Fully renewable electricity possible by 2050, says new study
10th November 2017 11:37 am
A new study has claimed that a global electricity network powered exclusively by renewables is possible by 2050, and will be cheaper than today’s system.
(Credit: Jürgen via flickr)
The report was carried out by Finland’s Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) and the Energy Watch Group (EWG), an international non-profit that includes scientists and politicians. Presenting their results on the sidelines of the COP23 climate conference in Bonn, the researchers said that existing renewables potential, coupled with storage, could meet global demand by the middle of the century.
By that point, the planet’s increased population is predicted to consume around 48,800TWh of electricity per annum, roughly double what is used currently. However, the authors of the study estimate the total levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) from 100 per cent renewables in 2050 will be €52/MWh (including curtailment, storage and some grid costs), compared to €70/MWh in 2015.
“A full decarbonisation of the electricity system by 2050 is possible for lower system cost than today based on available technology,” said lead author Christian Breyer, LUT Professor of Solar Economy and chairman of the EWG Scientific Board.
“Energy transition is no longer a question of technical feasibility or economic viability, but of political will.”
Energy mix in 2015 vs estimated 2050 mix (Credit: LUT/EWG)
According to the researchers, solar PV and battery storage will be at the heart of the transition. Rapidly falling costs for both technologies will encourage widespread adoption, with solar making up 69 per cent of the energy mix by 2050. Total storage output is expected to increase from 33TWh to 15,128TWh. The vast majority of this (95 per cent) will be provided by batteries, with seasonal storage coming via renewable gas. Pumped hydro storage – which currently accounts for 93 per cent of storage output – is predicted to provide just one per cent come 2050. The Engineer will be taking a closer look at pumped hydro storage in the upcoming issue....
​
read more...
Last week’s Poll: Re-booting the railway
By Jason Ford 7th November 2017 9:42 am
A single plan has been launched for Britain’s railways that will see train and freight operators, Network Rail and their supply chains working together to improve the UK’s rail network.
According to Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, the nation will witness ‘unprecedented improvements in the railway’ with more trains, better services and improved stations during the next 18 months.
To deliver this ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity’ a four-point plan has been drawn up that outlines four commitments to delivering an improved rail service, including a pledge to strengthen the railway’s contribution to the economy, increase customer satisfaction, and create more jobs.
For our poll, we asked what could be done to give Britain’s rail network a reboot and nearly half (45 per cent) of the 390 respondents agreed that there must be more investment in infrastructure.
Just under a third of respondents echoed sentiments at RMT, agreeing that the railways should be re-nationalised, whilst nine per cent took the view that that should be harsher penalties for service disruption.
Of the remaining 14 per cent, three per cent thought a fare freeze would help re-boot the railways, whilst 11 per cent chose the None of the above option.
What do you think? Let us know using Comments below....
​
read more...
To All of Our -Marketers, Important-People, and Supporting-Informants, of our Global-Economy (ies); -Investigators; Interesting-Participants; Informing-People; Supporting-Officers; Meaningful-Producers; …:
The necessary- and such; meaningful-influences; of -others and quite; supporting-people; of our globalized-; and informed-; henceforth and quite; purposeful-ways; whenceforth and much; of our regionalized-; and informed-mean (s); henceforth and quite; in all evennesses; by forth and ought; of ourselves and -others; of our provisional-; and interesting-; henceforth and quite; world (s) of much; of our commercial-; and supporting-; necessities and quite; and meaningful-; ways of much ought; and influential-need (s); to continue to thence; inform and much; support ourselves and-or; provisional-people; of our globalized-; and informed-mean (s); of our economized-; demands of-quite; and supporting-; principles of such; of ought thenceforth; and purposeful-way (s); henceforth and ought; of our necessary-; and meaningful- thus; ways of much and-or; by those -meanings; of-quite and ought or; of our instantaneous-; and influential- thus; meanings of-quite; purposeful-needs; to continue to impose; and support ourselves; and necessitated- ought; and informative- whence; meanings of ought; and supporting-; needs