Heat loss calculations are a bit of a faff. They involve lots of measuring and lots of assumptions. The most notable of which are the U-values of walls and windows.…

Insulating a Roof Space: Lessons Learned Recently, I have been involved in a project where I've been picking up the pieces of something done in the wrong order. Essentially, a…

I installed an air-to-air heat pump for a friend and lived in their house for 10 days during winter. I wanted to understand its cold weather performance, limitations, and optimal…

Are Renewables Cheap or Expensive? The narrative surrounding renewable energy costs has become increasingly important as we transition toward a low-carbon future. Many sources, including respected energy analysts1, suggest that…

Why I Chose an Air-to-Air Heat Pump Earlier this year, a friend asked me to help with their heating problem. Their system was expensive, inefficient, and irritating. They were relying…

Introduction The United Kingdom has set an ambitious target to achieve a zero-carbon economy by 2050, positioning itself at the forefront of global climate action. Central to this strategy is…

The United Kingdom has seen a rise in flooding incidents over recent decades. While climate change and urban development are commonly cited causes, the decline of traditional water management systems,…

Introduction In today's Britain, economic inequality and housing affordability stand as towering challenges that define our era. The wealth gap has widened dramatically, with the richest 1% owning nearly half…

Introduction Governments today face immense pressures to fund essential infrastructure and public services. Traditional financing methods like taxation and borrowing have proven inadequate, leading to escalating public debt and fiscal…

Introduction The emergence of Large Language Models (LLMs) has sparked extensive experimentation with prompt engineering techniques. While traditional methods like declaring expertise or implementing reflection prompts have shown some efficacy,…

I've recently developed a Heating System Analysis Tool to help homeowners make informed decisions about their heating systems. This tool compares different heating options based on cost, energy efficiency, and…

Introduction and Project Objective As the UK attempts to decarbonise heating, load will shift from the gas grid to the electricity grid. Since the efficiency of heat pumps is dependent…

A quick and dirty CfD comparison. The following graphs show the CfD price & payments for the all the UK's generating capacity that has a Contract for Difference with the…

The Illusion of Inflation: A Critical Look at Economic PolicyIn the UK, everyone prays at the "temple of inflation," but few truly understand what inflation actually is. The number that…

The Social Nature of Human Emotions As inherently social beings, people possess a strong inclination to adapt their reactions and behaviours to align with their peer groups, particularly within tightly-knit…

Judging is an inherent part of our lives, almost second nature. Every day, we constantly evaluate our surroundings and make choices: deciding on the most nourishing meal, selecting the optimal…

Human beings, in all our complex individuality, tend to ascribe greater worth to the objects within our possession compared to those owned by others. This pattern of thought prompts an…

The primary objective of historical inventions was to alleviate human effort and save time. But with the advent of digital technology, this dynamic seems to be reversing. Many contemporary inventions…

There is an intriguing discourse suggesting that we might be living in a simulation. The crux of this theory is that if a highly advanced civilization were to exist, it…

We, as humans, have shaped our world, setting the standards of what we deem right and wrong. These moral constructs, however, are often detached from the broader context of the…

Imagine that you had joined a scheme with friends, each of you had decided that you would pay the money to a construction company to build a house. Once the…

How Central Banks and Bureaucrats Destroyed the Global Financial System Why are the rich getting richer?If you are reading this, I'm sure you have your opinions on why the rich…

“Nothing is independent, the entire world is connected which every event influencing each other. The world is a giant chaotic non-linear system.” I wrote this a few years ago the…

Is the Internet induced victim mentality altering the youth’s epigenetics? A few decades ago, we also believed that our genes were inalterable. This appears to be true - except via…

Language is often perceived as definitive, with a word's definition being its sole meaning. However, this is not always the case. People can interpret the same word differently, just as…

Transporation in the 21st century. Size The major problem with adding any new transportation system is cost. Cost is typically driven by size. Therefore, the first step in creating a…

I wrote this last year. I maintain the opinion that a car using hydrogen fuel cells won't be mass-produced. However, owing to solid oxide fuel cells and an abundance of…

I sit staring at a beige sofa, as I glance away its geometrical palm leave pattern imprints a mottle purple haze on my vision. I’m thinking of the hours I’ve…

News organisations are propaganda machines forcing their audiences to take sides. How far will society stretch before it tears itself apart? It must be clear that the vast majority of…

Our world has a problem. Laws are written by elected officials don’t examine their 2nd and 3rd order consequences. Promoting the use of biofuels is a pristine example of our…

Each year British taxpayers are paying Drax £321.5 million to burn forests - including those in the Amazon basin. In 2018 Drax received £321.5 million [John1] in subsidies for burning wood…

If you are here, then you have probably seen my published work and wanted to learn more. If you wish to commission me please email john@johnewbank.co.uk