The 2020 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony Pt.16

To be read as a direct continuation of Part 15; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-2020-summer-olympics-opening.html

It fell to Naomi Osaka to light the Olympic Cauldron. That vast structure designed to resemble the Sun rising over Mount Fuji.

To aid Naomi Osaka's ascent. The front of the Mountain/Pyramid opened. To reveal a hidden staircase.

That staircase was bathed in glowing orange light. To give the impression of a Volcanic Lava Flow.

To highlight that Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano.

Throughout the Opening Ceremony. The Olympic Cauldron structure has been attached to the Protocol Stage. 

With its very nautical theme. The Protocol Stage was a reference to the various "Black Ships" which have appeared in Japan over the years.

Starting with the Portuguese Black Ships in 1543. These opened up the first maritime trade routes between Europe and Asia.

Soon making the Silk Road across China redundant. By cutting the journey time between Europe and Asia to, just, three and a half years.

Recently China has been trying to resurrect the Silk Road. With it's; "New Silk Road" or; "One Belt, One Road Initiative." 

A network of modern transport infrastructure. Roads, Railway Lines, Air and Sea Ports, etc. 

Stretching across 70 nations along the Silk Road. Japan in the east. Through Europe in the west and down to Sub-Saharan Africa in the south.

In discussing this in the "Fun With Flags I" section. I told you to remember the seaport that China is building in Tanzania.

One of China's main interests in building this seaport in Tanzania. Is to give it access to neighbouring, land-locked Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). 

The DRC is home to some of the World's largest deposits of what are known as; "Rare Earth Minerals." Things like Cobalt, Lithium, Niobium, Tungsten and Tantalam.

Rare Earth Minerals are essential to all modern electronics. Particularly batteries. Like the one in your phone, your tablet and, increasingly, your car. 

Obviously. The bigger the battery. The more of these Rare Earth Minerals you need.

China's other main interest in building this seaport in Tanzania. Is to allow it to export Chinese made products to the African market place.

Something which will only be possible if nations like the DRC are given a fair price for their Rare Earth Minerals. Unlike with the western business model. Which has long operated to the north. Through Rwanda, Kenya and Somalia.

In 2015 the Paris Agreement was signed.

The Paris Agreement will not stop Climate Change. The Paris Agreement is not intended to stop Climate Change.

The Paris Agreement is designed to give moron western politicians. The opportunity to make big, empty Kabuki-like pronouncements. To their equally idiot electorates.

While hoovering up as much tax as humanly possible from those idiot electorates.

Immediately following the signing of the Paris Agreement. One such Kabuki-like pronouncement which became particularly fashionable. 

Was to announce the banning of the sale of petrol and diesel powered vehicles. Replacing them with Electric Cars.

I think it was, the normally sensible, Norway that first proposed the idea. Back in 2016. 

Then it sort of spread, like wildfire. Amongst western, particularly European Union (EU) nations.

As always with these "Tulip Mania" fashion crazes. Absolutely no thought whatsoever had gone into any of this.

So as this succession of idiot politicians were making their Kabuki-style pronouncements. 

People who've followed global efforts to combat Climate Change, inter alia. Did find themselves thinking;

"We need a way to draw their attention to what day-to-day life is really like in the Democratic Republic of the Congo."

"The place we'll have to go to get all these electric vehicle batteries."

Then the Democratic Republic of the Congo experienced The 2018 Ebola Outbreak. The largest and longest lasting Ebola outbreak in history.

The Ebola Virus even appeared to choose to modify its behaviour. Making itself less lethal to prolong the outbreak. Which lasted for over two years.

This forced politicians, the World over. Through United Nations (UN) bodies like the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

To focus, intently. On what day-to-day life is really like in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The incredibly low rates of education. The incredibly high rates of poverty. The short life expectancies. The child labour. The child slavery. 

The extreme and random violence. Carried out by a chaotic patchwork of, essentially, gangsters and warlords. 

All fighting over scraps of natural resources. To sell, illegally, at far below their market value. 

Throughout this Opening Ceremony, and much of 2020. There has been some discussion.

