Michael de Podesta
@protons4b.bsky.social
Experimental physicist, professionally retired since April 2020, but still experimenting. I've been writing about science since 2008 at http://protonsforbreakfast.org
Very concerned about the Climate and sustainable living.
Very concerned about the Climate and sustainable living.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/11/03/i...
Friends, I made spectrophotometer that sort of works.
Friends, I made spectrophotometer that sort of works.
November 3, 2025 at 10:14 PM
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/11/03/i...
Friends, I made spectrophotometer that sort of works.
Friends, I made spectrophotometer that sort of works.
soundcloud.com/dylanesque19...
You are right. Here's a song I imagined singing in a few years time, but it already makes sense now.
"I long for the long rainy summers
I used to know in my youth
Long cold rainy summers
I wish you could know them too."
You are right. Here's a song I imagined singing in a few years time, but it already makes sense now.
"I long for the long rainy summers
I used to know in my youth
Long cold rainy summers
I wish you could know them too."
September 19, 2025 at 10:43 AM
soundcloud.com/dylanesque19...
You are right. Here's a song I imagined singing in a few years time, but it already makes sense now.
"I long for the long rainy summers
I used to know in my youth
Long cold rainy summers
I wish you could know them too."
You are right. Here's a song I imagined singing in a few years time, but it already makes sense now.
"I long for the long rainy summers
I used to know in my youth
Long cold rainy summers
I wish you could know them too."
Now correctly rendered.
September 14, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Now correctly rendered.
Here's my month by month costs for the last 4 years and the annual carbon dioxide emissions. The yellow shows the avoided emissions from exported electricity.
September 14, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Here's my month by month costs for the last 4 years and the annual carbon dioxide emissions. The yellow shows the avoided emissions from exported electricity.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/07/20/t...
A couple of reflections on the "State of the UK Climate Report 2024".
Most essentially, I am so sad that the Climate in which I grew up is already gone.
A couple of reflections on the "State of the UK Climate Report 2024".
Most essentially, I am so sad that the Climate in which I grew up is already gone.
July 21, 2025 at 9:43 AM
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/07/20/t...
A couple of reflections on the "State of the UK Climate Report 2024".
Most essentially, I am so sad that the Climate in which I grew up is already gone.
A couple of reflections on the "State of the UK Climate Report 2024".
Most essentially, I am so sad that the Climate in which I grew up is already gone.
Data from London.
20 m2 of panels
10 m2 facing 20° E of S
10 m2 facing 20° S of W
~185 kWh/year
Added an additional 15 m2
9.4 m2 facing 20° N of E
5.6 m2 flat
~133 kWh/year
These are kWh of exported electricity.
So a figure of 100 to 180 kWh/year seems reasonable for the south of the UK.
20 m2 of panels
10 m2 facing 20° E of S
10 m2 facing 20° S of W
~185 kWh/year
Added an additional 15 m2
9.4 m2 facing 20° N of E
5.6 m2 flat
~133 kWh/year
These are kWh of exported electricity.
So a figure of 100 to 180 kWh/year seems reasonable for the south of the UK.
July 16, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Data from London.
20 m2 of panels
10 m2 facing 20° E of S
10 m2 facing 20° S of W
~185 kWh/year
Added an additional 15 m2
9.4 m2 facing 20° N of E
5.6 m2 flat
~133 kWh/year
These are kWh of exported electricity.
So a figure of 100 to 180 kWh/year seems reasonable for the south of the UK.
20 m2 of panels
10 m2 facing 20° E of S
10 m2 facing 20° S of W
~185 kWh/year
Added an additional 15 m2
9.4 m2 facing 20° N of E
5.6 m2 flat
~133 kWh/year
These are kWh of exported electricity.
So a figure of 100 to 180 kWh/year seems reasonable for the south of the UK.
I upgraded the radiators last November 2024 and it seemed to distinctly improve the COP. But over the winter the improvement in SCOP was only about 6%, not really justifying the £cough thousand pounds I spent.
But they do look nice.
But they do look nice.
July 2, 2025 at 11:18 AM
I upgraded the radiators last November 2024 and it seemed to distinctly improve the COP. But over the winter the improvement in SCOP was only about 6%, not really justifying the £cough thousand pounds I spent.
