network

Asturias has the electrical network so saturated that a simple failure would be enough to put the supply in check this summer

by

A year ago everything indicated that Asturias was going to become the new Spanish energy storage hub. But these plans, which were going to help integrate renewables, alleviate the grid and attract industry, collided with reality. Today, the panorama is very different. Not only has the region paralyzed new storage facilities, but an official report has just confirmed a more worrying diagnosis: Asturias is saturated with energy, but does not know where to put it. In short, the central area’s electrical grid is at its limit. The CNMC uncovers the problem. The trigger It is an apparently technical conflict between EDP (Hidrocantábrico Distribución) and Red Eléctrica de España for access to the Carrió substation. As local media have reportedthe distributor requested to replace two transformers to increase its capacity from 513 MW to 665 MW, but REE rejected it, arguing that the network could not supply so much simultaneous demand. This rejection took the case to the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC), which issued a resolution with a forceful message: the transport network in the central zone is saturated, it cannot grant new permits, there is “relevant overcapacity” and there is a “risk to the security of supply in the event of a simple failure, in the summer season.” Furthermore, the commission itself recognizes that the case dates back to 2007, when the separation between distribution and transportation occurred and assets were transferred to REE without documenting the guaranteed access capacities. As the official report explains, for years REE and EDP operated “as always”, but with opposite interpretations about how much capacity was really assured for the Asturian network. What does it mean to be saturated? Although it may seem like a technical concept, the CNMC has detailed in its report a more precise image of what is happening. To begin with, saturation means that the network cannot grant even one more access. The regulator detects a “total saturation of capacity, without the possibility of granting new access or connection permissions.” This means that no new industries, no renewable parks and no storage projects can connect: the grid is literally full. Added to this blockage is another underlying problem. The central Asturias network does not meet the minimum legal criterion known as N-1, which requires guaranteeing supply even if a key component fails. However, the CNMC itself confirms that this requirement is not met: If a transformer or main line falls, there is no alternative path capable of absorbing the energy, making any incident a potential risk. The situation is even more delicate according to the data. The regulator’s report indicates that two large electro-intensive consumers already absorb 686 MW, to which we must add the 200 MW that EDP needs to feed the distribution network. In total, more than 800 MW connected. The problem is that the safe capacity in summer – when the lines perform worse due to high temperatures – is 754 MW. In other words: there is more connected power than the network can safely support. And the room for maneuver is practically non-existent. According to the CNMC, if Cardoso’s 400/220 kV transformer failed, the entire area would be supplied only by a 220 kV line that does not support current consumption in summer. In practical terms, this means that any simple failure could trigger a real supply problem in the middle of the summer season. The point is that there is energy, but it cannot be moved. The paradox is evident: Asturias wants more renewables, it wants batteries, it wants to electrify its industry and it wants to attract new strategic projects. But all this growth requires a robust electrical grid with margin. And right now, that margin does not exist. Carrió’s transformers could handle more power, yes, but that is unimportant if the lines that connect them are already at their limit. Even the future conversion to gas of the Aboño thermal power plant —designated by the Principality as future relief— does not solve the current problem, because the bottleneck is in transportation, not in generation. How did we get here? In addition to the historical conflict between REE and EDP, a chain of factors have aggravated the situation. One of the most decisive is the increase in power assigned to some large industrial consumers. In 2022, Red Eléctrica granted an electro-intensive customer an increase of 132 MW, reaching 450 MW of power between Carrió and Tabiella. The regulator clarifies that this decision did not violate the regulations, but it does highlight the lack of coordination with EDP, which was not informed and saw how the capacity margin of the area was exhausted practically at once. Added to this problem is another longer-term problem. As El Comercio remembersthe necessary reinforcements for the central network have been planned for more than 20 years, but were never executed. The result is that Asturias faces industrial electrification and the growth expected for the coming years with a network that has not been updated at the pace of demand. The evolution of the local generation. The situation is complicated as cogeneration, a key technology for producing electricity and heat near industrial centers, has collapsed. According to figures published by El ComercioAsturias has lost 82% of cogeneration production in six years. This implies less energy generated at source and, therefore, more need to bring electricity from outside through a network that is already saturated. The economic and environmental impact is also notable: 60 million euros less industrial turnover and 230,000 additional tons of CO₂. And now what? The Asturian Government insists that the problem will be resolved with the 400 kV central ringa gigantic infrastructure included in the energy planning for 2030. This ring will double the electric transportation capacity in the metropolitan area and will allow it to absorb the planned industrial growth. For its part, Red Eléctrica you already have authorization for the new Cardoso substation, key to that ring, with an investment of 26.5 million euros. However, the CNMC warns that the problem is … Read more