As to whether the Pandemic could be the natural environment's violent punishment. For the Paris Agreement going into effect at the start of 2020.

This section of the Opening Ceremony has explored the possibility. That the debate over whether Nuclear Power could be considered a; "Green Technology" and the 3/11 Disaster. Could be another example.

The 2018 DRC Ebola outbreak. Does certainly appear to be another occasion. Where the natural environment has made its own contribution to the discussion over efforts to combat Climate Change.

This year, 2021. It seems that Volcanoes have been the part of the natural environment which have been the most vocal.

Things started in, technically, late December 2020. With the still ongoing eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano. Located on the St Vincent & the Grenadines island of St Vincent.

In May 2021 there was the start of the Mount Nyiragongo Volcanic eruption in the DRC itself. As with La Soufriere that eruption is still ongoing.

During the Olympics the very famous Mount Etna erupted. On the Italian island of Sicily. Greece got Volcano-like wildfires.

Shortly after the Para-Olympics. Cumbre Vieja erupted on the island of La Palma in the Spanish Canary Islands. An eruption that is only reported to have ended 10 days ago. December 11th 2021 (11/12/21).

Since then we've also had sizeable contributions from Mount Semeru in Indonesia. Along with the Hunga Ha'apai volcanic island which is part of Tonga.

These have, inevitably, drawn attention to; "Geothermal Power." A form of "Green" renewable electricity generation. Not to be confused with; "Heat Pumps." The Tulip Mania fad of 2021.

Nuclear Power Plants and Thermal Power Plants. Those which burn fossil fuels like Coal, Natural Gas as and Oil. Generate electricity in the same way.

They create heat to boil water. Turning it into steam. That steam is then used to spin a turbine which is connected to an electromagnet. Creating electricity.

Volcanic Lava, or molten rock, is already extremely hot. 

So to generate electricity from it. All you need to do is pipe water over it. Turning it into steam. Which then spins a turbine connected to an electromagnet.

So nations that have a Volcano. Already have the ability to generate all the electricity they need. 

It's not, strictly speaking, Carbon Neutral. However those Carbon Emissions will be happening anyway.

Iceland as a small, but More Economically Developed Country (MEDC). Actually generates around  25% of its power this way. 

More if you count the fact they don't actually need to heat their homes in the winter. Their stone floors do it for them.

Iceland's got so much Geothermal Power it keeps trying to give it away to European nations. If only they were prepared to pay to lay the long undersea cables required.

That is really one of the only problems with Geothermal Power. The upfront costs are expensive. 

Although nowhere near the costs of Nuclear or Thermal Power Plants. They are beyond the means of Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC's).

The sort of nations that tend to have volcanoes.

There are many, many things wrong with the Paris Agreement. 

For starters it's only 16 A4 pages long. Far less than the level of alia I've being forced to go into covering just an Olympic Opening Ceremony.

You could probably write 400 pages on what's wrong with each individual word in the Paris Agreement.

However one of the main problems is that it was introduced, at the last minute. By the former Biden regime. 

To block the replacement to the Kyoto Protocol that everyone else had spent the previous five years working on.

One of the big breakthroughs of those negotiations. Was the design of the so-called; "Hybrid Model" or; "Chimera Model."

Rich nations, those defined in Annex I of the Kyoto Protocol. Have already massively cut their Greenhouse Gas (ghg) emissions. 

Further reductions will be small and expensive. Offering little bang-for-the-buck, so to speak.

Poor nations, those defined in Annex II of the Kyoto Protocol. Can make massive reductions in their ghg emissions. But are prevented from doing so by the prohibitive upfront costs.

What the Hybrid Model would do. Is allow nations to share ghg reductions. 

So a richer country could pay for a poorer country to build something like a Geothermal Power Plant. Then count part of the ghg reductions as their own.

Obviously to devise the Carbon Accountancy rules needed to do that properly. You would need a lot more than 16 A4 pages.

This Hybrid Model would also bring a significant, what are known in the jargon, as; "Co-Benefits."

