Austrian government communication about possible energy shortage in Europe - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Just_another_Dave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2021, 07:05:09 pm
content: During the last week some major newspapers and tv channels in Spain have been talking about a communication from the Austrian government advising their citizens to prepare for an energy shortage in Europe in the next 5 years (for example in this link it is covered by abc:https://www.abc.es/economia/abci-austria-prepara-ciudadanos-para-posible-apagon-gran-escala-202110251949_noticia.html). Due to the overall quality of news, I haven’t found any links to the official communication in them, making it difficult to verify their statements.Has anybody in this forum read the official communication and/or the given recommendations that newspapers are mentioning?

author: DC1MC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 06:30:25 am
content: The Austrian government tried to publish a bit of guidelines in an attempt to convince the completely apathetic population to be a bit more prepared in case of a blackout and don't freeze to death or starve if the power goes off for a couple of days:https://www.bundesheer.at/archiv/a2021/blackout/blackout.shtml(google translate should do it)EDIT A bit more of it:https://www.saurugg.net/2020/blog/krisenvorsorge/blackout-gefahr-sehr-real-bundesheer-ruft-zur-vorsorge-auf(The older people are bit more prepared with at least a bit of provisions and tools, but the carefree youngsters if their food delivery service stops and the stores are closed, they just die, same with the water and electricity, if Netflix or, God forbid, Internet stops for a week, they're done,if one mentions that they should have the minimum of water and food supplies at home and another flashlight than their phone has, they look strange to and ask "but why..." with big round eyes, if you talk a bit more of preparedness like some emergency medical kit (they don't how to use it anyway), canned food or, the horror, a small portable generator, you're deep in the conspiracy theory)Then of course, the press and politicians took this as a nice talking point to boost their agenda, from global warming to Pootin bad to whatever.Basically that's all of it.Cheers,DC1MC

author: Just_another_Dave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 09:01:47 am
content: Quote from: DC1MC on November 01, 2021, 06:30:25 amThanks, I was looking for those guides to know what they actually say, but, as I don’t know German and finding a reference in a newspaper is a miracle, I was having a hard time doing so hahahaI think that publishing a short guide on how people should be prepared just in case a problem occurs is a nice thing. Last year it snowed in Madrid more than usual and the city got paralyzed for an entire week just because nobody had shovels (snow usually melts while it drops, so we normally just need to care about ice forming in the streets)

author: DavidAlfa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 09:46:03 am
content: So that's why we've had so much zombie apocalypse hype all these years!Jokes apart, they're bad news, but I also like the fact that we've finally seen there're no unlimited sources and how dependant we are.Very much like any other big country, like USA messing with Huawei.World powers thinking they're untouchable and can control anything, until Russia starts drops the oil cost or stops selling GLP.Recently China stopped selling magnesium, being the global providers of the 80%.And today Morocco cutted off a huge gas pipeline to Spain.Playing economic war is dangerous, WW III is coming!

author: DC1MC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 09:58:36 am
content: Quote from: DavidAlfa on November 01, 2021, 09:46:03 amA zombie apocalypse is not necessary, two weeks without power and running water and the nice city 10+ stories buildings will became literally shitholes. But this is difficult to express in a cinematic way, zombies are way cooler

author: DavidAlfa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 10:06:14 am
content: Are you saying I'm exaggerating?We'll see when hordes of craving smokers patrol the streets, havign to breathe common air!Social media fuckwits after being unable to post any sh*i in days.Gamers without their daily 14h gaming dose.The zombies will be better than what will be comingThere's only one nice thing: We'll be the kings, the only ones with the knowledge to use solar panels.

author: Just_another_Dave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 10:58:58 am
content: Quote from: DavidAlfa on November 01, 2021, 10:06:14 amThat must be the reason why engineering associations have been announcing free webinars on solar panels installation (as well as paid courses)Thankfully someone created Collapse OS just in case an apocalypse happened and it wasn’t possible to manufacture computers. That would help with zombie gamers as roguelikes will be still playable

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 11:37:21 am
content: Here in Australia in Victoria we had an explosion at a gas plant in 1998 that cut gas supplies to millions of people for weeks. No gas for heating hot water or cooking for nearly 3 weeks in some places. It is hard to believe it was over 20 years ago but it happens.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esso_Longford_gas_explosionEven with a relatively small inconvenience of such a disaster it is satisfying to know you can get through it.Even further back in 1985 when I was in Brisbane we had two weeks of rolling blackouts (load shedding) when the government sacked 1000 electricity workers.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEQEB_strike_of_Queensland,_1985Just last week I went to the supermarket and the meat, dairy and milk fridges were empty because the power had gone out in a big storm. OK not a disaster unless you choose to live right on the edge in terms of supplies at home. Which many do for various reasons.Energy shortages come in many forms. It pays to have a sensible plan B. And I don't mean a tin of beans and a bunker in the desert.

