power

Ninguneada by the United States, ESA has just signed a collaboration agreement with an emerging power: India

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It seemed that the new space race had two well -defined sides, but the last turns in NASA have left faithful members such as the European Space Agency in the lunge. Now that has turned his gaze to the East. Habemus Pactum. The European Space Agency and its counterpart from India (ISRO) just signed a joint intention statement To collaborate on flights to space. The strategy includes a first phase of cooperation in the low terrestrial orbit, and a second phase on the moon. Both agencies have pledged to work on the interoperability of their respective spacecraft, so that they can be found and attached to the low orbit. The collaboration will be extended to the training of astronauts, land simulations and parabolic flights. From the orbit down to the moon. The agreement also opens the door for Europe to play experiments on Indian Poem platforms, which take advantage of the upper stages of PSLV rockets as orbital platforms. More in the long term, it will be an opportunity for European astronauts to travel to the planned space station of India, the Bharatiya Antariksh Stationwhose completion is scheduled for 2035, with a first module in 2028. They also enter the joint robotic mission bag to the moon. India is in the small list of spatial powers that have successfully alunicized. The Chandrayan-3 mission He wore the Vikram module and Rover Pragyan to the South Lunar Pole. New alliances. The agreement, signed by the CEO of ESA, Josef Aschbacher, in New Delhi, arrives at a critical moment for European projects in space. The White House presented last week A budget proposal that would involve a cut of almost 25% for NASA. This “Tijeretazo” fully impact in programs where ESA has invested significantly: the Orion ship and the Lunar Gateway station. In A statementAschbacher said he seeks a commitment between international cooperation and improve his autonomous abilities. “The complexities and costs of space missions often exceed the capacities of a single nation,” he said. “In this context, associations have allowed us to reach great milestones that would be unimaginable alone.” In March, ESA had already signed an agreement with the Japanese Space Agency Jaxa to explore joint missions to the moon and Mars. The trend is clear: before the drift of the United States towards a more nationalist approach and focused on private commercial systems (Spacex, Blue Origin …) for its lunar and Martian ambitions, ESA is diversifying its alliances. European diplomacy. While the United States prioritizes the speed and reduction of costs through the private sector, leaving aside the traditional international collaboration models, the ESA Diplomacy strip presenting textually as a “reliable partner.” Part of that diplomacy makes a close collaboration with China unlikely, at least while NASA remains its main partner. India, with its growing spatial ambitions and future manned flights, emerges as a key strategic alternative on this new space geopolitical board. Image | Isro In Xataka | The last eeuu slap to Europe has sounded up to space: NASA has just left ESA with Artemis

Nuclear power plants have a very valuable resource so as not to collapse if electricity fails: the “flex” strategy

