ACMC AWARDED O2 BLADE CONTRACT

Orbital Marine Power Ltd (Orbital), the world’s leading developer of floating tidal stream turbines, has awarded the composite blades contract for the company’s first commercial O2 tidal turbine to A C Marine & Composites (ACMC) who will carry out the manufacturing at their facilities in Gosport, Hampshire, England.

The contract will see ACMC build 10m composite blades for both of the O2’s twin rotors (four blades in total) giving the machine a swept area of over 600 square meters, the largest ever on a tidal turbine.

The O2, capable of generating over 2MW from tidal stream resources, will become the world’s most powerful tidal turbine when it enters operation later next year (2020) as part of a long term project at the European Marine Energy Centre, Orkney. Improvements in Orbital’s platform design have allowed for a rotor diameter increase of 4m on the company’s previous, record breaking, 2MW SR2000 turbine, with the O2 capable of producing electricity for over 1,700 UK homes - Link - more like this (sea/H2) - link

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(TOS) FOR FOX SAKE

An anonymous second year student at Hertford college, has recently been fined £500, as well as being banned from all social spaces within his college for Michaelmas term due to stealing a stuffed fox from Hertford’s MCR. 

The student was trashed after his first year exams holding the fox, and has since then been discovered by college officials.

In a Facebook post attaching his ‘gofundme’ page, he states that he will ‘bear the brunt’ of his punishment and has since paid the fine. 

He has since set up his ‘gofundme’ page, in which he shares harsh words for the college, making his point against taxidermy and raising money against the practice, rather than for the payment of his fine - more of this article (The Oxford Student) - link - more like this (Hertford) - link

HYDROGEN TRAINS COMING SOON(ER)

The introduction of hydrogen-powered trains moved a step closer yesterday with plans for a safety strategy to allow them to operate on the mainline network.

The Rail Safety and Standards Board industry body said that it had appointed consultants to create a “route map” designed to smooth the way for hydrogen trains in the next few years.

Arup has been appointed to assess the operational hazards associated with running the trains as well as recommending a series of safety rules - Link

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OXFORD'S CHILDREN - STUNTED

A report written by King's College London analysed 13 health conditions in people living in high pollution areas and compared them to the general population..

The study found roadside air pollution stunted lung growth in children by approximately 14% in Oxford. 

The new research also shows an increased risk of cardiac arrest, heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, bronchitis as well as reduced lung function in children but apart from that, nothing to worry about. - link

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BEST MASH PROJECT - MARK 10

Here we go, version ten in my quest to create the best mash ever made by a human being. More swede, more parsnips, same amount of carrots, less potatoes.

MARS ROVER TO BE TESTED IN OXFORD

NASA has announced that it will be testing their latest 'Curiosity Mars Rover IV' planetary investigation vehicle in Oxford as from 2020.

William B Sharfenzimmer Junior of NASA's interplanetary transit team revealed in a recent interview with 'Speed & Power' magazine "We know from previous satellite planet orbiting missions around Mars and the current landed mission that the surface is incredibly uneven and challenging and we have to test the new 'Curiosity Mars Rover IV' on comparable terrain in order to guarantee mission success".

In 2017, NASA contemplated building it's own rough terrain mock up facility replicating Mar's Mount Sharp in Philadelphia until a chance vacation brought engineer William Sharfenzimmer to Oxford who within minutes of his arrival realised that the test facility was already built and available in the UK.

The US$ 472 million 'Curiosity Mars Rover IV' will undergo nine months of preliminary terrain testing in Houston before being shipped to Oxford, England for the final testing described as 'brutal' by NASA along the stretch of pavement between Beaumont Street and Little Clarendon Street. Link - more like this (Mars) - link

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POPS

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Plastics: Impact on WEEE Recycling

POPs are a group of organic chemical substances which, due to their specific physical and chemical properties, are able to persist in the environment for long periods of time. Once released into the environment they have the ability to bio-magnify and bio-accumulate in ecosystems and have significant negative environmental and human health impacts

The flame retardants previously used in the manufacture of WEEE plastics are now identified as POPs, the most common being brominated flame retardants. Whilst these substances were legitimately added to plastics at the point of manufacture, they are now prohibited under the Stockholm Convention which places guidelines on the disposal of waste containing POPs. 

Waste containing POPs above a certain threshold is required to be disposed of in such a way that the POP is ‘destroyed or irreversibly transformed’ and the negative environmental impact is therefore removed. This means that WEEE plastics containing POPs cannot be treated in the same way as WEEE plastics which do not contain POPs. - link - more like this (POPs) - link - more like this (Stockholm) - link

ENERGY OBSERVER

The world’s first hydrogen-powered ship has arrived in London as part of a six-year, zero emissions voyage around the world.

The 30-metre long Energy Observer catamaran has already travelled 18,000 miles since leaving Saint Malo on the west coast of France and will remain stationed by Tower Bridge for 10 days as it finishes its European tour.

Crew say they want their “floating laboratory” to show that shipping can be decarbonised, emphasising that this needs to happen urgently to avoid catastrophic levels of climate change. - link

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