A lot of these less economically developed nations. Are less economically developed because they lack reliable, grid-scale electricity supply and distribution networks. 

The thing behind the flick-of-the-switch that makes the lights go on in homes in rich nations. 

Take Nigeria. Which constantly argues with South Africa. Over who is the richest country in Africa.

It's estimated that Nigeria's economy would grow by some 188%, to over US$90tn. If only it could sort out its electricity supply problems.

Even before you start discussing how the electricity is produced. Reliable grid-scale supply and distribution networks massively cut ghg emissions. By eliminating the need for very dirty petrol and diesel powered domestic generators.

It is the building of this grid-scale supply and distribution network. Which is a large part of the upfront costs of Geothermal Power.

Costs which, under the Hybrid Model, could be met by rich nations. In exchange for shared ghg emission reductions.

So the 2021 verdict from the natural environment seems to be the same as its 2020 verdict;

Scrap The Paris Agreement.

It's an insult to every braincell that's ever worked on the problem.

At around 18:20 on 23/12/21 (UK date) I'll try to pick this up after dinner.

Edited at around 20:45 on 23/12/21 (UK date) to tidy the above and copy & paste;

It was the eruption of Mount Nyriagongo which alarmed me the most though.

Coming as it did. Almost to the moment. That the Grand Final of the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest began.

A moment I ushered in with the song; "Superstar." From the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical; "Jesus Christ: Superstar."

I write under the name; "Sovereign." Meaning; "King" or; "Messiah."

On both hands I have thermal burn scars. In  the shape of what is said to be Jesus Christ's Stigmata.

So, at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. The Israeli hosts declared me to be their Messiah. The King of those Jews.

As a joke!

A way to dismiss claims that I had been anti-Semitic in my coverage of their 2018 Song Contest victory. Something Twitter are still attempting to use to justify their material support for Genocide.

A very camp, Eurovisiony dismissal;

"Offended?! Oh no, dear. We worship him like a god!"

While starting a discussion about the role of a Messiah within Judaism. One key area where it differs from Christianity. Although, not as much from Islam.

Then I appeared to conjure a Biblical plague. With which to smite my enemies. Causing the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest to be cancelled. For the first time in its history.

Something which has got to be the height of anti-Semitism. A Messiah performing magic tricks.

I thought that rather made; "Superstar" my theme music for the 2021 Song Contest.

Apparently gaining the power to make a volcano erupt. Just like the song's references to moving mountains.

Certainly made my nerves jangle a bit.

What makes it even worse. Is that I don't do my Song Contest coverage live.

I mean I do it as live. I just do those little postcards three to four hours beforehand. Meaning they're available to my paywall readers. Including all Song Contest participants.

Which serves as another reminder to the US/UK. Particularly the US.

That we do the Eurovision Song Contest every year. To each other. For fun.

So working with a popstar like Miley Cyrus. To put on a big performance addressing some of the main talking points of the day.

Is a matter of routine. It is something that is very much within our comfort zone.

In fact. Provided that you can accept that other people really do exist. They aren't just creations of your superior intellect.

It can be highly enjoyable. Nurturing even.

As we've mentioned though;

My relationship with Miley Cyrus was hijacked by the Incompetent and the Insane.

Making it impossible.

Rather like these Olympics. As it turned out.

So that "Superstar" comment had actually been sitting there for a couple of hours. Bubbling away.

Just waiting for the right moment to burst forth.

The Eurovision Song Contest also looked at China's One Belt, One Road Initiative. With particular reference to its expansion into Africa.  

Also with particular reference to the EU's Infrastructure orientated Pandemic recovery fund. The one the gay-rights-for-gays mob forced the EU to get into an extremely bloody fight with itself over.

Proving that things really do happen because of the Eurovision Song Contest. 

In December 2021 the EU announced its "Global Gateway Initiative." An infrastructure fund specifically to rival China's One Belt, One Road.

Something which will, no doubt, emerge as the Tulip Mania fad of 2022.

The One Belt, One Road Initiative was particularly raised by Azerbaijan. With it's; "Silkway Star" Efendi and her song; "Mata Hari."

