Spain's renewables build-out has structurally decoupled its electricity prices from gas markets. Gas now sets the price in only 15% of hours, compared to 90% in Italy.
Countries that invested early in clean power are far less exposed to fossil fuel price shocks. Those that didn't now pay the price.
I've been playing with a 10 year old Olympus Pen Lite E-PL8, picked up in Map Camera, Tokyo. Small enough to carry everyday, but big enough (with a micro 4/3 sensor) to take much better photos than an iPhone. And with the silver coloured old lens - much cooler! www.mapcamera.com/item/3717022...
Should be fine up here, so remote from any problems. Just next door to Greenland.
Oh.
Oh dear.
Blue sky over a frozen landscape. Snow covered mountains on either side of a frozen fjord are illuminated on one side by the low sun.
One bonus of Japan to Europe flights routing eastbound, was this view of the sun coming up over Quttinirpaaq National Park (Inuktitut for “land at the top of the world”) in the far north of Canada. #Quttinirpaaq #Canada #Arctic #Travelphotography #Fjord #PlaneWindowPhotos
Tigers attempting to hide in gold relief.
A 5 storey padoga style white castle with green roof tiles and gold decoration stands framed by some trees and bushes.
In the foreground a plum orchard with pink blossoms on the trees. High up in the distance the green roof tiles of Osaka Castle are visible before a cloudy sky.
Looking across a large moat, with high walls on the far side. At the top of the walls are a line of trees, behind which stand Osaka Castle, a white building with gold decorations on the outside, and vivid green tiles.
Osaka Castle with plum blossoms. (Like cherry blossoms, but from plum trees #science) Two tigers on each wall of the upper floors represent strength, courage and protection. And a need to make sure you stocked up on crisps because they eat a lot. #osaka #crouchingtiger #japan #travelphotography
Looking from the street you could only see the kitchen and a hallway, so was a nice surprise to find it was all traditional style inside.
A small private dining room in a traditional style Japanese restaurant. A semicircular wooden table stands next to a stone wall, and bamboo and paper sliding partitions separate it from the hallway and other rooms.
A photo showing the table, with a round hot stone grill in the background. Beside it is a plate with five slices of raw Kobe beef on a straw bed, next to some onions on wooden skewers, all waiting to be cooked. A white service dish with a selection of dips is next to them.
A close up of two slices of the Kobe beef on a straw bed waiting to be cooked. A wooden label has a red stamp at the top, certifying this is the authentic Kobe version of Wagyu beef the text below translates as Gensen Rosu, ‘premium loin’.
Traditional style Japanese restaurant, with small private dining rooms, with some local speciality Kobe beef ready to cook on the hot stone grill. #japan #kobebeef #wagyu #beef #food #travelphotography #nippon #osaka
A small outdoor temple. Dozens of white lanterns with red and black writing hang from the beams above, There are stone pillars along the wall on the left, with wooden prayer boards above them. And a wooden chest in front of a round stone altar in the middle.
A ceramic bowl with incense burners inserted into sand inside it sits on a stone plinth. Behind is a small altar with flowers on either side. And white Japanese lanterns with black and red writing hang above.
A small board in the shrine explains the background: Hozenji Yokocho started as a street where vendors gathered to sell goods to worshippers at Hozenji, a small shrine, during the Edo era. Now there are a lot of stalls where unique restaurants and bars line up at the narrow street covered by stones. Because of the nostalgic atmosphere it has become popular among entertainers and cultured people, and the street is also mentioned in novels and popular songs.
Even in the middle of the tourist hotspot of Dotonbori, small traditional shrines can be found. #osaka #japan #nippon #shrine #travelphotography #dotonbori
A narrow covered shopping street, in the evening with stores all lit up. The street between them is full of people as far as you can see into the distance.
A bright red octopus sign over a store, it is wearing a headband, and is advertising the stores speciality of fried octopus balls by holding a bunch of them in its arms.
Overhead signs in two next door shops, one is a giant samurai head, with a moustache, and baring their teeth, next door the samurai’s hand reaches out holding some sushi. 🍣
A group of people eating in a brightly lit, red painted corner cafe. Over the entrance a large green dragon keeps watch.
Luckily I chose a quiet time to take in the serene and calming sights of Dotonbori, Osaka. #dotonbori #japan #nippon #osaka #travelphotography
A large billed crow standing on a railing next to my table examining whether I have anything tasty it could share.
The crow has moved along the railing to help the next table along to eat faster.
