The art of modelling instrument based data

via Current News – Principia Scientific Internationalhttp://principia-scientific.org

This brief report on the art of modelling instrument-generated data will highlight the fundamental differences between building and publishing computational models in experimental sciences and those in climate sciences.
The former ones are all about transparencies, reproducibility, independent validation of the results and use of standard statistical tools, while the latter ones are about data…

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March 13, 2017 at 04:10AM

Renewable Energy, what is the cost?

via Watts Up With That?http://ift.tt/1Viafi3

By Andy May A key question to think about, do renewable fuels decrease fossil fuel use, or do they increase it? What are the costs of using renewable energy? The sun and wind are free, does that make wind and solar power free? Biofuels require power to plant crops, make fertilizer and spread it, harvest […]

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March 13, 2017 at 03:09AM

When an Archaeologist Challenges Mainstream Scientific Thinking

via Current News – Principia Scientific Internationalhttp://principia-scientific.org

What I remember most about Jacques Cinq-Mars the first time we met was his manner—one part defiance, one part wariness. It was 1994, and I had just flown into the small village of Old Crow in northern Yukon; Cinq-Mars was waiting in the tiny airport. Tall, grizzled, and unshaven, the French-Canadian archaeologist looked every bit […]

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March 13, 2017 at 02:48AM

Artificial North Sea island: Danish, Dutch and German firms launch bid to make ‘science fiction’ plan a reality

via Tallbloke’s Talkshophttps://tallbloke.wordpress.com

Artist’s impression of Dogger Bank island [credit: The Independent]

The construction agreement is planned to be signed on 23 March 2017, reports The Independent.

A vast artificial island is to be built at Dogger Bank in the North Sea, complete with a harbour, airstrip and homes, to help provide a vast new supply of renewable energy, under plans drawn up by two companies with the blessing of the European Union.

The North Sea Wind Power Hub would act as a hub for offshore wind turbines and a new place to put solar panels, according to the German and Dutch arms of electricity firm TenneT and Danish company Energinet. The firms will sign a deal creating a consortium to develop the plan further in Brussels on 23 March in the presence of European Energy Union Commissioner, Maos Sefcovic.

Torben Glar Nielsen, Energinet’s Danish technical director, said: “Maybe it sounds a bit crazy and science fiction-like, but an island on Dogger Bank could make the wind power of the future a lot cheaper and more effective.”

It is thought the island – or possibly islands – could act as a hub for thousands of new wind turbines, which would eventually generate green electricity for more than 80 million people.

Under the proposals, the island would be connected by electricity cables to the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Belgium.

Mel Kroon, TenneT’s chief executive, said: “This project can significantly contribute to a completely renewable supply of electricity in north-west Europe. TenneT and Energinet.dk both have extensive experience in the fields of onshore grids, the connection of offshore wind energy and cross-border connections.”
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The company said Dogger Bank was an ideal location for an artificial island as it was “centrally located and in relatively shallow water” and also had “optimal wind conditions”.

Full report: Artificial North Sea island: Danish, Dutch and German firms launch bid to make ‘science fiction’ plan a reality | The Independent

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March 13, 2017 at 02:39AM