author: Just_another_Dave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 11:45:11 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on November 01, 2021, 11:37:21 amHaving a plan for those cases is actually a really good idea. We’ve had problems in the recent past in Spain as a consequence of not having them and waiting to the last moment to take decisions. Storing 10 days of medical treatments seems pretty reasonable if you depend on it.Lean manufacturing is not always the best option, especially if shortages might happen hahaha

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 01:16:08 pm
content: Quote from: DavidAlfa on November 01, 2021, 09:46:03 amI disagree. The energy shortage in Europe is mostly self inflicted by switching off coal & nuclear power plants and (in case of the Netherlands: stop pumping gas from the ground). These are measures which can all be reversed if a big shortage is to be expected.

author: Just_another_Dave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 01:20:38 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on November 01, 2021, 01:16:08 pmCoal is being imported again to Spain just in case. Depending just on gas isn’t a great idea, especially is there is no gas available in your country

author: DavidAlfa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 08:49:15 pm
content: It's all caused by bad planification, you can't simply turn off gas and coal burning generation plants without a strong and available alternative.Else than France, which has a ton of hydraulic and nuclear power, the rest mostly burned gas and coal.Very nice on paper, but actually causing almost apocalyptic results. Shame on you politicians!

author: Just_another_Dave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 10:16:24 pm
content: Quote from: DavidAlfa on November 01, 2021, 08:49:15 pmThat’s the problem of expecting politicians to do the job of an engineer, they end up trying to solve things by adding as many markets as possible hahaha

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2021, 12:49:35 am
content: "Uh...NO", as one former professor used to say:A real shortage happens 'non-verbal' and without permission, or argument, so that's how some of those 'fresh faced' fools will have reality delivered to them.Problem is, us folks with cautious respect for natural forces and timing, get DRAGGED DOWN in the whole mess.Those prepared can, at least, visualize to when things get returned to normal, and then pitch in to help that happen. While glancing sideways at the losers that think disaster gonna continue forever.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2021, 02:51:26 pm
content: yeah a modern city slicker is gonna be pretty slick with biofilm after a few weeks of service interruptionshas anyone seen what happens when a hydroponics system malfunctions?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2021, 08:16:04 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on November 01, 2021, 01:16:08 pmIndeed. But reversed? Not necessarily easily. If you stop a nuclear plant, you're not going to restart it like this easily.

author: Refrigerator
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2021, 08:42:42 pm
content: I guess the quirk of living in a country that lags behind the modern world by some 10 years is that i don't really have to worry about these shortages.I can just continue shoveling coal into my furnace as usual.But this shortage will serve as the perfect excuse for me to splurge on some cheap solar panels.

author: Just_another_Dave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2021, 09:50:00 pm
content: Quote from: DavidAlfa on November 01, 2021, 09:46:03 amI’ve just seen that they’ve made a series about a covid variant that turns people into zombies. It seems that someone considered that we weren’t prepared enough

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2021, 09:54:56 pm
content: Quote from: wilfred on November 01, 2021, 11:37:21 amI dunno about anyone else who read that, but I see a common denominator. Wilfred is an apocalyptic menace.

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2021, 10:57:59 pm
content: Quote from: Ed.Kloonk on November 05, 2021, 09:54:56 pmYet no mention of bushfire, flood, cyclone, earthquake, locust plague, ... etc.Major energy/power outages have mostly been from interruptions of the supply lines (transport) in various ways, so the above two examples are interesting examples of the more unusual/interesting events. Energy supply redundancy is quite limited for most people! Austria is interesting as they have significant electricity import/export flows relying on neighbours and the larger multi-nation grid for their stability/reliability, so they are right to be worried about possible major shortfalls.

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2021, 11:56:43 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on November 04, 2021, 08:16:04 pmthe zombie apocalypse is fictitiousas no government would knowingly tax people and animals for breathing or euthanize its own population,fictitious reasons for mass euthanasia include world population reduction by 2030 for climateglobal government for the throne of the devil as hell on earth. as if be so ridiculous.