The JET laboratory, the focus of European fusion experiments for decades, carries out its last test.

39 points

My main takeaway from this article is that is that the British equivalent for energy is how many kettles you can boil. American football fields are jealous and feeling quite flat.

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14 points

There was a BBC Connections episode that showed eager power distribution people watching a famous English show.

The thing was that it was so popular they knew to expect kettles going off simultaneously all over the country the minute the show ended creating a spike they had to manage.

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11 points

There’s a power station in snowdonia, Wales nicknamed Electric Mountain, that just pumps water up the mountain all year round to drop it at optimum times. The cliche examples given are the world cup final half time and after a Dr Who finale. At that point they just drop all the stored water over their turbines to counter the massive surge. I’m sure equivalents of this are common all over the world but it feels so uniquely British.

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6 points

Interesting it’s as specialized as it is but many dams pump water up the reservoir during low consumption times to store for periods where power is needed.

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9 points

And now look up, what the B in BTU on your furnace stands for. The redcoats never left!

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4 points

Do we all now throw it furnaces in the Boston harbor?

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3 points

historically it has been a significant measure. Back in the 80s the grid had to allow for TV commercial breaks on popular shows. As millions of folks went and put the kettle on. I assume streaming has done more for UK daley tea distribution then anything else.

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