Alistair

Bringing good things to industrial decision makers. Tech, Engineering, Behavioural Economics, Data Science coming to together. Also just cool engineering stuff.

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@SashSoulsmith @milspecshitpost @grok Oooh! That makes sense. Cool, thanks!

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@grok @CJHandmer It looks like the grid requirements are more complex than what batteries can provide @CJHandmer . Heavy spinning things add robustness to a grid. These can be synchronous condensers, or nuclear power steam turbo-generators.

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@spinningturbine And I'm getting more inertia every day. I need to jog more. 😅

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@EdConwaySky @SkyNews We actually worked with a couple of the Australian grid operators with their synchronous condensers.

https://t.co/5soudAfPCG

@spinningturbine

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@EdConwaySky @SkyNews South Australia learned this the hard way. They're now installing Synchronous Condensers. Pretty much like those flywheels in Liverpool.

Along with providing inertia to the grid, they help control the power factor.

https://t.co/UUrcTkPRpx

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@EdConwaySky @SkyNews @threadreaderapp unroll

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@JohnSmit123 This jersey? 😉 Any Bok jersey's a good jersey. 😃

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@intentionally Product and thanks!

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@nickhedley If the business environment around the plant changed to one that allowed rapid on-site decision making by a small, motivated team, these plants would run.
Have a look at Kelvin Power Station. Older than Eskom plants, and better availability.

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@Noahpinion Ah it would be great to see wind and solar PV here with battery storage included in the cost. Would be much more apples and apples.
(Solar thermal typically has some storage built in, so comparing it to solar PV and wind without storage isn't ideal.)

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@nickhedley We're playing a role in helping the grid operator there set those spinning machines up and dealing with issues that are coming up. They're actually conventional generators with a flywheel attached.

[Tim Urban @waitbutwhy]

With everyone all abuzz about AI, let's revisit a few concepts from my AI post 8 years ago.

Hard to say if we're witnessing the beginning of the long-predicted "intelligence explosion" or just a sporadic burst of new advances. Either way, an S-curve seems to be picking up steam

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@TrungTPhan Men just need a target to hit!
https://t.co/pUGLbIN9wr.

[Alex @alex_avoigt]

Elon reportedly send this mail to Tesla employees:

1) Avoid large meetings
Large meetings waste valuable time & energy
- They discourage debate
- People are more guarded than open
- There’s not enough time for everyone to contribute
Don’t schedule large meetings unless ...

[Mike Sharman @mikesharman]

.@danielricciardo and South Africa will love this story from a WhatsApp

A honey badger found the box of OBs (sherry) on the game vehicle last night. We found him comatose next to the vehicle this morning. Then he gradually came round and staggered away…

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@Mars022675 @Noahpinion I dunno, some of the geo engineering stuff is interesting. I haven't finished yet, but starting a carbon based currency also sounds interesting.

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@Noahpinion Listen to The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson on Audible. https://t.co/zekfWbzTsF

[Alistair @alistair_m]

@Noahpinion I started reading the Ministry of the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. I thought it was a novel. Turns out it's non fiction. The first chapter of the book is about a unprecedented heat wave in India.