winter

The TUR drops almost 9% despite the winter extra cost

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The energy scenario for January 2026 is very different from what families experienced just three months ago. As we analyzed in Octoberthe autumn began with an average increase of 13.2% in the Last Resort Rate (TUR) for households, driven by the introduction of the seasonal surcharge and the increase in regulated costs. However, the new resolution of the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines, published this Saturday, December 27 in the Official State Gazette (BOE), change the board: The individual rate without taxes will decrease an average of 8.7% compared to October prices. The savings figures. The reduction not only affects individual consumers, but extends to the entire spectrum of the regulated rate. The descent is broken down as follows: Households (TUR 1 and 2): For an average customer who only uses gas for cooking and water (TUR 1), the annual bill with taxes will decrease by 3.7%. For those who also have heating (TUR 2), the decrease will be 4.3%. SMEs (TUR 3): Small businesses will see a 4.8% drop in their annual receipt. Neighboring communities (TUR Vecinal): In rates ranging from TUR 4 to TUR 11, the variable term will be reduced between 5.7% and 8.3%. What does this mean for the consumer? This drop represents a “balloon of oxygen” at the time of highest consumption of the year. The TUR is confirmed as a refuge from the volatility of the free market, where some clients even pay twice as much for the same supply. In addition, the regulations have shielded the protection of specific groups. According to the resolution of the BOEthe last resort rate is applicable indefinitely to communities of owners, public buildings for residential use and non-profit organizations. The international market has set the tone. The General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines has applied a technical formula where the fall in international markets has weighed more than fixed costs. The points are: Cheaper raw material. The cost of base gas has been reduced by 1.7% thanks to the drop in the price of Brent (-2.9%), even compensating for the slight loss in value of the euro against the dollar. Seasonal gas down. Although in winter “seasonal gas” is mandatory (more expensive due to high demand), this year its cost is 18% lower than the previous period due to the decrease in natural gas futures. Technical components. The cost of the raw material has been set at about 2.55 cents per kWh — which serves as the basis for calculating your bill before adding tolls and taxes. Quarterly surveillance. This truce in prices will come into force on January 1, 2026. However, the automatic nature of the TUR implies that on April 1 the price will be reviewed again depending on how the different global conflicts evolve and storage capacity of the European Union. For now, Spanish households will start the year with a necessary respite from the cold. Image | Unsplash and freepik Xataka | Spain lights up for Christmas, but an uncomfortable doubt arises on some rooftops

We have been believing for decades that wet hair makes us sick in winter. Science knows perfectly well that it is a lie