But they do look nice.
But they do look nice.
Capital costs were high.
House value ~£ 1 million - normal in Teddington
Triple Glazing: ~£10k
External Wall Insulation: ~£26k
Solar Panels: ~£10k
Battery: ~£10k
-
Total: ~£60k
- a little bit more than a high-end kitchen re-fit in London
Annual Savings: ~£3k?
Significant CO2 savings.
House value ~£ 1 million - normal in Teddington
Triple Glazing: ~£10k
External Wall Insulation: ~£26k
Solar Panels: ~£10k
Battery: ~£10k
-
Total: ~£60k
- a little bit more than a high-end kitchen re-fit in London
Annual Savings: ~£3k?
Significant CO2 savings.
July 2, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Capital costs were high.
House value ~£ 1 million - normal in Teddington
Triple Glazing: ~£10k
External Wall Insulation: ~£26k
Solar Panels: ~£10k
Battery: ~£10k
-
Total: ~£60k
- a little bit more than a high-end kitchen re-fit in London
Annual Savings: ~£3k?
Significant CO2 savings.
House value ~£ 1 million - normal in Teddington
Triple Glazing: ~£10k
External Wall Insulation: ~£26k
Solar Panels: ~£10k
Battery: ~£10k
-
Total: ~£60k
- a little bit more than a high-end kitchen re-fit in London
Annual Savings: ~£3k?
Significant CO2 savings.
Minimum was 21.9 °C according the weather station in my back garden in Teddington.
July 1, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Minimum was 21.9 °C according the weather station in my back garden in Teddington.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/m...
Going off-grid in summer never gets old.
Here's a summary of the first 6 months of 2025 - heat pump and solar pV systems are working well.
Going off-grid in summer never gets old.
Here's a summary of the first 6 months of 2025 - heat pump and solar pV systems are working well.
July 1, 2025 at 4:17 PM
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/m...
Going off-grid in summer never gets old.
Here's a summary of the first 6 months of 2025 - heat pump and solar pV systems are working well.
Going off-grid in summer never gets old.
Here's a summary of the first 6 months of 2025 - heat pump and solar pV systems are working well.
Just to be clear, I pay the standing charges - happily. To me they make a lot of sense. I just get a rebate from solar exports. I don't know how Octopus can afford to pay me 15p/kWh - I can't believe that will last much longer.
July 1, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Just to be clear, I pay the standing charges - happily. To me they make a lot of sense. I just get a rebate from solar exports. I don't know how Octopus can afford to pay me 15p/kWh - I can't believe that will last much longer.
@edhawkins.org #showyourstripes.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/06/20/c...
I posted my climate stripes on the poster board in the front garden - together with a challenge.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/06/20/c...
I posted my climate stripes on the poster board in the front garden - together with a challenge.
June 20, 2025 at 1:09 PM
@edhawkins.org #showyourstripes.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/06/20/c...
I posted my climate stripes on the poster board in the front garden - together with a challenge.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/06/20/c...
I posted my climate stripes on the poster board in the front garden - together with a challenge.
How does the heat transfer from a radiator vary with flow rate?
If you have ever puzzled over this question, then this article may conceivably be of interest.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/06/15/t...
If you have ever puzzled over this question, then this article may conceivably be of interest.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/06/15/t...
June 15, 2025 at 10:40 AM
How does the heat transfer from a radiator vary with flow rate?
If you have ever puzzled over this question, then this article may conceivably be of interest.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/06/15/t...
If you have ever puzzled over this question, then this article may conceivably be of interest.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/06/15/t...
berkeleyearth.org/may-2025-tem...
"The trend lines show definite upward curvature, but it could just be the influence of the last couple of extra hot years"
It could be just fluctuations, but given all that's going on, I fear not.
"The trend lines show definite upward curvature, but it could just be the influence of the last couple of extra hot years"
It could be just fluctuations, but given all that's going on, I fear not.
June 15, 2025 at 10:19 AM
berkeleyearth.org/may-2025-tem...
"The trend lines show definite upward curvature, but it could just be the influence of the last couple of extra hot years"
It could be just fluctuations, but given all that's going on, I fear not.
"The trend lines show definite upward curvature, but it could just be the influence of the last couple of extra hot years"
It could be just fluctuations, but given all that's going on, I fear not.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/05/29/m...