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The refrigeration system of The reactors of nuclear centrals It has a fundamental purpose: to guarantee that Fuel bars will remain at all times within Its operating temperatures range. If this parameter increases excessively they could melt and trigger a serious accident. To avoid it Conventional nuclear reactorslike those we have in Spanish nuclear plants, have a triple cooling circuit. The primary circuit consists of the vessel that contains the fuel bars and a deposit known as heat exchanger. The hot water from the vessel circulates between both deposits thanks to the action of a pump, so that it cools in the exchanger before returning to the vessel. This circuit is closed. In addition, the heat exchanger acts as a steam generator, so a second circuit is responsible for introducing the cold water inside that, when coming into contact with the hot water of the primary circuit enters boiling. From there the necessary steam proceeds to transfer to the turbine the kinetic energy that will make it possible to obtain electricity thanks to the action of the alternator. Once the fluid crosses the turbine the water steam is cooled and condenses inside an additional tank to promote the appearance of water in the liquid state that will be introduced again in the heat exchangerthus giving rise to a second closed circuit known as secondary circuit. Again a pump is responsible for the water to circulate between the condensation tank and the heat exchanger. So far we have described two different closed circuits, the primary and the secondary, but we have left a loose end. In order for the water vapor of the secondary circuit to be condensed inside the condensation tank it is necessary to introduce in the latter cold water. And to do so it is necessary to resort to a third circuit known as external cooling circuit. The water of this last installation comes from the sea or from a river near the nuclear power plant, hence it is necessary to accommodate this type of centrals near one of these two natural resources. In modern nuclear centrals flexibility and redundancy are everything As we have just verified, so that the water that acts as a refrigerant element circulates correctly inside the primary and secondary circuits the action of at least two pumps is necessary, one for each circuit. And, of course, the pumps need electricity to function, like many other elements of the nuclear reactor, such as the pressor, the external cooling circuit pumps or the safety injection pumps. We explain everything in more detail in the article that we dedicate to The control rooms of nuclear centrals. Portable equipment allows all these functions to be performed without having to depend on exterior power supply After Fukushima The safety of all the world’s nuclear power plants was reinforced. They underwent very important stress tests during which all the central parameters were reviewed, especially those that were related to what had happened in Fukushim Baskets on the electricity grid. And once everything was reviewed, the incorporation of a series of measures to mitigate and prevent such accidents was standardized worldwide. This strategy is known as “flex”, which is the flexibility apocope. Nuclear centrals have been designed to Prevent Design Base accidents. This philosophy consists in thinking about what can happen with the purpose of implementing security measures to mitigate them in case they occur. What happens is that in practice, of course, there are accidents that you can not have planned, so in addition to the security systems prior to Fukushima, a series of portable equipment that allow all those functions from outside without having to depend on exterior power supply have been incorporated. They are totally portable and autonomous equipment that are already incorporated into all nuclear plants, and that can also be transported from one central to another in case of need via helicopter or through the military emergency unit (UME). In addition, there are also A central warehouse in Technatom Madrid where there are portable equipment that could be transferred in two or three hours to any Spanish nuclear power plant. As we have just seen, the redundancy of the equipment is also a crucial strategy in nuclear facilities. However, there is another resource that is even more important: The security culture. The training of all people who work in a nuclear power plant is individualized and permanent throughout their professional career. In Xataka | China and Russia have an extremely ambitious plan: in 2028 they will build a nuclear power plant on the moon In Xataka | This nuclear reactor is different from everyone else. It has been expressly designed for data centers

In 2028 they will build a nuclear power plant on the moon

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Yuri Ivanovich Borísov, former Vice Minister of Defense of Russia and currently at the head of Roscosmos, the Russian Space Agency, confirmed in March 2024 that China and the country led by Vladimir Putin planned to install a nuclear reactor on the surface of the moon. Russia’s long experience in the development of nuclear infrastructure is beyond doubt. And China, although it has later reached this industry, has scientific capacity and resources necessary to get airy. Its plan is to have the International Lunar Research Station (known as Ilrs for its acronym in English). Russia and China will operate it jointly, but for this installation to come to fruition it is essential to develop an energy source that guarantees a stable and sustained supply over time. This is the need that precisely aims to solve these two nations building A small nuclear power plant On the lunar surface. The starting gun will arrive in 2028 Pei Zhaoyu, the chief engineer of the Chang’e-8 mission, has confirmed This week how relevant Russia’s participation is in this project: “An important issue for the Ilrs is the energy supply. In this field Russia has a natural advantage because in regard to nuclear facilities, and especially sending them to space, leads the world even ahead of the US.” The Chang’e-8 mission will give the authentic departure gun to this very ambitious program. The International Lunar Research Station will be permanently inhabited from 2030 And it is that China plans to launch it in 2028 with a double purpose: initiate the preparation of the lunar base that will be permanently inhabited from 2030 and explore the construction of the nuclear reactor that will be responsible for the main delivery of energy to the station. As we have seen some lines up, both facilities They should be finished in 2035. Interestingly, the Chinese government has not yet officialized its approval of this plan, but the statements of Pei Zhaoyu corroborate that The collaboration of Russia and China is already underway. In any case, the country’s nuclear scientists led by Xi Jinping already have a preliminary design of their nuclear reactor ready. And it has some novel features. To elaborate it have been inspired by both NASA’s design and the old Soviet nuclear reactor Topaz-II. Your proposal will use Fuel bars Ring -shaped uranium dioxide; A double cooling system that will use liquid metal (NAK-78), and that, on paper, will be able to maintain the reactor core below 600 ºC; And finally, a moderator of Ititrio hydride neutrons that according to Chinese technicians is more efficient than conventional zirconium hydride moderators. Meanwhile the US is preparing His return to the moon through the NASA Artemis program. Its purpose is to place two astronauts on the lunar surface in 2027 and start from this milestone the construction of a sustainable lunar base. This installation will have large solar panels, but photovoltaic energy It is not enough to ensure supply Because on the moon the night endures for between fourteen and fifteen terrestrial days. For this reason The US is also developing a nuclear reactor known as FISION SURFACE POWER (FSP) that will be able to deliver 40 kW of power. Image | China National Space Administration More information | Interesting Engineering In Xataka | We are building nuclear spacecraft again. NASA believes we will need them