and of-quite; purposeful-mentions; of our globalized-; henceforth and quite; and informative- thus; necessities of much; and informed-mean (s); and contemporary-world (s); of our necessary-; and meaningful-; world (s) of whence; and interesting-; purposes of much; henceforth and ought; in all of our -meanings; and supposing- thus; of-quite and else; of-quite and much; of our meaningful-; and supporting- whence; and informative-ways; interesting-methods; of-quite and ought; of such -means and-or; provisional-needs; and informative- whence; and supporting- of-quite; and contemporary- or; informed-means and-or; principal-need (s) and-or; informational-ways; of-quite and much; through and ought; henceforth and much; of our meaningful-; instances of-quite; and of forth thence; provisional-ways; and interesting-mean (s); and informed-measure (s); through and ought; of forth and much; by quite whence of; thenceforth or else; in even-instances; of our supposing-; of-quite and much; of our even-needs; and interesting-; ways of much or; influential-necessities; of-quite and ought or; of our purposed-; and meaningful-; henceforth and ought; of our productive-; and necessitated-; whenceforth and much; supporting-means; and informational-; ways of-quite and-or; informed-mean (s); and productive- hence; and informational-; of-quite and ought; of ourselves and-or; meaningful- whence; popularized- of-quite; modernized- hence; people of much; and ought thence; of our supporting-; and meaning- of ought; of our productive-; and necessitated-; of much of-quite and-or; to be of forth and-or; by those -ways whence; of ourselves and-or; productive-measures; of our necessary-; and meaningful- and-or; informational- of-quite; necessitating-ideas; and informational- thus; means of much and-or; interesting-measure (s); of-quite and ought; or professional- or; informational-means; whenceforth and quite; by forth and ought; of our interesting-; and productive-; means of forth; and ought of-quite; and supporting-way (s); and necessary-mode (s); henceforth and quite; in all evennesses; and by those same mean (s); and meaningful-; needs of much; or ought and whence; of our supporting-; and meaningful-; thenceforth and ought; informative-measures; and supporting-; and informational-; necessities and quite; interesting- whence; and influential- of-quite; and necessitated- thus; meaningful-ways; and informed-principle (s); of our globalized-; and informed-measure (s); of our supposing-; and informing-world (s); of information (s); and of-quite and much; necessitating-principle (s); and globalized-; world (s) of whence; and interesting-mean (s); of time-values and-or; informational-measure (s); and whenceforth of-quite; of our meaningful-; thence such and-or; modernized-means; and interesting-way (s); through and else. The interesting- and much; supporting-means; and informative- thus; necessitating- of-quite; and informative- whence; and influential-need (s); and interesting-mean (s); and influential-support (s); through and just; henceforth and much; of ourselves and-or; of our provisional-; and interesting-; henceforth and much; supporting-people; and informed-people; of our regionalized-; and informed-mean (s); of our supporting-; and interesting-; world (s) of services; and necessary-means; of impacting and thus; recreating for ourselves; any of those -intentions; and necessary-mean (s); and meaningful-measure (s); and supporting- thus; principles of-quite; of our informational-; world (s) of supposes. The interesting- and-or; of-quite and much; of our provisional-; intentions and quite; meaningful- thence; conceptions and much; supposing-ways; and interesting-mode (s); through and much. The informational-support (s); and principal- hence; means of-quite; and by much thence; of our supposing-; and creative-ways; and modernized-mode (s); and necessitated-measure (s); and informative- hence; and informed-mean (s); of-quite and ought; or by those same -means; whenceforth and ought; of ourselves and -others; of our modernized-; and meaningful- else; conceptions of-quite; and supporting- else; means and of much; professional-ways; and interesting-principle (s); and inclined-means; and informed-needs; to continue to impose; and support -people; like ourselves and such; formative-officers; of-quite and ought; interesting-marketers; of our global-extremes; of retailing and much; commercial-ventures. The interesting and-or; meaningful- of-quite; and supporting- else; information (s) of much; and meaningful-way (s); henceforth and quite; of our even-means; and productive-; needs of much; of ourselves and-or; by those -needs and-or; necessary-measures; and informational-; instances of ourselves; and by quite thence. Informative-meanings, and supporting-concept (s), would and ought to, have been whence, among any of those, necessary-instances, and professional-mean (s), of-quite and much or, by forth and thence, of ourselves and-or, of our even-discipline (s), and provisional-need (s), to continue to input, and inform people, and of ourselves and-or, supporting-others, and interesting- else, informational- of-quite, meanings of such, and supporting-mean (s); and supporting- or; informing- of-quite; purposes whence; and interesting-; and influential- else; and informed-mean (s); and purposed- hence; and contemplative- of-quite; meanings of much; supposing-needs; to continue whence; to inform of-quite; and support people; in all needful-; and desperate of-quite; circumstances of much; and provisional- whence; meanings of much; and interesting-mode (s); of our informed-; and supporting- else; supports of-quite; and of much of ought; conformational- thence; meanings and of-quite; provisional-ways; and henceforth thus; interesting-modes; and necessitated-; henceforth and ought; informed-principle (s); and inclined-mean (s); and informed-measure (s); of our perpetual-; of ought whence or; by those -meanings; of our provisional-; and informed-time (s); and inclined-purpose (s); and influential-need (s); and interesting-method (s); of our provisional-; henceforth and quite. The necessary- and ought, meaningful-ways, and informed-mean (s); of-quite and much or, by those -instances, of ourselves and-or, of our meaningful-, purposes of whence, of impactful-times, and contemplative- else; and needful of-quite; and supporting-; of ought and much; of our proposed-; and informed-mean (s); and necessitated- else; and informed-measure (s); of such -instances and-or; productive- and ought; and informative-; meanings and of-quite; contemplative- whence; and supporting-; meanings and quite; professional- hence; and inclined- of ought; and supporting-; of ought and much; intellects and else; influential-means; of thenceforth and-or; by those -ways; of-quite and much; of even-supports; and provisional-mean (s); and informed-mean (s); and contemplative-way (s); through and ought; henceforth and such; of our supporting-; and informative-; henceforth and much; of our necessary-; and informative-; measures of ourselves; and ought and thence; of globalized- and-or; meaningful-world (s); of informative-; whenceforth and quite; disciplines of such; supporting-means; of thenceforth and-or; by those -ways; of ought and much; in all even-means; of our supporting-; and provisional-; intentions of-quite; and supporting-mean (s); of ourselves and-or; informational- and-or; of ourselves and-or; contemporary- thence; supposing-ways; and informing-mean (s); and necessary and-or; meaningful-influences; and productive-way (s); and conceptual- of-quite; of our informing-; and productive- else; and informed- much; and interesting-; and-or of-quite whence; of supposing- thence; meaningful- of-quite; and of forth and much. Productive-need (s) and-or, meaningful-measures, would and could thence, to shall of-quite ought, to be of forth thus, to be of much whence, to be among those, instantaneous-means, and provisional-way (s); and informative-need (s); and instantaneous-; whenceforth and much; of ourselves and-or; supporting-purposes; of our productive-; and of-quite and ought; professional- thence; world (s) of information (s); and necessary-; of ought and quite; provisional- thence; world (s) of time (s); and informative-mean (s); and interesting-need (s); and informed-purpose (s); would and could thus; to shall of-quite; of our even-concept (s); and purposeful-measure (s); and interesting-way (s); of-quite and ought; of ourselves and others; of our globalized-; and meaningful- else; informative-ways; and interesting-; of-quite and much; supporting-world (s); of informative-meaning (s); and necessitating-principle (s); and elevating-measure (s); of our successful-; and of-quite and much; professional-influences; and necessary-meaning (s); interesting-ways; and influential-support (s); and modern-concept (s); and meaningful-principle (s); and productive- thence; and informed-mean (s); and supporting-principle (s); through and ought; of ourselves and such; professional- thence; others of-quite and-or; important-people; of our supporting-; and globalized-; world (s) of information (s); and necessary and-or; meaningful- thence; or of-quite and much; informational-means; and interesting-need (s); and meaningful-way (s); of-quite and ought; of our informed-; meanings and else; supporting- of-quite; and of such -measure (s); productive- and ought; informative- thence; meanings and quite; conceptional- thence; information (s) of much; and relevant- of-quite; necessities of much; and informed-principle (s); and interesting-need (s); and meaningful-; of such and ought; of ourselves and quite; and of forth and-or; by those -principles; of-quite and much; of ourselves and else; interesting-others; of whenceforth and ought; of our influential-; and