Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Power and Earth

Megalomany isn’t the reason the power systems got a continental spread! They have evolved naturally, based on an increasing demand of energy.
Nuclear Power Plant, France
Their evolution and expansion were a combination of technical and technological developments on one hand, and the urge to generate more efficient and more economic the electricity demanded by the consumers on the other hand. Thus, the power units became bigger and bigger, and more and more efficient and reliable.

Battersea Power Station, London (the dark building with four dark-white towers in the background)
Along with the development of the power systems and the expansion of the power network, also increased the claim of the consumers related to the quality of the energy that they pay, and the power systems were constrained to keep up with this aspect.
Photovoltaic roof, Germany
This means that generating power using many, only small units with low efficiency, instead of using large and very large power units with high efficiency, will have a negative impact on our energy bills.
A dying Sun and an overhead power line in Belgium
Regarding the environment, the power generated from renewable energy resources are welcome, only this power generation should be generated and used in remote areas, and used locally and individually. The power system should not depend on them as reliable resources!
Nuclear Power Plant, Germany
One day we will face the situation in which we are in a forest of wind turbines with no shade of wind! We will walk on fields of photovoltaic panels, and the sun will have no desire to show its bright rays… And this will happen when we will no longer use conventional energy resources! Would this be a happy day on a freezing winter day?
Wind Turbines, Austria
In such a “beautiful” day will we remember the Earth Day, or the Earth Hour?
Earth Day must be every day, and Earth Hour must be each and every hour!

Powerful sunset
The resources, no matter if conventional or renewable, must be used rationally!
Mooserboden Dam, Kaprun, Austria
All photos (c) Mihai Midus

Monday, April 14, 2014

Danube and Some Rain Clouds Nearby

Quite a pretty day today on the Danube's left bank!
Though, one could spot some rain clouds nearby.
I captured some of them with my cell phone...