There is so much energy available in Spain right now that it is allowing you to become an export power

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The Spanish electrical system has achieved a milestone by covering 100% electric demand with renewable energy. However, this surplus of clean energy has led to the phenomenon Curtailment to maintain the stability of the network. Even so, it has been possible to export more than ever electricity to neighboring countries. Renewable boom. In the last three years, Spain has added more than 23,000MW new wind and photovoltaic power. According to the latest monthly renewable APPA report to which has had Pvmagazine access, this impulse has translated into record exports of 1.536GWh, which represents an increase of 84.4% compared to last year. The data has detailed a clear pattern of energy surplus. France received 1,388 GWH of Spanish electricity, while barely exported 197 GWh to our country. With Portugal the exchange was more balanced, but equally favorable: 775 GWh exported compared to 619 GWh imported. The most striking case is that of Morocco, where Spain sold seven times more energy than it bought, specifically 197 GWh against only 27 GWh received. In economic terms. The export has generated approximately 81.4 million euros in a single month, calculated on the basis of the average price of 53.09 euros per megavatio registered hour In the OMIE daily market. This figure acquires greater relevance if we consider that Spain already accumulates 41 consecutive months as a net exporter of electricity, a streak that coincides precisely with the period of greater renewable expansion in its history. Was he planned? Although there is no explicit plan to turn Spain into an energy exporter, the latest promotion policies that pass subsidies and Changing permissions They have created a structural surplus. The authorities already work to optimize surplus management, avoiding the Curtailment (cuts in renewable generation) and prioritizing export when production exceeds national demand. A lot of export … and import? The European electrical system, It is highly interconnectedbut still with improvement margin. There is an important exception: current exports do not equal energy “savings” for the future. The market operates in real time, with prices that constantly fluctuate according to the supply and demand of each moment. And another inevitable question. Why don’t the price of light fall in Spain? As mentioned above, the average price of electricity stood at € 53.09/MWh, which is 161.8% more than last year. This apparent contradiction is explained by The Marginalist Price Fixing Systemwhere the most expensive technology necessary at all times – generally the combined cycle plants that work with gas – establish the price for all. Thus, although the renewables produce at very low costs (about € 12/MWh on average), their cheaper is limited by the still necessary presence of gas in the mix, whose average time price reached € 61/MWh in the last month. There is still a long way. Although there is a great renewable capacity, you also have to think about ways of Store the surplusthink about Intelligent networks with Europe and rethink a long -term sustainable marginalist model. This commitment to Spain for a more sustainable model has positioned the country as an important actor in the European energy market. The challenge is now to convert this technical success to benefits for the national economy and the pocket of consumers. Image | Pacoqt Xataka | After roofs and balconies, railings: the solar panels have been determined to conquer every building span