meaningful-; world (s) of information (s); productive-affairs; of ourselves and much; and interesting-world (s); of principles and-or; supporting- and much; meaningful- thence; and influential- else; modes of-quite; and interesting-mean (s); and supporting-way (s); and informative- thus; of-quite and much; of our measurement (s); and impactful-supports; and necessitated-; henceforth and much. The interesting- and ought, informative-means; supporting-needs, of-quite and much; of whenceforth and; such of-quite and-or; of our even-principle (s); and productive-way (s); and informative-measure (s); and purposeful-need (s); to continue to inform; and supposed else; for ourselves and such; meaningful-people; of our purposeful-; and of-quite and ought; of our informative-; and meaningful- thence; world (s) of information (s); and supporting-; measures of ought; and information-; ways of much whence; and interesting-mean (s); and necessary- and; quite of forth and much; of our evil-policy (ies); and productive-need (s); to continue to enforce; and suppose else; and inform of much; informational-means; for ourselves and quite; supporting-people; of our globalized-; and informed- of much; worldly-needs and-or; meaningful-focuses; whenceforth and ought; interesting-world (s); of informational-mean (s); and supporting- whence; and influential-mode (s); and supporting-purpose (s); and necessary-mean (s); through and ought; of-quite and thence; of ourselves and others; of our globalized-; and of much of such; of our informed-; and meaningful-; whenceforth and ought; of our supported-; and instantaneous-; henceforth and ought; of our necessary-; and of-quite and else; of our interesting-; means of much and-or; supporting-needs; to continue thence; to inform and ought; suppose for ourselves.
To All of Our -Marketers, Important-People, and Supporting-Informants, of our Global-Economy (ies); -Investigators; Interesting-Participants; Informing-People; Supporting-Officers; Meaningful-Producers; …:
The necessary- and such; meaningful-influences; of -others and quite; supporting-people; of our globalized-; and informed-; henceforth and quite; purposeful-ways; whenceforth and much; of our regionalized-; and informed-mean (s); henceforth and quite; in all evennesses; by forth and ought; of ourselves and -others; of our provisional-; and interesting-; henceforth and quite; world (s) of much; of our commercial-; and supporting-; necessities and quite; and meaningful-; ways of much ought; and influential-need (s); to continue to thence; inform and much; support ourselves and-or; provisional-people; of our globalized-; and informed-mean (s); of our economized-; demands of-quite; and supporting-; principles of such; of ought thenceforth; and purposeful-way (s); henceforth and ought; of our necessary-; and meaningful- thus; ways of much and-or; by those -meanings; of-quite and ought or; of our instantaneous-; and influential- thus; meanings of-quite; purposeful-needs; to continue to impose; and support ourselves; and necessitated- ought; and informative- whence; meanings of ought; and supporting-; needs and of-quite; purposeful-mentions; of our globalized-; henceforth and quite; and informative- thus; necessities of much; and informed-mean (s); and contemporary-world (s); of our necessary-; and meaningful-; world (s) of whence; and interesting-; purposes of much; henceforth and ought; in all of our -meanings; and supposing- thus; of-quite and else; of-quite and much; of our meaningful-; and supporting- whence; and informative-ways; interesting-methods; of-quite and ought; of such -means and-or; provisional-needs; and informative- whence; and supporting- of-quite; and contemporary- or; informed-means and-or; principal-need (s) and-or; informational-ways; of-quite and much; through and ought; henceforth and much; of our meaningful-; instances of-quite; and of forth thence; provisional-ways; and interesting-mean (s); and informed-measure (s); through and ought; of forth and much; by quite whence of; thenceforth or else; in even-instances; of our supposing-; of-quite and much; of our even-needs; and interesting-; ways of much or; influential-necessities; of-quite and ought or; of our purposed-; and meaningful-; henceforth and ought; of our productive-; and necessitated-; whenceforth and much; supporting-means; and informational-; ways of-quite and-or; informed-mean (s); and productive- hence; and informational-; of-quite and ought; of ourselves and-or; meaningful- whence; popularized- of-quite; modernized- hence; people of much; and ought thence; of our supporting-; and meaning- of ought; of our productive-; and necessitated-; of much of-quite and-or; to be of forth and-or; by those -ways whence; of ourselves and-or; productive-measures; of our necessary-; and meaningful- and-or; informational- of-quite; necessitating-ideas; and informational- thus; means of much