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“Don’t go out with wet hair or you’ll catch pneumonia” or “put on your coat or you’ll catch a cold” are very grandmotherly phrases that almost all of us have been told in our childhood and that have been burned into our brains. But the question we can ask ourselves: is this true? The reality is that not directly. The culprit. May we have a cold or flu It doesn’t exactly depend on the cold. The culprit in this case are infectious agents such as viruses, the most common being rhinovirus. The fact that this microscopic germ accesses our body and overcomes our defense barriers causes it to begin to replicate and generate its effect that In the long run it’s really annoying when accompanied by fever, cough and a host of other symptoms. In this way, the equation is quite simple: if there is no exposure to the virus, the external temperature is irrelevant. To understand it, if we put ourselves in the situation of going out to Antarctica with our hair soaked and naked, we would surely die of hypothermia, but we wouldn’t catch a cold unless a penguin sneezed rhinovirus on us. The same thing happens if we are in an environment completely isolated from viruses and at a very low temperature: no infection would occur. The experts. Just as it isExperts from the Mayo Clinic explain and disseminating pharmacistscold alone does not have the ability to spontaneously generate a pathogen. Cold is a physical condition, not a biological agent. And science has been trying to explain this for decades. One of the most cited and relevant studies is the one carried out by the University of Rochester where they separated volunteers into two groups. One of them was exposed to low temperature and cold conditions; the other was kept in a warm and comfortable environment. Subsequently, they were exposed to rhinovirus that causes colds. The result. In this way, it was seen that between the two groups there was no significant difference in the contagion of the virus or in the symptoms they presented. The group subjected to the cold did not have a harsher cold, so the factor in getting sick was solely and exclusively the virus. Getting sick in winter. It is a reality that when winter arrives the rates of people with colds or flu increase greatly, as we are seeing in Spain these days. This makes us think that the relationship really exists, whatever science says. And this is where we give a little point to ‘grandmother’s advice’. Science suggests that rhinoviruses they replicate better at the temperatures we usually have in our noseswhich ranges from 33 to 35 °C. But in addition, the cold temperature also causes our defenses to lower, so it is much easier for the virus to access our body and begin to spread in a much simpler way. And that’s why winter is where we see a higher rate of colds. Other factors. But he is not the only one. The social factor is also a big culprit, because when it is cold the truth is that it is better to be locked up at home with Netflix. But in these cases we would be in an interior space with little ventilation (because it is cold) and very close to other people. In this way, if a person has the virus, the probability of contagion skyrockets in a heated indoor place much more than in an open-air park at 5°C. Another point is the dry environment that exists at this time due to the cold outside and the indoor heating. This causes the nasal mucous membranes to dry out, which is a serious problem for the mucus, which is our first line of defense at the entrance to viruses and bacteria. If the mucosa is dry, its effectiveness decreases and facilitates the entry of pathogens. Wet hair. A special distinction must be made for this myth since today there is no evidence to justify a relationship between wet hair and an increase in viral infections. Going out with wet hair causes a great loss of body heat (since the head has a lot of vascularized surface), which generates notable thermal discomfort. This translates into a feeling of very cold, feeling cold and perhaps accompanied by a headache due to muscle tension derived from the cold, but the humidity on the scalp does not attract germs or facilitate infection. Images | Dmitriy Kievskiy Brittany Colette In Xataka | H5N1 bird flu unleashes a massacre in Antarctica: half of the female seals have already disappeared

prohibit using manure in winter

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So essential for life as problematic. Spain is a very clear example of this duality: the drought because lack of waterthe rains for days in a row because they make the reservoirs overflow and data centers they want to join that reality. If we go to the United States, water is also a problem, no because there is more or lessbut because it is contaminated. Guilty? Agricultural runoff. And there are already states prohibiting farms from fertilizing in winter. What’s happening. The United States Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA, has classified the industrial agriculture as the main source of deterioration in water quality in rivers and aquifers in the country. There are several factors, but excess nitrogen, phosphorus and other elements from fertilizers and manure are leaking into large rivers, rural aquifers and coastal areas such as the Gulf of America Gulf of Mexico. They estimate that each year 12 million tons of nitrogen and another four million tons of phosphorus are applied in the form of fertilizers. There is another waste: manure on livestock farms. The problem? These products infiltrate the earth, reaching groundwater. In winter, no fertilizer. This is something that occurs throughout the year, but in winter something very curious happens: in areas where it snows or freezes, these nutrients and sediments do not infiltrate into the groundwater (which is already bad), but when the snow melts, they drag the harmful products into the rivers and lakes. It is something known as surface runoffand what causes an excess of nitrogen in rivers and lakes is the proliferation of algae and aquatic plants, which consume the oxygen in the water, resulting in hypoxic zones in which fauna cannot live. There are two alarming cases: Gulf of Mexico: Remnants of fertilizers used in the Great Corn Belt of the Midwest flow down the Mississippi into the Gulf of Mexico, forming one of the largest dead zones on the planet. Midwest Rivers: In rainy years, nitrate concentrations have far exceeded what drinking water should have for dozens of days in a row. Consequences. But as we say, this also happens in aquifers, especially in private wells that are less monitored than those belonging to the public system. For example, a report from this year estimated that 90% of nitrate contamination in Wisconsin drinking water is due to that agricultural runoff. The study noted that 10% of the state’s private wells exceed the legal limit for nitrates. In intensively agricultural areas, the rate is 20 to 30%. And chronic exposure to these nitrates has been associated with cancer, pregnancy complications and even the “baby blue“, or childhood methemoglobinemia. That is to say: it is not just an environmental problem, it has escalated to something that affects public health. Reactive ban. And this has led some states to begin take cards in the matter. In direct response, states such as Michigan, Maryland, Ohio and Vermont have made various prohibitions on the use of fertilizers, manure and fertilizers in winter. Generally, they will begin in mid-December and will extend, depending on the state, until March 1 or April of next year. The restriction is unpopular among the agricultural sectors, but the problem is that it is a reactive measure and not a proactive one. That is to say: the damage has been done, what is sought is that it does not get worse. Change of agricultural model. At the federal level, however, the strategy is not direct regulation and prohibition, but rather incentivizing farmers to voluntarily adopt more sustainable practices. Departments like the USDA or NRCS are managing financial and technical assistance programs for farmers to optimize their crops, change practices or plant new crops of “coverage” that absorb excess nitrogen. In the end, it is complicated because the country has chosen one path, each state is facing the problem in a different way and agriculture/livestock are priority sectors in the United States for both own consumption and for export. And what does the EPA say? That fertilizers are applied in the right amount and at the correct time of year. And also that the animals graze away from streams. In Xataka | The US has a toxic well with tons of contaminated water. They are turning it into a gold mine for rare earths