Byd did not go to the Shanghai Auto Salon to show cars. Went to exhibit power

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In the Shanghai Motor Show there are 70 car brands. Most come to present cars and Byd comes to show power. His was not a standbut a manifesto. And at the largest car fair on the planet. Its brands – the general byd, the ultra -premium yangwang and the newly arrived in Europe denza– They were, more than aligned, orchestrated. And each model does not seem a simple proposal, but an offensive. Seeing them, no one just described them, but to enumerate their possible victims. The sensation It wasn’t even admiration, but for certainty: just like Huawei with mobilesByd does not seek to compete but to take. Being a national champion, in business jargon, is a thing of the past: now his vocation is hegemony. In fact, his conference was the most often, with the permission of Chery’s, and the most jaleada. Symbolic capital of a new China. The usual byd, which is no longer The BYD base is still that of the car for everyone, but does it with an increasingly attractive sophistication for its customers and dangerous for its rivals. At the Fair, five models of the Ocean series, all electric or hybrids, and all with advances that place them above the price they hold – although the translation to Spanish euros is always a complicated equation. It is, in any case, the old Byd trick: Give yourself to the price of a generalist what others call premium. He Sealion 06for example, it arrives as a compact SUV with athletic design, long muscle. Your assistance system ‘Eye of God‘It comes standard, and has compatibility with the new ultra -grape load network of 1,000 watts. It promises 400 kilometers of autonomy with five minutes of load. And all for less than $ 20,000. He Seal 06its range input version, this logic replicates in a lighter body, designed for fleets, Carsharing and emerging markets. Byd Seal 7. Image: Xataka. Byd Sealion 7. Image: Xataka. And the renewal of already classic models such as Those of the series L They illustrate the maturation of the Byd nucleus: they have not only updated their engines (the new electrical units reach 30,511 rpm), but also incorporate technologies typical of recent high ranges: Adaptive suspensions Disus-m. Total connectivity. And even autonomous driving functions Level 2+. What a five -year is a Chinese miracle today is the new standard. Byd Song L EV. Image: Xataka. The message is clear: Byd wants volume, but also prestige. And unfortunately for his rivals, he not only wishes it but is willing to build it, marked per brand, segment by segment, country by country. Denza, elegance as an attack And if the prestige is the new front, denza is the first shock line. Initially conceived as a joint experiment with Mercedes-Benz and today 100% controlled by byd, this brand is the advance of Chinese electric luxury. Do not compete in volume, compete in perception. And in Shanghai came his most serious offensive: the Denza z. This two -door and four -seater electric coupe is, Visually, a missile. Low, muscular, with a marked waist line and a design that reminds more of a Concept living room than a production car. But it is confirmed: it will reach the market. Denza Z. Image: Xataka. Image: Xataka. It will incorporate cable address, folding steering wheel, intelligent magnetic suspension and premium materials. All wrapped in a body reminiscent of Stuttgart but shouts ‘Shenzhen’. The Z was not the only star. He also shone Denza N9a large SUV and elegant, refined design. Spacious interior, immersive screens, advanced driving assists. He is already on sale in China from 389,800 yuan – about 47,000 euros – and his arrival in Europe is expected at the end of the year with a more enigmatic price than ever. And the N7an old acquaintance who part of the 260,000 yuan, about 36,000 euros, monopolized less premium but more generalist looks. Denza N7. Image: Xataka. Denza N7. Image: Xataka. For a market that begins to look suspicious at the German overprices, denza proposes something disturbing: luxury, but logical. The offensive complete the Denza D9a luxury minivan that has gone from curiosity to supervants in the Chinese market. Designed for executives and families of high purchasing power, the D9 offers a cabin experience that rivals that of a private jet: two rear seats with massage, ventilation, individual screens, panoramic roof, reinforced acoustic insulation and automatic sliding doors that convert access into a ceremony. Interior of the denza D9. Image: Xataka. Its double motorization – a pure or plug -in hybrid – offers versatility without sacrificing status. In a world where the minivan category seemed extinguished by the SUVs, byd the reinvent with one purpose: convert premium mobility into space, silence and prestige. Thus and everything will be complicated to refuse in Europe despite all these arguments. His proposal is based on offering a Porsche or a Maserati at the price of high -end Audi. Of course, if five years ago they list all the already common Chinese brands in our streets, we would have entered the silly laugh. We will see. Yangwang: the national luxury vertex His ultralujosa brand, designed to compete with Rolls-Royce, the Range Rover prohibitive or the Maybach, To those who do not imitate, but who reinterprets them. And from a deeply Chinese look. The very long one Yangwang U8L It was one of the most visited models in the hall. It is an extended version of the already imposing U8. It measures 5.4 meters, offers three rows of seats and a ceremonial luxury aesthetic. The badges, as is the case with the Su7 ultraThey are available in 24 carat gold. The back gate opens in two vertical halves. If we take into account the prices that this brand manages it is inevitable to see the trunk open as a chest. Yangwang U8L. Image: Xataka. Yangwang U8L. Image: Xataka. Yangwang U8L. Image: Xataka. Yangwang U8L. Image: Xataka. And then it is The interior, a mixture of a … Read more

