What I've Learned This Week
(1) The difference between a kW (a measure of energy) and a kWh (a measure of power) is akin to the difference between rate and velocity. As kWh is contingent upon time, its measures for February and March cannot be equated; Feb has 28 days while Mar has 31. The higher a power plant's kWh, the faster it is using up its energy. (Yes, I know, I am such a physics noob.)
(2) Owning and operating a car in Singapore is EXTREMELY expensive. In addition to the capital investment in the vehicle, one must pay reg fees, road taxes, certificate of entitlement (COE) if one is lucky enough to receive a bid from the vehicle quota scheme (VQS), additional reg fees (140% of open market value), customs duty (31% of OMV), AND electronic road pricing (implemented when traffic is thick). To put it into perspective, it will take at least $200K for a basic new car. No wonder EVs have not been able to penetrate the market yet; it'll nearly double the sunk cost.Â
An EV charging station by Bosch @ Energy Market Authority.
(3) Calculating the cost of pollutant emissions from power plants is very complicated, especially when compared to tailpipe. One must consider the impact of plume dimensions and wind velocity, as well as the chemical conversion of molecules along the impact pathway (ex: NO2 to O3, a.k.a. ozone).
(4) I am literally witnessing history being made before my eyes (or shall I say, nose). As of 11 a.m. on June 21, 2013, the National Environment Agency reports Singapore's PSI reading as 400. To put this into perspective, California's PSI rarely exceeds 50. But I just wanted to explore nature and the outdoors... Seems like #TooMuchToAskFor
Taken with my phone at 9 a.m. today. Looks like it'll be sticking around until September.
(5) The Indonesian government suffers from a crippling amount of corruption, preventing it from solving the issue of fire transmigration to Singapore and Malaysia. I couldn't stop myself from laughing as I breathed in a hazardous concentration of particulate matter (NBD) and read this:Â "Singapore should not be behaving like a child and making all this noise," Agung Laksono, the minister coordinating Indonesia's response, told reporters. "This is not what the Indonesian nation wants, it is because of nature."Â Okay cool, because slash & burn is completely legal in Indonesia, right?
(6) India is moving forward, and who would've thunk it? Look at this cool integration of solar PV panels and irrigation canals in Gujarat, an invention that accounts for land and electricity shortage (simultaneously!) in the state:Â
Source: switchboard.nrdc.org
YUP. It's been an eventful week. And it is really a shame that I won't be able to explore the city this weekend due to health risks.
The head of ESI cracked a big joke an hour ago after hearing one of our employees jokingly request an office-wide holiday due to current conditions.
"Yes, go ahead, I don't mind. Even if I did, how does it matter? No one will be able to see you going home anyway lah."
True story... I can almost feel my nostrils on fire. Now, if you may excuse me, I will attempt to extinguish this nuisance.Â