The polar vortex collapsed for just a few hours, but it showed us how unstable this winter is coming

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Although it sounds complicated, the stratospheric polar vortex is, quite simply, the Earth’s large system of cold air and low pressure. One to the north and one to the south, rotating around the poles, acting as a barrier that keeps the frigid air away from the temperate zones of the planet. . And that’s exactly what happened in November. A sudden warming of the Arctic stratosphere (rises of up to 30 degrees in a few days) caused a huge mass of air to enter the troposphere and, in response, the westerly winds plummeted from strong values ​​to almost 0 meters per second. El vórtice se paró. Something extremely rare at the end of November. And it’s not just a scientific curiosity; but it entails a brutal redistribution of air masses. However, the vortex did not break completely: it was a quick and strong blow that left the system in stand-by, but it started again relatively quickly. That’s why, the spectacular consequences that were expected So? While it is true that the warming was “historical”, “very rare” for the dates on which it occurred and “very abrupt”, it must be understood (above all) as a warning that the atmosphere is very unstable this winter. Like a wake-up call: something we have to monitor. What the models say. As explained by MeteoVigothe models indicate that the strength of the stratospheric winds (the “muscle” of the vortex) will decrease again in the coming days; But facing the last days of December (around the 26th) the vortex will tend to recover a more circular shape and an intensity close to the climatic average. And what does all this mean? For Europe (and specifically for Spain), the vortex is something important: determines the probability of cold winters, anticyclonic blockages in high latitudes and trains of Atlantic storms. That is to say, if the vortex strengthens heading into December there will be less probability of extreme arctic irruptions and, possibly, a greater weight of storms. However, all scenarios are open: the models continue to draw the busiest winter of the time. Image | In Xataka | The last hope of winter in Spain is desperate, but increasingly possible: the breaking of the polar vortex

The meteorological winter has already begun for the AEMET. And now we have another problem with the DGT beacons

