Electricity rationing, powerful ice and UFOs
In this issue:
What is it?
© Kustbevakningen
Electricity rationed in The Netherlands
The Netherlands is currently under power rationing. The country has made great strides in electrification but is paying the price of failing to match the pace of change with upgrades to its network infrastructure. The response has seen households being offered time of day tariffs to shift load and commercial contracts that include no-use clauses at certain times of day. There are a reported 11,900 businesses awaiting new connections along with some public buildings like hospitals, as well as many households. Some are being told they will unlikely get their new connections until next decade. A lesson for everyone not to underestimate future network demands.
Renewable investment up but not across the board
The first half of 2025 saw record investment in renewables according to BloombergNEF’s Renewable Energy Investment Tracker. The investment figure of US$386 billion (NZ$658bn) was up 10% on the same period in 2024. Financing for utility scale solar and onshore wind declined but this was more than offset by significant increases in offshore wind and small solar projects. China, Spain, Greece and Brazil saw big drops in larger projects, although uptake of smaller projects in China nearly doubled. Investment in the US fell 36% on the back of the changing political landscape.
Electricity from ice
An international team of scientists from Spain, China and the US has discovered ice displays flexoelectric properties, that is it generates electricity when flexed or stressed. Apparently, ice also demonstrates ferroelectric properties at temperatures below -113C, that’s the ability to generate electricity through natural electric polarisation. The work explains how ice particles can trigger lightning.
Thermoelectric rubber
A team of scientists from Peking University have just announced they have created the world’s first thermoelectric rubber, basically an elastic band that can power a watch or similar, wearable item. The device exploits the temperature differential between the body and ambient air and, being flexible, will cling to the body with comfort.
Did you know ……
This week marked 150 years since the birth of Ferdinand Porsche. Probably best known for creating the Volkswagen Beetle and founding the car company that bears his name but also inventor of the world’s first in-wheel electric drive system (1900), the world’s first four-wheel drive car (1900), which used one of his electric motors in each wheel, and the world’s first functional hybrid car, the Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus (1901). (Ed. Worth searching for some pictures, unfortunately those I could find are all copyright.)
What is it? (Ans)
Fished out of the sea off Sweden and originally labelled a UFO – an unidentified floating object – it’s now believed the photo is of a wind turbine blade. Quite how someone could lose something of this size is difficult to see but as far as we can tell nobody has yet admitted ownership.