An entry which seems to share a lot with this Opening Ceremony.

While Sweden were represented by Tousin Michael Chiza; "Tusse." A child refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Who performed the song; "Voices."

Amid (light) Fields of Lithium Green. And Red Rivers of Blood.

The Paris Agreement seems to be the only area where the current Biden regime is still prepared to accept the concept of; "Binary Differentiation."

Apparently you can divide entire nations of people into either Annex I or Annex II. Then they're frozen there forever. No fluidity allowed whatsoever.

But don't dare ever try saying that about just one person. Particularly not on Twitter.

At around 21:20 on 23/12/21 (UK date) I think I'm at the summit. But will need to gas up before crowning it.

Edited at around 19:25 on 26/12/21 (UK date) to tidy the above and copy & paste;

The Cauldron itself was intended to resemble the Rising Sun. Or, in Malay; "Mata Hari."

As Naomi Osaka reached the summit of the Mount Fuji pyramid. This white orb began to rotate and open.

Something which showcases Japan's global leadership in the field of robotics.

To achieve this singular, smooth motion. Required an awful lot of motors, gears and servos. Not only to work perfectly. But to work perfectly together, in unison.

Something with was only achieved under computer control. Making this probably the most technologically advanced Olympic Cauldron ever. Certainly the most advanced I've ever seen.

It's barely even Kindergarten level stuff though. Compared to what Japan does with humaniod robots and Artificial Intelligence. 

The opening of the Cauldron was supposed to resemble a flower opening into bloom. 

Particularly a Lotus flower. Often used in Asian Animist religions as a metaphor for the journey towards enlightenment. 

Japan though prefers to put its own twist on the metaphor. Using the Cherry Blossom instead.

However we were first introduced to the Olympic Cauldron structure. During the section of the Opening Ceremony I entitled; "Intermission!"

A section that could be simply summed up as;

"Hiromi excitedly masturbates her clitoris. Preparing her vagina to receive Kamaraku Gongoro Kagemasa's enormous penis."

With the pearl-like nub of the Olympic Cauldron representing Hiromi's clitoris.

From that perspective. The opening of the Olympic Cauldron would signal that Hiromi is now ready to receive that enormous penis. A widely used metaphor. Particularly in literary erotic fiction.

Although if you were thinking about things that way. I don't know what you'd make of the massive gash down the middle of the Pyramid. In which Naomi Osaka seemed so uncomfortable.

As it moved to open the Cauldron also resembled the logo of the Para-Olympics. 

The; "Agitos." Latin for; "I Move." Designed by an advertising agency in 1992 the Para-Olympic logo is supposed to encapsulate movement.

Another big reference to the Para-Olympics. Here in the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics.

Japan again expressing its desire for parity between the Olympics and Para-Olympics. Viewing this as the opening ceremony for one, long continuous event.

The Olympic Cauldron was then lit.

In an Olympic first the Cauldron was fuelled by Hydrogen Gas. Normally they use Natural Gas or some other Oil derivative. Such as Propane Gas.

It might surprise you to learn. It certainly surprised me.

That the first motor cars were actually either electrically powered of fuelled by Hydrogen Gas.

The first Electric Car was invented by Hungarian engineer Anyos Jedlik and French Physicist Gaston Plane in 1859. 

The Hydrogen fuelled car was invented even earlier. In 1806 by Swiss inventor and politician Francois Isaac de Rivaz.

The technology though became redundant. By the discovery of how to derive a much more efficient fuel, Gasoline, from Oil. 

With the first Gasoline fuelled car being produced by German engineer Karl Benz. In 1886.

In more recent years though. As Climate Change has made us more of the damage done by fossil fuels, like Oil and Gasoline.  

There has been a renewed interest in Electric and Hydrogen Cars as an alternative.

Since the early-1990's there's been something of a Battle of Technologies. Between Hydrogen Cars and Electric cars.

Something similar to the 1970/80's Battle of Technology. Between the Betamax and VHS video recording systems.