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The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has not waited for the solstice to start winter. A season that, meteorologically speaking, extends from December 1 to February 28. Three months of cold await us (although less and less)rain, snow and various inclemencies. This year, it is inevitable to ask ourselves if the cold may affect the V16 beacons of the DGT. The answer is a resounding yes. Resistance up to -10ºC. All approved V16 beacons must have with a series of requirements. And one of them talks precisely about resistance. There are two things to keep in mind here: the IP rating and what temperature range they can operate in. New connected beacons must have at least IP54 certification. That is, resistance to dust and splashes of water. But they must also offer adequate operation within a wide range of temperatures. Specifically, between -10ºC and 50ºC. It is enough even If we leave the car in full sun in summerbut in winter it gets a little more complicated. BUT. Theoretically, Spain is not a very cold country. But although it is not at the level of the Nordic countries, in certain places or times the thermometer can fall below -10ºC. If we are going skiing, if we are driving on a mountain road on a particularly cold day or if we are considering a getaway to one of the “refrigerators from Spain”things get complicated. For example, Molina de Aragón (Guadalajara) is considered the coldest town in Spain and has the milestone of having reached -28.2 degrees. In these types of places and situations, the resistance to -10ºC of the beacons is insufficient, so their connectivity may stop working, thus losing virtual visibility, or even fail to turn on. Another problem: snow. Beyond the problems caused by extreme temperatures, there is another phenomenon that in the winter season can interfere with the beacons. Much has been said about the visibility problems of these devices in broad daylight, in fog or on very tight curves, but snow can also become another obstacle. Beacons should be placed on the highest part of the vehicle where possible, usually the roof. If the snow settles, it can cover it and thus kill the physical visibility it provides us. The alternative. The V16 beacons aim to improve safety on the roads, warning other drivers of the obstacle posed by a car stopped on them. In the event that the beacon does not work due to problems with temperatures or snow, the option left is to contact the emergency services via mobile phone. The V16 beacons, which will be mandatory from January 1, 2026, are not without controversy. From the scams around them until accusations from groups of the Civil Guardthe DGT He had to admit his mistakes and has already explained that will be flexible with fines. Cover image | Generated with Gemini In Xataka | FACUA believes that a lot of V16 beacons “approved by the DGT” are not legal. And there’s a way to sum it up: fraud. In Xataka | Living 1,300 kilometers from the North Pole: a Catalan tells of his experience in the northernmost city in the world

AEMET knows that what is coming is not just a train of storms, it is a ‘master class’ on how winter works in Spain today

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This beginning of December comes with a train of Atlantic storms, several cold fronts in a row, snow, wind and a lot of sudden thermal changes. But it goes much further than all this: what we are going to see is a perfect example of how winter in Spain works today (in the midst of the climate crisis). What is going to happen? The quick summary is that the start of December 2025 in Spain will be marked by a very active Atlantic circulation. And that takes the form of a “squall train” that will cross the Peninsula during the first 10 days of the month. The most immediate will be a cold front that will leave abundant rains in Galicia and the Cantabrian Sea (with local accumulations of up to 50 l/m²), snow above 1000 meters and strong gusts of wind on the coast. But, as I say, it is the first of at least four. The reign of the negative NAO. We said it a few days ago, the European Weather Forecast Center pointed because the first days of the month we were going to be in negative NAO. The ‘NAO’ is the ‘North Atlantic Oscillation‘ is what meteorologists call the relentless fight between the Azores anticyclone and the Icelandic low, the two great atmospheric phenomena that govern the meteorology of the North Atlantic. When the index we use to “measure who is winning” is negative, the Azores anticyclone is weaker than normal and, for this reason, it cannot block deep Atlantic storms. The direct consequence is that they circulate further south than normal: right at our latitude. This is exactly what is happening. For this reason (and as a novelty) “squall train” is not a funny journalistic metaphor: there are four very active fronts heading towards Spain. And it goes without saying that this is good news: we are coming from very dry and irregular autumns and, despite the cushion of dammed water that we havea phenomenon of this type is going to be really good for us. It remains to be seen if we will be able to take advantage of the rainfall that will arrive. Why do I say this is “a perfect example of how it works today (in the middle of the climate crisis) winter”? Because although the pattern of “chained storms” is classic of the Atlantic winter, these dynamics are encountering a warmer basal situation: the atlantic ocean and the Mediterranean Sea is warmer (and therefore have more energy). It’s “business as usual”, but at higher speeds. In this situation, in fact, a scenario is feared for Europe in which there is less rain in summer in the Mediterranean and more episodes of extreme rain in the cold seasons. This feeling that everything is very similar to the same as always, but in a completely different way, is very strange. Image | Tropical TidBits In Xataka | The most beautiful, exciting and hopeful thing about November has come out of England and it is a weather forecast