turn them into the largest battery network on the planet

by

In Spain, if you ride a self-consumption system with solar panels at home and you generate more energy than you need, there is a mechanism called simplified compensation through which you can return that energy to the grid and receive an economic bonus. Well, China wants to bring this concept to its electric cars. what’s happening. They count in Rest of World that the Chinese government is developing two-way charging stations for electric cars. The goal is for cars to charge during off-peak hours (when energy is cheaper) and be able to return energy to stabilize the grid during peak demand. According to government testsowners could earn 1,400 yuan for each download, about 170 euros. The plan. At the moment the system is being tested and 30 bidirectional charging stations have been installed in nine different cities. The plan is to have 5,000 by 2027 and by 2030 they expect the energy capacity to reach 1,000 million kilowatts. Why is it important. China is not only the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in the world, it is also the country with the largest fleet of electric cars in the world, with more than 40 million vehicles in circulation. If they manage to implement it on a massive scale, they would also have the largest network of electric batteries available that would help them diversify energy sources, reduce dependence on coal and stabilize supply. Others have tried. China is not the first country to have this idea. According to the V2G-hub listthere are around 150 similar projects around the world, many of them already abandoned, but others still underway. However, none have come close to nationwide adoption. In Spain there have been at least six initiatives, one of them still underway in Menorca. Challenges. Bidirectional charging faces many challenges and technical difficulties. To start the price. A bi-directional charger costs between $2,100 and $2,800, almost triple what a normal charger costs. It is the main reason why scaling such a system is complicated, but in China they have the advantage that the government is betting heavily on subsidizing energy. Another difficulty is that not all cars are compatible with this energy, so its mass adoption would be delayed at least until a greater number of vehicles support it. Finally, there is the issue of battery degradation, a major consumer concern that could slow adoption. Electrostate. Not long ago China was the biggest polluter of the planet and, although still depends a lot on coal to generate energy, it is giving a radical turn to become an “electrostate”. The bidirectional charging initiative is another example of China’s commitment to investing in renewables. There are more, like construction of the largest solar park on the planet in Tibet or the giant Three Gorges Dam, so big that even changed the rotation of the Earth. Image | Kindel Media, Pexels In Xataka | China has created the largest kite in the world with a very clear objective: to make its energy extremely cheaper.

while the Madrid-Barcelona AVE goes at 350 km/h, the rest of the network languishes