Or similar to the mid-2000's Battle of Technology. Between the HD DVD and Blu-ray digital recording systems.

As people who remember the Betamax versus VHS Battle. Or the HD DVD versus Blu-ray Battle. Will well know.

The better technology. Has a nasty habit of losing out to the better marketed technology.

We're seeing the same thing in the Hydrogen versus Electric Battle. 

With, particularly EU, nations falling over themselves to ban Gasoline Cars. Forcing them to be replaced by Electric Cars. While everyone seems to have forgotten about Hydrogen Cars.

Suggesting Elon Musk should've named his company; "Edison." Even if the more appropriate; "Con Edison" is already taken.

I think it was the US TV show; "Family Guy" that pointed out;

"Thomas Edison was an absolute d*ck. Look it up."

As they did with Betamax. As they did with HD DVD. Japan has broken with the herd. Investing in and adopting Hydrogen technology.

During the current, post-Paris Agreement Tulip Mania. Everyone seems to have overlooked the massive problems with Electric Cars.

As the 2018 Ebola Outbreak showed the World. There are many complex ethical issues in where and how you obtain the vast amount of Rare Earth Minerals needed for Electric cars.

These Rare Earth Minerals are a finite resource. Like Fossil Fuels such as Coal, Oil and Natural Gas. They will run out.

Like Fossil Fuels they also have to been mined. A very energy intensive process which does significant environmental damage. 

Such as digging a series of massive holes in the environment. Where previously stood things like forests and farmland.

These Rare Earth Minerals then need to be transported. In order to be manufactured and chemically engineered into batteries.

Other very energy intensive processes. Which also produce significant environmental damage. Particularly toxic acid runoff into the water supply.

Polestar, an Electric car maker, admits. That when you consider just all the energy inputs. One of their cars will need to drive some 75,000 miles (120,000km) before the battery alone becomes Carbon Neutral. 

They only expect the batteries to last for 100,000 miles (160,000km). If you're lucky.

Part of the reason why Hydrogen Cars have fallen by the wayside a bit. Has been the obsession with Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology.

This involves combining Hydrogen and Oxygen in a chemical cell - a battery, essentially. To produce electricity. Which then powers an electrical motor and, in turn, the vehicle it's all mounted in.

This is an absolutely idiotic idea. Basically you've got to build an Electric car. Then build a more complicated, expensive and polluting battery to fuel it.

When you could just stop at an Electric car.

The much better technology. The much simpler technology. Is the original technology.

Setting fire to Hydrogen in an internal combustion engine. Just as you set fire to Gasoline in an internal combustion engine.

The main drawback of this is that Gasoline has an Energy Density of 34.2. Meaning for every 1 litre of Gasoline you burn you get 34.2 Megajoules of energy.

Whereas Hydrogen liquid has an Energy Density of just 10. So 10 Megajoules of energy for every 1 litre of Hydrogen burned.

In short. You'll need to fill up your Hydrogen car three times as often as your Gasoline car.

From a Climate Change perspective the main advantage of Hydrogen is that it doesn't release any Greenhouse Gases (ghg's) when burned. Or any other environmental pollutants. Just water.

The other advantage Hydrogen has over Gasoline is that it is renewable. You can make as much of it as you need. It's actually made out of Methane, the most potent Green House Gas (ghg).

India, particularly its capital New Delhi. Has a huge, annual problem with smog.

In large part this is caused by farmers burning stubble from their fields. Essentially the roots and stems left over after they've harvested their crops.

Indonesia is also notorious for this. Due to their propensity to smother other people's cities in smog.

What they could do instead. Is use machines to dig up that crop stubble and stick into in a metal silo to decompose. 

Capturing and selling the Methane produced to be made into Hydrogen. Will using the remaining organic matter as fertilizer.

Just two co-benefits. To go along with not having their cities choked by smog.

Since the Olympics we've seen COP26. The first UNFCCC Summit since the Paris Agreement.

As they were trying to highlight the absolute idiocy of the Paris Agreement. This saw the big Kabuki-like pronouncement. Of 106 nations pledging to cut global Methane emissions.

