air

In the middle of the heat wave, there are trains in Extremadura that are running out of air conditioning. For Renfe there is only one culprit: the heat

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It is July 13 and it seems that we have settled into a perennial heat wave. And the forecasts for the coming days are not particularly promising. For this reason, it is still very important to avoid the central hours of the day and those of maximum heat to carry out outdoor activities… and other indoor activities, such as traveling by train. At least, that is what they are denouncing from CCOO, who assure that the Madrid-Extremadura trains travel without air conditioning on a regular basis. a complaint. This is what they have done at CCOO, who assure that “very frequently” the Alvia trains that travel between Madrid and Extremadura are registering failures in the air conditioning systems during heat waves. Miguel Fuentes, Secretary of Mobility of the union, assures in this statement that “this is not a one-off incident, but rather it is something systematic that is occurring in the heat waves of recent years and is creating a painful spectacle that is detrimental to the health of train users and the workers themselves.” Roasts. According to CCOO, these failures are being recorded in the Alvia S730 series trains when “outside temperatures are higher than 35 or 36 degrees.” In that case, they point out, “the air conditioning of several or all of the cars stops working and turns the trains into an oven.” The situation, despite the union’s complaint, is not new. a few days ago, The Extremadura Newspaper I already reported this incident on one of the Alvias that connect Madrid with Badajoz. That day, they point out, the passengers of the affected car were relocated to the free seats of the cars where the air conditioning did work. “In Madrid it was very hot, in Atocha, more of the same, we were looking forward to getting on the train, especially because of the concern of heat stroke and it turns out that the car runs out of air, it was the finishing touch,” said one of those affected by the Extremaduran media. What does Renfe say? In Xataka We have contacted the company who point out that “the trains undergo periodic inspections and are prepared to withstand temperatures between -10° and 40ºC” and that they understand the situation expressed by CCOO. However, they accept the following: “In exceptional circumstances, when outside temperatures exceed 40ºC as in the current heat wave, the train systems can activate automatic protection mechanisms to avoid major breakdowns. This happens because the pressure of the refrigerant gas shoots to critical levels, causing a temporary stop of the equipment until the system stabilizes. During that time, it is not possible to restart the air conditioning, which can generate incidents in the interior temperature of the train” That is, it is so hot outside that the train needs to protect itself to continue running. And when this happens, the train itself has to choose between continuing to move forward despite limiting or eliminating some functions (such as the air conditioning of one or more cars) or moving forward. Have measures been taken? Renfe assures that, without the possibility of modifying the trains, measures are being taken to safeguard the comfort and health of passengers. However, they assure that they are studying new measures that respond to the union’s requests. These measures would, therefore, be an addition to those already applied. According to the company: When these weather conditions occur, the sale of tickets is stopped to leave places free and to be able to relocate passengers. If conditions do not allow safe travel, alternatives are sought such as transferring to a fully air-conditioned train or even traveling by road. A real problem. In Xataka We have explained that heat can generate a real problem for people’s health because “kidnaps the blood”. And when we face very high heat on a sustained basis without barely moving, we are buying many tickets to faint and, if necessary, suffer heat stroke. That is why traveling refrigerated on a train is especially important. They collect in Today that between May and July there are already 15 incidents with the air conditioners that have caused Renfe trains to be left partially or completely without refrigeration. They look at Spain. The news comes just when Spain has been set as an example in countries that live above the Pyrenees. And in Germany, France or Denmark they have observed what Spain, Portugal or Italy are doing in the face of heat waves and What can they apply so that trains are not canceled?. And in these countries the railway service has been suspended because the companies were not able to ensure the health of the passengers. In the region of Bavaria (Germany), 40 degrees were recorded inside some trains. We now know that our trains, at least in part, are also not guaranteed to operate at full capacity. Photo | Falk2 and windy In Xataka | “We have six kilometers that have melted due to the heat”: in the face of extreme temperatures, France needs to Spanishize its roads

