text:
Jarvis Smith visits the South Male Atoll in the Republic of Maldives.
Home » Bolifushi Island
Published: 12 August 2014
This Article was Written by: Katie Hill - My Green Pod
This 1,000km-long archipelago is an extreme test case for the impact of global warming and the main reason for me wanting to visit this small Asian country with the tiniest of all Asian populations: 400,000 islanders whose impact on carbon output is negligible. So which island do I choose for my five-year-old daughter (and myself) to continue our search for an increased awareness, and hopefully to reduce my daughter’s complacency when it comes to our planet’s (and humanity’s) future?
I truly believe that in the next 20 years (or less) we won’t recognise parts of our planet. Simple things like food, water and even air will be reduced by an increased population, rising sea levels and – worst of all – the impact of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and freak weather patterns. Not to mention the chaos of the people around us, who will have no idea how to cope and will probably just panic and become completely reliant on outside support. My feeling is that outside help won’t be there, so it will be down to each of us to be well prepared: we now need to gather the skills and knowledge that will allow us to live completely sufficiently in a natural environment. As a parent, I feel it’s my duty to educate my youngest until the time comes when she’s able to make these decisions for herself.
So which island to choose? The 120 resort islands are each unique and independent. One island = one resort. Well, one that required the least travelling would be good. I’m afraid this choice didn’t add up to much of a carbon reduction, but it did cut out two local flights.
We’d been in Dubai, visiting the turtle rehabilitation project at the Burg Al Arab – the Jumeirah group’s most prestigious hotel. The Jumeirah group seemed to be making some decent moves around sustainability and tourism, so it made good sense for us to visit the Jumeirah Vitaveli. A short 20-minute boat ride from Malé, and employing ‘passionate advocates’ of climate awareness, this seemed like the best choice. The island has 43 beach villas and suites, 46 lagoon villas and suites, three restaurants and a beachside cocktail bar. There’s a private swimming pool in every villa and a full range of watersports available, including deep-sea fishing, diving, kayaking and kitesurfing. Oh, and the Talise spa – with treatment rooms on the land and over the water.
I really don’t want to be too cliched about this feature – in some ways I’m squirming a little writing it. What seemed to be a good idea at the time actually with hindsight makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Nothing to do with the resort itself, more to do with my awareness concerning what this trip was really about. Here’s why…
How on earth could i explain the complexity of the climate challenges in the Maldives to a five-year-old without planting seeds of fear or anxiety for her future?
The Maldives is the lowest-lying country in the world and built on coral reefs which, as we all know, are dying off due to rising sea temperatures and acidity. Maldivian communities are completely reliant on diesel for generators, and a nation that’s nearly broke spends a quarter of its GDP on fuel and subsidies to keep its energy bills affordable. Tourism accounts for 29% of this GDP, and in 2013 it increased by 11%.
There are 1,200 islands in the Maldives and I later found out that tourist minister Ahmed Adeeb spoke of developing a further 400 in the north. It seemed a strange idea – particularly as only a few years back the president at the time was reaching out to the world for a new home and security for the atolls’ citizens. I made a mental note to meet with Adeeb and get to the bottom of this idea.
It has to be said that the Maldives recently won two prizes at this year’s Seven Star Global Luxury Awards, winning Best Destination as well as a special achievement honour for Adeeb: the Outstanding Achievement in Tourism Award for overseeing the arrival of one million tourists last year for the first time in the country’s history.
We were swiftly met at the airport by the beautiful smiles of the Vitaveli staff. The transit was a powered boat waiting just walking distance from the airport. We were handed cold towels and drinks and told to sit back and relax. A big fuss was made of Sophia and she sat like royalty at the back of the boat, feet up, singing and looking out for dolphins.
The sparkly blue waters of the Indian Ocean were welcoming; I could see a few small islands in the distance and wondered which one we were heading to. What a magical part of the world, I thought, refreshingly similar to how I’d imagined it from pictures. The only thing that stood out was the thick black smoke ahead coming from a dump-like island; I was told it was the dumping ground for the area. I pointed this out to Sophia and she reminded me that it was similar to the place I’d lived for three weeks for the Channel 4 observational documentary, Dumped.
I told Sophia that it looked like they were burning the rubbish, which had a knock-on effect by polluting the air. I explained that if perhaps they invested in some cleaner technology this would change the way the rubbish was dealt with. Of course she asked why they didn’t, and I had to explain that they would have been doing it this way for a long time and that it would cost a lot of money to buy the new machinery, which of course would benefit them and everyone else in the long term. I asked what she would do if it were her decision; I’m sure you can guess what she said. Money to a five-year-old is no obstacle, which I find a beautiful thing. We, humanity, have created the commodity called money and it seems to me that it only serves those who want to hoard it.
I wonder if those hoarders realise they are killing their grandchildren by feeding their children?
OK, I know I keep rambling on about the state of how bad things are, but as I said, I wanted to keep this real…
Now just a short distance from the Vitaveli, I was immediately enchanted by the beautiful architectural design and the well thought out use of its natural landscape. Seductive building shapes with triangular thatched roofs sat on wooden jetties leading to white beaches cascading into blue lagoons, with an abundance of flowing palm trees. Do I still think of paradise looking like this? I know I used to – probably based on what advertising was telling me. But now, was this my idea of paradise? I’d have to wait and see.
We slowly pulled up to the jetty and were met by more smiley staff. One face stood out, an Edward Woodward-type character who introduced himself as the GM. His name was Graham and he had an extremely warm and endearing way about him. He was quietly confident, yet I felt a certain prowess as he spoke and introduced me to the team.
I’ll come back to Graham later as he has been absolutely instrumental in the way this island functions (to the best of its circumstance and ability) in terms of sustainability.
We headed off to our beach villa room, which was perfect for us as I didn’t fancy dangling over the sea in one of the huge villas. I would never have been able to rest in peace with Sophia playing outside!
The room was beautifully set: a gorgeous large bed in the centre of a room that opened up into a garden with a private pool and an outdoor four-poster lounger. Just a few steps further through a little hole in the surrounding hedges, those turquoise and brilliant white waves lapped onto a completely empty beach. We had our own sunbeds and shades on the beach area and our villa was protected from prying eyes, not that I had seen anyone else except our butler.
He showed us around the room and explained what the gadgets and gizmos did. I do like a good Apple home system, and it was great to get music in all of the rooms. At the opposite end to the beach was a walk-in closet that led through to a very large bathroom, with two sinks, a nice-sized bath and a separate shower. Of course Sophia wanted to jump straight into the pool; she wasn’t quite swimming on her own yet so I asked her to wait while I showered. Where did the butler go? He must have slipped away while we were chatting. I do remember him saying he would collect us in an hour as they were going tree planting and we’d been invited to join.
We planted coconut palms, the Maldivian national tree, right on the seafront – 20 meters from the waves. These trees would grow to 30 metres and the fruit could be used for eating and drinking, the oil for hair and the shells also for food or craft. Graham told me that they constantly plant trees to replenish the areas where building took place. I liked his views – he seemed to be thoughtful and visionary, driving change through the DNA of the organisation and the wider tourist industry by requesting what he felt were the best solutions. He’d done his research and knew what he was talking about. He told me about the water purification system that converts salt water to drinking water, which fills glass bottles that can be served to guests. This saves a vast number of food miles and plastic bottles from ending up on the dump island Thilafushi, which is already overflowing with more waste than it can handle.
Graham was pleased with the support the resort and guests gave to the local school, Maafusfi, and asked if we would like to visit. Of course, Sophia thought it was a great idea – more children to play with (I was sure she was getting bored of me by this point).
Once we’d finished the ceremonial tree planting, which ended with my prayer of gratitude to the Vitavelli team, the land and trees, we headed for the Kuli Kola Kids’ Club.
It was a lovely size, with a children’s swimming pool, two indoor playrooms full of things to do (including painting and crafts), a video room and an outside area with giant dolls’ houses, swings and slides, table tennis and pool tables and friendly staff I called ‘entertainers’. I asked Sophia if she wanted to stay; she was a little shy at first and wanted to continue looking around with me, which I was quite grateful for. I loved our quality time together, just the two of us playing in the sand and finding coral and angel-shaped shells, getting our hands dirty and our spirits shiny with fun and laughter.
It’s rare to be completely free like this – not having to think about, well, anything except being a little thirsty or being in the sun for too long. I cherish these moments and, if I had any regrets, this would be one: that I hadn’t taken enough time to be with my baby in this way. No iPad, no TV – just us and nature. Sophia always seems at her happiest in moments that combine play with nature; it brings out the child in me and we play and play and play some more.
We eventually got thirsty and walked up to the bar and pool area. Within a minute we had water and fresh juices before us. We sat back on luxurious sunbeds looking out at the sea, and could see the exclusive Lagoon Villas – completely free-standing like regal wooden palaces, accessible only by boat. Romance and honeymooners crossed my mind. If these villas were the crème de la crème of villas here, I indulged for a moment on how different this trip would have been with my fiancée. Perhaps just a call every few days for the butler to bring more Champagne and goodies!
Right, back to reality. This was Daddy-daughter time and nothing would stop us from getting more joyful. ‘Daddy – can I go down to the kids’ club and see what’s going on?’ ‘Of course sweetheart, don’t forget to put your sun hat on.’
After the golden sunset had plunged gracefully into the sea, we strolled across to Mu Beach Bar and Grill. It was stunningly beautiful: candles and starlight jumped around like fireflies creating an ambience that seemed to dance to the rhythm of the nearby waves and the occasional laugh from other tables. It was bliss: a creative seafood menu and good veggie options with well paired wine. Not much is better than eating great food with sand between my toes. Sophia was calm and relaxed and sat watching the moon come up between the buildings on the jetty ahead. This was the largest and most spectacular orangey-red moon I had ever seen. What a privilege to witness such a beautiful cosmic sight rising like a phoenix from the ashes.
We slept really well; it was very quiet with only the occasional sound of splashing waves. We had to rise for a treasure hunt before the heat of the day marched in. This was an interactive and fun search for children designed by Graham (of course) so that the children could learn more about this atoll environment. Sophia enjoyed learning about the wildlife, fauna and flora and keeping a look out for pirates. With each correct answer, specific to the immediate environment, she collected treasure along the way. It was all very well thought out.
Scuba diving was my activity for the day; I was pleased as Sophia wanted to head back to the kids’ club to see her new friends. I had dived before but was still a novice so I re-sat the beginner’s course, ‘Discover Scuba Diving’, to gain enough skills to dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Professional. It was a beach dive with lots of coral to see, but this drove home the fine balance of nature and how the slightest upset affects the largest and most powerful oceans on Earth. Being under water is so peaceful, with only the sound of the breathing apparatus to listen to. My other senses were allowed to expand and connect with what I could see – a montage of colours and shapes broken with the movement and fluidity of the fish that came to check us out.
Sophia and I decided we would like a sunset boat trip later that evening, but first we fed the stingrays – at least 10 had come for their daily feed.
We sat on the top deck of a beautiful and quite large fishing boat, ready for our Dhoni Cruise. We had the boat to ourselves – it was quite indulgent but something I wanted Sophia to experience. The fact that I had Champagne and strawberries helped and Sophia was more interested in chatting to the smiley crew, who kept her well entertained until she fell asleep, right at the moment when the sun was saying its final goodbyes and showing its full bloom. I said my prayers, thanking the sun for blessing and nourishing our survival, then leaned back sipping bubbles and gazing at the island we were heading slowly back towards. Sophia’s head was resting on my legs, and I noticed that this depth of stillness in me was rare; even though I often sit quietly and contemplate life, the surrounding tranquility allowed my mind to drift off into a dreamlike space. I considered living somewhere like this – the romantic thought of taking a 20-minute boat ride to the mainland for a tall latte, and Sophia having to travel by boat to school each day. Would the world’s seas eventually rise so high that we all (or at least those left) had to travel around like this? Something clicked for me in this moment and I shifted into ‘I must be prepared for this’ mode. The state of bliss was lost as I looked at Sophia, thinking that I really don’t care about myself: it’s the children on the Earth who require the knowledge and wisdom to survive what’s to come. I may sound a bit doom and gloom but actually the feelings I get are more, ‘Right, what can I do today to help prepare Sophia for what could happen?’ I thought I must learn to sail and teach Sophia how to navigate the seas by reading the stars, just like our ancestors did.
Visiting the local school the next day was quite a surprise. We arrived to the whole school – over 300 children – cheering with big smiles, and teams playing football with equipment donated through the Vivaveli initiative. The children created art which was printed on postcards and sold to guests, the proceeds of which paid for sports equipment for the school. ‘It has worked well’, said the headteacher over lunch. He felt that, without the support of Vitaveli, these activities would not happen. I explained to Sophia that in some countries, the basic needs that she may take for granted like gym equipment and iPads were not so common. ‘Why?’, she asked, and I explained that each country has its own way of doing things and that each place has something different to sell. The poorer countries had less to sell than the richer ones. ‘Which are the rich ones?’, she asked. I told her the countries that had lots of oil and other important things that other countries would buy for lots of money. I explained that some became rich and some became poor as a result. I also explained that oil came from the Earth, and actually should belong to all of us – but greedy countries and big global companies try to control the Earth’s natural resources by taking it for themselves and selling it to make huge profits. It’s this very process that has created the big mess in our world. But it’s OK, I told her, because lots of people are making sure things change and that we become less dependent on oil, because we know that we can use other energy sources like the sun, sea and wind – resources that are free and all around us. We won’t have to dig up the Earth and continue to damage it, so when you grow up and you have children the world will still be a beautiful place.
Although I hoped this to be true, I didn’t fully believe it. I ended by telling her that the only way we could help things change is by changing the way we live on the Earth, and by not buying things that we don’t really need. We must care for the Earth like it cares for us; everything we have and eat all comes from the Earth and, because there are so many people now, the Earth can’t replenish itself as quickly as we are using things. She understood this I’m absolutely sure, because since that conversation she has often questioned whether she needs something or whether she would just like to have it, which to me shows she has expanded her awareness and consciousness enough to question things within her own heart.
The following day I went to Malé to interview the tourism minister; the only question I wanted an answer to was why he intended to develop a further 400 islands while the globe’s warming. He said these islands would be in the north of the Maldives, where the land mass is more elevated and would be protected against rising sea levels. I wasn’t so sure. I guess we will just have to wait and see.
The day ended for me with a Swedish massage in the Talise spa and dinner in the Fenesse, the finest of the three restaurants. The treatment and the dinner were just perfect – and all in beautiful surroundings. I pondered over how anything in life is possible and whether one day we would choose to live somewhere like this. If I had to weigh up living in such beauty against the climatic shifts predicted, I decided that, whatever the planet decides to do, I would make sure to enjoy every possible moment in celebration of life. Celebrating on Bolfishi Island would be far easier than in the busy streets of central London – in fact, these worlds are so far apart that as an experience in itself, everyone should go to the Maldives at least once and live in a paradise that will enrich memories to draw from in case the world changes so dramatically that these places can no longer be reached.
For more information and to book or enquire about a stay click here.

