dollars par bitcoin (environ 157 €), environ la moitié du prix de marché des bitcoins à la même date. La différence correspond à la prime d’utilité, présente et future, attribuée aux bitcoins.
▻http://www.latribune.fr/technos-medias/20131203trib000799051/bitcoins-une-vraie-planche-a-bruler-de-l-electricite.html
L’économiste nord-américain Alex Tabarrok signale sur le site Marginal Revolution qu’avec la flambée du cours du bitcoin, ces opérations coûtent en conséquence de plus en plus cher. Il rappelle ainsi :
« En avril, quand les bitcoins s’échangeaient environ 100 dollars, la consommation d’électricité des ’mineurs’ de bitcoins atteignait le niveau stupéfiant de 1000 mégawatts/heure par jour, assez pour fournir de assez pour fournir de l’énergie à 31.000 foyers américains. »
Cela représentait également 150.000 dollars par jour, en prenant en compte le tarif moyen de 15 cents par #kilowatt-heure et sur la base de 650 watts consommés par opération de minage.
Huit mois plus tard, suivant ces estimations, ce coût a été multiplié par… 100 ! Au 3 décembre 2013, le coût en électricité estimé par la plateforme précédemment citée Blockchain pour le minage est en effet de 15,3 millions de dollars au cours des 24 heures précédentes. Un coût global supporté par chaque internaute qui participe aux opérations de minage. Entre temps, le cours du Bitcoin a lui aussi explosé, dépassant la barre des 1.000 dollars fin novembre.
#capitalisme #travail #preuve_de_travail #PoW #cryptocurrency
#namecoin #Ethereum #économie #p2p #Proof_of_stake
Sharing the Arctic
▻http://visionscarto.net/sharing-the-arctic
Title: Sharing the Arctic Keywords: #Arctic #Borders #United-States #Russia #Denmark #Norway #Transport #Maritime_transport #Natural_resources #Oil #Energy Published: in “La Cité” (Genève), 2015 and in various publications in 2007, 2008, 2009,2011 et 2013 Author: Philippe Rekacewicz Date: 2007, updated in 2015
]]>Early #heart #pacemakers used Pu-238 as power source. After 35 years some were still running well
▻http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc072143
#plutonium #énergie #energy #nucléaire #nuclear #médecine #health
In Alberta and Downstream, the Heavy Toll of the Oil Sands Industry on #water and the Environment
▻http://multinationales.org/In-Alberta-and-downstream-the-heavy-toll-of-the-oil-sands-industry-
In Alberta, Canadian and international oil companies, including #Shell and #Total, develop oil sands deposits at a frantic pace. Despite the current oil price slump, they still hope to triple production by 2030. While there is much talk of its greenhouse gas emissions, the oil sands industry also has heavy, lesser-known impacts on water resources and #biodiversity. The consequences of excessive water extraction and pollution are beginning to be felt downstream, perhaps all the way to the (...)
/ A la une, #Extractive_Industries, #Canada, Shell, Total, #Extractive_Industries, #Fossil_fuels, biodiversity, #climate_change, #local_communities, water, #environmental_impact, #social_impact, #extractive_industries, #regulations_and_norms, #Environmental_Health, (...)
]]>Cleaner Oil Sands? #Shell and Veolia’s Carmon Creek Project
▻http://multinationales.org/Cleaner-Oil-Sands-Shell-and-Veolia-s-Carmon-Creek-Project
Shell and Veolia, an oil and gas major and a #water company, have joined forces to design a new, ’ecological’ oil sands plant at Carmon Creek, on the Peace River in Alberta, #Canada. According to them, this new plant will have almost zero impact on water resources. But many experts are skeptical, and there is little detail about their exact plans. Meanwhile, the starting date for the plant seems to have been postponed until at least 2019. Second part of Edward Struzik’s report on oil sands and (...)
/ #Water_and_Sanitation, #Extractive_Industries, Canada, Shell, #Veolia_environnement, #Fossil_fuels, water, #shale_gas, #environmental_impact, #extractive_industries, #regulations_and_norms, #Environmental_Health, #transparency, (...)
]]>Naomi Klein: “If you can marry an economic justice agenda with climate action, people will fight for that future”
▻http://multinationales.org/Naomi-Klein-If-you-can-marry-an-economic-justice-agenda-with-climat
Given the massive inequalities generated by capitalism and the ecological urgency of #climate_change, “everything can change”, Naomi Klein claims in a new book. Provided we do not “give in to despair”, because “too many lives are at stake”, and “fight for a more just economic system”. The Canadian anti-globalization activist and essayist is famous for her inspired criticism of capitalism: No Logo denounced the tyranny of global brands, and The Shock Doctrine the brutality of neoliberal (...)
/ #Extractive_Industries, #Energy, #Fossil_fuels, #trade_and_investment_agreements, #public_campaign, climate change, #greenhouse_gas, #social_impact, environmental (...)
#environmental_impact
“►https://vimeo.com/124380476”
“►http://www.bastamag.net/Conference-de-Naomi-Klein-a-Paris-30-mars-2015”