offers on evaporative air conditioners, Google phones, projectors and more

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Today is Bargain Hunting Friday after a few weeks in which we have seen many offers and in which we are experiencing a lot of heat. That is why in this article we wanted to bring together the best technology deals we’ve seen this weekwhether mobile phones, projectors or even air conditioners. Xiaomi Smart Projector L1 Pro by 169.99 eurosa home projector that comes with Google TV. Google Pixel 10a by 449 eurosthe lowest price it has had to date. Orbegozo Air 46 by 79.96 eurosan evaporative air conditioner to better cope with the summer heat. Redmi Note 15 Pro+ by 359 eurosa mobile phone that comes with a large battery. AirPods Pro 3 by 209 eurosthe best TWS headphones from Apple. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Xiaomi Smart Projector L1 Pro MediaMarkt is celebrating its 27th anniversary with a very attractive campaign where the Xiaomi Smart Projector L1 Pro has one of the best offers. By 169.99 euroswe are talking about a projector that comes with Google TVwhich allows us to install apps like Netflix. It also incorporates speakers, projects an image with a diagonal of between 40 and 120 inches and offers a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080p. Xiaomi Smart Projector L1 Pro The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Google Pixel 10a If you like the raspberry color and want to wear it on a mobile phone, Amazon has the Google Pixel 10aan excellent mobile for 449 euros what it costs right now (it is its minimum price). Of course, it is only on sale in this color. It comes with 256 GB of internal storage, incorporates the Tensor G4 processor and its screen offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Google Pixel 10a (256GB) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Orbegozo Air 46 Now that we are going through a very hot season, it is important that we take into account whether or not we need a device that allows us to cope better with the summer. He Orbegozo Air 46 right now it costs 79.96 euros in El Corte Inglés (at the same price on Amazon, although the store will take a few days to ship it. It is a evaporative air conditioner which also has a fan and humidifier function, incorporates a six-liter tank and has a timer of up to seven hours. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Redmi Note 15 Pro+ If the Google mobile phone does not convince you because of the raspberry color or because it is too expensive, be careful when it comes to Redmi Note 15 Pro+ from Xiaomi that is now on MediaMarkt for 359 euros. It stands out above all for its large 6,500 mAh battery with 100W fast charging, but also for its screen compatible with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ or ​​its Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor. Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro+ (256GB) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links AirPods Pro 3 Also in El Corte Inglés (and other stores) we can find the best Apple TWS headphones on sale. We talk about the AirPods Pro 3 that have gone down to 209 euros. They are headphones that provide excellent sound quality, their noise cancellation is very good, the battery lasts approximately between six and seven hours with active noise cancellation and they come with a heart rate sensor. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Image | Nintendo, Orbegozo, Google, Apple In Xataka | Best home theater projectors 2026. Which one to buy and 9 recommended models from 299 to 5,999 euros In Xataka | Best truly wireless earbuds (TWS) with noise cancellation. Which one to buy and seven recommended models

“Leaving the air conditioning on all night can cost around a euro in electricity”

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The torrid nights with thermometers that refuse to drop below 25 degrees are already here with us, with several heat waves that we have suffered in a chained way. At these moments you may think about the possibility of using the air conditioning at night, but the fear of the amount that will arrive on the electricity bill is always there. But the reality is that there are situations where this expense is not so exorbitant. Exorbitant consumption. Leaving the air on for eight hours of sleep can cost us around one euro. This is how Carlos Llull, air conditioning technician, explains it. who points out thatin an average scenario with modern equipment, the economic impact is much less than we usually imagine. Through a publication On his Instagram account, which has gone viral, he pointed out that “leaving the air conditioning on for 8 hours at night can cost around one euro in electricity.” And there are more voices. Beyond this phrase that can give us peace of mind in our pockets, Álex Bermúdez, energy expert, reduces This figure is even further stated by stating that, depending on the programmed degrees and the thermal characteristics of the room, the cost of an entire night can be barely around 0.45 euros. But with these gurus announcing this, the question is obvious: How is it possible if a domestic air conditioner usually has an installed power of between 1,000 and 2,000 W? And the answer is in the inverter systems of the most modern equipment. The mathematics. If we use logic, it is quite simple to calculate the consumption of an air conditioner, since it ‘simply’ multiplies the maximum power of the device by the eight hours that it can be kept on during the night. And this would only be correct if you literally lived in an oven without windows and the equipment had to work at its maximum constantly, something that does not happen in most cases. Modern inverter compressors do not work with an obsolete binary on/off system, but their motor is capable of self-regulation when starting at high power to reach the desired temperature, but once achieved, it modulates its work and drastically reduces the revolutions to simply maintain the environment. This means that, during most of the early morning hours, and helped by the fact that the outside temperature also drops, the equipment barely consumes a minimal fraction of its maximum capacity. It depends on several factors. Of course, that euro per night is not a guaranteed flat rate, but rather a measurement that depends on a delicate thermodynamic balance in your home. The first of them is the set temperature, since, as the IDAE runsthe ideal temperature in summer should be between 23 and 26 ºC. Each degree lowered will mean an increase of between 6 and 8% in energy consumption. Insulation is also essential, since a room with thermal leaks, as can occur with old windows, will lose cold quickly, forcing the compressor to exit its maintenance mode and work at higher power throughout the night. The energy rate. This is a fundamental factor, since the final cost of using the air at night will vary depending on whether the rate is in the regulated marketwhere early morning prices can be very low, or if you have a free market rate with an agreed kWh price. Optimize consumption. As the OCU points outit is important not to turn on the air at the minimum temperature to “cool quickly”, since it is inefficient, and that is why it should always be programmed from the beginning to the desired temperature. But in addition, you must take advantage of the ‘ECO’ or ‘Sleep’ mode that many air conditioners already include so that the temperature is gradually adjusted throughout the early morning. Images | Zulfugar Karimov In Xataka | What is energy efficiency and why is it a saving that matters more than ever?