and-or; interesting-measure (s); of-quite and ought; or professional- or; informational-means; whenceforth and quite; by forth and ought; of our interesting-; and productive-; means of forth; and ought of-quite; and supporting-way (s); and necessary-mode (s); henceforth and quite; in all evennesses; and by those same mean (s); and meaningful-; needs of much; or ought and whence; of our supporting-; and meaningful-; thenceforth and ought; informative-measures; and supporting-; and informational-; necessities and quite; interesting- whence; and influential- of-quite; and necessitated- thus; meaningful-ways; and informed-principle (s); of our globalized-; and informed-measure (s); of our supposing-; and informing-world (s); of information (s); and of-quite and much; necessitating-principle (s); and globalized-; world (s) of whence; and interesting-mean (s); of time-values and-or; informational-measure (s); and whenceforth of-quite; of our meaningful-; thence such and-or; modernized-means; and interesting-way (s); through and else. The interesting- and much; supporting-means; and informative- thus; necessitating- of-quite; and informative- whence; and influential-need (s); and interesting-mean (s); and influential-support (s); through and just; henceforth and much; of ourselves and-or; of our provisional-; and interesting-; henceforth and much; supporting-people; and informed-people; of our regionalized-; and informed-mean (s); of our supporting-; and interesting-; world (s) of services; and necessary-means; of impacting and thus; recreating for ourselves; any of those -intentions; and necessary-mean (s); and meaningful-measure (s); and supporting- thus; principles of-quite; of our informational-; world (s) of supposes. The interesting- and-or; of-quite and much; of our provisional-; intentions and quite; meaningful- thence; conceptions and much; supposing-ways; and interesting-mode (s); through and much. The informational-support (s); and principal- hence; means of-quite; and by much thence; of our supposing-; and creative-ways; and modernized-mode (s); and necessitated-measure (s); and informative- hence; and informed-mean (s); of-quite and ought; or by those same -means; whenceforth and ought; of ourselves and -others; of our modernized-; and meaningful- else; conceptions of-quite; and supporting- else; means and of much; professional-ways; and interesting-principle (s); and inclined-means; and informed-needs; to continue to impose; and support -people; like ourselves and such; formative-officers; of-quite and ought; interesting-marketers; of our global-extremes; of retailing and much; commercial-ventures. The interesting and-or; meaningful- of-quite; and supporting- else; information (s) of much; and meaningful-way (s); henceforth and quite; of our even-means; and productive-; needs of much; of ourselves and-or; by those -needs and-or; necessary-measures; and informational-; instances of ourselves; and by quite thence. Informative-meanings, and supporting-concept (s), would and ought to, have been whence, among any of those, necessary-instances, and professional-mean (s), of-quite and much or, by forth and thence, of ourselves and-or, of our even-discipline (s), and provisional-need (s), to continue to input, and inform people, and of ourselves and-or, supporting-others, and interesting- else, informational- of-quite, meanings of such, and supporting-mean (s); and supporting- or; informing- of-quite; purposes whence; and interesting-; and influential- else; and informed-mean (s); and purposed- hence; and contemplative- of-quite; meanings of much; supposing-needs; to continue whence; to inform of-quite; and support people; in all needful-; and desperate of-quite; circumstances of much; and provisional- whence; meanings of much; and interesting-mode (s); of our informed-; and supporting- else; supports of-quite; and of much of ought; conformational- thence; meanings and of-quite; provisional-ways; and henceforth thus; interesting-modes; and necessitated-; henceforth and ought; informed-principle (s); and inclined-mean (s); and informed-measure (s); of our perpetual-; of ought whence or; by those -meanings; of our provisional-; and informed-time (s); and inclined-purpose (s); and influential-need (s); and interesting-method (s); of our provisional-; henceforth and quite. The necessary- and ought, meaningful-ways, and informed-mean (s); of-quite and much or, by those -instances, of ourselves and-or, of our meaningful-, purposes of whence, of impactful-times, and contemplative- else; and needful of-quite; and supporting-; of ought and much; of our proposed-; and informed-mean (s); and necessitated- else; and informed-measure (s); of such -instances and-or; productive- and ought; and informative-; meanings and of-quite; contemplative- whence; and supporting-; meanings and quite; professional- hence; and inclined- of ought; and supporting-; of