AEMET has released its prediction for winter and confirms the trend that is no longer an anomaly: a winter “without cold”

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Although we can keep in mind that winter does not begin until next December 21, coinciding with the winter solsticefor meteorology now we have started with the station from today. A season in which we could all expect a great spell of polar cold to be at home with a blanket and watching a series on television. But the AEMET has lowered these forecasts taking into account to what we experienced in previous years. Via a post on X The AEMET has welcomed this new winter 2025-2026, but with bad news behind it: it will be much warmer than usual with a high probability. We are not talking about individual “summer” days, but rather a robust statistical signal that covers the entire quarter (December-January-February). What we used to call an anomaly, the data are beginning to call the norm: winter in Spain is fading. Heat map. AEMET’s seasonal prediction It doesn’t leave much room for doubt. According to probabilistic models, the average temperature will be in the warm zone throughout the country. Specifically, for the AEMET the eastern peninsula and the Balearic Islands have a probability of a much warmer winter that exceeds 70%. In the case of the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, this is where the “zero zone” of this warming will be found, with a very pronounced thermal increase with respect to its normal values. In the rest of the peninsula, the probability is around 50%, which continues to be a sign that points to having a winter that is as normal as possible with respect to what we have seen in previous years. The rain. If in terms of temperatures it seems that we are not going to have very good news with a high probability, in terms of precipitation it seems that we must be optimistic. A priori, the models suggest that we will not have an extremely dry winter but nor will it be too wet. And the rainfall seems to be close to the average, although with great variability. Not all months of this winter will rain in the same way, emphasizing especially the second half of winter, that is, the end of January and February, where the models point to the arrival of dynamic phases with fronts and storms. This is something that may fit with studies on the loss of sea ice in the Arctic, which alters atmospheric circulation and may lead to much more “wet or variable” winters in the Iberian Peninsula, breaking the patterns that we saw in our environment. 28 days of “no winter”. To understand why the AEMET is so sure of this forecast, you have to look in the rearview mirror. The most recent reportslike Climate Central, already warned that last winter Spain experienced an average of 28 days with temperatures above the historical average. To do this, experts focus on reducing the days where we have temperatures below zero with a sharp drop in the days where there is frost. Furthermore, cities like Valencia are seeing how urban centers are turning into ovens even in the middle of winter. And it is a serious danger, as the CLIVAR-Spain report warns that this amplification of warming and the alteration of winter variability pose a critical challenge for our ecosystems, which need rest from the winter cold for their biological cycles. Goodbye to the historic cold. What AEMET is telling us with this forecast for 2025-2026 is that the atmosphere in Spain has more and more accumulated energy. Studies by Funcas and analysis by AEMET itself corroborate that the decrease in snow coverage and the increase in warm episodes are not temporary, but in the end they are the reality we face. We are facing a scenario where winters do not disappear, but they do “soften” until they become unrecognizable compared to those of three decades ago. If you have thermal clothing prepared for this year, it is possible that, except for occasional episodes of storms in February, it will stay in the closet. Images | Thomas Holmes Immo Wegmann In Xataka | “Three days of pure cold”: while the world looks at the polar vortex, bad news accumulates for AEMET

This winter turning on the heating will be less scary. The reason is not so comforting