Japanese Large Billed Crows just want to be your friend, or help you eat your lunch. #crow #birdsofbluesky #japan #nippon #travelphotography #wildlifephotography
Two 40 plus storey skyscrapers at night, with red, blue and green illuminations.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government buildings one and two. Sort of puts my local council to shame. #tokyo #tokyometropolitangovwrnment #travelphotography #cityscape #japan #nippon
Yeah, small bottles then big bottles did show something of a lack of imagination.
Number two in the series; Bottles on Bars. Izakaya Edition. #tokyo #japan #nippon #travelphotography #izakaya
View of Tokyo at night - skyscrapers in foreground - lights spreading out to the horizon.
View from the 41st floor bar of the Park Hyatt, Tokyo. #tokyo #tokyoatnight #city #travelphotography #lostintranslation #japan
I did bring one of them with me, so it’s only two more.
Three camera on a wooden shelf. A silver and black OM System OM-3, a brown Olympus Pen Lite E-PL8, and in front a tiny red Kodak Charmera.
The ‘problem’ with Tokyo is that it’s quite easy to end up with slightly more cameras and lenses than you intended. #microfournerds #tokyo #japan #nippon #omsystem #olympus #camerashopping
A plate of French fries with spices sprinkled on them. Behind is a traditional Japanese sake jar and cup. The cup is full of hot sake. There are various items in the background, like a menu and condiments, with Japanese script on them.
A mostly blue image of a clear sky, with some water in the foreground, and the snow covered top of Mount Fuji in the middle of the frame.
Important to blend in. After only a few hours I don’t think anyone can tell im not actually Japanese with my order of sake and chips. #japan #nihon #sake #mountfuji #fujisan #travelphotography #travel
"These attacks are causing much suffering for Iranian people, and it’s destroying the space in which Iranians were struggling for social justice and civil liberties” - Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi, once imprisoned on death row in Iran. www.democracynow.org/2026/3/2/ira...
This #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience meet just six of the inspiring women in our Conservation Science department and hear about some of their most memorable moments at the RSPB 🧪
Read the full story here: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...
Very important!
If you support the #AssistedDyingBill and are frustrated with the Lords running down the clock, thereby subverting the democratic will of the elected chamber...
The most important thing you can do right now is sign this parliamentary petition. Sign! 👇 humanists.uk/2026/02/06/p...
Two storks walking towards each other.
As the storks approach, both stretch open their wings.
Two storks facing each other rising into the air simultaneously - here about 20cm off the ground.
One stork with outstretched wings running on the ground chasing another as it flies quickly away.
Angry birds. #birdsofbluesky #wildlifephotography #WildIreland #stork #birds More residents of www.wildireland.org
These were in Wild Ireland rescue centre, but they say all the animals they have lived in Ireland at some point in time. www.wildireland.org
An all white arctic fox, sitting on a grass slope facing to the right.
A red fox sitting on a grassy mound, facing left.
Arctic and red fox - residents of Wild Ireland, Donegal. #fox #wildlife #wildlifephotography #ireland #donegal #WildIreland
Eurasian (Common) Teal duck in a pond with water falling behind.
Barn owl perched on a wooden beam, looking towards the camera, with white wall behind.
Two barn owls standing together at the top of a wooden ladder, with wooden beams in the roof visible behind them.
A house mouse, sitting with front feet raised to it's mouth, tail off to one side.
Common teal duck, barn owls, and a house mouse, all at Wild Ireland - Donegal. #duck #owl #mouse #wildlife #wildlifephotography #WildIreland #ireland #birdsofbluesky
Always read release notes - easiest way to learn about new features.
Two sparrows waiting in a snow covered bush for their turn to feed.
A crow taking off from a snowy branch.
A female blackbird sampling a large piece of bread from the snow.
A robin breaking off a bite size piece of bread.
More snow, and some new visiting back garden birds. #birds #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #backgarden #backyard #crow #robin #blackbird #sparrow #snow #photography
A blackbird standing on top of a snow covered bin.
A sparrow on top of a snow covered blue bin eyeing up some pieces of bread.
A sparrow on a wooden fence with a snow covered bin with some bread crumbs in the foreground.
A blackbird on the edge of a snow covered bin, ready to jump down to grab some lunch.
From my new series... Backyard Birds on Bins. #BirdsOfBluesky #BackyardBirds #Photography #BirdPhotography
Thanks - just discovered the film wind on spool is missing - so I'll have time to check the rangefinder before that arrives. Lightmeter readings on the Olympus and the Fed are in the same ball park, so that seems hopeful.
An Olympus OM10 and a FED4 camera, side by side with a spool of 35mm film in front of them.
A good 20 years since I last shot on 35mm… two new (well 40 to 50 year old) toys to start the year. #photography #film #35mm #olympus #OM10 #FED4 #analoguephotography