How China is reinventing building air conditioning without using more electricity

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When the heat hits is when those of us who live in historically cool latitudes seriously consider installing large-scale air conditioners and if not, ask France, in whose capital its underground system It seems not to be enough for what is coming our way. But there are entire cities and countries that are ahead of us in that “historically cool Europe” in terms of air conditioning. This is the case of China: there the air conditioning of their buildings goes beyond the simple air conditioner or passive architecture: there are communities that are already cooling their shared outdoor spaces by spraying mist water from the roofs. The rain in Seville Shanxi it’s a wonder. As explains Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Yuncheng, a city in central China’s Shanxi province, there is a residential area where roofs rain: a water spray cooling system capable of reducing surface temperatures by 5 to 8 ° C in a matter of minutes. This other similar spray system called HY-WSWD report drops of up to 10°C in roof temperature and savings of 20-30% in air conditioning consumption. Although it is a political official who shares the system, it does not seem that it is a state air conditioning policy (for the moment), but rather a solution adopted individually by several sprinkler irrigation communities, as they explain in Sina. The principle of operation is essentially the same as a evaporative air conditioner XXL, so it is neither technically revolutionary nor new. In fact, that HY-WSWD is a product that has been on sale since at least 2025. Why is it important. To begin with, because China is the largest consumer of electricity for air conditioning on the planet and its peaks in electricity demand in summer are directly related to the use of air conditioning, as documented by the International Energy Agencywhich also warns that it will get worse: in Asia the demand for refrigeration in Asia will triple before 2050. Any technology that reduces the temperature of the building before using the air conditioning is good news for the grid. As quantifies scienceevaporative cooling systems reduce energy consumption by 30-40% compared to conventional air conditioning systems. Tap to go to the post and watch the video. x Context. We said that the system is not new, it is actually very old (for this type of technology). In the United States there are a patent from the 70s designed for industrial warehouses and discarded for residential use for aesthetic and another from the late 80’s more discreet that contemplates its application in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Furthermore, this evaporative misting in urban areas already applied in hot and dry cities like Phoenix or Tempe (Arizona). Although we are mentioning several American initiatives, the paradoxical reality is that China has its own architectural precedent and it is much older: more than a thousand years ago, the Hanliang Hall of Daming Palace from the Tang dynasty used a circulating cooling system: hydraulic wheels propelled cold water to the roof, letting it fall from the four eaves in the form of a curtain of water that cooled the outer perimeter of the room. In detail. What is striking about the case is not so much the technology, but the scale: covering complete roofs of entire residential blocks to cool the building as a whole and the surrounding areas instead of concentrating the misting in specific points of outdoor comfort, as happens in so many bar terraces in the West or does the Madrid City Council itself, which has installed nebulizers in squares and streets of the city. In this sense, it represents a paradigm shift compared to traditional split when it comes to understanding air conditioning: conventional air conditioning units do not eliminate heat, they move it from the inside to the outside through the compressor, and that residual heat is expelled by thousands of individual units. contributes to intensifying the nocturnal urban heat island. This system that is becoming fashionable in China, on the other hand, intervenes in the building’s own thermal environment (the roof exposed to the sun) before that heat generates a load that the compressor has to expel outwards again. Thus, the thermal difference between inside and outside is reduced at the source: the microdroplets expose a lot of surface area to the air, accelerating evaporation, which extracts latent heat from the roof and the surrounding air without the need for refrigerants. Yes, but. The kryptonite of evaporative air conditioners is the humidityor in other words, this system is only effective in locations with dry climates such as Shanxi, which has a semi-arid continental climate. Of course, in cities in humid southern China like Shenzhen it would be much less effective. In humid and hot environments, high temperatures become a real nightmare and evaporative air conditioners do not work: they raise the relative humidity, worsening thermal comfort. On the other hand, this is a system that continuously consumes water, a precious commodity that is scarce in some places, which poses a dilemma between energy savings and water stress. In Xataka | Best quality-price air conditioners 2026. Which one to buy and seven recommended models for less than 800 euros In Xataka | Air conditioning is the new great political weapon in France: why environmentalists and the extreme right are fighting over it Cover | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China via Twitter