domain: geography


Microsoft has revealed some of the hardware requirements to run the desktop version of Windows 10 when it is released this summer. The below slide does not go over everything, but does discuss memory, storage, graphics, screen size and firmware requirements.
So for Windows 10 you will need an 800 x 600 or higher display, 2GB of memory for the 64-bit version, 1GB of memory for the 32-bit version, 20GB of storage for the 64-bit OS, 16GB of storage for the 32-bit OS and a DirectX 9 or higher graphics card. Other things that are required is a UEFI BIOS 2.3.1 and secure boot enabled.
Source: TweakTown | News Archive


The US Supreme Court is turning its anti-regulatory campaign toward the federal agencies that are scrutinizing Wall Street banks and seeking to break up Meta Platforms Inc., taking up cases that could defang two powerful market regulators.
The justices on Monday will consider whether those facing complaints from the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Federal Trade Commission can go straight to federal court with constitutional challenges to their cases. Most lower courts have said those challenges must wait for an in-house process that can take years — and arguably give the agency an unfair advantage.
A ruling against the government could undercut two of the most potent federal regulators. The SEC filed more than 700 enforcement actions in the last fiscal year and won judgments and orders worth $6.4 billion, including from investment banks.
‘Enforcement 40’ for 2020
Join Us On LinkedIn
Join the Securities Litigation and Enforcement Group on LinkedIn


text:
Michael Wolfe brings twenty years of corporate finance and life science expertise to Kezar. Prior to the launch of Kezar Life Sciences in 2015, Mr. Wolfe served as the Head of R&D Finance at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. until its’ acquisition by Amgen, Inc. in 2013. Previously, he served in a commercial finance role at Mentor Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, pre-and post-acquisition. Mr. Wolfe’s career in the life sciences sector began at Amgen, Inc. where he held a number of positions of increasing responsibility within the finance organization. He began his finance career at 3Com Corporation, Inc., a leader in the manufacturing and sale of computer networking products, acquired by Hewlett Packard in 2010.
Mr. Wolfe earned a Bachelor of Science, in Business Administration from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

domain: economics


text:
The Boston Bruins routed the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7, and they managed to do so despite getting just one combined point from the trio of Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron.
Boston’s fourth line led the charge in the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series finale against Toronto. Sean Kuraly and Joakim Norstrom both logged a goal and an assist, while Noel Acciari dished out a helper in the Bruins’ 5-1 win at TD Garden.
The fourth line received a well-deserved shout-out from the Bruins’ official Instagram on Wednesday morning, but Marchand noticed an error in the photo’s caption.
The unit certainly looked the part Tuesday night.
The B’s will need the same kind of energy from their “1A” line Thursday night when they open their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images

domain: news


Energea Flow 150CM 240W 5A USB-C To USB-C PD Fast Charging Cable
Keep your workspace clutter-free in just a snap
with MagLink cable management system
Keep your wires perfectly organized and mount them with ease on any metallic surface with the cable strap and built-in magnetic bottom.
Charge Any Essential with up to 240W of Power
Keep all your USB-c devices including Laptops, tables and smartphones powered with ease at lightning-fast speed.
~5A high-speed charging
~Power Delivery 3.1 240W
~Built-in eMarker Chip
~USB2.0 480mbps data transfer
~Slim tip to fit most cases
~Hemp textile fabric
~Resistant to traying
~Thinner OD at 4.0mm
~Aluminium foil shielding


Feature Request: Woxter Scriba 190 support
Using Debian jessie/sid with standard calibre package (1.25.0), the device is detected as an Aluratek Color (that makes no sense, since that is a TFT device and this one is an e-Ink device). Using Windows, the device is not detected.
I guess the problem begind with drive mounting: in Linux the internal memory is shown BEFORE the SD slot, but in Windows the SD slot is shown before. My list of features:
E-book formats supported (as stated in box):
- pdf (to a surprisingly good level)
- doc (it DOES open MS Office docs, but don't format them correctly).
Image formats supported:
- Resolution 600x800
- 16 gray levels
- 6 inch e-ink pearl
- It has a micro SD slot.
- It DOES NOT require the books to be placed in an specific directory.
- It DOES allow subdirectories and multiple level subdirectories.
- It DOES support Adobe DRM.
Some other (strange) features:
- It contains a manual, but it's placed in a hidden partition (so it's not displayed in the book list nor in the drives shown in computer).
- When connected on Windows, the device shows the SD slot BEFORE the internal memory (on my Windows 7, H: is the SD slot and I: is the internal memory).
- When connected on Linux, the device shows SD slot AFTER the internal memory (on my Debian, /dev/sdc is the internal memory and /dev/sdd the SD slot).
- On Linux (Debian Jessie/Sid using calibre 1.25.0+dfsg-1), the device is recognized as an Aluratek Color, but on Windows 7 Pro 64 with calibre 1.36.0 64 bit, it is not detected.
The attached file contains this list of features and the logs from calibre 1.36.0 with the device attached and disconnected.