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Six in the afternoon. Closed night. You arrive in the cold and turn on the heating without thinking. The radiator breathes warmly and, next to it, last winter’s gas bill appears, folded between papers. One glance is enough to bring back the question that opens every coat season: how much will the joke cost this winter? The answer, after three harsh winters, seems somewhat kinder. But only in part. The present offers a respite, while beneath it continues to beat an energy contradiction that Europe has not been able to resolve. A kinder winter. Analysts confirm it: this winter will be more benign than previous ones. In an interview with Xataka, Javier RevueltaSenior Principal at AFRY, sums it up bluntly: “We have much cheaper gas than last winter. Before we were at €50–55/MWh; now we are around €30/MWh.” And that matters, because gas determines a good part of the electricity price in the cold months. According to Revuelta, this drop alone means “about €40/MWh less” in many hours of winter. It is worth remembering that this year has been a record for new solar power —more than 9 gigawatts installed— and everything points because this winter There will be more radiation and less cloudiness than the previous one. The result: more renewables pushing prices down. However, the Spanish system continues to show shadows. As we have already explained on other occasionsAfter the blackout on April 28, Red Eléctrica was forced to reinforce the operation of the synchronous plants—that is, the gas combined cycles—to avoid new surges. Between May and October, its production increased by more than 50%, generating an additional 2.5 million tons of CO₂. An uncomfortable reminder: even in the European country with the most renewables per inhabitant, gas remains the system’s safety net. How will it affect the pocket? The electricity consumer will notice a certain relaxation in their bills. More solar hours, less gas pressure and a more stable market mean a more predictable winter. For one thing, homes with gas heating will also see softer bills this winter. But the good news has a deadline. Starting in 2028, the new European ETS2which will force distribution companies to pay for the final consumer’s emissions. In practice: gas will be more expensive structurally. In fact, Revuelta anticipates it: “In the medium term, operating a boiler will be significantly more expensive,” and the comparison with heat pumps will clearly lean towards the electrification of heat. On the other hand, another adjustment is coming. As Cinco Días points outmarketers are carrying an additional 3.3 billion euros this year due to technical restrictions. They are not fully impacting it, but they will. Iberdrola anticipates that 70% of its free market clients will notice these costs when renewing rates in 2025; in 2027, it will be 90%. In other words, this winter it drops, but the rates in 2026 and 2027 might not be so benign. In search of alternatives. While gas experiences ups and downs and electricity continues to be marked by volatility, solid biomass—pellets, chips, olive pits—continues to be the most economical option in the country. According to the Biomass Price Indices collected by Heat and Cold, The average cost is: Sliver: 3.34 c€/kWh Bone: 4.68 c€/kWh Pellet: 6.95 c€/kWh Facing: TUR2 natural gas: 8.59 c€/kWh Diesel C: 7.98 c€/kWh Electricity (heat pump): > 10 c€/kWh useful Furthermore, prices remain stable and production is national, with more than 60 pellet factories and dozens of olive chip and stone centers. A close, robust market with little exposure to international tensions. There is a more modern alternative. Surely you have heard about it: aerothermal energy. To be honest, it is expensive to install—between 10,000 and 20,000 euros—but extremely efficient: for every unit of electricity it consumes, it provides between 3.5 and 4 units of heat. With more renewables pushing the rate downwards in solar hours and an ETS2 that will make gas more expensive, the heat pump becomes the most profitable option in 10–15 years. According to Revuelta, the economic difference will widen year after year and regulation will push in the same direction. But there is a lot of talk about green hydrogen… True, green hydrogen makes news, but it will not yet heat homes. The last thing that is known is that Enegás has received 285 applications to inject hydrogen into the network by blending. However, the current technical limit is 2% of the volume, insufficient for domestic heating. The first real injections will arrive in spring 2026, but they will be experimental. Hydrogen will not play a real role in residential heating until well into the 2030s. The tension in Europe. Spain arrives more comfortably into winter than northern Europe. But it is not isolated. As far as we know The regasification plants in the Netherlands operate at 90–100%, their technical limit. They are the main LNG gateway for Germany and part of the European industry. Its saturation is “the prelude to higher prices.” Spain could help, but it can’t. Interconnections with France barely allow shipping between 7,000 and 8,500 million m³ per year. Added to this is another structural factor. According to The Economistmore than 57% of the LNG that Europe imports already comes from the United States, which some analysts consider a new dependence comparable to that which existed with Russia. And, furthermore, the European Union enters winter with reserves at 83%, below the target of 90%. A calmer winter… But an uncertain future. This winter the radiators will turn on with less fear. Gas is cheaper, electricity is relaxed and biomass offers an economical way. Heat pumps are consolidated as the great alternative for the future, and hydrogen begins its journey—although without immediate impact for homes. But calm is relative. Spain—and Europe—are still trapped between two models: the one they want —decarbonized, electrified, flexible— and the one that really operates —dependent on gas, LNG and saturated infrastructure. This winter will be kinder, yes. But the underlying question for every Spaniard remains open: how much longer … Read more