ought and much; intellects and else; influential-means; of thenceforth and-or; by those -ways; of-quite and much; of even-supports; and provisional-mean (s); and informed-mean (s); and contemplative-way (s); through and ought; henceforth and such; of our supporting-; and informative-; henceforth and much; of our necessary-; and informative-; measures of ourselves; and ought and thence; of globalized- and-or; meaningful-world (s); of informative-; whenceforth and quite; disciplines of such; supporting-means; of thenceforth and-or; by those -ways; of ought and much; in all even-means; of our supporting-; and provisional-; intentions of-quite; and supporting-mean (s); of ourselves and-or; informational- and-or; of ourselves and-or; contemporary- thence; supposing-ways; and informing-mean (s); and necessary and-or; meaningful-influences; and productive-way (s); and conceptual- of-quite; of our informing-; and productive- else; and informed- much; and interesting-; and-or of-quite whence; of supposing- thence; meaningful- of-quite; and of forth and much. Productive-need (s) and-or, meaningful-measures, would and could thence, to shall of-quite ought, to be of forth thus, to be of much whence, to be among those, instantaneous-means, and provisional-way (s); and informative-need (s); and instantaneous-; whenceforth and much; of ourselves and-or; supporting-purposes; of our productive-; and of-quite and ought; professional- thence; world (s) of information (s); and necessary-; of ought and quite; provisional- thence; world (s) of time (s); and informative-mean (s); and interesting-need (s); and informed-purpose (s); would and could thus; to shall of-quite; of our even-concept (s); and purposeful-measure (s); and interesting-way (s); of-quite and ought; of ourselves and others; of our globalized-; and meaningful- else; informative-ways; and interesting-; of-quite and much; supporting-world (s); of informative-meaning (s); and necessitating-principle (s); and elevating-measure (s); of our successful-; and of-quite and much; professional-influences; and necessary-meaning (s); interesting-ways; and influential-support (s); and modern-concept (s); and meaningful-principle (s); and productive- thence; and informed-mean (s); and supporting-principle (s); through and ought; of ourselves and such; professional- thence; others of-quite and-or; important-people; of our supporting-; and globalized-; world (s) of information (s); and necessary and-or; meaningful- thence; or of-quite and much; informational-means; and interesting-need (s); and meaningful-way (s); of-quite and ought; of our informed-; meanings and else; supporting- of-quite; and of such -measure (s); productive- and ought; informative- thence; meanings and quite; conceptional- thence; information (s) of much; and relevant- of-quite; necessities of much; and informed-principle (s); and interesting-need (s); and meaningful-; of such and ought; of ourselves and quite; and of forth and-or; by those -principles; of-quite and much; of ourselves and else; interesting-others; of whenceforth and ought; of our influential-; and meaningful-; world (s) of information (s); productive-affairs; of ourselves and much; and interesting-world (s); of principles and-or; supporting- and much; meaningful- thence; and influential- else; modes of-quite; and interesting-mean (s); and supporting-way (s); and informative- thus; of-quite and much; of our measurement (s); and impactful-supports; and necessitated-; henceforth and much. The interesting- and ought, informative-means; supporting-needs, of-quite and much; of whenceforth and; such of-quite and-or; of our even-principle (s); and productive-way (s); and informative-measure (s); and purposeful-need (s); to continue to inform; and supposed else; for ourselves and such; meaningful-people; of our purposeful-; and of-quite and ought; of our informative-; and meaningful- thence; world (s) of information (s); and supporting-; measures of ought; and information-; ways of much whence; and interesting-mean (s); and necessary- and; quite of forth and much; of our evil-policy (ies); and productive-need (s); to continue to enforce; and suppose else; and inform of much; informational-means; for ourselves and quite; supporting-people; of our globalized-; and informed- of much; worldly-needs and-or; meaningful-focuses; whenceforth and ought; interesting-world (s); of informational-mean (s); and supporting- whence; and influential-mode (s); and supporting-purpose (s); and necessary-mean (s); through and ought; of-quite and thence; of ourselves and others; of our globalized-; and of much of such; of our informed-; and meaningful-; whenceforth and ought; of our supported-; and instantaneous-; henceforth and ought; of our necessary-; and of-quite and else; of our interesting-; means of much and-or; supporting-needs; to continue thence; to inform and ought; suppose for ourselves.
