Switzerland and Renewable Energy

Switzerland and Renewable Energy

Byrichard

Yesterday while driving the radio was on. Usually I would turn it off because people usually speak about unimportant things. Yesterday was different. Yesterday someone was speaking about solar power and Switzerland. He said that at the moment just 6 percent of houses have solar panels, when it should be closer to 20-30 percent. He also said that instead of destroying pristine nature we should add solar panels to train stations and other buildings.

He went even further. He spoke about the need for architects to think about renewable energies by default, with the addition of solar panels on new buildings and more.

This podcast is so important that I listened to it as it was broadcast, but I also re-listened to it when I got home. There is a walk I have done three or more times in the Jura that goes along the Trans-Jurassienne train lines. Back in the day it generated part of its own energy by using hydroelectric power. You can still see the building where that power was generated.

At one point there was an interview from the 70s or so where the TPG were spoken of as adding solar panels on their buildings to generate their own power. “Why do you do this, do you save money?” “No, but we’re investing in the future, for our children, so that they will have energy.”

They also spoke of a solar powered community near Zurich, where a collaboration between property owners saw them find a way to generate solar power for their own community. This was 50 years ago. Even then people were living in the future, compared to today.

And Finally

Onr of the other points that was covered was the idea that there needs to be a discussion around how to sell and buy energy from a de-centralised energy system where someone on one floor can send energy to a neigbhour on another floor. The issue is that at the moment the grid is still centered around power stations. and with solar, hydro and wind power there could be a shift towards a de-centralised energy system.

It’s actually something I said a few years ago. If every village creates and shares its own power then high tension powerl ines could become a thing of the past, as power would be within smaller nodes.

The Environmental Impact of Construction Noise
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The Environmental Impact of Construction Noise

Byrichard

When people speak about construction they always think of the carbon footprint of construction but I’d like to take a look at the noise footprint of destruction of old buildings and construction of new buildings.

I live close to a quarry. If I open the windows I can hear the noise of tracks grating along as diggers and machines move around and drop construction rubble and other materials either onto the ground, or into the truck’s back. A few days I counted at least eight diggers working simultaneously. That’s a lot of noise.

Roof Replacement

A year or two ago I had several weeks of noise pollution that came from the replacement of a roof. They moved the old tiles, removed the wooden beams, and then they had to put new ones. The noise lasted for weeks or even months.

Destruction of Old Buildings

In Switzerland you see that densification is taken seriously. As soon as a single family has moved out of their old homes developers come in, flatten the old building, after just 30-50 years of use, and build something new. A building nearby has been demolished over three days, so far, and the noise is constant, from the time they start their shift until the time their shift ends. The result of this noise pollution, and environmental pollution, is that windows need to be closed and white noise needs to be produced.

The Noise of Construction

Once the buildings are demolished we are then condemned to months of construction noises. We are condemned to the sound of stone cutting, brick cutting, trucks and other machines. We are condemned to hundreds, if not thousands of hours of construction noises, for each building.

My Concern

My concern is that huge amounts of energy are being wasted to build homes that last for one family, before being demolished, and a new building constructed. Every building destruction and rebuild results in a year or two of noise pollution, if not more. That noise has an environmental impact and the Swiss do not worry about it. You can’t fly an ultralight plane, but you can demolish a building and build another, without worrying about noise pollution.

My Idealism

While preparing dinner yesterday I was tempted by the idea of having noise pollution regulations for construction, that would force builders to consider their environmental noise impact. I would measure the base noise level of a construction site, before works begin, and if construction is in a quiet place, it should not be allowed to exceed a certain noise level, for two reasons.

The first is that noise pollution is disruptive. It breaks focus, hence the need for white noise, but it also takes away the freedom to open windows to cool down buildings. During summer heatwavess this means that buildings that could easily be cooled, become impossible to cool down, due to environmental noise pollution.

I found it quieter when I spent 21 days in the middle of Geneva, and when I lived in Meyrin, by the airport, than I do in villages where they want to densify where people live.

Europe is looking at noise pollution, mainly focused at traffic, but I believe that construction noise pollution should be addressed. For four or five years I have suffered from construction noise pollution. It is now so bad that I rarely open windows for more than a few minutes at a time, in between bouts of noise pollution. Before moving in this noisy village I would open windows in the morning, and close them before sunset. I have lost that feedom due to noise pollution

And Finally

Due to noise pollution the Outside Air Temperature is 19°c but I can’t take advantage to cool my 28°c apartment because if I open the windows I will get construction noise permanently. After three years of living in a warm apartment over the summer months I have acclimated. I would like to regain the freedom to cool my apartment, by opening windows, without suffering with the noise of construction.

I miss being able to open a window in the morning, forgetting about it, and then closing it in the evening. I hope that other people feel the same way, and that with time, new noise regulations will come into being.

Slowed by the Wind

Slowed by the Wind

Byrichard

Yesterday I walked into the wind for two to three kilometres. The wind was so strong that the Apple watch gave me “high noise level” warnings more than once. The wind was around 30-40km/h. It was so strong that I stopped listening to an Audiobook because I couldn’t hear it. I then heard the summary for the last kilometre and was told that I was walking at 11 minutes per kilometre, compared to my 10 minutes 40 per kilometre.