by

The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, has announced the tender for two feasibility studies with one objective: to carry out actions to improve the high-speed line (LAV) between Madrid and Barcelona to increase the speed of this corridor to 350 km/h. This will allow the journey between both cities to be made in less than two hours, but the problem is with the state of the railway network in the rest of the country. All focus in one line. Puente has explained that the reasons for focusing on this route are that “we need more capacity due to the increase in passengers on this line which, when it started, moved 2.2 million users and today there are 15 million, which means that 85% of the passenger share uses the train in this connection between cities and can still grow.” Vibrations. The modernization of the line that has already been carried out on the Madrid-Seville route is now urgently needed for the one that connects Madrid with Barcelona: it is already close to having been in service for 20 years and reports have appeared that point to an increase in vibrations between Madrid and Calatayud. Air traverses. For the renewal of the line, use will be made of a “unique Spanish technology in the world”, the aerotraviesa, which according to ADIF reduces the aerodynamic load in the space immediately above the ballast bed by 21%. This allows the operating speed of the train to increase by 12%: the aerodynamic load caused at 330 km/h by the current crossing would be equivalent to that generated by the aerocross at 370 km/h. New stations. The plan also includes new access variants to both cities and the construction of two new high-speed stations in Parla (connected to the Madrid Cercanías network) and in El Prat de Llobregat. A new access to the Chamartín station from the east and south is also proposed as an alternative to the existing tunnel. that connects this station with that of Atocha. In this way, the minister indicated, the capital will be provided with an alternative route to the existing tunnel for trains coming from throughout the Mediterranean and Andalusia. Impact on other lines. The Parla station will also have another purpose: to allow a connection with Madrid for all those services of the Madrid-Seville LAV and the Madrid-Levante LAV, with destination Madrid, in case of eventual incidents at the stations or in the standard gauge tunnel. Giving room for maneuver for the future. This action, the Ministry states, will improve the current capacity of the Torrejón de Velasco junction—through which more than 250 trains circulate daily—and absorb the increases in traffic expected with the entry into service of the Madrid-Extremadura-Portuguese Border High Speed ​​Line. the planned growth on the line between Madrid and Seville. The studies also include the construction of a new railway access that allows services to be provided from Lérida with origin and destination in Barcelona and without the need to circulate through Camp de Tarragona. sticking out chest. Minister Óscar Puente stated in the announcement that with this improvement Spain will become “the only country, together with Chinawhich has an infrastructure of these characteristics.” Not only that, it has compared the costs with that is supporting uk: “They have 40,000 million and do not have a single kilometer of track installed. There is talk of a project that will cost 100,000 million pounds for 250 kilometers. We will have invested, from the beginning (of high speed) until the end of this year, in 4,091 kilometers, around 70,000 million euros. We have the lowest cost per kilometer in the world.” Where can you travel in five hours by train from cities like Gijón, La Coruña or Badajoz? To Madrid, almost certainly… and little else. Source: Chronotrains. The problem is the rest of Spain. The improvement plan makes sense from the point of view of the growing demand on that route, but it once again penalizes the rest of the railway network, which does not have high-speed lines… or even lines. We already talked about how from Chronotrains It is possible to see how from Gijón, La Coruña or Badajoz (in the image) in five hours the train coverage is very poor, and the problem is repeated everywhere. The connection with Madrid is normally well covered: the problem is the connection between cities other than Madrid and Barcelona. Supply and demand. Here there must be a balance between supply and demand, and criticism is logical among those who see how other routes, even having a certain demand, they are neglected again and again. Platforms like “Soria NOW!” they manifested recently claiming that “the only train that passes through Soria is the one of excuses”, and the same thing happens with others like Teruel Exists or the concentrations that for years They demand a “decent train” in Extremadura, although in the latter region there is somewhat more hopeful newsand the AVE to Galicia is also proving to be a real success. Image | Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility In Xataka | The great Valencian “obrón” bears the name of Adif. Their last names: gas leak and fed up neighbors

The EU is considering banning the installation of mobile network equipment from Huawei or ZTE. It is a dangerous strategy

