Showing posts with label German. Show all posts
Showing posts with label German. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

German Panzer Tanks - The preferred Weapon of the Blitzkrieg

Panzerkampfwagen Iv is a medium sized war tank that was advanced in late 1930's while Second World War in Nazi Germany. At the time of its design, Panzer Iv was not intended to be engaged as an enemy armor as this was supposed to be a maintain tank to be used against enemy anti tank guns and fortifications. Due to existing flaws in the canon becoming certain and in the dawn of Soviet T-34 tanks, Panzer soon assumed fighting tank role.

What has lead to amelioration of Panzer tanks? The main strategy of German military while the war was to use fast keen motorized infantry and artillery which could be supported by dive bombers in order to target one single section of the enemy group. Once Adolf Hitler gained the reins in 1933, the German government went ahead with its tank production. while spring time in 1934 the German army used Panzer tank I for the first time.

Nuclear Weapons

This was just the starting as the years ahead witnessed the serial release of a line of Panzer tanks. In the following year, Panzer Ii capable of carrying a three man crew was introduced. This tank weighed 7.2 tons and consisted of a 20mm cannon and a machine gun in its turret. The 130hp machine enabled this machine to reach 25mph on a decent surface. However, this tank underwent any changes until 1937 when Panzer Iii was introduced.

Panzer Iii weighed 15 ton and had a 230hp motor capable of carrying a five men crew and with a 37mm gun. Someone else tank to be introduced in this year was Panzer Iv. Produced by Krupp, this tank weighed 17.3 tons and was armed with a 75mm short gun along with two machine guns in the turret and was able to carry a five men crew. The armour protection in this tank ranged from 8mm to 30mm in thickness while the 230hp machine gave it a speed of 18mph.

The potential and efficiency of Panzer force was proved in 1939 while the Poland invasion. It was clear that Panzer I was most inappropriate to be used while war. While though Panzer Ii and Panzer Iii were reliable, they were outgunned. The only tank that could overcome all hurdles was Panzer Iv. This tank had perfect mix of speed, agility, firepower and reliability. Panzer Iv has proved themselves on any occasions. while the invasions of Poland and France these tanks have lived up to the expectations of military. Thus German Panzer tanks became the favourite of the armed forces.

Soon, the later years saw wide manufacturing and deployment of German Panzer tanks in Second World War. Thus Panzer Iv tank became the base for many other war fighting vehicles like destroyer tanks and self-propelled anti aircraft guns. This tough and trustworthy war tanker was used in all combat theatres and is known to be the only German war tank that was produced throughout the year.

German Panzer Tanks - The preferred Weapon of the Blitzkrieg

Friday, July 15, 2011

German Solar Power - Nuclear Alternative?

German solar power is rapidly growing, capturing an expanding share of Germany's electrical needs. Cloudy Germany is the world leader in photovoltaic panel production and installation. The Japanese nuclear crises soldiery Germany to consider its nuclear power position. When will solar be ready to replace Germany's nuclear quantum of sustainable energy?

Since 2000, the German solar power capacity blend each year increase is nearly 63%. The Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature, Conservation, and Nuclear security estimates solar achieved 2% of Germany's electrical needs in 2010. Even in the midst of a major economic downturn, German solar capacity achieved a 33% Cagr.

Nuclear Power

Fueling German solar power increase is a one billion Euro monthly tax incentive for individuals and companies. This Feed-In Tariff is part of the German renewal power Act, the cost shared by all rate payers.

Solar power capacity increase is advent from individuals and companies. In an description by Anna Hart in the Solar power Connection, private Germans installed 10,000 panels in 2003. The total doubled in 2004 and sizably grew since. German solar power plants, or solar parks, are the biggest investment. These massive fields of photovoltaic panels, or Pv's, supply peak power in the middle of 2 and 50 megawatts. Finsterwalde Solar Park, near the Polish border, is the world's largest solar power plant with peak power of 80.1 megawatts.

German enthusiasm for sustainability and solar creates problems. A description by the government's power agency warns that solar increase pressures the aging German electrical grid. A weekend of sunshine potentially can overload the system.

Worldwatch institution projects Germany as the world's largest manufacturer and installer of Pv's. Germany's Q-Cells overcame Japan's Sharp, as the world's largest producer of Pv's. This fast-growing manufactures employs 40,000 Germans.

German community is enthusiastic about sustainability. They lead the world in Pv technology, productions, and growth. Will solar power increase fast sufficient to replace German nuclear power? Given the Japanese nuclear disaster, the pressure is on to shorten the Deutsche atomic timeline.

While German solar power is rapidly growing, as is the country's projected gross national product. The government's solar power evaluation is 66 gig watts, or 66 million kilowatts, by 2030, a growing spark on the electrical grid. The most optimistic evaluation by Solar power connection is a 25% solar share by 2050. The challenge: nuclear power is 25% of current German electrical sourcing. A 2009 government decision postponed the shutdown of the 17 German nuclear power plants until 2022.

Given the crisis in Japan, German anti-nuclear protests grow. Based on the Japanese crisis and political pressure, the government temporarily shut-down some of the reactors for security inspections. Should the opposition threaten the current government, German nuclear power years will likely shrink. While wind power and solar power power are major government investments, neither are ready to supplant nuclear in the near term.

Deutsche Welle estimates 26 German coal-fired power plants are under building or in planning. expanding ferrous fuel capacity flies in the face of European Union and German goals to sell out carbon output. More gas and oil power generation is an option, but these fuels places Germany more dependent on Russia. After over a half century of tension no one is comfortable with Moscow's hand on the faucet.

There are no easy choices for Germany. They must simultaneously juggle a desire to grow; a passion to sell out carbon output; and the priority of keeping their citizens safe. We only hope the sun shines on these decisions, and Germany's solar power panels.

German Solar Power - Nuclear Alternative?