text:
10 Things to Remember When Working With At-Risk Teens
When you get frustrated with those kids in the back of the room, their heads down, always sleeping, earbuds in, not paying any attention to your lesson, think about their background. Every aspect of a student’s life affects their ability to learn and be successful. Consider these factors about the troublesome at-risk teen:
- Is their home life dysfunctional?
- Are they from a non-English speaking home?
- Do they have a history of abuse at home?
- Do they have low self-esteem?
- Are they using drugs?
- Do they have any friends or interact positively with peers?
- Are they being bullied or are they the bully?
2. Students who have a lack of routine at home and at school are being set up to fail. Does your troublesome student show up late, skip specific classes, leave early without permission or just fail to attend school in general? These students are trying to give up or feel like they should give up. Maybe their tardiness is not their fault? Maybe they want to attend your class, but someone in that class is bullying them and they don’t feel safe or they don’t feel wanted.
3. I teach in the Appalachian region and the majority of my at-risk students are from poverty-stricken families. Three meals a day may not be an option for them. You may never see them with proper winter clothes or clean shoes. Many teachers in first-world countries believe students don’t go hungry, but that isn’t true. I know from personal experience with a family member that food stamps can be sold and government support meant for children is not always used appropriately. Don’t assume anything.
4. These students most likely have a personal connection to drugs. A parent might be addicted to pills or meth or maybe even they’re on drugs or abusing pills. No, I don’t expect you to help their drug problem, but just being aware of this possibility is something you can do. I weave drug-abuse into my assignments and I ensure I present places to seek help or agencies that offer programs. You never know what student this will help and you didn’t have to do any prying or overstep your bounds.
5. They’re used to being yelled at and ignored so doing either of these will not surprise them or affect them. In fact, you’re fulfilling the expectation they’ve already created for adults and those in authority by doing this. Don’t be afraid to engage them, to waste a few minutes of your day talking to them or encouraging them. Sometimes it will be a waste, but sometimes, those 3 minutes you spent after class may be all the encouragement a student needs to come to school regularly or to believe in humanity again.
6. They don’t have a support system at home because most of these students come from families who were high school dropouts. The expectation is that these students will fail and that’s an expectation they’ve lived with their entire lives.
7. They don’t have goals and dreams because no one has ever told them or shown them they could or should. On the first day of school, I always have my students write a letter to themselves, congratulating their future self on graduating with a high school diploma. You would be surprised how many blank sheets of paper I receive or how many students simply write that they know that is impossible for them.
8. They are very cognizant of your demeanor and quickly catch on to your emotions. They know when you’re mad, angry, upset or truly happy. You can’t fake it with these kids. Be genuine.
9. They can succeed but don’t know it. Yes, they can succeed. Succeed at what? For some, graduating high school is the biggest thing they’ll accomplish in their lives. For others, they have the potential to attend technical school, get a job, earn their drivers’ license, etc. The point is, they can succeed at something! Remind them of that.
10. They’re embarrassed and ashamed and they don’t fit in. They feel alone, neglected by family and abandoned by society. They don’t have role models and they’re angry. They are very angry. Most of them have a right to feel these emotions, so don’t dismiss this as teen dramatics.
These students are at risk of dropping out but is there anything you can do? Absolutely! Students can break the socioeconomic barrier…I did. I couldn’t have succeeded through school on my own though, I had help from teachers who encouraged me and made me feel supported. Try these techniques with your students and see if it makes a difference. And remember…the old cliché, Rome wasn’t built in a day, is very applicable here.
- Start a conversation that doesn’t begin with you berating them or discussing any behavior issues. “John, I really like that shirt you’re wearing today. Is Cold Play your favorite band? What type of music interests you the most? Why? (Now use this information to your advantage and design an assignment (make-up work?) that revolves around that student’s interest.
- Leave them an inspiring note before they leave your class that day. Find out their birthday, or maybe it’s a ‘thinking of you’ card for a deceased parent or it can even be a simple I’m glad I saw you in class today, we miss you when you’re not here. Let them know they’re not invisible. Let them know you care.
- Leave LOTS of positive feedback on their homework and assignments. Yes, you’re playing favorites and in my book, it’s ok. Some kids don’t need extra attention and love from their teachers while other students may not be receiving it from anyone else. Even if the student bombed the assignment, find a few things they did right! Find something they improved on since the last assignment, even if it’s just more legible handwriting or organizing their ideas into paragraphs. Offer to tutor them if you have time or just leave a ton of ways they can improve. This doesn’t mean give them a higher grade than they deserve…they know if they didn’t perform well but positive words can be so encouraging to struggling students.
- Compliment the student in class. It doesn’t have to be performance-related but just say something positive about them in front of others. This can really boost their self-esteem and increase their self-worth.
- Try to engage them in conversations that will enable you to build a trustworthy relationship. No, you don’t have to share your lunch or offer relationship advice. Most struggling teenagers are very private but if they feel like they can confide in you, their attitudes at school and in class can change for the better. Many of my students use their writing assignments as outlets and sometimes they approach me after class. I don’t think they expect me to have all the answers but it’s comforting for them to approach someone they trust. I always encourage them to speak with a counselor or seek help and advice from someone who has experience in that area. I offer to escort them to the proper person or office and the students are always so grateful for this!

domain: sociology


text:
Why I read this book: I bought this and read it a few years ago when I first was diving into my writing journey. Now that I’m a year and 100,000 words later, I thought I’d revisit it since I keep coming back to quoting it (that’s the impression it made on me, even then).
Did I enjoy this book: Firmly. It’s fun to read, and contains a ton of helpful pieces of advice for aspiring authors.
What I will do differently because of this book: I think the biggest thing that will change in what I do comes at a collision with advice from my wife as well: I need to stop writing for magazines and articles and start writing for me. I have stories I want to tell. I need to tell them. I can keep an eye on the contests, and submit if it makes sense… But otherwise, I need to just write what I’m seeing and feeling.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
On Writing may be one of the best books of the #WritingLife you can find. King breaks the book into three parts:
1) A look at his life, and how that has shaped him as an author
2) His own list of tips and tricks to be a successful author
3) His own reflection of life after being hit by a van in 1999.
His look at his own life is told in snippets that are quite entertaining to read; often like reading a good novel. All the while, he ties these little clips back to how they have influenced his writing. Once he gets to the “On Writing” section, he really gives us tools and thoughts on a variety of subjects, plus the helpful tips he’s received from lessons learned and rejection slips over the years.
My favorites of these tips:
1) The two most important things a writer should do to get better: Write More; Read More
2) Second Draft = First Draft – 10%
There are many more, but you should pick this book up to check them out in more detail.
All in all, there is something for everybody, even those not serious about the craft in this small peek at the life of one of the last century’s most successful authors.

domain: literature


text:
You may also like these...
- High quality
- Long life
Specialists in mobile energy solutions, Ansmann pride themselves on making top quality products from batteries, rechargeable batteries and battery chargers. Ansmann have won a range of prestigious consumer awards including awards from Digital Photo, Practical Photography and Amateur Photographer magazines.
Cell size LR44 Cell chemistry Alkaline Voltage 1.5 V
|Box Contents:||Single Alkaline button cell LR44 / 1.5V|

domain: chemistry


text:
A way to create a sustainable food is to fully utilise all the edible parts of an animal. DEHESA is one of those which respect the whole beast not excluding seafood. It is also the only front-runner of the nose to tail eating revolution in Singapore.
DEHESA offers delectable alternative cut and offal delicacies as well as succulent classic cut specialties with a commitment to whole animal usage. I am referring to stuffs like bone marrow, ear, heart, sweetbreads and other parts.
This innovative venture is helmed by Spanish Chef-Owner Jean-Philippe Patruno, whom highly skilled in the culinary art of preparing and cooking alternative cuts, unleashes a unique repertoire of food and service that is at once unexpected and welcome with unadulterated glee.
In this issue, DEHESA has just launched their ‘’OFFALLY’’ delicious lunch experience for all of you. Let us check out some of the menu!
Homemade Salty Chips
Start off your day with a glass of wine with some thin crispy chips over conversations while waiting for your food.
Dehesa Platter of Cold Meats / Charcuterie Platter
There is a good variety of offal and cold cuts to choose which ranges from terrine, fifi plate to homemade saussion and more. It is always a good experience to try them even if you might yet to get use to such delicacies. Enjoy the ‘seasoned’ creations over some sourdough. Do beware of the ‘Lardo’ as it can be quite addictive!
Duck Hearts on Sweet Toast
The duck hearts are sauteed till fragrant with stewed quince which gives it a mild sweetness and tantalising caramelise colour. Again just like you, I did think twice but the smell and overall look are simply irresistible. The texture was just right, not that chewy as the hearts were soaked prior with vinegar and they were not overcooked.
Pulled Pork Sandwich
Not the typical burger bun and yes it is homemade as well. It tastes lightly sweet with a fluffy soft bun texture. What a classic saucy pulled pork!
Sardine, Bacon & Poached Egg Sandwich
First ever experience over a sardine burger was rather interesting because of the sardine’s flavour that contrast with the ‘mayo’, runny poach egg yolk creaminess and the light crisp bacon. Not to worry as the sardine wasn’t fishy at all. It is light saltish with natural sweetness.
Lala with Sherry & Chillies
Pepe fino sherry is used in this dish instead of white wine. Well I will say that the broth ends with a light clear note rather than strong flavour that is more intense in terms of both saltiness and sweetness. However, the lala are fresh and therefore with the sweetness comes out with every bite of the lala while the spiciness does add a little kick to this dish. I do prefer a more intense type of broth though as I will usually finish up the whole bowl unless it is super salty.
Seafood Wet Rice
This is just like paella or risotto. But the difference besides having more moisture or ‘soupy’ is that the rice doesn’t stick together. The flavour is more intense here with the squid ink and chilli. To be frank, I can finish this whole plate as it taste really good.
Finally lunch ends with a sweet tooth. The bacon reminds me of my first ever bacon cafe experience with ‘Everything With Bacon’. Caramelised bacon with panna cotta has a hint of orange flavour in its ‘sauce’. The sweetness was not overpowered for me. Such pairing with the so called ‘bacon bak kua’ is simply awesome!
Upcoming Valentine’s Day on Sunday:
The Dehesa Valentine Rebellion
A unique dining experience with a gastronomic adventure awaits for you! Get ready to commit culinary adultery at Dehesa’s first Valentine Rebellion street party which will only will be held only on 14 February 2016.
Indulge in Chef-Owner Jean-Philippe’s trademark nose to tail delicacies and pièce-de-resistance whole roast pig (having roasted for at least six succulent hours) which are served up alongside ice cold Estrella beer, wines and freshly made churros galore.
Valentine Sunday at Dehesa will be a throwback to the Renaissance parties of the medieval era, where food, drinks and life were celebrated with unadulterated glee.
See you there!
12 North Canel Road, Singapore 048825
Lunch 11.30am to 2.30pm (Monday to Friday)
Dinner 5,30 PM till late (Monday to Saturday)
Private room available
Contact: 6221 7790