Switzerland shows how to take advantage of it in the middle of winter

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In the Swiss Alps, where the silence of winter often means months of ice and gray skies, a group of engineers is looking at how snowflakes can be transformed into energy. What was once an obstacle—the accumulation of snow on the solar panels—now becomes an opportunity. Their goal is as simple as it is ambitious: discover how winter can produce solar electricity. A solar laboratory. In these cold, bright valleys, the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL) and the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research have developed a computational model to study how snow patterns affect the performance of photovoltaic systems in alpine environments. This is the first detailed model that simulates the interaction between snow and vertical solar structures in high mountains. The study, published in the magazine Cold Regions Science and Technologyfocuses on Helioplant, a vertical solar structure patented by Austrian company Ehoch2. Its design – a kind of cross with four solar wings – allows snow to be removed passively, without covering the panels and maintaining its efficiency in extreme conditions. Snow as part of the solution. The question is inevitable: how? The Lausanne team has discovered that snow not only blocks light: it also returns it. Its white surface acts as a natural mirror that reflects the Sun’s rays towards the panels, a phenomenon known as albedo effect. The challenge is finding the right spot. If snow accumulates too much, it blocks light and can damage structures. That is why researchers are seeking to redesign the way the panels are installed, to take advantage of the reflection without being buried under the ice. Seeking to understand snow. To understand it, scientists did not limit themselves to observing it: they decided to model it based on what we were already discussing. To do this, they used Snowbedfoam, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool based on OpenFOAM, capable of simulating the transport and deposition of snow around solar structures. According to the studyis an Eulerian-Lagrangian solver that allows us to accurately represent how flakes move and accumulate in real environments. In hundreds of simulations, the team adjusted parameters such as the angle of inclination, the height of the panel above the ground, the spacing between units or its alignment with the wind. The results were revealing: the most efficient panels rise at least 0.6 meters above the ground, enough to prevent accumulated snow from blocking the release of new flakes. Hence the orientation as well. Panels aligned with the prevailing air currents stay clean as they carry away snow and prevent it from accumulating. But if they are rotated about 45°, protected areas are created where the flakes remain. As some French scientists have already confirmedair currents can be as useful a resource as sunlight itself. When the cold inspires energy. In other places they are also learning to listen to winter. In Norway, solar panels They rise vertically to look straight at the snow. In the Arctic city of Tromsø, 1,600 units cover more than 2,600 square meters, capturing both direct sunlight and that bouncing off the white ground. On the other side of the Atlantic, researchers from the University of Michigan test transparent coatings that prevent snow from adhering to the panels, even at –35 °C. Different solutions for the same learning: that the snow is not an obstacle, but part of the system. When winter also shines. Solar energy, a symbol of summer and the desert, is reinvented among glaciers and snow-capped peaks. What previously shut down production now multiplies it. What once blocked light now reflects it. The objective of these tests is not only to generate electricity, but to “create more efficient and snow-resistant photovoltaic systems.” In the words of the Lausanne researchersthe future of solar energy could lie in learning from snow, not fearing it. In the Alps, each flake is no longer an obstacle: it is a potential particle of energy. And in that silent gesture of snow reflecting light, Switzerland is testing the future of solar energy. Image | Pexels Xataka | Spanish scientists have created a material that swallows 99.5% of light. And it is great news for renewables

After renting swimming pools during the summer, a new business is on the rise in Madrid: private terraces in winter