In the midst of a heat wave, Europe has started buying air conditioners in droves. And China can’t cope

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I don’t know anyone who likes air conditioning, especially for sleeping. However, when the heat hits, it is impossible to spend the days indoors. if we don’t have the device on. The problem is that I am speaking from the position of a Spaniard who lives in La Mancha, where air conditioners practically come with houses. Further north or in the rest of Europe, directly, the air conditioning with 20% penetration in houses, it is a mythological animal. It was, rather. With the current heat wavecountries like France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have started buying air conditioning units like crazy only to find themselves with a problem: China is the main supplier and the manufacturers cannot cope. And I’m not going to say that air conditioners now are geopolitics, but a little… yes. Let’s see it. It’s hot and there is no solution. Two weeks ago I was at Vivatech, in Paris, and this past weekend in London and Liverpool. At 29º, the Apple Watch showed me that in Paris They were on orange alert by heat. 29º in my land is a slightly hot spring day (unfortunately). In the United Kingdom, however, things changed and it wasn’t just incredibly hot: when you entered an establishment it was even worse. Not only do they not have air conditioners because they have not needed them, but have built so that the houses retain heat. A taxi driver told me that the best time of day is when he is working because his house is a sauna, and it makes perfect sense. Spain and France are two of the most affected countriesbut northern Italy, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Germany and the aforementioned United Kingdom are also suffering the consequences. And the problem is no longer that it is hot, but that mortality due to heat has skyrocketed in recent weeks. The solution? The north of Spain and European countries have started buying air conditioning units like crazy, but there is a problem. Exhausted. The middle SCMP He has a representative in Paris and tells how, a few days ago, he approached several businesses to try to get an air conditioner. The answer that he found in several of them, and that some friends reported to him, is that everything was sold. The scene is like something out of an apocalyptic movie, with stores with shelves full of everything except the air conditioning section, which is empty. He started looking at online stores, such as a German website designed so that people can find specific models of these devices and, after searching 1,176 stores, the model he wanted was only in one of them. In these countries where air conditioning is not normal, people go out to cool off in fountains and rivers, and even French President Emmanuel Macron has addressed the population pointing out that it is impossible for them to adapt “to a peak that has no equivalent anywhere in Europe today and that has never had an equivalent in our history.” Perhaps he has become a little heated with that statement, but it reflects that the situation is becoming unsustainable. And you would think that the solution is to start importing more, right? The problem is that it is not that simple. Bottleneck in production. China, as with other everyday devices, is the main manufacturer of air conditioners. Brands such as Haier, Gree, Hisense or Midea are some of those that lead the market, even creating models adapted to European regulations in certain countries (such as the Midea PortaSplit for windows, which makes little noise and has a very low refrigerant charge, ideal for Germany). There are others like Xiaomi (whose model we analyzed last year and a year later I confirm that it is still going great), Dreo with its fans or Dreame that are starting to bring their models to Europe because they have seen that they definitely have a pull. Only in May, esteem that China exported air conditioners worth $3.33 million to France, $2.82 million to Germany and a whopping $7.69 million to the Netherlands. It implies an increase of 186.2%, 69.6% and 139.1% respectively compared to the previous year. This percentage in France is explained if we take into account that, according to French data, only between 18% and 26% of homes had air conditioning until then. Also in logistics. Another problem is that these brands mentioned do not manufacture only for themselves, but for other manufacturers that sell OEM equipment, which implies that the factories are full. It is estimated that China accounts for 40% of global air conditioning exports and, to meet that demand, some manufacturers have begun to work day and night to satisfy European demand. “China cannot ship air conditioners fast enough to meet European demand” They are prioritizing more portable models and split for Europe because they have seen a huge market, but they cannot multiply production indefinitely without incurring overcapacity the rest of the year. Giants like Cainiao, AliExpress or Joybuy they are meeting with a brutal bottleneck because, although they have had units in advance trying to tackle this summer’s situation, they have simply… flown out of European warehouses. And in the installation. Faced with this situation, and seeing that heat waves are increasingly common, Europe estimated in 2024 that expected 70 million AC devices to be installed by 2030. This would mean covering 35% of European homes, but if all these factors were not already a salad of problems full of ingredients, two more are added. The first, the regulation of each city. In Spain we are used to seeing the typical indoor split unit with a compressor hanging from the façade, but there are important heritage restrictions in historic centers that allow drilling into walls or altering the aesthetics of buildings. In neighborhood communities you must ask for permission, there are fines for installation on facades without authorization (in Italy, for example) and the price of electricity doesn’t help … Read more