domain: food


text:
Are you having issues with your eyesight? Thinking it may be time for glasses or contact lenses? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In the United States, 61% of individuals have reported either wearing glasses or contacts at some point in their life.
When you see an ophthalmologist to determine if it’s time for glasses or contact lenses, there will be a typical eye exam to go through to determine if the time is right for you. If so, we’ll need to determine the strength of lens you will need in your glasses or contact lenses to ensure perfect vision.
Do You Need Glasses or Contact Lenses?
An eye exam is something that we’ll do right here in the office to answer two questions:
- Is there a problem?
- Is it treatable?
Is there a problem?
If a problem with your vision is found, these tests will also allow us to figure out which strength of lens and the prescription you’ll need. For younger patients, mainly infants and toddlers, we will also check for things such as lazy eye, droopy eyelids, crossed or misaligned eyes.
Is it treatable?
If you’re already wearing contact lenses or glasses and are still having issues with your vision, be sure to bring in your prescription eyewear for this exam, as the problem could have a simple solution: a stronger lens.
Choosing Your Lens
When you find out it’s time for glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision, there are typically two mindsets: This is great! or Oh no. For our pediatric patients, the response is usually the latter.
Since we deal with pediatric patients a lot and understand the concern with bullying in schools, we like to help them to make a choice of glasses that will be fashionable, but still best for their vision. Here are a few fashion tips we found that will help you choose the best look for your face:
- Find the right frame for your face shape. For example, the best frames for someone with a round face shape are square or rectangular ones. Or if you have an oval face, avoid lenses that are too large and may cover too much of your face.
- Try to pick the color of your glasses that will match your skin tone. Do you have golden-brown skin? Try some yellow, black, or white lenses.
- Pick frames that will match your lifestyle. Are you an active person? Let’s get you some flexible frames so your glasses won’t break while you’re out being adventurous.
- Finally, find some frames that fit your personality. Make your glasses a part of who you are!
If you’re wearing contact lenses during the day, these issues won’t be too bothersome. But for those patients who need glasses and are uncomfortable with their look, the above options may help put your mind at ease regarding which style to choose.
Need Help Choosing Glasses and Contact Lenses?
As a board-certified Ophthalmologist for 25 years, I’m more than happy to share my expertise with my patients. Use the contact form and let’s set up a time for you to come into the office. I’d be glad to help.

domain: medical


You’d think that showing up at the office with homemade brownies would be a good thing. But Kathy, a 30-year-old creative manager at a Midtown marketing firm (who asked that her last name not be used) says her co-workers turned their backs on the sweet treats even before she had a chance to get the lid off the cookie tin.
“We don’t eat those,” she recalls one of them saying.
Her team had finished a project the day prior, and she figured a little celebration might be in order. But apparently that had happened the night before when everyone went out for drinks.
Everyone except Kathy, who wasn’t invited.
“What’s up with that? It’s like they can’t stand me,” says the Brooklyn resident, who’s trying to figure out why.
Getting iced out by your co-workers isn’t all that uncommon. In fact, it happens to 80 percent of workers at some point in their careers, says psychologist Alan Cavaiola, Ph.D., of Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ. Page Six recently reported that charismatic “Today” newcomer Billy Bush got the cold shoulder from his colleagues in Rio during the Olympics, allegedly not being included in group dinners. Bush won’t publicly acknowledge any chill.
Kathy, however, is still trying to work out why she is being frozen out. Her theories run the gamut from “maybe it’s because I get things done fast, so I’m assigned the most important work and they’re jealous of me” to “maybe it’s because I’m blond.”
A first step toward dealing with that type of problem is a reality check, according to Lynn Taylor, a workplace expert and author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How To Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.”
“Make sure you’re not reacting to an isolated incident,” Taylor says. She suggests looking to see if there’s a pattern, such as, “routinely being excluded from important meetings, not being included in e-mail lists, not being invited to lunch.”
If the pattern is there, one option is to accept the fact that you’re being left out.
“Begin with the understanding that everyone’s not going to like you, focus on your work and find your friends elsewhere,” says best-selling author Jon Gordon, who wrote the book “The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways To Deal With Negativity at Work,” among many others.
And while that’s certainly one option, Terri Sjodin, author of “Scrappy: A Little Book About Choosing To Play Big,” says that while “pissing people off may sometimes be inevitable, it might also warrant some inquiry and self-reflection.”
“Begin with the understanding that everyone’s not going to like you, focus on your work and find your friends elsewhere”- Author Jon Gordon
But beware: Trying to figure out what you’ve done might be dangerous, since you could be wrong, say the experts. A better way might be to invite colleagues to meet you outside of the office for coffee in order to pick their brain. “The worse that they can do is say no,” says Taylor.
And while you may feel vulnerable, Taylor suggests that you put yourself out there anyway. “Offer to help your co-worker with what they’re doing,” she says. It’s one way of building a bridge.
If that’s not an option, ask directly, “Have I done something to offend you?”
“Then listen, listen, listen,” says Taylor.
The last thing you want to do is to go on the offensive, say the experts, by accusing your co-workers of excluding you.
“Most people won’t admit they don’t like you, even if it’s true,” says Gordon.
If your co-workers make you miserable, quitting your job might be tempting, but Gordon doesn’t recommend that either. “You shouldn’t let other people steal your energy or drive your career,” he says.


Lunchtime series on food preservation and more set
Dodge County UW-Extension is offering a series of lunchtime learning opportunities about food safety and preservation. This one-hour program will be a chance to listen, learn, and ask questions of experts in the field and answers are based on up-to-date research-tested information. These lunchtime meetings are webinar-style meetings, featuring an interactive program with live presenters, via internet.
You may bring a bag lunch if you'd like, but space is limited, so please reserve your spot a week before the event by calling (920) 386-3790. "Lunch and Learns" are held at the Dodge County Administration Building Auditorium, 127 E. Oak St., Juneau, from noon to 1 p.m. at the dates listed below:
• Sept. 8: Storing Fruits and Vegetables - Learn how to enjoy the bounty of farm and orchard for months to come.
• Oct. 6 – Preserving Meat Safely – Dried, frozen, or canned – we'll discuss tips for preserving safe, high quality meat.
• Nov. 3 – A Safe Thanksgiving and Crockpot Safety – Tips for preparing a safe holiday meal, and ideas for using your crockpot safely.
• Dec. 1 – Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen – Lemon curd, fruits spreads, and chocolates are just a few of the holiday gifts sure to delight family and friends.
"Food safety is, and should be, a primary concern when preserving food at home, from freezing peas to drying of apples. The extension service sets itself apart in providing research-based information," said Pattie Carroll, Dodge County UW-Extension family living educator.
For more information about safe food preservation and other family living programs, contact the Dodge County UW-Extension office at (920) 386-3790, visit our website at: dodge.uwex.edu/ or connect with us on Facebook by visiting our website, and clicking the Facebook icon.
Information on food preservation is also available online at foodsafety.wisc.edu.


