Rae Bradford

@KathrynPorter26 @tomoffer @Telegraph Let's see what happens over the next 5 - 10 years. I think DC power distribution within data centres will reduce costs of voltage converters. HVDC beats AC over long distance partly because there's no reactive power flows in (steady) DC. Voltage drop is lower than with AC lines.

DC doesn't work over anything other than small distances except point to point with no loads in between As soon as you add loads you get voltage variations. On a dc grid these would be fast and the technology to manage them doesn't exist What you can do over short distances where you control the load profile as in a data center, is very different from what you would have over longer distances where you have no idea what devices or equipment are connecting at the distribution level NamPower sees big voltage fluctuations from wind and solar and forces the projects to install voltage control equipment which is expensive in order to minimise the disruption to the grid Peak demand here is 650 MW and they have low population density with long transmission corridors Local dc micro grids might be an option in remote areas but here solar needs more maintenance and I'm hearing pretty mixed stories about solar performance and maintenance issues. Some say it's not a big issue but others say where people aren't actively maintaining panels they degrade quickly. Wind and sand are a difficult combination for solar

I wrote my latest @Telegraph article at the airport in Johannesburg, waiting for my flight to Namibia where I'm speaking at the Cirrus Investor Conference in the morning Here there's a big debate about how to bring electricity to the 40% of Namibians without any access today There's a big push for solar plus batteries, not least from Western investors keen to push net zero But you can't run anything more than a micro grid with dc. You need synchronous generation if you want to operate a regional or national grid as my article explains So countries like Namibia have to evaluate trade offs. The low population density makes a full national energy infrastructure expensive You could build local micro grids with solar and batteries, backed up by diesel generators... There's a good fuel distribution system here But ethically sourced equipment is not cheap, nor is running diesel backup. Locals tell me that solar plus battery schemes require quite a lot of maintenance. It's extremely sandy here and also very windy where I am on the coast. Wind plus sand is a bad combination for solar Other options include gas and nuclear. There is no gas infrastructure either but identifying the best locations for OCGTs to support a stable grid and building a limited gas grid to connect them isn't impossible Namibia has gas resources it is yet to exploit so it could self-supply These are interesting questions with no easy answers. But it's essential that whatever solutions are chosen, they are engineered with the physical constraints of electricity in mind... Synchronous generation is essential to operate large power grids, voltage varies with location so those generators need to be properly distributed in order to support stable voltage, solar can contribute but it cannot provide a standalone solution except for very small scale grids telegraph.co.uk/gift/cdf12982d…

@tomoffer @KathrynPorter26 @Telegraph Tom, I agree with you that inverters can work within AC grids. In the case of Namibia though, why bother trying to replicate a grid structure that grew for reasons that no longer apply? Many loads now are DC, data centres are looking at DC power distribution.

@KathrynPorter26 @Telegraph (motivated here by engineering challenges rather than ideology)

@WhiteP36885 @instapundit @KurtSchlichter Gallup, Pew, even Fox News. What do you think of the US conservatives who don't support this war?

@brads550 @instapundit @KurtSchlichter Opinion polls, right. Whose?

He’s a moron. Look what Trump just did with military that McRaven disgraced.

@BeachQueen911 @JamesMelville Why is Trump causing trouble around the world?

@brads550 @JamesMelville Why is he commenting on MY PRESIDENT? He lives in a mooooooooSLUM shithole

Grotesque. Deranged. Shameful. Absolutely disgraceful post by the President of the United States of America.

@BeachQueen911 @JamesMelville Did you notice James is Scottish? Do you know what an electric short circuit is? Have you ever reset a circuit breaker?

@WhiteP36885 @instapundit @KurtSchlichter Do you check the opinion polls in the USA about this war? Few support it, and of those, some thought it would take just 3 days.

@instapundit @KurtSchlichter Wonder what makes them turn? Money? Ego?

@WhereWave @instapundit Your last sentence is an accurate account of DJT.

@instapundit Worked with him at Ft Bragg, DC, Afghanistan & Horn of Africa Shared his UTexas speech with 100 friends Admired his leadership But no different than the jihadis we slayed, he lost his ideologically captured mind with insane TDS. Unserious, embarrassing beclowning petulance

@leastitistome @GuntherEagleman Thank you.

@GuntherEagleman Sorry, no. This is not the guy to have in charge. This is the talk of a degenerate loser. If this is the type of representation you want, then join the Democratic Party.

🚨 These are the posts I voted for! “Open the Fcking Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell…” 🫳🏼🎤

Threatening war crimes and mocking Islam isn't a sign of strength, it's a sign of weakness. The PM should rule out UK forces and airfields being used for any attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure. What more will it take for Starmer to call off the Royal Visit Trump craves?

On Easter morning, this is what President Trump posted. Everyone in his administration that claims to be a Christian needs to fall on their knees and beg forgiveness from God and stop worshipping the President and intervene in Trump’s madness. I know all of you and him and he has gone insane, and all of you are complicit. I’m not defending Iran but let’s be honest about all of this. The Strait is closed because the US and Israel started the unprovoked war against Iran based on the same nuclear lies they’ve been telling for decades, that any moment Iran would develop a nuclear weapon. You know who has nuclear weapons? Israel. They are more than capable of defending themselves without the US having to fight their wars, kill innocent people and children, and pay for it. Trump threatening to bomb power plants and bridges hurts the Iranian people, the very people Trump claimed he was freeing. On Easter, of all days, we as Christians should be reminded that the son of God died and rose from the grave so that we can be forgiven once and for all of our sins. Jesus commanded us to love one another and forgive one another. Even our enemies. Our President is not a Christian and his words and actions should not be supported by Christians. Christians in the administration should be pursuing peace. Urging the President to make peace. Not escalating war that is hurting people. This NOT what we promised the American people when they overwhelmingly voted in 2024, I know, I was there more than most. This is not making America great again, this is evil.