by

The European Commission (EC) is exploring ways to get member states stop using telecommunications equipment from Chinese sellers like Huawei or ZTE. Tension between Europe and China is escalating once again, and it is not at all clear that this decision will be beneficial for European companies. Huawei in Europe no, thanks. On Bloomberg cite sources close to these plans and talk about how the vice president of this organization, Henna Virkkunen, has adopted a very forceful position. Virkkunen apparently wants to completely stop the use of Huawei telecommunications equipment with an eye-catching argument: making that a legal requirement. It wouldn’t matter what each country thought.. Years ago the EU has already recommended avoiding Chinese telecommunications equipment as far as possible, but it was a suggestion without a mandatory nature and the member states were the ones to decide in this area. Spain, for example, has continued using this equipment. The Commission’s theoretical proposal would legally force EU countries to break commercial ties with these companies. Failure to comply with the requirement could expose these countries to economic sanctions. Before they were suggestions. At the beginning of 2020 the European Union announced those recommendations under the name “5G Toolbox”. At that time they warned of the risks but left room for maneuver to the member states. Now we go from a soft recommendation to a legal imposition, because that “Toolbox” was voluntary. The national security argument. The argument is the same as that used in the past: Euro officials fear the risks associated with using communications equipment from companies (such as Huawei) so closely linked to the Chinese government. Maintaining these teams, this strategy suggests, could compromise national security. And be careful with countries outside the EU. The EU’s plan is not only for member countries to abandon these teams, but to pressure countries outside the EU to do so as well. Thus, it would try to block the use of program funds Global Gateway if those who use them spend them buying Huawei equipment. The operators, harmed. European telecommunications companies also appear to oppose this plan. First of all, they indicate in Bloomberg, because Huawei technology is often cheaper and even superior to Western alternatives from Nokia or Ericsson. And second, because replacing existing equipment is extremely expensive and can delay current and future deployments. internal division. In the absence of confirmation of the EC plan, there is another key element: there is internal division among EU members. Germany and Finland continue to deliberate on what restrictions to impose, while Spain and Greece continue to purchase telephone equipment from these manufacturers. What they say in China. Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Minister, has indicated that when certain countries forcibly eliminate telecommunications equipment from Chinese firms like Huawei, they not only slow down their technological progress, but also suffer economic losses. He further added that “We urge the #EU to provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies and avoid undermining business confidence in investing in Europe.” Let’s remember Sweden. In 2020, Sweden decided to ban the use of telecommunications equipment from Chinese manufacturers with the same argument that we already know about national security. That theoretically favored the local company, Ericsson, but its CEO criticized the Swedish government’s decision precisely because he knew what was going to happen. Revenge is served on a cold plate. And what happened is that China retaliated. A few months later, China Mobile announced budgets and contracts to boost the country’s telecommunications infrastructure, and Ericsson was the biggest loser. The company had almost 11% market share before the government’s decision: today its share does not reach 2%. Dangerous veto. If confirmed and made effective, the veto on being able to use telecommunications equipment in the European Union is dangerous precisely for the same reason that happened with Sweden. China continues to be a great commercial ally of China despite being more aligned with the US in areas such as semiconductors. With these types of actions, Europe positions itself even more closely with the Trump government, something that is somewhat surprising because Europe already came out badly after the agreement with tariffs. In Xataka | Huawei has a plan to deal the final blow to NVIDIA in China: a supernode of 15,000 processors

Shenzhen metro is transforming into an autonomous logistics network. The key is a legion of AI robovans