Hydrogen is the simplest element. Each atom of hydrogen has only one
proton. Hydrogen is also the most abundant element in the universe.
Stars such as the sun consist mostly of hydrogen. The sun is essentially a
giant ball of hydrogen and helium gases.
Hydrogen itself burns cleanly, leaving water as a by product.
Even though hydrogen itself is essentially non-polluting when burned (some
nitrogen oxides, or NOx, may be formed), there is a carbon footprint
associated with it.
Hydrogen occurs naturally on earth only in compound form with other
elements in liquids, gases, or solids namely:
Water: Hydrogen combined with oxygen is water (H2O).
So if hydrogen is derived from water it is a renewable fuel with
virtually no nasty by products. Potentially it could be converted back
to easily transported liquid Electro-fuels
(E-fuel) through recombination with atmospheric carbon dioxide
though this product is the current subject of some debate
Hydrocarbons (fossil fuels): Hydrogen combined with carbon
forms different compounds—or hydrocarbons—found in natural gas, coal,
and petroleum. The major source being Methane C2H4
If hydrogen is derived from hydrocarbons then it must be considered a
fossil fuel that also creates the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide or
carbon monoxide as by-products of the manufacturing process. CCS
carbon capture sequestration methods required to bury these
by-products require further substantial energy input.
Hydrogen gas is described by colours depending on how it is made
White hydrogen - naturally occuring from rare underground
Brown hydrogen - from conversion of coal
Grey hydrogen – extracted from oil and natural gas producing
greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
Blue hydrogen – is as above but the carbon emissions in the
production process are captured, sequestered, or repurposed so that
they do not contribute to global warming.
Turquoise hydrogen - experimental - from natural gas
(methane) at high temperatures producing hydrogen and solid carbon
Pink hydrogen- from nuclear energy
Yellow hydrogen- electrolysis from a mix of renewable and
non-renewable electricity sources.
Green hydrogen – is produced from zero-emission renewable
energy by electrolysis of fresh water
Two characteristics are critical in understanding the usefulness of
hydrogen as an energy source:
Pro - Hydrogen has the highest energy content of any common fuel by
weight (about three times more than petrol), but
Con -Hydrogen has the lowest energy content by volume (about four
times less than petrol), so it is difficult to squeeze enough mass of
hydrogen into a reasonable volume
;The weight of natural gas (i.e. methane, CH4) is 15% hydrogen
and 85% is carbon. So ideally producing 1kg of hydrogen results in about
5.7kg of pure carbon or about 11kg of carbon dioxide
Hydrogen contributes about 30% of the energy content of methane. That
means it takes about 3.3 m3 of hydrogen to deliver the same
energy as 1 m3 of natural gas.
To produce hydrogen by electrolysis,
39.4 kWh of input power is required to produce one kg of hydrogen, if the
electrolysis process is 100% efficient.
There are two primary ways to create hydrogen. In one of them, hydrogen is
best thought of as a refined fossil fuel and is equivalent to natural gas.
In the other, hydrogen is made by putting a lot of electricity into water
and is best thought of as a store of energy like a battery.
When we talk about generating electricity, we typically talk about taking
net positive amounts of energy from a source and creating electricity. For
example, the net energy of generating electricity from natural gas
(methane) is positive. We extract the methane, we do some limited
processing of it such as add mercaptan to it to make it smell so we can
detect leaks, we distribute it and then we burn it. The energy we receive
from burning the methane is greater than the energy used to pump, process
and distribute it.
The challenge with hydrogen as a transport fuel – and with storing and
transporting hydrogen in general – is that it is an extremely light,
low-density gas. If a fuel cell car were to use atmospheric pressure to
store the 1kg of hydrogen needed to drive 100km, the fuel tank would have
to be 11m3 in size. So today’s fuel cell cars use compressed hydrogen gas,
squeezing about 5kg into a 700 bar carbon fibre reinforced tank.
But high pressure storage tanks are far from ideal
they are heavy, awkwardly shaped, expensive fuel container
it takes a lot of energy to compress the gas,
How can it be efficiently stored? One way is by changing Hydrogen’s
external physical conditions (such as lowering the temperature and/or
increasing the pressure).
TYPE I Hydrogen Storage Vessels: - All Metal Design
This type of Hydrogen Tank is the least expensive to manufacture, is
fabricated from an all-metal cylinder, and can be built to huge sizes.
These are the heaviest Hydrogen Storage Tanks and usually operate at lower
pressures than the other types of vessels listed. The mass of the metal
required to contain the pressure in a Type I Tank usually only allows for
1% to 2% hydrogen storage compared to the cylinder mass. So, the mass of
hydrogen stored to the mass of cylinder ratio is very low.
The Type I Hydrogen Tanks also include ultra cold (cryogenic) storage of
hydrogen as a liquid but these must deal with Boil-off gas (BOG), a unique
challenge to cryogenic liquids. To remain in its liquid phase, hydrogen
must maintain cryogenic temperatures. If temperatures rise in the vessel,
the hydrogen will boil, changing from a compact liquid into an expanding
gas. If left unchecked, this will push your vessel beyond its design
Type II: All Metal With Carbon Fibre
These cylinders are all metal and are hoop wrapped (wrapped around the
straight cylinder portion) with composite material. T he stored hydrogen
mass to cylinder mass ratio is very low. These vessels are also heavy and
thick-walled. Standard tanks usually have a maximum pressure of 4,500 psi
Type III: Composite With Metallic Lining
This Hydrogen Storage tank has a much more efficient capacity: up to four
times that of standard Type I vessels. This means smaller and lighter
cylinders can be used to store the same amount of hydrogen. These vessels
are fully wrapped composite cylinders and have a metallic lining. They are
non-load bearing. Standard tanks usually have a maximum pressure of 10,000
psi (700 Bars).
Type IV: Composite With Non-Metallic Lining
This style has the same efficient storage capacity as the Type III’s. They
are fully wrapped composite cylinders with non-metallic liners, usually
consisting of some sort of polymer (like high-density polyethylene). Type
IV Vessels are non-load bearing.
Standard tanks typically have a maximum pressure of 10,000 psi (700 Bars).
Type III & IV tanks are the priciest of all the Hydrogen Storage Tanks
due to the current expense of carbon fiber composite material. Although,
many believe that the cost of carbon fiber will lower in the future.
To transport bulk quantities of hydrogen, however – whether to supply
refuelling stations, or to ship renewable hydrogen around the world –
pressuring the gas is not going to work due to what is called the
“Chilling Effect” namely...
The dihydrogen molecule, with its two protons, can form two possible
quantum spin isomers. In para hydrogen, the more stable form, the spin on
the two protons is opposite; in ortho hydrogen, the spin is aligned. At
room temperature, about 75% of dihydrogen is in the higher energy ortho
state, but the equilibrium shifts as the temperature is lowered, until at
–253°C, it is almost 100% para at equilibrium. As the liquified gas heats
para reverts to ortho and energy is released causing the liquid to boil.
Currently, liquefying hydrogen takes 12kWh of power per kilo of hydrogen,
equivalent to about 25% of the energy that hydrogen would release in a
In short tanks only holding hydrogen gas are not proactical being bulky,
heavy and expensive.
Using an Adsorbent in a Tank
A tank is filled with special material that will absorb hydrogen or
that hydrogen will stick to.
Researchers seek this ideal tank, for various parameters not discussed
here, the ideal tank would have a maximum pressure of 100 bar and with
hydrogen adsorption energy of 15–20kJ/mol.
At that pressure, light-weight, inexpensive, conformable pressure vessels
are possible and the energy penalty for compressing the hydrogen would
also be slashed.
The problem for physical adsorption it that hydrogen does not like to
stick to things.
The two main classes of solid-state hydrogen storage materials sit either
side of that ideal tank.
Metal hydrides, and related materials that take up hydrogen
via chemical bond formation, bind hydrogen too strongly and have to be
heated to drive the hydrogen off. Metal hydrides are metals which have
been bonded to hydrogen to form a new compound.The most common
examples of metal hydrides include aluminum, boron, lithium
borohydride and various salts. For example, aluminum hydrides include
sodium aluminum hydride.
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous absorbents but
currently bind hydrogen too weakly to hold enough of it. MOFs are a
class of organic-inorganic hybrid crystalline materials consisting of
metallic moieties that are linked by strong coordination bonds to
organic ligands. They exhibit a great structural diversity and possess
low weight, exceptionally high surface areas, large free volumes, and
tunable pore sizes and functionalities, making them extremely
attractive for a variety of applications such as hydrogen storage.
metal hydride - hydrogen in yellow
Generally hydrogen will be released from an absorption tank by heating the
contents to release the hydrogen.
The tank can then be re-filled with new hydrogen.
Hydrogen Embrittlement occurs when metals become brittle as a
result of the introduction and diffusion of hydrogen into the material.
Hydrogen has handling and safety issues that methane does not. Hydrogen
can cause embrittlement of metals, and deterioration of plastic and rubber
The degree of embrittlement is influenced both by the amount of hydrogen
absorbed and the microstructure of the material. Hydrogen is normally only
able to enter metals in the form of atoms or hydrogen ions.
Thus, gaseous hydrogen is not absorbed by metals at ambient temperatures,
as it is in molecular form, in which pairs of atoms are tightly bound
Hydrogen ions are also produced by reactions associated with processes
such as corrosion, electroplating and cathodic protection. Consequently,
there is ample opportunity for the entry of hydrogen into metallic
Two methods are discussed Steam, Methane Reforming and Partial Oxidation
Over 95% of the world’s hydrogen is produced using the steam methane
reforming process (SMR). In this reaction, natural gas is reacted with
steam at an elevated temperature to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
A subsequent reaction — the water gas shift reaction — then reacts
additional steam with the carbon monoxide to produce additional hydrogen
and carbon dioxide.
Most hydrogen produced today is made via steam-methane reforming, a mature
production process in which high-temperature steam (700°C–1,000°C) is used
to produce hydrogen from a methane source, such as natural gas. In
steam-methane reforming, methane reacts with steam under 3–25 bar pressure
(1 bar = 14.5 psi) in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydrogen,
carbon monoxide, and a relatively small amount of carbon dioxide. Steam
reforming is endothermic—that is, heat must be supplied to the process for
the reaction to proceed.
Subsequently, in what is called the "water-gas shift reaction," the carbon
monoxide and steam are reacted using a catalyst to produce carbon dioxide
and more hydrogen. In a final process step called "pressure-swing
adsorption," carbon dioxide and other impurities are removed from the gas
stream, leaving essentially pure hydrogen. Steam reforming can also be
used to produce hydrogen from other fuels, such as ethanol, propane, or
even gasoline. Steam-methane reforming reaction
CH4 + H2O (+ heat) → CO + 3H2
Water-gas shift reaction
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 (+ small amount of
The Carbon Footprint of Steam Methane Reforming The carbon footprint of
hydrogen production via SMR can be broken down into two parts.
First, as indicated by the SMR and WGS reactions, 100% of the carbon in
the incoming methane is ultimately converted to CO2. In the
process of producing one molecule of CO2, four molecules of
hydrogen (H2) are produced, with the steam contributing the
9.3 kilograms (kg) of CO2produced per kg of hydrogen production
For hydrogen created by steam reformation of methane. We extract the
methane, use a bunch of energy in the steam reformation process where the
carbon is removed and turns into CO2 other elements such as
nitrogen and sulfides are also removed and typically turn into other air
pollution, distribute the remaining hydrogen and then use it in a fuel
cell or burn it. That’s highly similar to methane except that instead of
burning both the hydrogen and the carbon in the methane and extracting the
energy, we waste the energy in the carbon and still get CO2.
But we are still getting a net positive energy extraction from the
hydrogen at the end of the process, just less than from burning the
Summary - Hydrogen from steam reformation of methane
Net positive source of energy.
No negative emissions at end point of use.
Less expensive than hydrogen from electrolysis.
Processing emits just as much CO2 as burning the
methane directly, so it contributes to global warming.
It’s energy inefficient compared to burning the methane in a
combined cycle gas generator to get much more of the energy.
Nitrous and sulfur oxides are emitted by processing and create air
Extracting methane is shown to have significant leakage of methane
to the atmosphere, and methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas
There are local impacts of fracking such as minor earthquakes and
in some cases ground water pollution to consider.
2. Partial Oxidation
In partial oxidation, the methane and other hydrocarbons in natural gas
react with a limited amount of oxygen (typically from air) that is not
enough to completely oxidize the hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water.
With less than the stoichiometric amount of oxygen available, the reaction
products contain primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide (and nitrogen, if
the reaction is carried out with air rather than pure oxygen), and a
relatively small amount of carbon dioxide and other compounds.
Subsequently, in a water-gas shift reaction, the carbon monoxide reacts
with water to form carbon dioxide and more hydrogen.
Partial oxidation is an exothermic process—it gives off heat. The process
is, typically, much faster than steam reforming and requires a smaller
reactor vessel. As can be seen in chemical reactions of partial oxidation,
this process initially produces less hydrogen per unit of the input fuel
than is obtained by steam reforming of the same fuel. Partial oxidation of methane reaction
CH4 + ½O2 → CO + 2H2(+ heat)
Water-gas shift reaction
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 (+ small amount of
Australia is a very dry continent and fresh water is and will remain at a
premium however extraction of hydrogen from water using surplus renewable
electricity from wind and solar sources could assist in generating
supplementary electricity during periods of peak demand or for bulk
Electrolysis of water to create
hydrogen, is a pure energy store. We take electricity generated by some
other means, typically with some mix of fossil fuel generation in it, we
use that electricity in the lossy electrolysis process, we capture the
resulting hydrogen, we distribute it and then we use it in a fuel cell or
burn it to generate electricity. That’s much more similar to a battery.
Electrolysis is the process of using electricity to split water into
hydrogen and oxygen. This reaction takes place in a unit called an
Types of Electrolisers
Like fuel cells, electrolysers consist of an anode and a cathode separated
by an electrolyte.
Different electrolysers function in slightly different ways, mainly due to
the different type of electrolyte material involved.
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane PEM Electrolysers
In a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyser, the electrolyte is a
solid specialty plastic material.
Water reacts at the anode to form oxygen and positively charged
hydrogen ions (protons).
The electrons flow through an external circuit and the hydrogen
ions selectively move across the PEM to the cathode.
At the cathode, hydrogen ions combine with electrons from the
external circuit to form hydrogen gas. Anode Reaction: 2H2O
→ O2 + 4H+ + 4e- Cathode Reaction: 4H+ + 4e- → 2H2
Alkaline electrolysers operate via transport of hydroxide ions (OH-)
through the electrolyte from the cathode to the anode with hydrogen being
generated on the cathode side. Electrolysers using a liquid alkaline
solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte have been
commercially available for many years. Newer approaches using solid
alkaline exchange membranes as the electrolyte are showing promise on the
Solid Oxide Electrolysers
Solid oxide electrolysers, which use a solid ceramic material as the
electrolyte that selectively conducts negatively charged oxygen ions (O2-)
at elevated temperatures, generate hydrogen in a slightly different way.
Water at the cathode combines with electrons from the external
circuit to form hydrogen gas and negatively charged oxygen ions.
The oxygen ions pass through the solid ceramic membrane and react
at the anode to form oxygen gas and generate electrons for the
Solid oxide electrolysers must operate at temperatures high enough for the
solid oxide membranes to function properly (about 700°–800°C, compared to
PEM electrolysers, which operate at 70°–90°C, and commercial alkaline
electrolysers, which operate at 100°–150°C). The solid oxide electrolysers
can effectively use heat available at these elevated temperatures (from
various sources, including nuclear energy) to decrease the amount of
electrical energy needed to produce hydrogen from water.
When electricity is used to produce hydrogen, thermodynamics dictate that
you will always produce less energy than you consume. In other words, the
energy input in electricity will be greater than the energy output of
hydrogen. Nevertheless, if a cheap source of electricity is available —
such as excess grid electricity at certain times of the day — it may be
economical to produce hydrogen in this way. In Australia water usage in
electrolysis should be a “closed circuit” with by-product water being
returned to the electrolyser for multiple re-use.
Summary - Hydrogen from electrolysis
If the electricity for electrolysis is sourced from renewables with
low CO2, then the net energy cycle is very low carbon.
No negative emissions at end point of use.
Electrolysis is about 70% efficient, meaning about 30% of the
energy in the electricity is wasted. This is much less efficient than
If the electricity for electrolysis is sourced from fossil fuels,
then the net energy cycle is higher carbon.
Fuel cells are only 40% to 60% efficient and waste heat is
generated. If the waste heat is used as well, overall efficiency at
point of generation can be greater, but the theoretical maximum is
85%. At minimum, 15% of stored electricity is thrown away. In reality,
no automotive fuel cell captures the waste heat, so 40% to 60% of the
stored electricity is thrown away.
If the hydrogen is burned in a Carnot or steam cycle, then
efficiency is even lower than via a fuel cell, closer to gasoline
where efficiency is in the range of 20%.
Solar-driven processes use light as the agent for hydrogen production.
There are a few solar-driven processes, including photobiological,
photoelectrochemical, and solar thermochemical.
Photobiological processes use the natural photosynthetic activity of
bacteria and green algae to produce hydrogen.
Photoelectrochemical processes use specialized semiconductors to separate
water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Solar thermochemical hydrogen production uses concentrated solar power to
drive water splitting reactions often along with other species such as
Biological processes use microbes such as bacteria and microalgae and can
produce hydrogen through biological reactions.
In microbial biomass conversion, the microbes break down organic matter
like biomass or wastewater to produce hydrogen, while in photobiological
processes the microbes use sunlight as the energy source.
At time of writing the Federal government has allocated $539 million on
“hydrogen” production and CCS “carbon capture sequestration” at five
In Australia, ammonia NH4 is being eyed favourably as a way to
The Haber Process is used to convert hydrogen to Ammonia at about 400 to
500 degrees Celsius and 100 bar.
Liquefied ammonia is a well-established industrial chemical,
shipped at vast scale due to its use in fertiliser. The ammonia as
fertiliser, , once produced can be used directly by the purchaser
Presently ammonia is produced from fossil fuel sources. . The process of
converting hydrogen to ammonia at source and then converting the ammonia
back to hydrogen by the purchaser involves the release of waste products
including nitrous oxides.
Haber Process for making Ammonia
Australia is home to the world’s largest carbon capture and storage
facility at Chevron’s Gorgon natural gas project on Barrow Island off
its northwest coast.
The project has stored more than 4 million metric tons (4.4 million U.S.
tons) of carbon emissions since it started operating in 2019. CCS
Carbon Capture Sequestration involves mechnically compressing CO2
carbon dioxide to an ultra cold supercritical liquid s-CO2. The s-CO2 is
injected via drill holes deep into geological strata where, in theory
the pressure of the overlying rock keep the s-CO2 in a near supercritcal
state. The host rock strata chosen must be overlain by an "impermeable"
cap-rock layer meant to prevent any s-CO2 from migrating upward to the
Built by Chevron in 2016 at a likely cost of $88 billion, the facility
produces 25 million metric tons of natural gas and up to 10 million
metric tons of carbon dioxide each year.
That’s because the Gorgon gas field contains a mix of about 60% natural
gas and 40% carbon dioxide (which exists in many gas fields around the
Chevron has to separate the carbon dioxide from the mixture before it
can liquefy natural gas for transport.from the mixture and sequester it
