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Showing posts with label 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2013. Show all posts

Monday, 25 November 2013

F1 Racing: Sebastian Vettel, the new Legend

Image: Courtesy IBNLive (Brazilian GP 2013, Race Podium)
Sebastian Vettel has now won 9 races, one after the other - a feat no other Formula 1 driver has achieved. He has equaled the Legendary Michael Schumacher's feat of 13 victories in a single year. He knew that with the car and performance, it was important to take the best out of it. There was no point sitting it out with content having already been crowned world champion two races prior.

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts
1 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 71 1:32:36.300 1 25
2 2 Mark WebberRed Bull Racing 71 +10.4 4 18
(data source: Race Results, FIA)

Friday, 15 November 2013

India 2013: Tamil Nadu - Power crisis!

The two main sources of electricity generated in Tamil Nadu are Mettur Hydel Project and thermal plants at the Neyveli Lignite Corporation.

In addition there are multiple thermal power plants of much lower capacity, some operating on diesel, some operating on coal - all of which have little or no indigenous supply of fuel.

Kalpakkam, the first Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) powers areas in the state capital of Chennai and has already been upgraded close to 1.25 MW peak capacity with an additional reactor. This was designed to be a contingency and research operation to support state capitals in times of grave emergency. Our complete reliance on Kalpakkam for Chennai (and surrounding areas) is already stressing out the production from this plant.

Wind power generation has dropped 85% between 2012 and 2013. This is from 30% of projected peak wind power capacity to 5% of projected wind power plant capacity.

Kudankulam's revised nuclear power technology reactor output is sketchy at best, one can assume that it feeds 500MW (peak: 750MW) of power into the grid if it is operational - despite the fact that it's capacity is much higher. This is more a naval facility than a civilian power production plant, particularly due to its location and is manned by very few civilians.

Read on to see data, alternatives, and where we must try to go from here ...