UK researchers create world’s first country-wide land subsidence map
By Jon Excell 7th November 2017 12:56 pm
Researchers at the University of Nottingham have used a novel satellite data analysis technique to create a detailed subsidence map of the whole of Scotland.
Artist’s impression of Sentinel-1 in orbit
Produced from over 2.5TB of radar data acquired over two years by the Sentinel-1 satellite, part of the EU’s Copernicus programme, the map is claimed to be the first of its kind to show a detailed nationwide picture of land motion and subsidence.
The technology behind the map could help developers of energy and transport infrastructure – such as the impending HS2 project – improve their understanding of land subsidence and mitigate against the risks this poses at a far earlier stage in a project’s development.
The relative land motion map of Scotland for 2015-2017. Subsidence is indicated by the red and yellow colours, blue indicates uplift, whereas green represents stable ground.
Whilst existing land-motion studies have tended to focus on urban areas, the Nottingham-developed map has also been able to look in detail at rural areas thanks to a technique known as Intermittent Small Baseline (ISBAS) analysis developed by University of Nottingham spin-out Geomatic Ventures Ltd (GVL).
“Radar’s great for looking at hard targets” explained GVL CEO and inventor of the technique Dr Andrew Sowter, “when you get a radar satellite and point it towards the ground you get these fantastic reflections from buildings. But if you start to look at rural areas you don’t see the same quality of response: grasslands and agricultural areas are constantly changing and most of the technology out there ignores the rural areas and concentrates on mapping urban areas.”
However, by piggybacking on to the Sentinel 1 mission, Sowter said it has been possible to acquire such a volume of data that changes in the rural landscape can be observed. “What we’ve recognised is that we do get good responses over the rural areas sometimes and if we have lots of measurements...
​
read more...
New software brings high-quality VR to smartphones
1st November 2017 11:16 am
Researchers at Purdue University have developed new software called Furion that allows smartphones to deliver high-quality VR by splitting the computational load.
High-end VR needs to render each frame at a rate of at least 16 milliseconds, or 60 frames per second. However, the CPUs of top smartphones such as Google’s Pixel XL are only capable of speeds around 110 milliseconds. Today’s leading VR systems use headsets tethered to powerful computers, as wireless networks are not able to transmit rendered frames fast enough.
“Today’s mobile hardware and wireless networks are about 10 times too slow for high-quality, immersive VR,” said Y Charlie Hu, a Purdue University professor of electrical and computer engineering.
“A key observation we made is that waiting for next-generation wireless networks such as 5G will not help because packet processing at 10 times higher data rate will exhaust the CPU on today’s smartphones.”
To deliver high-end, untethered VR via a smartphone, Furion employs innovative solutions. A large part of the computational load in VR apps is rendering the background for each frame. But the background – a landscape or the inside of a room – doesn’t vary much from frame to frame. When it does change, it...
​
read more...