New money would be spent on accelerating development of a new carbon
capture hub and technologies and the conversion of natural methane gas
to exportable ammonia.
The company said that, after initial tests are complete, it will bury as
much as 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually—cutting the
project’s carbon footprint by about 40%.
Most CCS facilities inject the captured carbon dioxide into oil fields,
where CO2 dissolves the oil and actually increases the
volumes that can be recovered.
In Norway, Equinor (formerly Statoil) buries carbon dioxide in saline
aquifers, because releasing the gas would require paying a steep carbon
That’s what makes the Gorgon project different.
The carbon dioxide buried is neither used for enhanced oil recovery nor
is it buried to avoid a carbon price.
It’s being buried simply because the Australian government asked Chevron
to do so.
Once working at full scale, it will be the world’s largest CCS facility
that simply buries the greenhouse gas in underground reservoirs.
The Carbon Dioxide (CO2 Injection Project involves the
design, construction and operation of facilities to inject and store
reservoir CO2 into a deep reservoir unit, known as the Dupuy Formation,
a deep saline formation, more than two kilometres beneath Barrow Island.
The Dupuy Formation is Late-Jurassic aged and consists of sandstones and
siltstones, with overall thickness of between 200m and 500m.
Permanently storing CO2 in subsurface geologic reservoirs has
been proposed as a means to curb anthropogenic CO 2 emissions
into the atmosphere. Storage of CO 2 in geologic reservoirs
will occur in the forms of structural or stratigraphic trapping,
residual or capillary trapping, solubility trapping, and mineral
Among these, residual or capillary trapping has emerged as one of the
most significant mechanisms for the long‐term geological storage of CO
The reservoir CO2 will be separated at the liquefied natural
gas (LNG) plant site and transported by pipeline to one of three drill
centres. To minimise the environmental footprint on the island, nine
injection wells have been directionally drilled from the three drill
centres. Once the CO2 is injected, it will migrate through
the Dupuy Formation until it becomes trapped
The top of the Dupuy Formation reservoir is located approximately 2300 m
below Barrow Island and is overlain by a thick shale cap-rock seal. The
shale is intended to keep most of the entrapped carbon dioxide from
leaking to the surface. The pressure in the reservoir will cause the
injected CO 2 to behave as a supercritical fluid with behavio
ur of both a liquid and a gas.
The reservoir CO 2 will become trapped in the reservoir
through a combination of residual saturation trapping and by dissolution
into the waters in the formation.
During geologic CO2 sequestration, the liquid carbon dioxide
(referred to a supercritical) s-CO2 is injected into the
sandstone and siltstone.
Salty water (native brine) is already present in the tiny pore spaces
(capillaries) between the rock grains. The s-CO2 moves
upward in the salty water some dissolves in the water and some gets
trapped in the pore spaces as bubbles or ganglia.
Some considerations along the way….
no geological structure is without flaws so some leakage may be
due to delays in CCS the project accounted for about half the
greenhouse gas increase Australia saw in 2018.
only 40% of CO2 produced is currently successfully
captured and injected
core‐scale experiments and pore‐network flow models suggest that
this capillary trapping in saline aquifers ranges from 10% to 90% of
the total injected volume of CO2. So not all injected CO2
at the producer end conversion of hydrogen to ammonia releases
at the buyer end conversion of ammonia back into hydrogen
releases greenhouse gasses
Potential technologies are available to produce zero emissions hydrogen
from natural methane gas with pure sequestered carbon as a by-product.
Untested Experimental Zero CO2 process that converts
methane into hydrogen
West Virginia University (WVU) has developed a process that converts
methane—the primary component of natural gas—into hydrogen while
emitting zero CO 2.
The process creates carbon solids for manufacturing applications,
valuable for early producers The solid carbon nanocrystals that
accumulate on the catalyst can washed and separated for commercial
use in carbon fibres
The thermocatalytic decomposition (TCD) method process uses a
novel nickel-based bimetallic catalyst to produce hydrogen at 600
the metallic precursors are re-synthesised and recycled back into
the closed-loop cycle allows for continuous catalyst replacement
while emitting zero carbon dioxide emissions.
the downside is that with commercial levels of production the
world market would be flooded with high quality carbon suitable for
carbon fibre but the supply would greatly exceed demand and carbon
high temperatures required
the process has not been tested at scale
Ammonia to Hydrogen conversion using renewable electricity
Northwestern University has developed an experimental electrochemical
cell with a proton-conducting membrane and integrated it with an
The process functions at much lower temperatures than traditional
methods (250 degrees Celsius as opposed to 500 to 600 degrees Celsius)
The ammonia first encounters the catalyst that splits it into nitrogen
That hydrogen gets immediately converted into protons, which are then
electrically driven across the proton-conducting membrane in our
electrochemical cell. Using Le Chatelier's principle by continually
pulling off the hydrogen, the reaction is driven further than it would
otherwise. Removing one of the products of the ammonia-splitting
reaction—namely the hydrogen—pushes the reaction forward, beyond what
the ammonia-splitting catalyst can do alone.
“Hydrogen” cannot always be associated with “Green”
So it would seem that our export hydrogen would be produced from natural
gas rather than via solar using water.
Without 100% CCS this process contributes to carbon dioxide pollution of
our atmosphere – the hydrogen produced is a “refined fossil fuel” and
has a negative impact in terms of stabilising our atmosphere and
At the time of writing $83 million dollars of government money in New
South Wales is being allocated to the construction of a natural gas/
hydrogen electricity co-generation facility initially burning natural
gas but able to burn 95% natural gas and 5% hydrogen in a couple of
years’ time. The source of this “offer to buy” future hydrogen gas
(water or fossil fuel) component currently does not exist and the manner
in which the hydrogen will be produced and delivered has not been
specified. It is possible to mix hydrogen and natural gas in the fuel
stream, with a reduction in CO2 output, but because of the
difference in energy content, to achieve a 50% reduction in CO2
requires about 75% H2 by volume.
One concludes that the NSW project is simply natural gas generator of
electricity with the word “hydrogen” in there as a distraction of the
reality another fossil fuel facility.
Hydrogen Fuel as part of a mix of energy sources
"Hydrogen-based fuels can be a
great clean energy carrier -- yet great are also their costs and
associated risks," says lead author Falko Ueckerdt from the Potsdam
Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). "Fuels based
on hydrogen as a universal climate solution might be a bit of false
promise. While they're wonderfully versatile, it should not be
expected that they broadly replace fossil fuels. Hydrogen-based
fuels will likely be scarce and not competitive for at least another
decade. Betting on their wide-ranging use would likely
increase fossil fuel dependency: if we cling to combustion
technologies and hope to feed them with hydrogen-based fuels, and
these turn out to be too costly and scarce, then we will end up
further burning oil and gas and emit greenhouse gases. This could
endanger short- and long-term climate targets."
Prioritising to applications like aviation and steel productions
"We should hence prioritise
those precious hydrogen-based fuels to applications for which they
are indispensable: long-distance aviation, feedstocks in chemical
production, steel production and potentially some high-temperature
industrial processes," says Ueckerdt. "These are sectors and
applications that we can hardly electrify directly."
Electro-fuels (E-fuels) –
Hydrogen from Electrolysis + CO2 from the atmosphere
So-called green hydrogen is produced through a process called
electrolysis. To crack the stable H2O water molecules into
Hydrogen and Oxygen, a lot of electricity is needed. The hydrogen can
then be used to synthesise hydrocarbon fuels by adding carbon from CO2.
The resulting electro-fuels or e-fuels are easier to store and transport
than electricity or pure hydrogen.
"Most importantly, e-fuels can
be burned in conventional combustion processes and engines and thus
directly substitute fossil fuels," says Gunnar Luderer, co-author of
the paper. "However, given their limited availability, it would be
wrong to think that fossils can be fully replaced this way."
Driving a car with hydrogen-based fuels needs five times more energy
than a battery-electric car
"We are currently far from 100%
renewable electricity -- so making efficient use of it is key.
However, if we use hydrogen-based fuels instead of direct
electrification alternatives, two to fourteen times the amount of
electricity generation is needed, depending on the application and
the respective technologies," says co-author Romain Sacchi from the
Paul Scherrer Institute. "Efficiency losses happen both on
the supply side, in the production process of the hydrogen-based
fuels, and on the demand side -- a combustion engine wastes a lot
more energy than an electrical one."
"Low energy efficiencies cause a fragile climate
effectiveness," says Sacchi. "If produced with the current
electricity mixes, hydrogen-based fuels would increase -- not
decrease -- greenhouse gas emissions. For the German electricity mix
in 2018, using hydrogen-based fuels in cars, trucks or planes would
produce about three to four times more greenhouse gas emissions than
using fossil fuel." In contrast, electric cars or trucks cause
greenhouse-gas emissions that are comparable to or lower than those of
diesel or gasoline cars already based on today's electricity mixes in
most countries, the researchers show based on a full cradle-to-grave
life-cycle analysis that includes also those emission associated with
the battery production.
"Only for truly renewable-based power systems do
hydrogen-based fuels become an effective means to help stabilize our
climate," says co-author Jordan Everall. "Hydrogen-based fuels thus
clearly require building up loads of additional renewable energy
Summary of Practicality for Australia
Australia is blessed with massive solar and wind energy potential. We
also have quality reserves of lithium, magnesium, high quality silica
sand and rare metals. Government value-adding investment in building and
exporting quality solar, wind, semiconductor and lithium battery devices
might be money better spent.
Hydrogen should only have a few specific roles in our energy mix. Only
hydrogen production from closed circuit electrolysis should be
considered. Our limited fresh water resources limits the range of
hydrogen use to...
contributing to peak electricity demand
bulk transport,such as trains, where fuel volume is a minor
alternative feedstocks in chemical production,
clean high quality steel/ alloy production with focus on value
some industrial processes such as micro-chip manufacturing
Sadly Australia does not meet its ethical responsibilities as a first
world nation and as a member of the global community. Production of
hydrogen from methane, while it may provide a brief stop-gap for exports
as coal exports decline is neither “clean” nor “green”. It is a “refined
fossil fuel” no more. Current levels of carbon dioxide released from
existing methane facilities are frightening. The additional atmospheric
pollution that could be released through the large scale conversion of
hydrogen to and from ammonia. Much higher safeguards on shipping
boatloads of ammonia are required especially considering the proximity
of large urban populations close to potential ammonia ports.
CCS - Carbon capture sequestration has been studied for several decades.
Results are not remotely close to the required 100%. Larger scale
attempts fall back to a ”hide and forget” methodology.
The consequences of burying vast amounts of supercritical CO2
in geological strata for geological periods of time seems as
environmentally irresponsible as the dumping of barrels of nuclear waste
in to the deep ocean in the 1960's. Putting millions of tonnes if carbon
dioxide into geologcal strata and expecting all of it to remain intact
over geological periods of time borders on the absurd. Carbon dioxide
will leak, the crust of the earth is dynamic and we risk acidifying
oceans and groundwater, suffocating livestock and communities.
The World Heritage-Listed Daintree Rainforest region in northern
Queensland has no or limited mains electricity supply. Residents of the
area use diesel generators or solar power and battery storage, or a
combination of both. Solar panels are not viable for all residents due
to shading issues and, in the wet season, the lack of sunshine means
diesel generators must be used. It is estimated that the Daintree area
uses around four million litres of diesel per annum to generate power.
The Federal Government is granting substantial funding to Daintree
Renewable Energy Pty Ltd in support of a feasibility study to
investigate the technical and economic viability of a proposed
solar-based (with hydrogen storage) microgrid for the Daintree region.
Work commenced on the study in late 2019 and is expected to be completed
around the middle of 2020. The proposed microgrid project under
evaluation would convert excess energy generated from existing and new
solar panels into hydrogen via electrolysis. The hydrogen produced would
be stored to be used to generate electricity during unfavourable
conditions (thereby reducing reliance on diesel generation).
Following the May 2021 Budget, the local member stated on ABC radio,
that the project would include solar
panels, hydrogen production (via electrolysis?) AND battery
storage. Fuels Cells are not
mentioned.The area is one of extreme rainfall amounting to several
metres per year. The sun can be behind heavy cloud for weeks at a time
during the "Wet season". So why build a micro-grid that is solely
dependent on sunlight to gererate both electricity and produce hydrogen
as fuel to cover peak demand and provide electricity during the
very long periods of thick cloud cover?
There are numerous major and minor permanent streams, all with
sufficient head for a mix of high head / low water consumption (ie 50m
and 2L/sec) and low head / high water consumption (ie 2m and 110L/sec)
readily available micro-hydro facilities both of which would require
minor infastructure and have minimal environmental impact.
The premise for the project seem counter-intuitive. When the sun isn't
shining, it is raining and the streams are running well. When it is
sunny the solar panels supply power and surplus can be put into
batteries or flywheels or pumped hydro or compressed air- so why
use hydrogen which would put additional demand on the solar panels and
need sunny days? Is this project being set up to fail?
For this project based on publically availble information (May
2021)..When the sun is shining the solar panels must produce:
demand electricity plus
charge the batteries plus
in a RAINFOREST! with mean annual sunshine for 2019 only 20.0 MJ/m2
and high daily variations (courtesy bom.gov.au)
there are various different technologies currently available
from fast response battery systems to fuel cells (power to gas/H2
and back to power)
in the situation of the Daintree, baseload needs to be
supported. Baseload support via batteries is extremely expensive
and so the fuel cell options have been explored
long-term energy storage is also problematic for batteries due
to self/internal discharge, while this is very small large
long-term storage losses due to this phenomenonis problematic.
the impact of seasonality on utilisation factors for battery
storage makes the investment in long term storage options too
expensive when compared to other solutions.
In Northern Europe due to the high uptake of
seasonally-sensitive renewables(especially solar)grid supporting
systems are being developed.
During the market sounding exercise Sunverge approached a
company calledITMwho currently have a number of published,
established Power to Gas (Fuel Cell) demonstration projects with
major European power companies. theimpact
using H2 storage was seen as an alternative to
Due to the low cost to physically store H2 per kWh this allows
for a simplistic protection approach in that the highest priority
after safety is grid stability and so any deviation outside the
allowable bands include rates of change in frequency will trigger
the fuel cell to support the network (next level net load
following PV excess)
The use of fast electrolysis and fuel cells does not seem to be
mentioned in the current plan?
Australia is positioning themselves to be at the
forefront of the much needed hydrogen market,heavily investing
government money primarily blue and grey hydrogen refined
from natural gas (methane) necessitating injecting underground
geological structures to sequester some, but not all, carbon
dioxide . Simultaneously AUD$240 million to develop the
world’s largest ‘green’ ammonia plant called H2U. Situated in
Southern Australia’s city of Whyalla, the plant will use a
combination of wind and solar power to generate power to the
75MW electrolyser, which in turn will provide sufficient renewable
green hydrogen gas via electrolysis to create 40,000
tonnes of ammonia each year. In periods of low renewable output,
there will be two 16MW ‘open cycle gas turbines’ operating
entirely on hydrogen produced at the site. Ammonia has the
additional benefit of as being an alternative fuel source for
large-scale power stations as a substitute for hydrocarbon-based
fuels. While hydrogen gas is best utilised in the distribution
to the end user, ammonia pellets made with hydrogen can used as
Saudi Arabia - the worlds largest oil producer is going
for renewable green hydrogen via electrolysis. The
intention being to remain as the central supplier of energy to
the world. Saudi’s Public Investment Fund has partnered with Air
Products to develop the $5 billion ‘mega-scale’ facility, the
NEOM Project,the first ‘green’ hydrogen plant of its kind in the
world. The initial phase of production will be powered by 4GW of
an undeclared mix of wind and solar PV technology, and will
produce 650 tonnes of green hydrogen per day.To facilitate the
export of hydrogen, Neom will contain an ammonia production
plant, one of the few processes capable of safe transport of
hydrogen and with potential as a hydrogen-based fuel. This plant
is necessary toward creating an export industry that intends to
ship 1.2 million tonnes of ammonia each year.
Japan - As the world’s fourth largest consumer of oil
and gas products and one of the world's most nuclear based
economies, Japan is going for renewable green hydrogen via
electrolysis While Japan will be among the biggest
importers of clean hydrogen in the coming years, the need to
develop an internal supply is just as important.The result is
the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field or FH2R, a joint
venture by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development
Organisation (NEDO) – Japan’s premier public research
institution, regional utility Tohoku Electric Power Company,
Toshiba ESS and Iwatani Corporation.FH2R is a 10MW-class
hydrogen production unit, that utilizes 20MW of solar PV
generation alongside input from the grid to conduct the
electrolysis of water. Using only renewable-powered
electrolysis, FH2R can produce 1,200 Nm³/Hour or up to 900
tonnes of hydrogen a year. While this dwarfs in comparison to
Neom’s expected output, the research facility reaches these
figures with a relatively small 180,000m² solar PV field.
Europe has been leading the hydrogen revolution for a
number of years already as the region looks to replace the deep
seasonal dependency on natural gas with hydrogen gas.They will
be producing renewable green hydrogen gas via electrolysis One
of the most ambitious projects is a joint venture between
Gasunie, Equinor and Shell together with the local authorities
of Groningen – called NortH2. NortH2 will be the largest
offshore wind-powered hydrogen facility initially capable of
producing 4GW of green hydrogen by 2030 and rising to 10GW by
2040, or totaling around 1 million metric tonnes each year. This
equates to supplying the energy demands of 12.5 million Dutch
households at their current levels. With the EU’s goal of
developing 40GW of hydrogen electrolysers by 2040, this project
will fulfill 10% of the continental supply! Beyond the benefit
of developing ‘green’ hydrogen, there is the benefit of
repurposing Gasunie’s existing natural gas infrastructure for
the transmission and distribution of hydrogen gas. The potential
in this area is massive considering the extensive gas
infrastructure that exists throughout Europe. The sufficient
capacity to store and transport hydrogen and the development of
industrial clusters can ensure repurposing upgrades and costs
are minimized by utilising existing infrastructure.While these
‘green’ hydrogen projects are the ideal end-goal, it cannot be
overlooked that over 95% of hydrogen currently produced is done
so as ‘blue’ or ‘grey’ hydrogen. The refining sector has assumed
a monumental undertaking to support and grow the market and
technologies required to kick start a functional hydrogen sector
Central to how society embraces hydrogen will be defined by how
we can utilize the gas (or it’s byproducts such as ammonia)
beyond industrial or manufacturing capacity. And while hydrogen
fuel cells for cars leave significant challenges still to be
overcome, hydrogen-powered public transport has become an
increasingly viable and attractive alternative
Russia - there has been an impetus to search for ways
to mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions as the future of fossil
fuels remains in doubt. it is the development of low-carbon
processes is needed to inhibit the advancement of climate change
Building the first experimental turbine in the world to run
entirely off hydrogen and designing gas turbines that can run on
natural gas supplemented with 10% hydrogen