by

During the day, Shenzhen’s stations look, in some ways, like those of any big city: full of movement, loudspeakers and announcements marking the passage of trains. But when traffic eases, something changes. In the same space where a few hours ago there were crowds, autonomous vehicles and small robots appear that move with precision, transporting packages from one point to another. There is no spectacle or artifice, just a different use of a familiar environment. The metro network, designed for travelers, is also beginning to serve urban logistics at a time when every minute and every square meter counts. The idea of ​​taking advantage of the subway to move goods does not arise on a whim. In Shenzhen, as in many large Chinese cities, surface traffic has become in an obstacle for daily logistics. Delivery companies deal with extreme urban density and the constant growth of e-commerce, which forces them to deliver faster and with increasingly tight margins. Using trains outside of peak hours allows us to alleviate this pressure and reduce costs, while at the same time making use of infrastructure that usually remains underused for much of the day. When travelers leave, robots stay According to the Xinhua agencyone of the officially documented pilots takes place on line 11 of the Shenzhen metro. Every night in Futian District, SF Express staff sort and pack packages, which are then loaded into metal cages. These cages are transported by means of a autonomous shuttle vehicle to the platform, where they are destined for the sixth coach of the train, enabled as a logistics car during off-peak hours. In less than thirty minutes, the goods cross the most congested stretch of the city and arrive at the Bihaiwan area, near the airport, where they continue their journey to the distribution center. The aforementioned operation is supported by a fleet of robovans. Nikkei Asia explains that These are small vehicles capable of moving autonomously along predetermined routes, where they transfer packages from a storage center to the subway loading area. Each one can transport up to 500 kilos and has a useful space of about 3 cubic meters. Another official test takes place on subway line 2, at Wanxia station, where delivery robots are able to board the train by themselves to deliver goods to stores 7-Eleven inside the station. The system, described by Guangdong Department of Transportationcombines autonomous route planning, laser sensors and a control system that allows it to move safely between passengers. The project, promoted by Shenzhen Metro Group, Vanke and Wanwei Logistics, remains in the testing phase and seeks to verify whether it can be applied on a larger scale in the city’s underground commercial network. The Chinese industrial ecosystem is one of the reasons why these types of projects are advancing so quickly. The aforementioned newspaper highlights that strong competition between national manufacturers has made key components such as LiDAR sensors cheaper and has driven the development of more efficient batteries and specific chips for autonomous driving. On this basis, production costs are significantly reduced. A robovan is already between 20 and 30% cheaper than a traditional commercial vehicle, and the difference increases by eliminating cabin space and the cost of the driver. The development of these initiatives is not without difficulties. Autonomous vehicles still depend on human supervision at various stagesespecially in the loading and unloading of goods. Its speed inside the stations is reduced to guarantee the safety of passengers, and that limits the operational pace. For now, operations remain limited and are far from mass application. Even so, they reflect a clear trend: the attempt to optimize each section of urban space, even the underground. Shenzhen functions as a laboratory for a model that seeks efficiency without altering the rhythm of the city. Ultimately, these tests speak less about technology than about management: about how a metro network can serve two different purposes while remaining, above all, a public service. Images | Guangdong Department of Transportation (1, 2, 34, 5) | Shenzhen Government (1) In Xataka | Many Spanish ports have become luxury resorts for the rich: owning a pleasure boat is increasingly difficult

ended up revealing a network that smuggled thousands of cell phones

by

Mobile phone theft in London It has become a widespread problem. In most cases, trying to locate them is only useful when they have been lost, not when they have been stolen. Criminals often turn them off instantly and the signal disappears without a trace. But this time something different happened: tracking a stolen iPhone ended up opening an investigation that revealed a network that sent thousands of devices from the United Kingdom to Asia, according to data published by the Metropolitan Police and British media. Official figures help to understand why mobile theft occupies so much space on London’s security agenda. In 2024, nearly 80,000 complaints were registered in the capital alone, with a rebound in the most tourist and commercial areas. The phenomenon is not limited to isolated thefts: many of the thefts end up fueling a black market that moves thousands of devices out of the country. This background explains the interest of the forces in going beyond petty robberies and focusing on the networks that organize them. How a tracking attempt ended up uncovering an international network The case began after the tracking of a stolen iPhone led the police to a warehouse located near Heathrow airport. There they discovered a shipment with around a thousand phones that were going to be transported to Hong Kong. Based on that discovery, the Metropolitan Police opened the Operation Echosteepa large-scale investigation into a possible international network dedicated to the smuggling of stolen cell phones in London. Once the operation began, the investigation grew rapidly. The Metropolitan Police added expert units in smuggling and organized robberies to track the shipments. Each seized package provided new clues: forensic analysis of the packaging, matches on labels and patterns on sealing materials. These tests took investigators to various points in the capital and allowed them to identify the first suspects related to the handling and transportation of the stolen phones. In September the investigation took a decisive leap. The Metropolitan Police arrested two men in northeast London for their alleged involvement in the network and found in their properties around 2,000 phones. Shortly after, another operation in Islington ended with the seizure of around 40,000 pounds – about 46,800 euros – and several devices. During those weeks, more than thirty searches were carried out in homes and premises in the capital, with a total of 46 arrests related to the trafficking of stolen cell phones. The final figures measure the magnitude of the network. In one year, the network would have managed to send up to 40,000 stolen mobile phones to Hong Kong, equivalent to 40% of the thefts reported in London. According to the Metropolitan Policethe group mainly targeted Apple products due to their high value in the international market. Middlemen paid thieves up to £300 per phone and, once in Hong Kong, some were resold for more than $5,000. For its part, The Times points out because the case originated after the tracking of an iPhone through the application Find My. There is no official confirmation from the Metropolitan Police about which tool was used, although everything indicates that it was that one. It makes sense: Find My is Apple’s built-in system to locate devicesand allows you to track not only phones, but also computers, tablets or accessories. It would be strange if an alternative had been used, given that there is such a useful and widespread native tool. The case demonstrates that a tracking tool can be more than just a resource for recovering a lost phone. On this occasion, it served, according to investigations, to connect an everyday robbery with an international smuggling network. It does not solve the problem of the stolen cell phone market, but it leaves evidence that is difficult to ignore: when technology is applied rigorously, even a location signal can open a line of investigation that previously seemed impossible. Images | Metropolitan Police (1, 2) In Xataka | Amazon and Google have buried their voice assistants at the same time

