Sci/tech tidbits in and around New Hampshire
New England’s power needs are going to become a lot more variable
Peak demand for electricity in New England will shift from summer to winter by the mid-2030s, largely because rooftop solar power is less in winter, and by 2050 the continuing variability in weather means peak demand could vary by as much a 20 GW between mild and...
Boston, NYC take different approaches as climate change threatens sewer systems
Warmer air holds more moisture, which means that storms can drop more rain than they used to. That's been known since the earliest of worrying about climate change and it is happening already, with "extreme precipitation" becoming the norm. Huge rainstorms can...
Maine: Offshore wind? Nah, I want *floating* offshore wind!
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The federal government issued on Monday the nation’s first floating offshore wind research lease to the state of Maine, comprising about 23 square miles (60 square kilometers) in federal waters. The state requested the lease from the...
Transformer shortage makes a long wait for NH electric school buses
Concord, N.H., celebrated the eventual arrival of electric school buses Wednesday thanks to federal programs designed to replace the diesel buses that have been polluting schoolyards and streets for decades. The key word, however, is “eventual.” The three buses...
Net-zero development promises it won’t be weird or super expensive
This is my column in the Monitor today. Note the NIMBY shot at the end. This column concerns a New Hampshire housing development that will be net-zero, something the world really needs, but before we get to details, let’s face facts: Your first reaction is that it...
NH patents through Aug. 18
(Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following federal patents were assigned in New Hampshire through Aug. 18 *** System, Method, and Apparatus for Estimating Liquid Delivery...
Solar geekery: BTM isn’t the same as “rooftop”
ISO-NE has a good explained about "behind-the-meter solar" - there are more aspects to it than I realized. You can read it here. In particular, I have used BTM as synonymous with rooftop solar like mine, which sends no information to the grid about usage and therefore...
In a Manchester park, a piece of planet-wide species extinction (update)
In 2021, I wrote about an unlikely ecological event in a city park in Manchester: Botanists will soon announce the official extinction of an inconspicuous plant with the inconspicuous name of smooth slender crabgrass that once lived only in Rock Rimmon Park. It will...
“Beer Tasting: The Science of Savoring” at Science Cafe, Wednesday
Science Cafe NH in Nashua will have a session titled "Beer Tasting 101: The Science of Savoring". A public discussion where you'll learn the art of tasting and appreciating different brews! Whether you're a casual drinker or a budding connoisseur, this event is...
Flooding means Vermont (and northern NH) need to change
Globe has a good story about Vermont facing reality: Flooding is part of life now and the state needs to change. State and local leaders are also asking tough questions about climate adaptation and what it means for the Green Mountain State. The questions span from...
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