text:
COMPARATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDY, ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF DIFFERENT PROPAGATED CALLUS OF ECHINACEA PURPUREA AGAINST ITS LEAF EXTRACTS
M.E.S. Hassan*, K. F. Taha, I. A. Ibrahim, M. Bekhit, A. Ibrahim, S. E. Talat and M. Almahdy
Biotechnology has revolutionized the field of biological sciences worldwide. Importance of technological advances has created a renewed interest about its applications. The aim of this study is to use the biotechnology for propagation of Echinacea purpurea callus with high value secondary metabolitesin Egypt for medicinal use. In this work we evaluate total polyphenol, flavonoids and polysaccharides contents of Echinacea purpurea propagated callus using different media againstitsleaf extract. Also determined the most important potential active compounds, caffeic acid derivatives, as caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and chichoric acid in all tested extracts. Investigate their antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity as a comparative study. The results showed that propagated callus (7) using 1.0 auxin has the highest total ployphenols and flavonoids content while callus (6) using 0.50 2,4-Dichloro phenoxy Acetic Acid (2,4D) +0.25 kinetin (k) has the highest total polysaccharides content. Chicoric acid in Echinacea extract was 22 mg/g and in callus (7) was 9.6 mg/g while chlorogenic acid was 12.25 mg/g in callus (7) and 8.5 mg/g in Echinacea extract. Echinacea extract showed the highest antioxidant activity followed by Callus (7). All tested extracts have antimicrobial activity. It could be concluded that the possibility of propagation of Echinacea purpurea secondary metabolites using biotechnology with valuable activity for medicinal use.
Keywords: Biotechnology, Echinacea purpurea callus, flavonoids, chichoric acid, antioxidant activity.
[Full Text Article]