In Spain, a huge electric carload network has been created in the shadow: Mercadona’s

by

The expansion of the electric car depends on several factors. Autonomy is fundamental, but so important is reduce friction when loading. That is why they are applying Wireless load solutionsbut it is also necessary a Expansion in the loading network. And there is someone who has positioned himself as the great network of free cargoers in Spain. Mercadona Short. Loading the car while making the purchase is a comfortable way to give an impulse of kilometers to the accountant. In that sense, Mercadona hill 2024 with almost 5,000 active recharge points if we add the more than 4,800 of Spain and the almost 140 of Portugal. It is curious, but this positions the supermarket as one of the most extensive networks in the country. The network. To reduce that friction, On this website We can see a list of the Mercadona that have recharge points with a breakdown of the most important data: Population and street. Load places. Power. Asterisk. Although the number of recharge stalls That they have deployed in a short time, there is an important detail to consider (not to mention those that park combustion cars in these places focused on plug -in electric/hybrids), it is the loading power. Currently, Mercadona offers two powers: 3.7 kW and 22 kW. They are clearly scarce powers. Load at 3.7 kW for free for 60 minutes. Load at 22 kW at € 0.25/kWh. What Mercadona proposes is a support for that day, with a free recharge of about 15 kilometers of autonomy, enough for daily urban activity, hugging the CA network while rejecting, for now, the fastest stations of CC. It is also important to take the cable in the trunk. And model. The good market is competition, and if other chains see that users perceive Mercadona chargers as an important value added to experience, they will begin to offer their own solutions. Carrefour, for example, too It has a map in which we can find loaders of a much more limited network, but with options of 50 kW and 150 kW. Savoramás has projects Undergoing to expand its network by EDP and Lidl has More than 215 stores with 654 recharge points in total with Compatible loaders With Chademo, CCS and AC type 2 and free recharge for half an hour, but without a detail of what type of speed is handled in each of those chargers. And the English Court more of the sameeven with some exclusive points for Tesla. As we say, in the end it is a way to reduce friction when betting on the electric car, but beyond supermarkets, we see that little by little the network is expanding in stores such as Decathloneither McDonald’swhere We have seen some Ferrari by throwing morro. In this case, with powers up to 150 kW. Images | SMNT, Carloss In Xataka | Installation of an electric car charger in neighboring communities: step by step, legislation and everything to know