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In a chalet in Boadilla del Monte, a group of friends drinks their wine as the afternoon falls. In the center of Madrid, a couple celebrates a birthday on a stranger’s terrace. In Lavapiés, a group of twenty-somethings toast in a room. In all cases, there is something in common: none of them are owners, but for a few hours they can pretend that they are. Madrid is rented in fragments: swimming pools in summer, terraces in autumn and lounges in winter. The everyday turned into a stage, intimacy turned into a product. Renting all year round. What started as a summer curiosity —renting private pools by the hour— has become a new form of urban leisure. Platforms like Cocopool, Born as the “Airbnb of water”now they also rent interiors for the rest of the year. However, behind this fashion there is something deeper than a simple leisure trend: an attempt to buy a life. aestheticthat ideal of calm, natural light and well-being that we see every day on social networks. From the dip to the shelter. Renting pools by the hour is still very popular and there are more and more platforms where you can choose where to take your next dip. What seemed like a seasonal business has become deseasonalized. In 2022 Cocopool launched as the “Airbnb of swimming pools”. Now, as explained by its CEO Gerard Xalabardéthe company has come up with “new verticals that cover the same needs the rest of the year.” In autumn and spring, users can rent terraces and gardens; in winter, private lounges with fireplace, sofas and equipped kitchen. In Madrid, the company has 15 interior spaces and 62 terraces or gardens, with prices ranging from 15 to 300 euros, depending on size and luxury. The average cost is around 32 euros for interiors and 34 for terraces, according to company data. The wish of a life aesthetic. This boom not only responds to a practical demand, but also to an aesthetic desire. Renting a well-kept terrace or a designer living room is not just about seeking comfort, but —as Xataka Home explains— “engage in an aspirational lifestyle, even if just for a few hours.” What used to materialize in Pinterest photos or TikTok videos is now experienced in the flesh: a garden with garlands, a light wooden table, a blue pool without background noise. According to Trendsthe phenomenon aesthetic It combines nostalgia for bygone eras with an obsession with the visually perfect: a life that seems orderly, beautiful and under control. In parallel, one could speak of “silent luxury” as the new form of exclusivity: minimalism, noble materials, neutral colors and absence of ostentation. In other words, renting a beige living room is not just leisure: it is a little aesthetic therapy to escape, for a few hours, from everyday clutter. “All for hours.” Pool rentals were just the beginning. The logic of sharing has been extended to almost any experience: terraces, gardens, living rooms, naps and even weddings. But beyond business ingenuity, there is a clear drift: the capitalization of any redoubt of private life. The intimate becomes the stage, the everyday becomes the product. Fewer and fewer things escape the logic of express rental. What was once shared among friends is now reserved with a card. What was rest is now sold as an experience. However, there are also those who find in these platforms a practical solution, not a fantasy. aesthetic. In a city where the flats they shrink and houses rarely allow more than six people to gather, renting a terrace or living room for a few hours can be a reasonable—and affordable—way to celebrate a birthday, a family reunion, or a meal with friends. Not everything is posturing: sometimes there is simply a lack of space. Although, in the words of geographer Vicent Molins, “Madrid has become a product.” And economist Juan Torres López warns that this trend “erodes urban ties and deepens inequality,” because it turns coexistence into business. In other words: if everything can be rented, everything can no longer belong to us. A copy of a copy. In just five years, Spain has gone from renting other people’s beds with Airbnb to renting moments of life: a pool, a terrace, a nap or, soon, a wedding. Everything is offered by the hour, everything is measured in experiences. Platforms like Cocopool, HolaPlace or Nap & Go They capitalize on a shared desire: to experience what we see on networks, even if it is for a while. A more orderly, beautiful, more aesthetic. Maybe, as El País warned“the brand grows, but the city gets worse for those who live in it.” Or maybe we’re just learning to put a price—literally—on what used to be free: the feeling of belonging, of having something of your own. Because, in the end, that life that we so long for on screens is nothing more than a copy of another copy. And we, paying to imitate her, are also a little bit. Image | FreePik Xataka | Neither air conditioning nor fan: the best thing to cool off in summer is a swimming pool. On these platforms they are rented by the hour

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