text:
| 1,000–3000 direct|| 161 km/h|
| June 4, 1934 (1934-06-04)|
June 18, 1934 (1934-06-19)
966 mbar (hPa); 28.53 inHg
$2.6 million (1934 USD)
Belize, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Louisiana, Maryland, New England
4 June 1934 – 18 June 1934
New England, Honduras, Louisiana, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Maryland, Belize
The 1934 Central America Hurricane is among the deadliest hurricanes on record. Although a weak hurricane, it killed 1,000-3,000 people, mainly from landslides in Central America, and spawned eight tornadoes when it made landfall in Louisiana.
1934 Central America hurricane Wikipedia
The storm formed in the Gulf of Honduras on June 4, a typical site of formation for June Atlantic tropical cyclones. It moved slowly to the west-southwest, and made landfall in Belize (then known as British Honduras) on June 5. The storm maintained tropical storm strength over land while still moving slowly as it executed a counter-clockwise loop over Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. On the 8th, the storm again reached the Caribbean Sea, and briefly reached minimal hurricane strength off the coast of Belize on June 8. It paralleled the coastline before making landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula on the 9th.
Over the next two days the storm tracked to the west-northwest before executing a second loop in the Gulf of Mexico on June 12. On the 15th it turned to the northeast, causing a hurricane warning to be issued along the Louisiana coast. The small hurricane made landfall on June 16 near Morgan City, Louisiana with winds of 75 mph, and quickly weakened over land. The storm accelerated to the northeast through the Ohio Valley before becoming extratropical near Virginia on June 19. The extratropical storm continued through the Mid-Atlantic states and New England before dissipating over northeastern Quebec.
The storm's slow movement over and near Belize, Honduras, and other Central American countries likely contributed to deadly flooding and mudslides that resulted in the storm's high death toll. The worst-hit area from the storm was Honduras, though other parts of Central America were affected as well. The town of Ocotepeque in Honduras was devastated by the floods and landslides, with one report estimating rain totals up to 25 inches. The town's church was the only building left standing after the floods; about 500 people were killed. In all, Honduras received a catastrophic blow from this storm, with death toll estimates between 1,000 and 3,000 people.
To the northeast of the system, a frontal zone fed off the moisture from this system, leading to a heavy rainfall event across Florida. The highest total measured was 20.91 inches (531 mm) at St. Leo, Florida. The storm killed six people in Louisiana. Two children were killed when they were swept off their makeshift raft in the heavy seas, a man died in an automobile accident near New Iberia, Louisiana, another person drowned when he tried to swim in Bayou Plauqemine, and one other died in the storm. Between 75 and 150 homes were destroyed; 1,500 others remained uninhabitable. In all there was $2.605 million (1934 US dollars, $37.2 million in 2005 USD) in damage.


text:
|Yield||about 3 cups|
|Directions||Combine water, lemon juice, cornstarch and ½ c sugar in pot over medium heat. Stir well to dissolve cornstarch, then add fruit.
Simmer for a minute, taste, and add more sugar or lemon if necessary.
|Notes||Berry sauce tastes best served hot or warm.
This recipe works with any kind of berry as well as apricots and peaches. When using strawberries, apricots, or peaches, you may need to add a bit more lemon juice.
|Key to abbreviations and conversions|
|Breakfast Index Sauce Recipes Vegan Recipes Vegetarian Cookbooks|