Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

EU plans €320m funding boost for budding ocean energy industry

Some funding for the UK, but also this will hopefully boost technologies, and these should be of interest to the UK given our resources/circumstances.

First power for Atlantis at MeyGen

Atlantis Resources has produced first power from its 6MW MeyGen tidal energy project in the Pentland Firth off the north coast of Scotland.

The developer said an initial Andritz Hydro Hammerfest 1.5MW turbine was successfully installed last week and plugged into a pre-laid cable.

“The project is exporting power for the first time, using only the tidally-driven water flows which rush through the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth,” said Atlantis.

Everything you need to know about the 'incredibly exciting' giant tidal lagoon planned for Cardiff

Cardiff council leader Phil Bale has described a proposal for a giant tidal lagoon off the coast of Cardiff as "incredibly exciting".

The proposed lagoon would generate nearly as much electricity as the planned new nuclear power station across the Bristol Channel at Hinkley Point, Somerset.

It would be 10 times the size of the smaller "pathfinder" project planned for Swansea Bay and could supply every home in Wales with power.

Not the best written article, especially the claim that it's powered by the rise and fall of the waves (I think they mean tides).

But a project close to my heart (and house!)

Could gas from grass rival fracking to heat UK homes?

The grass is always greener than the shale gas on the other side, according to a British businessman who claims grasslands could provide enough gas to heat all of the UK’s homes.

Dale Vince, the chairman of renewable energy company Ecotricity, is investing £10m in the first of a generation of what he calls ‘green gas mills’ that he says could compete against gas from fracking.

The company said its Hampshire plant at Sparsholt College, which has planning permission and is slated to be operational in 2018, will take grass harvested from nearby fields and break it down in an anaerobic digester.

Grass at the plant would be turned into biomethane within 45 days and then injected into the national network, providing the heating needs of more than 4,000 homes.

michaels wrote: »

Hmm - a bit like bio-ethanol...what happens to the cows that currently eat the silage?

Dunno ...... go out to Nando's!

I was wondering what happens to garden waste. Usually I mow the lawn once a week, no collector, and let the clippings break down in the lawn, but the last year, with our doggie (before she went to Leamington to get a job (stop sponging off us!)) I had to collect the grass, otherwise the dog and living room would turn green.

Our lawn isn't big, 40-50m2, but the cuttings would fill most of the green bin each fortnight. Does that all go for bio-gas, or composting or something?

Also in our park the council switched from regular mowing, to just twice a year (early and late) to create wildflower areas, we've done exactly the same with a small part of our lawn. When they mowed the 'wild' part they get 18 giant bales from it, but then leave these to rot in one corner, as apparently they are too poor a quality for animal feed due to possible litter and dog poo. I assume these would be useable for bio-gas too?

Perhaps I should read up on the subject!

gefnew wrote: »

Hi Martyn
There is a new eco generation plant that is just being finished at the water waste plant on rover way Cardiff.
They will be taking household waste matter from the refuse teams and local farms, then it goes into a hopper and four large hydraulic rams crush all the liquid out of the waste and pump into storage tanks to digest and use the gas to run generating turbines.
The pulp that is left goes to be composted.
Just to let you Know.
regards
gefnew

Many thanks, that led to me all the answers, with food waste being treated at a new plant not far from me, and the 'freshly squeezed' garden waste being composted at a site very close to where I used to walk the dog.

This article, and site link have most of the info and explanations:

Food waste plant comes a step closer as councils finalise contract with Kelda Organic

A contract has been awarded to Kelda Organic Energy, which will now develop an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Tremorfa as well as a composting facility for garden waste off Lamby Way in Rumney.

Kelda Organic Energy (Cardiff)

Thanks again.