I didn’t ride the bike because I saw how windy it was, but for the wind to be strong enough to affect my walking speed is new. I’ve walked in very high winds in the past, but that was at the sea side, not Switzerland. Walking in a strong wind is unpleasant because it’s noisy, So noisy that you can’t listen to anything but the wind.

Wind on a Bike

We are all familiar with the wind when cycling. We are used to that feeling of fighting an uphill battle despite being on flat ground. A few days ago I cycled to Geneva and back and I was fighting the wind. When you cycle into the wind you’re making a certain amount of effort but your progress is sluggish. You question whether you are less fit than usual, and you feel more tired. The wind makes you work hard. That’s why riding with the wind pushing is more fun. That’s when you feel much faster than usual.

Surprised

I was really surprised that the wind actually slowed me down but that’s normal. I was walking into the wind, and there were no trees or other obstacles to break up the wind. I was walking headlong into the wind, with no trees or anything else to slow it down. I tried walking in the lee of a power pole but that didn’t help. I just walked into the wind.

Warm Day

I checked the temperature before going on my walk. I saw that the temperature was 27°c, so walking in that temperature, with that wind, is not unpleasant. I wasn’t cold. I was simply impatient to get next to some trees and buildings, as well as to change direction, to stop facing straight into the wind.

According to the Beaufort scale, walking into the wind becomes difficult at around 32-38 kph (50-61 mph). This is the equivalent of a moderate gale. At this wind speed, the wind can start to push you back, making it difficult to maintain your balance and forward momentum. If the wind is blowing from the side, it can also make it difficult to walk in a straight line.

At wind speeds of 40 kph or more, walking into the wind can become dangerous. The wind can be strong enough to knock you over, and it can also make it difficult to breathe. If you are planning on walking in windy conditions, it is important to dress appropriately and to be aware of the risks involved.

According to Google Bard I was right at the limit of what can be walked in, comfortably. Just a little stronger and I would have been fighting with the wind, rather than inconvenienced.

And Finally

Overall this summer has been calmer than usual. We have had wind, rain and moderate heat. We have not had days in a row that reached 37°c or more. This summer has been more comfortable, less extreme.

Earth Day – Some Simple Acts
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Earth Day – Some Simple Acts

Byrichard

Today is Earth Day, as Google, Moleskine and other companies are reminding us of. Earth Day is an opportunity to think about how to reduce our carbon footprint and ecological impact. 


Sigg recently began to sell aluminium water bottles that are made entirely from recycled aluminium. Instead of encouraging us to recycle our old bottles, they have skipped a step, and now make their bottles from recycled aluminium directly. 


It takes five uses of a recycled Sigg water bottle for the carbon footprint to be offset. Amortising the cost of a bottle takes about 30 litres, so theoretically thirty days if you drink one litre per day.  


Sportstracker, a sports tracking app that I have been using for a decade and a half or more tells me that I have walked 22hrs, cycled almost 8hrs, nordic walked 2hrs28 and run one hour. 


It says that I have saved almost 5kg of CO2. It would be more if it counted cycling as commuting. I can’t control what is considered for that calculation. 


I would love to see a shift away from car culture, to bike and walking culture. I would love to see people walk and cycle more, and for cars to behave more courteously, towards pedestrians and cyclists. 


In theory people should be quiet from 22:00 onwards but unfortunately this isn’t the case. We always hear about how we should stop eating meat and driving cars but I’d like some effort to be made to stop people from being nocturnal. Specifically I would like the cost of alcohol consumption and smoking on balconies at night to be tackled. Being social at night, rather than during the day, means more energy being wasted for lighting, to prepare alcoholic beverages, to keep them cool and more. Think also, of the carbon footprint of every cigarette, from the tobacco that is smoked to the filter that needs to be disposed of, the supply chain and more. 


It seems paradoxical that festival goers and other forms of altermondialistes are nocturnal, given that being nocturnal requires so much energy, and light pollution. 


The La Dole Webcam shows the seriousness of the problem with light pollution at this moment in time. Review the night time images of the sky over the Léman


And Finally


Cycling and walking are fun. Moving away from automatically taking the car, would improve our quality of life. Driving, in traffic, is unpleasant. Water bottles are now made from recycled aluminium to start with, rather than after use. Coffee capsules are made from seaweed rather than plastic or aluminium. Progress is being made to help the environment, but more can be done. 

Signs of Drought

Signs of Drought

Byrichard

Today as I walked I could see clear evidence that Switzerland is now dry. As you walk by the side of the road you see that it is yellow, and that there is no growth. Crops are withering away and water gauges are now filling with dust, rather than rain.


We now go for weeks without rain. If I wanted to pick up the soil it would crumble in my hands and blow away as dust. I see that one of the local rivers is drying up again.


  • A dry water meter
    A dry water meter – There is very little rain
  • View of Grass and the Alps
    View of Grass and the Alps
  • Dry grass by the river side
    Dry grass by the river side
  • Dry grass by the river side
    Dry grass by the river side


La Suisse bientot à court d’eau


Malgré la pluie, la forêt valaisanne est déjà en danger d’incendie