Its formula goes beyond a huge power

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Irobot returns to the load with a new incorporation to its most advanced range. THE MAX 705 VAC ROOM arrives by muscle: nothing less than 13,000 suction pathe highest figure ever reached by a brand model. To get an idea, it is 180 times more powerful than the models of the 600 seriesa line that has been in the market for years and has been one of the most popular of the Irobot catalog. The American manufacturer, that was in conversations with Amazon for a possible purchase that finally did not come to fruitionHe wants to highlight this power as his great asset, although in the market there are equally ambitious rivals. He Roborock Qrevo Curv reaches 18,500 pa, and the DREame X50 Ultra Complete Raise the rod to some imposing 20,000 pa. More power implies better cleaning? If we talk about carpets or deal with the hairs of our pets, more power should guarantee greater cleaning. According to Irobotthis model is thought precisely for this type of households: it combines powerful suction with Two anti -re -gum brushesthat adapt to the type of soil and are designed to maintain constant contact with the surface. To this is added a corner and edges brush, and Carpet Boost technology, which automatically detects carpets to intensify the power. The Max 705 empty Roomba has also evolved in navigation and detection. It incorporates an artificial intelligence camera that allows to avoid common obstacles such as cables or socks, and has the Clearview Pro lidar technology, which maps the home with precision even at night. Thanks to the Dirt Detet system, it is also able to identify the areas with greater accumulation of dirt and repeat passes in those areas automatically. Of course, who looks for a scrubbing model must look at other catalog options. This model does not include a mop or system for cleaning wet spots. Where it does stand out is in connectivity. It can be controlled from the new Home Romba application, which allows you to schedule cleaning By room or specific areasadjust between four power levels and activate additional passs. It can also start from the robot itself or through voice commands. It is compatible with Alexa, Google Home and, at the end of the year, also with Apple Home through the Matter standard. As a good high -end model, the Max 705 vacu Roomba arrives based on AutoMpty highway. This system collects and stores dirt automatically up to 75 days in a closed bag that prevents the dust from returning to the air. As for the design, Irobot has opted for its well -known elegant lines and modern finishes. Price and availability of the new Max 705 empty The new Max 705 empty 699 euroswith shipments planned for “within a week.” In the United States, curiously, the price rises to $ 899.99. As of May 11, 2025, it will also be available in selected online stores. Images | Irobot In Xataka | The 2025 vacuum robots arrive with something we never saw: arms and legs have come out

A plug -in hybrid that wants to break the market for price, equipment and a power of “more than 535 hp”