“Many do not check the air conditioning gas because they do not spend 60 euros and the breakdown is 400”

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To no one’s surprise, this weekend it will be hot. The news is not that it will be hot in Spain the first weekend of July, the news is that we are on our way to burning this summer. To lighten the drama a little, we can look for remedies to cool our houses, get the most out of our air conditioning and strictly follow the usual recommendations so as not to cause new health problems. But although it is recommended that we leave the long trips for the less hot hours of the day, we all know that is not always possible. The heat, a car full to the brim and a vehicle that has not been serviced in a timely manner are the best ingredients for having a problem. One that can leave us stranded in the ditch, which is not always pleasant when the sun beats down on the asphalt. The key is foresight (of course) Just as when we go on a trip we mentally write down a few details to take into account (take some water for the road, look for the least hot hours, keep an eye on Google Maps and look for a place to eat…), doing the same with our car before leaving will also save us a lot of trouble. “The key is to anticipate,” he assures us. Xavier Celda, Market Manager, Workshop Specialist at Norauto Spain. “The best remedy is always preventive maintenance. Have the car ready and checked to prevent all this from happening as much as possible.” They think the same from Midas. Francisco Javier Fuentes, mechanic and trainer at Midas Spainpoints out that “the best way to avoid breakdowns resulting from heat is to opt for preventive maintenance.” And both focus on four key points to review: Coolant liquid Tires Battery Air-conditioning Given the high heat that we have to face, Xavier Celda is clear that the first thing to look at is “the coolant. We must check that it is at the correct levels and, above all, that it has not lost its properties (it is recommended to replace it every 2 or 4 years according to the manufacturer).” And he warns: “a small leak or not changing this fluid can cause extreme overheating in the engine. This usually leads to the breakage of the head gasket, one of the most feared breakdowns whose cost on the market can exceed 1,000 euros, depending on the model.” Francisco Javier Fuentes makes the same recommendation but points out something very important: “in case of overheating, I never recommend opening the coolant tank while the engine is hot, since there is a risk of serious burns. The best thing to do is to turn off the engine, wait for it to cool and call for assistance. if required”. Checking the tires, they both match, it is essential. Always when cold, we must check the tire pressures and follow the manufacturer’s instructions if we are going to fill the trunk with packages and the passenger compartment. Firstly because any imbalance will cause constant deterioration of the moving parts of the car but, above all, for a matter of safety. And not having adequate pressure can cause greater instability, lengthen braking or, if wear is excessive, induce a blowout. The most frequent breakdowns Although this is the most important thing to look at before leaving home, Norauto and Midas point out two major victims due to the heat. The most common fault, according to both experts, is the battery. “Extreme heat accelerates the degradation of the internal components of the battery and evaporates water from the electrolyte. It is the number one cause of roadside assistance in summer and one of the main reasons why people visit our workshops during these months of intense heat,” they explain from Norauto. And they repeat from Midas: “The battery is sensitive to temperatures above 25 °C. (As a result of extreme heat) its useful life is reduced when it is continuously exposed to high temperatures.” This fault can leave us stranded at any point when we have stopped the car but there is another big signal that can leave us stranded while moving. It is not essential to continue but it has become essential to travel comfortably. It is, of course, the air conditioning. Xavier Celda, from Norauto, is clear that investing a few euros can save us a major breakdown and, above all, the inconveniences of not being able to have air conditioning: “Many drivers do not refill the gas or check the circuit until the air stops cooling completely. The problem is that forcing the system to work at the limit without the appropriate level of gas and oil can end up seizing the air conditioning compressor, a part whose replacement costs more than 400 euros, compared to the 60 or 90 euros that a recharge and preventive diagnosis costs” And although we think of air conditioning as an element of comfort, it is also an element of security. According to the Foundation for Road Safety (FESVIAL)“driving at a temperature of 35ºC, inside a vehicle, can represent a risk similar to that of being under the influence of a blood alcohol level between 0.5 and 0.8 gr/l.” According to their data, when driving with such a high interior temperature, “approximately 20% of traffic signs are not perceived and serious driver errors increase by up to 35%.” In fact, they claim that the probability of suffering an accident increases between 15 and 25%. Photo | Windy and Paréj Richárd In Xataka | Resolving one of the great debates of the summer: whether the car consumes more with air conditioning or not

An air conditioner that leaks on the street seems harmless. Until you discover that you can be fined

