The blog is back using HUGO static site generator, and a theme by Rijo Thomas. I am getting used to writing entries as Markdown text using Ghostwriter. Displaying the year for entries is not matching those in the file and I have yet to work out why, but given there are many calenders I am in no rush to fix. The year can be worked out from the url of the post.

I have been wondering what to do with this blog, driven by me moving my websites to a new host Webarchitechs. So far the new virtual server does not have PHP on, and I am minded not to install it. I wish to keep it pretty slimline and lightweight, which will mean no WordPress. So should I abandon this blog? Or rehost it in the same way Giles Thomas has done as outline in his post using his new solution.

My prediction is that in 2050 in the UK and hopefully worldwide, there will be two sort of large scale Gas Networks delivering energy for heating: a non-fossil synthetic / bio-methane (with up to 20% Hydrogen) and a fully 100% hydrogen Network be it from fossil fuels with Carbon Capture and Storage (Blue Hydrogen) or from electrolysis from Green electricity. To get there we need to grow market for bio-methane using the existing Gas Networks.

The public support investing in Security of Supply be it Water, Electricity or Gas as covered in Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM)’s Gas International October 2019 article “When lights go out” Page 30: ‘Overall, the recent interruptions to supply illustrate that the systems that provide our utilities are not 100 per cent guaranteed and there is a trade-off between security of supply and cost to the consumer. System operators will point out that critical infrastructure has a responsibility to maintain equipment and procedures that mitigate utility interruptions and that overall they are rare.

“Throughout 1889, there had been rumblings among the Gasworkers; it should not need stressing that these were critical to the economy and comfort of the city. As winter approached, the Gas Committee conceded to a number of demands on hours and pay.These were buoyant days for the newly powerful Trade Union movement and the concession was a notable victory. The Committee was not minded to accept its defeat, however, and prepared for a battle the following summer when gas demand was at its lowest.

For me it has gone beyond if going for some form of Hydrogen Strategy vs decommission the Gas Grid in entirety, and onto the debates within the various aspects of Hydrogen Strategy around some of challenges within those. For example hopes to use deblending Hydrogen from (with over 20% vol) blended mix with Natural Gas at offtakes from National Transmission have not been thought through enough and are a distraction, given the energy losses of deblending and the need then required for storage at offtakes given the cycling of demand downstream, unless deblending will load follow and need to be sized for peak.

Policy is critical. But it is probably more important to push policy forward with clarity, momentum and critical mass than some of the technology choices within that policy. In fact it makes sense to diversity of approaches to learn as efforts scaled up and shift based on feedback of what works best. If you don’t have overarching cross sector transfers such as Carbon Tax then measures to decarbonise within sectors by customer cost base such as Gas separate from Electric supply helps pushes decarbonisation across sectors by pushing up costs evenly.

Again just some links of timely interest: More maths videos with rate of change of new cases & deaths from 3Blue1Brown on Simulating an epidemic; and minutephysics on How Soon Will COVID-19 Peak? (And How To Tell). Numberphile have published a video on dome of the maths relating up modelling COVID19 transmission. An app has launched from researchers at Kings College to help slow the spread of #COVID19 and identify at risk cases sooner by self-reporting your symptoms daily, even if you feel well 🙏🏼.

We need to prepare ourselves for psychologically if we can for what is already certain to come to our communities in turn over next two weeks. Here are some harrowing but vital links to get over the urgency of situation. Critical Situation at Intensive Care in Italy ; Graph(s) at the FT (or find on Twitter etc., ask me for a copy) ; … Listen to The Burner daily podcast using Telegram or Soundcloud from Novara Media

There is so much out there on Coronavirus (COVID19) including much harrowing content from Italy and Iran. But here is back at delayed response only just now catching up with where need to be to stop the spread in the UK: Scientists have been sounding the alarm on coronavirus for months. Why did Britain fail to act? I am at home where I have been working from this week, along with my family, with both kids off from school from now on.