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2,539 registrations. That is the number of units that omoda carries in Spain at the end of the first quarter of the year 2025. A good figure if we consider the brand landed A little over a year ago in our country and that only has a car (in combustion and electricity version) for sale. The omoda 5 combustion adds the bulk of enrollments, of course, with 2,465 units sold in what we have been for the year. The figure, yes, is already a third of the 7,578 omoda 5 with combustion engine sold last year. Now, the Chinese SUV will have a companion in the concessionaires. The omoda 9 SHS is already official and has a launch price that makes it a really competitive car if they add the conditions to the buyer. Omoda 9 shs technical sheet Omoda 9 shs Body type. D-SUV of five seats Measures and weight. 4.77 meters long, 1.92 meters wide, 1.67 meters high. Wheelbase and weight to be confirmed. TRUNK. To be confirmed Maximum power. “More than 535 hp,” according to the brand. Exact figure to be confirmed. WLTP consumption. Pending approval. Environmental Distinctive. Zero emissions. Driving aids (ADAS). Mandatory Adas Aid by the European Union. 540º camera. OTHERS. Own software compatible with Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Wireless load for mobile phone. Electric seats, heated, ventilated and with massage. Sony sound equipment with 14 speakers (two of them in the front headrests). Electric hybrid. No. Plug -in hybrid. Yeah. A 1.5 turbo combustion engine of 143 hp and three electric motors (one on the front axle and two in the rear) with un specified power. Together there are “more than 535 hp,” according to the brand. electric No. price and launch Already available 39,900 euros adding the aid of the MOVES III PLAN. The arrival of the omoda flag model “The largest and most sophisticated model of the brand.” With these words the company defines its new incorporation into the fleet, a SUV of 4.77 meters long, 1.92 wide and 1.67 high that enters fully into the D-SUV market. That is, a step above the compacts and competing with a kodiaq skoda or a Mazda CX-60 by size. In its body the distinctive details of the brand are observed, as a large grill that plays with the rhombuses on the front and a coupé fall as the line progresses to its rear. Repeat the crossed light firm in the front and rear area and, in general, it feels like an omoda 5 more dynamic and elegant. In addition, add upper ranges such as the handles flush on the doors. Inside, omoda advances some upholstered nappa leather seats with electric regulation, heating, ventilation and four types of massage with three intensity levels. The rear seats have reclining support. But it is the front squares that collect the greatest technological load of the new omoda 9 SHS. The instrument picture and the infotainment system will be divided into two 12.3 -inch twin curved screens. Likewise, an Head-Up Display is added that omods figure in 50 inches. We will have a multifunction steering wheel and, although in the photos we cannot appreciate it well, the brand ensures that there are physical controls To control different car functions. We do intuite for the photos that the control of the lights does have a physical command, a function that begins to suffer the evils of “all screen”. In addition, it arrives with a Sony sound equipment with 14 speakers (two included in the headrests of the front seats) and wireless load for the mobile phone. Omoda has not confirmed what types of aid and assistance to the driver will have this omoda 9 SHS beyond enjoying a 540 ° vision camera. That is, we can expect functions such as an invisible hood to know what we have under the wheels and not damage the car on the routes outside the asphalt. You must have at least those required by the European Union. As for mechanical capacities, omoda 9 shs is a plug -in hybrid that delivers “more than 535 hp”. The company does not clarify the specific figure in this regard. We do know that it uses a 34.46 kWh capacity battery, homologating up to 145 kilometers in completely electric mode. With a 70 -liter gas tank, they ensure that it is possible to perform 1,100 kilometers without stopping to recharge or fill the tank. The battery also admits load by direct current to a maximum of 65 kW. It can go from 30 to 80% of the load in 25 minutes. What omoda calls Super Hybrid System is the combination of a combustion engine 1.5 Turbo of 143 hp that delivers its power to the front wheels. This is combined with another electric motor on the same axis and works in solidarity with two other electric motors on the rear axle to deliver those “more than 535 hp”. This structure makes the omoda 9 shs a car with total traction. As for its availability, omoda launches the plug -in hybrid SUV with a launch campaign that leaves it in 39,900 euros (adding the aids of the MOVES III PLAN). The car, they explain from the brand, you have to choose in matte gray so we take it for granted that they are the first units that will arrive in Spain. The first deliveries are expected in the second half of May. In addition, the brand emphasizes that cars have a guarantee of seven years or 150,000 kilometers and that it extends to eight years and 160,000 kilometers for the battery. Photos | Omoda In Xataka | Omoda arrives in Spain with the MG case as a reference: a Chinese brand that wants to break the SUV market with attractive prices

