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Yerevan

 

Yerevan is the capital and the largest city in modern day Armenia.  It's not a huge city with a population just over one million people. 

Although one of the oldest cities in the world, with a foundation stone from 782 BCE, it seems modern thanks to the Soviet era cityscape with some fine buildings and a construction boom in the first decades of the 21st century that is still underway at a reduced rate.  For example our hotel is so new it's a building site in Google earth and older buildings across the street are under a complete rebuild.

The city is relatively low rise, due to earthquake risk, and spread out. At this time of year it was temperate and leafy - generally very pleasant.  In popular precincts like Abovyan Street and near the Cascades there are many European style cafés and restaurants to enjoy and there are several malls and affluent shopping streets. 

 

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Around Yerevan - Outdoor dining; Charles Aznavour Square; Republic Square
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Needless to say there is also a Russian style Opera House that was surrounded by a park and adjoined by an outdoor food market and children's playgrounds. 

 

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Travel

Brazil

 

 

In October 2011 our little group: Sonia, Craig, Wendy and Richard visited Brazil. We entered Brazil from Argentina near the Iguassu Falls.

Read more: Brazil

Fiction, Recollections & News

Australia's Hydrogen Economy

 

 

  

As anyone who has followed my website knows, I'm not a fan of using 'Green Hydrogen' (created by the electrolysis of water - using electricity) to generate electricity. 

I've nothing against hydrogen. It's the most abundant element in the universe. And I'm very fond of water (hydrogen oxide or more pedantically: dihydrogen monoxide). It's just that there is seldom a sensible justification for wasting most of one's electrical energy by converting it to hydrogen and then back to electricity again. 

I've made the argument against the electrolysis (green) route several times since launching this website fifteen years ago; largely to deaf ears.

The exception made in the main article (linked below) is where a generator has a periodic large unusable surpluses in an environment unsuitable for batteries. In the past various solutions have been attempted like heat storage in molten salt. But where there is a plentiful fresh water supply, producing hydrogen for later electricity generation is another option.  Also see: How does electricity work? - Approaches to Electricity Storage

Two of these conditions apply in South Australia that frequently has excess electricity (see the proportion of non-hydro renewables chart below). The State Government, with unspecified encouragement from the Prime Minister and the Commonwealth, has offered A$593m to a private consortium to build a 200MW, 100t hydrogen storage at Whyalla.  Yet, the State already has some very large batteries, with which this facility is unlikely to be able to compete commercially.  Time will tell.

Read more: Australia's Hydrogen Economy

Opinions and Philosophy

Electricity Pricing

 

 August 2012 (chapters added since)

 

 

 

Introduction

 

The present government interventions in electricity markets, intended to move the industry from coal to renewable energy sources, are responsible for most of the rapidly rising cost of electricity in Australia.  These interventions have introduced unanticipated distortions and inefficiencies in the way that electricity is delivered.

Industry experts point to looming problems in supply and even higher price increases.

A 'root and branch' review of these mechanisms is urgently required to prevent ever increasing prices and to prevent further potentially crippling distortions.

Read more: Electricity Pricing

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