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Summer has just begun and we are already suffering the first extreme heat wave that has made the air conditioners are working at full capacitywhich implies that they produce more condensation water. many people let that water fall directly into the street Thinking that nothing happens, it’s just water, right? Although it may seem harmless since it is condensation water, pouring liquids onto public roads is listed as an infraction in most municipal ordinances. If you do not have the drain of your air conditioning correctly installed or if you have a bottle on the balcony or window and you let it overflow, you risk being fined. What the ordinances say It depends on each municipality, but in many of them the dumping of liquids of any type is considered an infraction, even if it is clean water. For example, in the Municipal urban cleaning ordinance of Valencia They do not explicitly mention air conditioning, but it is prohibited to “Pouring water, and in particular, watering plants placed outside buildings if as a result of this operation spills and splashes occur on public roads or on their elements.” In Madrid, the Ordinance on Cleaning Public Spaces, Waste Management and Circular Economy classifies as a minor infraction “Pouring water into public spaces from watering plants” and also “Pouring water into public spaces from cleaning terraces of buildings or similar.” There are town councils like Malaga that do explicitly mention air conditioning. In the Ordinance for the cleaning of public spaces and comprehensive waste management They say that “Air conditioning units that face public roads will not be able to discharge water into it.” There are town councils that take it further, such as the town hall of El Puig, in Valencia, which has a specific ordinance on air conditioning devices. In addition to instructions on where and how to install them, one of the rules is that “The collection of water through drainage or any other means that prevents its discharge onto public roads must be planned.” These are just a few examples, but Each town council has its own regulations. Risk of fines According to lawyer Arsenio Martínez on your Instagram profile, fines can range between 90 and 1,000 euros depending on the severity. It also warns that if water causes an accident or damage, the owner of the device will have to bear all the expenses derived from possible injuries and damage caused. The cleaning and waste disposal ordinances that we have consulted do not establish penalties for this specific violation. For example, the city council of Valencia toughened sanctions for dirtying public roads with fines from 750 to 3,000 euros, but they do not mention the discharge of water specifically. Just because there isn’t an explicitly established amount doesn’t mean they can’t fine you: it is still a violation. Of course, in most cases it appears as “mild”, so the amount should not skyrocket, but it depends on each municipality. If you want to avoid scares and your installation allows it, the best and most comfortable thing is for the condensation water pipe to be connected to a downspout. When this is not possible, we usually have a jug or bucket to collect the water. In this case, if you have it on the window or balcony, remember empty it periodically so that it does not overflow and fall onto the sidewalk. Image | Amparo Babiloni, Xataka In Xataka | Europe is discovering what Spain learned the hard way decades ago: extreme heat destroys your infrastructure

you only need air, water and electricity

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In an ideal world, future lunar colonists would feed of what the earth gives. It is not feasible to carry very heavy loads there, so once the supplies are exhausted, it would be perfect to be able to grow more. The problem is that “the soil” on the Moon is the lunar regolith and its ingredients are much less conducive to agriculture than the soil on our planet. For this reason, a team of Japanese scientists has been searching for a good lunar fertilizer that would make this regolith able to host plant life. It seems that they have finally found one and the best thing is that, to make it, they only need atmospheric air. Green plasma to obtain a lunar fertilizer. These scientists, from Tohoku University and the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA), They have obtained their lunar fertilizer with only three ingredients: atmospheric air, plasma and water. Upon contact with plasma (an electrically ionized gas), the nitrogen and oxygen present in the atmospheric air react to give rise to dinitrogen pentaoxide. Afterwards, this dissolves in water to transform into nitrate, a nitrogen ion very necessary for plant growth. Fertile terrestrial soils are usually rich in this ion, so plants absorb and fix it directly. If it is not present or scarce, as occurs in the lunar regolith, should be added through fertilizers such as the one obtained with this process. Be careful with the atmosphere. In that same ideal world, the unlimited air of the lunar atmosphere should do. Unfortunately, the moon does not have an atmosphere per se, so the atmospheric air that will be introduced into the habitable rooms of the lunar bases would be used. It’s not an ideal world, but it’s still a good option. A very efficient process. It is true that there is already an industrial process to fix nitrogen from atmospheric air: the Haber-Bosch reaction. The problem is that, with it, a lot of energy is spent. It is totally unviable on the Moon. On the other hand, the process of obtaining lunar fertilizer using plasma is very energy efficient. Less than 100 watts are used and it is not necessary to resort to fossil fuels or anything similar. Well nourished rice plants. To check if the lunar fertilizer works, these scientists tested it on a regolith simulator, on which they planted rice seedlings. The results were very good. To begin with, the inhospitable alkaline pH of the regolith was greatly improved, decreasing from 9.09 to 6.76. Certain nutrients that normally cannot be absorbed directly from the regolith, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, were also extracted more efficiently. Instead, toxic ions, such as Al3+, were trapped in the lunar dust instead of passing into the plants. With all this, the rice grew much better than when the regolith simulant was irrigated with pure water, without lunar fertilizer. Other benefits. In this and other studies by these scientists It has been seen that lunar fertilizer not only provides the necessary nutrients for plants. It also improves plant growth, boosts their immune system and protects them against some of the risks associated with microgravity. Utility beyond the Moon. Actually our own planet It is full of infertile land. Therefore, these scientists believe that this highly efficient fertilizer can also be useful on Earth. After all, the plants are the same here as on the Moon and the need to save energy also prevails down here. Although these types of studies are carried out with an eye toward future lunar bases, we must not leave aside what is already under our feet. Our soils need it too. Image | Magnificent | Toshiro Kaneko In Xataka | The Iran war has disrupted the global fertilizer trade. And that’s bad news for the shopping cart.