The production of renewables in Europe is so strong that it is forcing nuclear power plants to work

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In Europe there is a division around the closure of nuclear. Some countries have already disconnected them at all, such as Germanyor are in the process of doing so, like Spain. Meanwhile, France keeps them as a pillar of its electrical system. However, the arrival of spring has evidenced something that was suspected: the rise of renewables have forced nuclear plants to stop. A lot of light and little demand. The production of renewable energy has saturated the electrical networks in several European countries. According to Bloombergthe immediate consequence has been the fall in electricity prices, which on holidays (Easter and Easter) and with low demand have even become negative. In Spain, five of the seven nuclear reactors They stopped or reduced their burden And, in the case of France, its electric company, known by its acronym EDF, has cut its atomic production in an average of 4GW daily in March, double a year earlier. Negative prices When talking about negative price it may seem that electricity will be free, but it is not. This means that the electric market, based on time auctions, can yield negative prices when there is too much supply and very little demand. In those hours, producers or electrical companies have to pay to place their energy on the network. Renewables, which have legal priority of access, continue to function. On the other hand, nuclear cannot lower their power so quickly and operate in these conditions, especially in countries such as Spain where the tax burden has increased by 71% since 2019, According to PWC. The clean boom. The rise of renewables is promoting many countries to operate with energy 100% cleanrecently Spain He joined this new coverage. Yes, it is true that the increase in installed total capacity has grown vertiginously in a few years, reaching almost 700 GW According to the Global Energy Review 2025. In this commitment to clean generation systems, storage systems also enters batteries either Reservoirsin addition to creating A good electric structuredespite the fear of companies around The uncertainty of the closure of nuclear. What about nuclear energy? If the nuclear operate less hours and with low prices, they lose profitability. And if they also have to stop and restart due to demand variations, costs rise and technical risks increase. As has detailed The New York medium, France, with 70% of its electricity still of nuclear origin, is seeing how that technical rigidity collides with a system in transformation. EDF has warned that frequent variations hinder maintenance and routine tests. Spain already has put closing date To all its reactors between 2027 and 2035, and other countries follow that path. Forecasts According to Staffan Bergh, chief analyst of Bodecker Partners: “We will see many more hours with negative prices, and these will only increase during spring.” In this line the analyst explained that it is not necessary to install more renewable, but in knowing how to use them well, manage them better and complement them with intelligence. Image |Nuclear forum Xataka | A Tesla co -founder has done business with tariffs: it extracts rare land from old batteries without going through China

It was an abandoned nuclear power plant. Now he has a second life as the most silent acoustic laboratory on the planet

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Two gigantic cooling towers of almost 150 meters high flank what clearly seems to be a nuclear power plant in a rural Washington area. It is actually the acoustic laboratory NWAA Labs, one of the most silent buildings on the planet. An abandoned nuclear power plant. The laboratory was built on the vestiges of a pharaonic project that never saw the light, the nuclear washington Projects of Elma. Plants 3 and 5, part of what was intended to be the largest nuclear energy complex in the United States, were abandoned in the 80s without fissting a single atom. Designed to resist all kinds of impacts and earthquakes, the structures would have been extremely expensive to demolish, so the NWAA Labs adapted to them. The reactor is the reverberation chamber, the turbine room is the anecoic chamber and the old reactor control room is the laboratory control room. The facilities, still marked, remain a “disturbing” maze. The ideal facilities. The NWAA Labs is a project by Ron Sauro, an electrical and mechanical engineer formed in Stanford that combined its beginnings in NASA with being the keyboardist of the group The Rivieras, authors of a gold record in 1963. After a life designing sound systems, Sauro saw the unique potential of this nuclear power plant abandoned to bombing proof. The outer structure, with walls of 1.5 meters thick and eight layers of reinforcement bars, is designed to support an earthquake of magnitude 10 and the direct impact of an explosion of 10 megatons on its roof. The interior structure is isolated from the surrounding terrain by a ditch that minimizes the transmission of vibrations and noise. In another ditch within this, a circular and steel circular container is erected, originally intended for the nuclear reactor. The entire installation rests on a sandstone layer of more than 3,000 meters thick. An almost absolute silence. Thanks to these structures, the NWAA Labs presumes to have the two largest reverberation cameras in the world. Salas where the sound bounces up to 28 seconds without absorbent material, which allows to measure the sound power of a source or the absorption capacity of a material. In addition to the reverberation cameras, the laboratory has anechoic cameras designed to absorb sound and simulate a space without reflections. In these rooms, silence is almost absolute. The background noise is -43 dB (below the human hearing threshold). In the old turbine room, 198 meters long by 106 wide by 24 high, the reflections take so long to arrive (more than 160 ms) that do not interfere with some measurements. Who uses this laboratory. The NWAA Labs performs tests for the audio industry. The speakers are 20% of their business: over here more than 3,000 speakers of some 300 professional brands and high fidelity have passed. But it is also offered to other industries, which prove construction materials, acoustic insulation here, and even noisy washing machines or aircraft cabins. The laboratory also attracts musicians, video game and filmmakers, fascinated by their acoustics and post-apocalyptic aesthetics. Image | Walter Siegmund (CC By 2.5)