The spectrum belongs to the operators and will have to negotiate with them to display their satellite mobile network

by

In January we knew that Starlink activated the direct cellular connection for mobileregardless of whether or not they have satellite connection. So that the system, called Starlink Direct To Cell, Offer mobile internet to any mobile, you must do it through the frequencies that are in use by mobile operators. Here comes the delicate. The situation. As our partners say Xataka mobilefor a company for a company like Starlink or Project Kuiper de Amazon Give us mobile connectivity, you need to do it through the frequencies that are already used for classical mobile networks. The problem is that these bands are licensed by Movistar, Vodafone and Orange. A possible route. Taking into account that Starlink and company are competitors, it is expected that the operators will want an agreement in which they do not be harmed. A possible route would be to negotiate the use of the bands with the regulatory agencies, thus jumping to the operators, but it will not be possible. The GSMA has spoken. It is the Association of Mobile Operators and organizer of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Have published A statement in which they give a series of guidelines for coexistence between land operators and satellite operators. The document establishes that Starlink and company must negotiate directly with the operators, who are the owners of the land spectrum. Marking territory. With this statement, the GSMA does not want to stop the arrival of satellite mobile connectivity services, but to mark its territory and defend what has cost so much to achieve terrestrial operators. To put it in context, in 2021 The 700 MHz band was auctioned and Spanish operators paid more than 1,000 million euros for their hole. It has all the meaning that they are who negotiate who uses their spectrum. Starlink has already negotiated similar agreements with operators from other countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada or Switzerland, so it is not something alien to the company. Of the satellite to the mobile. To offer internet to any mobile, Starlink uses a network of satellites that operate in the Leo orbit. These satellites fly lower to facilitate connectivity, about 360 kilometers from the surface. According to Starlink herself, they already have more than 600 satellites from their Direct To Cell network that add to the more than 8,000 satellites they have in orbit. If you want to continue expanding it to more countries, they will have to reach new agreements and pay what corresponds to use the frequencies. Cover image | Wikipedia, Apple In Xataka | China increasingly dominates technology on earth. There is a place where it is still far from the West: space

A Microsoft Data Center in Mexico collided with the reality of the electricity network. Your solution: use gas generators

by

Artificial intelligence has become daily, but behind each consultation to tools such as Chatgpt either COPILOT There are real buildings that consume a lot of energy and require reliable infrastructure. In that framework, Microsoft announced May 7, 2024 The beginning of operations of its “Central Mexico” data centers region, with several locations in the Querétaro Metropolitan Area. The deployment, however, coexists with very specific tensions: According to the companyat least one of those centers, that of Columbus, cannot benefit from the advantages of the electricity network until mid -2027 and obtained permission to temporarily operate with gas generators. It should be remembered that the proximity of these infrastructure to users is essential: it reduces latency, improves the quality of the service and allows to meet data residence requirements. But that technical advantage depends on something elementary: having an electricity grid capable of sustaining permanent operations and constant cooling. Microsoft stressed the magnitude of its project in the North American country. The new region aims to offer local access to Azure, Microsoft 365Dynamics 365, among other services. The firm also presented the initiative as an “avant -garde” infrastructure aimed at accelerating innovation in the region. The Achilles heel of deployment: energy In a request to the Ministry of Environment delivered in 2023Microsoft acknowledged that, although the data center would connect within the planned deadlines, due to the construction deadlines included in its contract with the Federal Electricity Commission, the energization of the connection would not be ready until the Second quarter of 2027. To save that void, The use of seven generators was approved capable of covering 70% of the demand of the center of Columbus for 12 hours a day, for at least four months. According to Rest of World, Mexico already has about a hundred data centers, with investments that exceed 7,000 million dollars from 2020 by Microsoft, Aws and Google. Querétaro has established itself as the main attraction pole, with 15 facilities that concentrate about 80% of the sector’s energy demand, about 200 MW. The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness projects thatby 2030, the network will face a deficit of 48,000 MWh, more than half of what it produced in 2023. With more than 70 new centers planned in the next five years, the mismatch between installed capacity and electric transmission becomes an obvious threat. The American company has set ambitious environmental goals: Being negative carbon in 2030, eliminating all its historical emissions in 2050 and supplying 100% with renewable energy contracts in 2025. In contrast, in Columbus is the provisional measure of operating with gas generators until it can be fully connected to the network in 2027. What It is not clear is whether these equipment were usedif they remain in operation or what intermediate solution the company will apply in the coming years. Microsoft, for now, has not specified with which energy sources Opera Colón. The launch of the Central Mexico region was presented as a decisive step to accelerate the country’s digital transformation and attract foreign investment. But energy reality introduces a decisive nuance: the infrastructure necessary to sustain that deployment does not advance at the same rate as the technological ambition. The tension between promises of sustainability and limitations of the network is a reminder that the cloud, far from being ethereal, rests on concrete foundations, cables and megawatts that define, in a way, how far artificial intelligence and other services can go. Images | Microsoft (1, 2) In Xataka | This nuclear reactor is different from everyone else. It has been expressly designed for data centers