Air conditioners have been wanting to reach the north of Spain for decades without much success. Until the thermometer passed 40ºC

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Here a server is writing these lines from Vigo, with the thermometer reading 28ºC (a temperature that in a few days will fire at 35ºC) and without air conditioning or ceiling fans. My only weapons against the haze are a small table fan that is almost (almost) the same decades old as me and the assurance that, no matter how hot the heat was, the temperatures in Galicia would always be tolerable. The first (the antediluvian fan) may not have done much, but the second did. Or so it was until now. In view of the heat waves that are coming at home, we are already thinking about installing a system that allows us to cool off with dignity. And we are not the only ones. On the contrary. We are one of the many homes from the northern peninsula that already look at brochures of air conditioners and fans. Ready for the heat? In the south of Spain it’s hotter than in the north. That was true before, it remains true now, and probably not much will change in the future. As I write this I enjoy a peaceful 28ºC in Vigo, eight degrees less than what the mercury shows in Córdoba. The problem is that there they are probably much better prepared to weather the heatwave than in this northern part of the country. I’m not saying it. The INE says it. From 64% to 0.4%. Although she is almost 20 years old, the Household and Environment Survey from the INE clearly shows that acclimatization facilities are much more frequent in the Mediterranean or Levant than in northern Spain. While in 2008 54% of homes in the Valencian Community had air conditioning, a percentage that rose to 57% in Andalusia, and 64% in Murcia, in Galicia, the Basque Country, Asturias and Cantabria the indicator did not reach 2% in any case. In the Principality it actually marked 0.4%. The INE data is old, but the SER chain recently disclosed a more recent survey confirms that the air conditioning map is still clearly divided between north and south. According to that study, only 17% of northern homes are acclimatized to the heat, far from 86% of the Mediterranean coast. Another Idealista report shows a gap even bigger. Changing the mentality. If they repeated that survey in a few years, it is likely that the ‘photo’ would be somewhat different. The heat wave that has shaken Galicia, Cantabria, the Basque Country either Asturiasleaving in some cases record temperatures that exceeded 40ºC, with hospitalizations due to fainting and deceasedhas led many families to look for new ways to cool their homes. Take a quick look at the regional press to check it out. Skyrocketing sales. In May The Montañés Diary counted how the demand for fans had skyrocketed by more than 80% in some businesses in Cantabria. Installers and stores of air conditioners and portable appliances also noticed the boom. I had something similar recently The Voice of Asturiaswho has spoken with companies in the sector that have noticed a 25% increase in requests for information. The Basque Journal confirm also an increase in the sale of ceiling fans, just like The Region in Ourense. From shops to homes. The most interesting thing is that the demand for devices does not come only from businesses. Andonio Suárez, from a company in the industry, recently recognized to ‘Hoy por Hoy Cantabria’ who in their business “do not stop” touring the community to install air conditioners. Not only that. Their technicians have gone from working basically in commercial premises installations to doing so in private homes, homes of people tired of being in the heat. “It is practically 50% between homes and businesses,” resume. “Before we managed”. Patricia lives in the province of Pontevedra and is one of the people (more and more) who has begun to think about ways to cool her home, beyond the use of floor, ceiling or table fans. “We had always managed, but now we are studying switching to a portable air conditioner or air conditioner because the fans fall short,” he confesses. In mind, you have devices that do not require the installation of exterior elements, such as evaporative air conditioners or tubeless air conditioners. “We save trouble and can take them from one home to another.” Poorly prepared floors. “The summers are longer and hotter, and the heat waves are more frequent. This year we already had a month of May with a week of tropical nights in which it was difficult to sleep, another in June, and summer had not yet started. A month of July is approaching in which it does not seem that we are going to go below 30ºC on most days,” explains Patricia before remembering that many of the apartments built between the 70s and 90s in Galicia “are not prepared nor do they have good insulation.” for the heat. “It has turned against us”. His experience is similar to that of Manuel, another Galician who recognizes that his house is designed to conserve heat, something ideal in winter, but not so much for the months from June to September. “The increasingly hot summers have turned against us.” Hence, she has opted for two portable air conditioners that she places in the living room and in her daughter’s bedroom, the room that accumulates the most heat. “I had been thinking about it for a while. Years ago it was not something that compensated, since it was not really necessary; but in the last five or six years the heat has been much more intense, even reaching days of 30-35ºC continuously.” More than just heat. Both Patricia and Manuel have opted for portable devices, which, among other things, they admit, has made installation easier for them. For systems that require an outdoor unit, it is necessary something more than you want to cool off: it is important to take into account both the municipal ordinances that regulate noise, urban aesthetics and … Read more

