With a cycle of 22 years peaks the magnetic energy from the sun, and every eleven years multiplies the number of “sunspots": giant and hot eruptions on the surface of the sun.
Both phenomena affect the magnetic field of the earth and in 2012-2013 are the two cycles together. That will bring unusually violent solar storms, scientists predict. In one cycle the sun wakes up, with solar storms, and snooze again inactive. The last maximum was in 2000.

Solar wind is a stream of charged particles that escape from the surface of the sun. The extreme heat of a million Kelvin in the corona gives protons and electrons an average speed of 145 km / s. Some go far beyond the escape velocity of 618 km / s, are thrown at enormous speed in the cosmos and pass the Earth at 450 km / s.
A solar storm can be dangerous.

Huge eruptions in the corona, the outermost layer of gas from the sun supply solar flares (or plasma clouds) or a “coronal mass ejection“ (CME). These “flares” are the most powerful explosions in the solar system.
The ejections are bombarding Earth with charged particles that can damage communications satellites and electricity.
Not all CMEs are coming toward Earth.

The magnetic field of the earth prevents particles from penetrating into the atmosphere. By the colliding solar wind the field is pressed on the day side and stretched on the night side. At the poles the field lines bend to the Earth. There the particles can thus penetrate more deeply. This causes the aurora, a light, moving glow due to solar storms. (Also called southern and northern lights, or aurora australis and aurora borealis).

In 1859 there was a super eruption, also called the “Carrington event” (to the astronomer who had observed it).
Between August 28 and September 2 several solar flares were observed. On September 1, a giant flame rose. Almost a minute was the energy emission spot more than twice the normal value.
It made an aurora so bright that people could read by the light at night. The northern lights were visible even in Rome, Havana and Hawaii, with similar effects at the South Pole.
The telegraph line until some years previously in use between America and Europe fell by short circuits, which also caused several fires in telegraph offices.
Such a severe solar storm could now damage for 1 to 2 trillion dollar, according to the U.S. space agency NASA.
Such a coincidence of several events on the Sun is called a Perfect Storm. A normal plasma cloud moves in 1,000 to 2,000 km / s and takes three to four days to reach the Earth. This took only 17 hours and 40 minutes.
It is found that the 24th solar cycle will turn out weaker than usual. Possibly we 're back on the eve of such a super solar flare?

By the flare of October 29, 2003 a powerhouse in Sweden dropped some time.

After a solar storm in 1989 were power stations in Quebec out of order by which in North America many millions of people found themselves without power.

Violent solar winds can cause disturbances in the electricity network and communication (GPS, GSM, Internet, telephone, computers, satellites...). Long cables act like antennas. Because of the ionic currents electric currents arise herein by induction.

Go see for yourself after what the failure of electricity can mean: protection of machinery and factories, no more cooling in freezers and cold rooms or cabinets, thereby food spoilage, no heating, no pumps for potable water transportation, polders run, darkness, no communication, medical equipment fails, no more radio, TV or newspaper...