This was either them admitting that the Paris Agreement does not work. And will not work. Or it was them showing they haven't even understood the basics.

Within the UNFCCC all ghg's are talked about in terms of their; "Carbon Equivalency." How their effects can be calculated relative to Carbon Dioxide.

In part this is because there are, at least, 25 Greenhouse Gases (ghg's). With the chemicals industry seeming to invent new ones every day.

However it is also due to the fact that Carbon Dioxide is non-reactive. It doesn't break-down when it comes in contact with other chemical compounds.

So Carbon Dioxide that was released into the atmosphere at the start of the Industrial Revolution. In the 19th Century. Is still up there. Still warming the planet.

Methane is the most potent ghg. It has the greatest warming effect. Yet it is highly reactive, breaking down quickly. Methane released into the atmosphere as recently as the year 2000 has already gone.

So when the UNFCCC talk about cutting "Carbon Emissions." They're already talking about cutting Methane Emissions. Along with emissions of the 23 other ghg's.

You would think. Those 106 nations really should have known that.

One of the main areas of Methane emissions is from animal waste. The Methane released when the dung of farm animals decomposes.

As with crop stubble. This could be put into a metal silo. Capturing that Methane to make Hydrogen.

The problem is that when you use the cheapest method. Making Hydrogen from Methane produces about the same amount of ghg emissions as a Gasoline Car.

Leaving you just a less efficient fuel that still causes Global Warming and Climate Change.

However there are many other ways to make Hydrogen from Methane.

You can apply Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to that cheapest method. Capturing the ghg emissions created during the process. Then just burying them in the ground or using them for something else. Like keeping food fresh.

You can also make Hydrogen from Methane using Electrolysis. Using an electrical current to separate the Hydrogen from the Methane.

Assuming you use a Carbon Neutral source of electricity. This is entirely Carbon Neutral.

It is though complicated, expensive and low yield. Meaning you don't get much Hydrogen for your efforts.

You can also make Hydrogen from Methane by heating it. Rather than seeing the Carbon released as Carbon Dioxide gas. It sees it broken down into a solid form. Ash, essentially. Which is easily collected and disposed of.

This process costs only slightly more than the cheapest method. It also produces a similarly high yield.

Its Carbon Neutrality though is entirely dependent on the fuel you use to produce this heat.

Throughout this I talked about; "Electric Cars" and; "Hydrogen Cars." As opposed to; "Electric Vehicles" and; "Hydrogen Vehicles."

That's because those terms refer to all Electric and Hydrogen fuelled vehicles. As diverse as cars, aeroplanes, ships, trains etc.

I think the term I'm really looking for. Is the much more clumsy sounding; "Electric Road Vehicle" and; "Hydrogen Road Vehicle."

There is definitely significant potential for Hydrogen to be used as a fuel for large fleet vehicles. Such as buses and delivery trucks.

Road vehicles which operate on set routes. With set fuel consumption. 

That are maintained by dedicated teams. Who source their own fuel to their own depots. Rather than just popping down to the local forecourt.

Hydrogen Cars also don't catch fire and explode with anything like the ease Electric Cars.

Germany has invested heavily in replacing Diesel buses with Electric buses. Part of the current Tulip Mania.

In March 2021 one of those shiny new buses caught fire and exploded in its depot in Dusseldorf. The fire immediately spread to 39 more of those shiny new buses and the depot itself. Destroying them and causing millions of US Dollars of damage.

In June 2021 one of those buses caught fire and exploded in its depot in Hanover. The fire immediately spread to and destroyed 8 other buses and the depot itself. Causing millions of US Dollars of damage.

In September 2021. Another of those buses caught fire and exploded in its depot in Stuttgart. Immediately setting fire to another 24 buses and the depot itself. Causing millions of US Dollars of damage

Germany is now re-thinking its use of Electric buses.

Even one of my neighbours. Was recently excited to get an Electric powered bike.

They were a lot less excited a couple of weeks later. When their house burned down.

There are already rumblings. About the unacknowledged fire risk of Electric Road Vehicles. Being a structural threat to the global insurance marketplace.