build a solid network and be constant

by

Before putting in front of OpenAi and lead the Chatgpt development To transform forever The world as we know itSam Altman spent his time to guide entrepreneurs and startups such as Reddit, Airbnb or Spotify on his way to success from the incubator and combinator he directed. During his stage as a mentor, Altman learned important lessons on how to cement a long -term successful professional career. The current CEO of Openai, wrote In your personal blog Some of those lessons to get a solid professional career. 1. Who does not risk, does not win Altman believes that most people tend to overestimate the risk and underestimate the reward. It is true that it is not always easy to assume risks, especially when you do not have enough experience or knowledge. However, the millionaire recommends Start taking calculated risksespecially at the beginning of the professional career, to learn to face them, and lose their fear of taking risky paths as progress is being made in the professional career. Especially at that initial stage of the races, Altman ensures that rewards tend to be much greater than losses. Successful entrepreneurs like Bernard Arnault They have assumed that mistakes are going to be madebut it is important to learn from them and not repeat them again in the future. Avoiding them is not always possible, so it is convenient to learn from veterans like Bill Gates and prepare for the worst and best scenario possible. 2. Constancy and optimism Sam Altman quotes Airbnb as a record reference. “They managed to survive enough time for luck to accompany them.” Maintain an optimistic attitude and determined to achieve the objectives setallows to stay in the line enough time to arise the necessary opportunities to achieve it. At the same time, having an optimistic mood allows not to decline in the face of the challenges that will surely be raised along the way. So MR.BASET also believes itone of the most popular youtubers (and Millionaires) of the Google service, with almost 300 million subscribers. Every time someone asks for advice on how to create a YouTube channel, the content creator Repeat the same: “Record 100 videos. And it improves something in each of them.” Authentic power that systematic constancy lies in the emphasis on the process, gradual learning and incremental improvement that is only obtained through constant practice. 3. Create and keep your pits It is not that Altman recommends burying himself on earth and digsing a ditch around. The theory of the tarry, widely used by Warren Buffettcreate an analogy between the strategic advantages that companies or people have surrounded by medieval strengths. The larger and deep the pits of these strengths, the more difficult the enemy turned out to reach the walls and knock them down. Based on professional or business, pits are your advantages, skills, knowledge, or any other difference that gives you some type of advantage over other employees, companies or competition in general. Creating and maintaining these pits in time makes the person or company more valuable and essential. “If you do the same as everyone else, it will not be difficult to compete with you,” says Sam Altman in his recommendations for success. 4. Build a solid network There is a popular said that he says: “You will only arrive faster, accompanied you will do it further.” Openai’s co -founder affirmed in his Podcast interview Unconfuse me Bill Gates, who is still surprised by the amount of help he currently receives from people he helped a decade ago. A solid contact network is not achieved by keeping someone’s number on the agenda to call him when something is needed, but on the contrary. According to Altman, “an effective way to build a network is to help people as much as you can. It will return to you multiplied by 1”. But the Openai manager makes a warning: “Remember to spend your time with positive people who support your goals.” In Xataka | Sam Altman does not bring good news about the impact of AI on employment: “It is a huge, huge problem” In Xataka | People did not stop hacking virtual work interviews with AI. Solution: We want to meet you in person *An earlier version of this article was published in August 2024

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.