The largest nuclear power plant in Europe has been closed by the war in Ukraine. Now the United States wants to reopen

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At the beginning of the Ukraine War, the first thing the Russian Army did It was taking control of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe: Zaporiyia. During these three years, the Kremlin has established a military base and has been the objective of attacksso it has remained closed. Recently, the United States has decided to reopen this booty. Your part of the cake. There was no agreement with any of the two parties around To the rare earthsnow the focus is positioned in the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. In a telephone call, Trump suggested to Zelenski that the United States could help to manage, and possibly possess, Ukraine nuclear energy plants, according to a statement by the US presidential administration to which which has had access Reuters. All this to guarantee the energy security of Ukraine. The problem with “property.” From the same medium They have pointed out that the problem came with the word: “property.” The Ukrainian president has revealed that he would have no problem that the US investing money, only in the Zaporiyia nuclear power plant to rebuild it once again recover it. However, reject in a resounding way Give the central because they do not want to lose energy sovereignty in the country. A strategic central. The control of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe has reinforced Moscow’s power over the region, making it an energy pressure tool. According to The Washington PostRussian Foreign Minister has declared that the transfer of the central to any other nation is “impossible”, a position that highlights the strategic importance. A great loss for Ukraine. The largest nuclear plant in Europe is a great booty of war. In fact, for the nation of Zelensky it has meant a very large loss, since before the occupation it represented 20% of the country’s electrical production, such as They have reported in The Washington Post. In addition, the Ukrainian nation is now forced to allocate its limited resources to avoid a nuclear crisis. However, since the Russian occupation it has remained closed. Security problems From the closure of the plant, both parties They have accused mutually bombarding her repeatedly, so they had to close it for the risk of attacks and the growing concern for the integrity of cooling systems. Until today, the nuclear power plant has not produced energy again and has been negatively reflected in the Ukrainian electricity network. Can it be reactivated? The central was operated by Energoatom a Ukrainian public society. Its executive director, Petro Kotin, has warned in an interview for The Guardian on the problems that exist safely restart the Zaporiyia nuclear power plant. The senior executive stressed that there is a lack of trained personnel, the damage to infrastructure and the insufficiency of cooling water, after the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in 2023 reduced access to the water of the Dnieper river. In an assumption that Ukraine recovered control of the central, Kotin explained that the restart process would take a long time between two months and two years, depending on the state of the nuclear plant. Moscow’s position. Russia has made it clear that it has no intention of giving control of the Zaporiyia plant and has plans to reactivate the plant, but it has not yet specified when it would happen. According to The Washington Postthe future of the Zaporiyia plant remains one of the main challenges that will define not only the energy balance of the region, but also the course of the Ukraine War. Image | DPA Germany Xataka | A Russian drone has opened one of the greatest engineering works. The problem: it was the sarcophagus of Chernobil reactor 4

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