The area where Hydrogen has the most potential though is in Heavy Industry.

Industries that are so extremely energy intensive. They have to produce their own energy on site.

It's simply too expensive to buy that much energy off a national supply and distribution grid. If that national supply and distribution grid was even able to supply that much energy.

The classic example is Steel Manufacturing.

To make Steel you have to heat Iron to incredibly high temperatures, around 1,700°C, in a Blast Furnace. Most Blast Furnaces are fuelled by; "Coke."

In order to make Coke you have to heat Coal to extremely high temperatures, around 2,000°C, in a Kiln.  A process known as; "Pyrolysis."

These Kilns are normally fuelled by Coal.

So to make Steel you have to burn an awful lot of Coal to make Coke. A substance like Coal. Which you then have to burn an awful lot of.

From a Climate Change perspective. That's just utter insanity.

Another example would be Cement Production. Where Limestone and Clay are ground together to make meal. Which is then heated in a Kiln to around 1,450°C.

If Cement production was a country. Then it would be the third largest emitter of ghg's. Beating India into fourth place.

This Pyrolysis process is used in the manufacture of all sorts of chemicals. Including Ammonia Nitrate Fertilizers. 

The use of which were heavily promoted and expanded during the Second Agricultural/Green Revolution. Mentioned in section discussing the Harmonised Chequered (Ichimatsu Moro) Tokyo 2020 emblem.

Under the Kyoto Protocol a lot of Annex I nations switched to Natural Gas rather than Coal in these heavy industries. As a way to reach their emission targets.

There's actually a relatively famous story. Of how then British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Became so tired and so disorientated during an EU meeting on the Kyoto Protocol. 

He didn't know whether he's signed Britain up to emission reductions in just the domestic sector. Or the domestic sector and the industrial sector. As he had ended up doing.

Obviously that's a story put around by his political enemies. But one people familiar with that type of meeting have absolutely no trouble believing.

You may have noticed. That around the time of the Olympics there was a global spike in Natural Gas prices. Putting energy companies out of business across Britain and the EU.

It also caused a global slowdown in Fertilizer production. Which in turn caused a shortage of Carbon Dioxide gas. Used in food and drink production.

I'm sure you're also aware of what the incompetent and the insane genuinely believed caused this. No matter how much evidence is presented contrary to their unshakeable belief.

There are actually nine ways to make Hydrogen from Methane. Each of which has been assigned its own colour.

So the cheapest method is known as; "Grey Hydrogen."

When it's used alongside CCS it is known as; "Blue Hydrogen."

The Electrolysis method is known as; "Green Hydrogen."

While the Pyrolysis method, using extreme heat, is known as; "Turquoise Hydrogen."

These colours and methods are arranged into something of; "Hydrogen Spectrum."

Rather like the; "Visible Light Spectrum." Part of the; "Electromagnetic Spectrum." As discussed in the Harmonised Chequered (Ichimatsu Moro) section.

This seems to be something of a Chemists joke.

No matter how it is produced. Hydrogen is colourless. When it is burned it is also colourless.

Meaning the World's Chemists are now probably peeling off into working groups. To discuss what chemical Japan added to the Olympic Cauldron to make the Hydrogen flame burn orange.

Creating never before seen; "Orange Hydrogen."

With the Olympic Cauldron lit. The Opening Ceremony came to an end.

With the now traditional Big Firework Finish.

There was though one last little bit. That we were not able to see.

Japanese fire regulations do not allow for a huge naked flame. To be left burning inside a building all day and all night. For weeks on end.

So after the ceremony had finished. A lamp was lit from the Cauldron before it was extinguished.

Then, in private. Ayaka Takahashi. The Japanese Badminton Gold Medallist, 2016. Used that lamp to light another Olympic Cauldron, identical to this one.

That Olympic Cauldron was located outside of the Olympic Park.

Serving as another beacon. 

To all the Tokyo residents who Pandemic restrictions were preventing from going to the big party. That they were paying to host. 

 

20:25 on 26/12/21 (UK date).