@thenvisiblehand @ginamilan_ Article 5 only applies within clearly defined geographic areas as stated in Article 6. Just offshore of Iran isn't included.

@ginamilan_ The problem they have is NATO members need to be careful as an attack on a NATO vessel or state triggers article 5 which will send us down a hole we may not come out of.

I hope people understand by now why Trump floated the idea that he would use military force to take Greenland if he believed it was necessary. The UK and Spain are not our allies. That reality matters, whether people want to admit it or not.

@NordinoGibson @ginamilan_ The USA is divided over this, with the majority opposed. Trump himself, and his strongest supporters were opposed to fighting battles abroad. Anyone with sense knows the risk of this making things worse.

@ginamilan_ Look at how divided our “allies” are over removing the head of the state sponsors of terror. This benefits the globe, but they are so infiltrated with radicals they cannot publically state support. Why should we trust them with our national security?

@Churchill4wit Please have a listen to the range of opinions within the USA. I don't think the majority of Americans agree with your ideas.

NATO Is dead. And for the first time, I approve !

@Chelsea_Mowly @Churchill4wit @LindseyGrahamSC The USA is struggling to hold itself together, never mind the external alliances. Check the formerly loyal to Trump Candace Owens and Marjorie Taylor Green.

@Churchill4wit @LindseyGrahamSC THE USA WANTS TO INVADE EUROPEAN TERRITORY AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ALLIES??????!!!!!!!!!!!

During my time in the U.S. Air Force in the mid-80s when I was assigned as a prosecutor in Europe at the height of the Cold War, I was tasked to American air bases in Spain as a part of my legal duties. I have great admiration for the Spanish people and they have been great allies in the past. However, the current government in Spain is becoming the gold standard of pathetically weak European leadership that has lost its moral way, apparently reluctant to condemn the terrorist regime in Iran and have nothing but criticism for the United States. The Spanish have righteous indignation for Putin’s invasion in Ukraine, as they should. But when it comes to the long suffering people of Iran it appears that Spain is, at best, indifferent. In times like these, you learn the true nature of your allies. I’m hoping this current Spanish government is an aberration, not the norm. History will note where Spain was as @POTUS and others try to bring down the most bloodthirsty regime since WWII. So sad. reuters.com/world/middle-e…

@Churchill4wit @LindseyGrahamSC The majority of Americans don't support this stupid act by Trump. Why should Europe?

@LindseyGrahamSC Spain must be ejected from NATO. They are an adversary, not an ally. And need serious reckoning with UK and France.

@RankinThe @whereshammy87 @Turbinetraveler With the slats out? Nope. youtube.com/watch?v=TEjbg_…

@whereshammy87 @Turbinetraveler Must have been a loud cockpit with the take off configuration warnings!!!!

Pilots, what would cause this? Filmed from Frankfurt Am Main Airport in 2016. 📹: bristolcardifairport

@whereshammy87 @Turbinetraveler Wrong! Leading edge slats are extended so cannot be in flap up configuration.

@namagoy @authlink @KathrynPorter26 @Telegraph That 22 out of 32 GW could tie in with 10 GW potential constraints? This is relevant to KP's post in that AI zones are proposed for some regions where generation (often) well exceeds local demand. In Scotland, AI might get a £24/MWh discount off energy prices.

@brads550 @authlink @KathrynPorter26 @Telegraph BTW I made a mistake. Record was ~22GW. But it doesn't change the problem - all time peak output is less than 70% of rated. The power is measured at the nodes onto the grid however so that does account for some of the loss. Apparently average/year is 9.5GWp or 30% installed.

In today's @Telegraph I look at the issues we face with AI data and... The government wants them and thinks we could have 6 GW data centre power demand by 2030 I think with zero new loads we won't be able to keep the lights on with nuclear and expected CCGT retirements AI will need off grid power or its not happening telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/…

@namagoy @authlink @KathrynPorter26 @Telegraph Can't see a reliable figure just now myself but it will be less than 7 GW, and possibly as low as 4 GW. Then net Scottish load could be as low as 2 GW. That could account for 10 GW of wind being constrained off? (16-4-2=10)

@brads550 @authlink @KathrynPorter26 @Telegraph Maybe it is. I don't know exactly. There are several traditional pylon connecting each and they are planning on building more - lots of signs in farmers fields saying stop monsterous new SSE pylons! Aberdeenshire and further down. It's definitely a bottleneck see @KathrynPorter26

@namagoy @authlink @KathrynPorter26 @Telegraph Why can it not be constraints? Scotland has about 16 GW of that wind capacity. What is the interconnector capacity between Scotland & England?

@authlink @KathrynPorter26 @Telegraph No, that's not the reason. There are far too many days when wind is fairly consistent across all nations but it never gets even anywhere close to 32GW. The idea that half of the UK has no wind and that *always* happens *every time* to 50% max is implausible. Impossible.