Looking for something lighter? I've just spent several days measuring the frequencies with which different styles of wine glass vibrate as they are filled. The results are honestly fascinating...
Looking for something lighter? I've just spent several days measuring the frequencies with which different styles of wine glass vibrate as they are filled. The results are honestly fascinating...
May 29, 2025 at 12:35 PM
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/05/29/m...
Looking for something lighter? I've just spent several days measuring the frequencies with which different styles of wine glass vibrate as they are filled. The results are honestly fascinating...
Looking for something lighter? I've just spent several days measuring the frequencies with which different styles of wine glass vibrate as they are filled. The results are honestly fascinating...
May 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/05/16/t...
This is a gullible idiot's perspective on the @Climeworks scam. I am learning...
This is a gullible idiot's perspective on the @Climeworks scam. I am learning...
May 16, 2025 at 10:36 AM
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/05/16/t...
This is a gullible idiot's perspective on the @Climeworks scam. I am learning...
This is a gullible idiot's perspective on the @Climeworks scam. I am learning...
I spent £60,000 on my home: EWI, Triple-glazing, Solar & Battery, ASHP. But even to me this seems pretty extreme.
April 3, 2025 at 12:33 PM
I spent £60,000 on my home: EWI, Triple-glazing, Solar & Battery, ASHP. But even to me this seems pretty extreme.
I went through the data for Teddington UK and recorded monthly generation from 2005 to 2020 and recorded the mean and the (max-min)/2.
I was just looking at one place. I would expect this to be locally correlated over (say) 100 km, but more weakly correlated over longer distances.
I was just looking at one place. I would expect this to be locally correlated over (say) 100 km, but more weakly correlated over longer distances.
April 1, 2025 at 7:04 PM
I went through the data for Teddington UK and recorded monthly generation from 2005 to 2020 and recorded the mean and the (max-min)/2.
I was just looking at one place. I would expect this to be locally correlated over (say) 100 km, but more weakly correlated over longer distances.
I was just looking at one place. I would expect this to be locally correlated over (say) 100 km, but more weakly correlated over longer distances.
tinyurl.com/3ev86bd3
Sorry about the link: does this one work?
And thanks for the information about Tomato energy. I'll check that out.
Thanks
M
Sorry about the link: does this one work?
And thanks for the information about Tomato energy. I'll check that out.
Thanks
M
March 14, 2025 at 10:51 AM
tinyurl.com/3ev86bd3
Sorry about the link: does this one work?
And thanks for the information about Tomato energy. I'll check that out.
Thanks
M
Sorry about the link: does this one work?
And thanks for the information about Tomato energy. I'll check that out.
Thanks
M
I went along for a tea-tasting session at the Chinese Tea Company.
the-chinese-tea-company.com
It was absolutely fascinating - I learnt so much while chatting over tea. Strongly recommended.
the-chinese-tea-company.com
It was absolutely fascinating - I learnt so much while chatting over tea. Strongly recommended.
February 5, 2025 at 8:25 PM
I went along for a tea-tasting session at the Chinese Tea Company.
the-chinese-tea-company.com
It was absolutely fascinating - I learnt so much while chatting over tea. Strongly recommended.
the-chinese-tea-company.com
It was absolutely fascinating - I learnt so much while chatting over tea. Strongly recommended.
Going out last night I noticed the sound of my neighbour's noisy gas boiler.
February 5, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Going out last night I noticed the sound of my neighbour's noisy gas boiler.
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/01/24/i...
I measured the effectiveness of some insulating blinds.
They are surprisingly good, with a U-value of about 1.6 W/°C/m^2.
The article contains more details than most people want to know.
I measured the effectiveness of some insulating blinds.
They are surprisingly good, with a U-value of about 1.6 W/°C/m^2.
The article contains more details than most people want to know.
January 24, 2025 at 1:30 PM
protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2025/01/24/i...
I measured the effectiveness of some insulating blinds.
They are surprisingly good, with a U-value of about 1.6 W/°C/m^2.
The article contains more details than most people want to know.
I measured the effectiveness of some insulating blinds.
They are surprisingly good, with a U-value of about 1.6 W/°C/m^2.
The article contains more details than most people want to know.