Air conditioning is the new great political weapon in France: why environmentalists and the extreme right are fighting over it

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The suffocating heat waves that are punishing Europe have caused something unthinkable a few years ago in France, since air conditioning has become a state weapon. In a country historically reluctant to artificial air conditioning, the extreme increase in temperatures has had the ceiling fans and blinds drawn are no longer enoughand in the face of the stress of a population not accustomed to temperatures around 40 ºC, promises have appeared. A debate. According to a recent analysis of the BBCthe debate on air conditioning has dynamited French political lines. On the one hand, the political party led by Marine Le Pen has put on the table a “climate plan” that defends almost universal air conditioning. On the other hand, the green block, historically opposed to these devices due to their environmental impact, has had to swallow saliva and admit that, in certain cases, air conditioning is already an “inevitable” measure. What is promised. To understand the magnitude of the debate, you have to look at the numbers. Le Pen’s party, called the National Group, has proposed a zero-interest loan fund of 20 billion euros so that between 30 and 40 million homes can install air conditioning systems such as reversible heat pumps and improve their insulation. And we are facing a great political strategy, because logically, in the midst of suffocating heat, promising aid to have a tool that reduces temperatures at home is a magnet for votes. However, these measures clash with the climate adaptation plans that are in force in the French country. In Xataka France has been determined to rob Spain of its position as a data center power in Europe The climate problem. The environmental bloc is at a crossroads, since massive air conditioning triggers energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions if the network is not 100% renewable or nuclear. But denying air conditioning to the vulnerable population, such as in hospitals, is political suicide and an unaffordable public health risk. Hence his speech has veered from prohibition to resignation to the “inevitable.” The poor adaptation. If we go to the more technical side of this debate, local media such as, for example, Le Monde or the Institute of Climate Economics have been categorical in classifying the mass adoption of air conditioning under the term “maladaptation”. This means that a short-term solution to climate change is being proposed that will end up aggravating the problem in the long term. Air conditioning is the textbook example, since, as experts point out, an air conditioner does not “destroy” heat, it simply removes it from the interior of the home and spits it out onto the street. A vicious circle. Climate models in dense cities like Paris have shown that if all buildings turned on the air conditioning at once during a heat wave, the temperature outside could rise by an additional 1°C to 2°C, further exacerbating the problem. But also, while people who can afford it cool off in their living rooms, people without resources find themselves on a much more aggressive “urban heat island.” In Xataka In the midst of an extreme heat wave, the French have started painting their windows with white chalk. It makes perfect sense France’s plan. Beyond the electoral promises that are made at a time when we are approaching the country’s presidential elections, France’s road map works under the premise of preparing the country for a +4 ºC warming scenario. To address this, the possibility of renewing the insulation of buildings, replacing asphalt with trees and creating urban cooling systems with centralized underground cold water networks that are more efficient and less harmful than having millions of individual devices on facades is being considered. In Xataka |AEMET asks that we prepare because “starting on Friday” a rise is expected that will put Spain “eight degrees above normal” (function() { window._JS_MODULES = window._JS_MODULES || {}; var headElement = document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)(0); if (_JS_MODULES.instagram) { var instagramScript = document.createElement(‘script’); instagramScript.src=”https://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js”; instagramScript.async = true; instagramScript.defer = true; headElement.appendChild(instagramScript); – The news Air conditioning is the new great political weapon in France: why environmentalists and the extreme right are fighting over it was originally published in Xataka by José A. Lizana .

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