Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

NigeWick

Martyn1981 said:

Large reduction in US oil production, and also spending going forward. Looking more and more like Russia/Saudi Arabia are trying to break US/Canadian unconventional oil production to help bolster future prices and income.

I don't think shale etc has ever been in profit. The Saudis need $80 a barrel to balance their books so at $30ish they are suffering too. The Russians have a more diverse economy so they should be able to hold out the longest. 

In the unlikely event that big business has learned something about not needing to fly/travel so much, I suspect that oil prices will stay low for some time and oil producers are in for a rough time.

Martyn1981

Got lost in this article, and a tad bored, but I think it's an ocean energy device that instead of producing leccy for shore use, it goes all the way to the energy storage stage by producing formic acid instead. Effectively capturing and storing CO2 for later use!

Tiny New “Artificial Jellyfish” Taps Wave Energy For Carbon Capture

Instead of transferring electricity directly to land via cable, the new wave energy device leverages electrochemical technology to capture carbon dioxide on site, and reduce it to liquid formic acid.

Formic acid (CH2O2) is the same stuff that ants and other insects use to mark their territory. In past years the global market for human-made formic acid was somewhat limited and confined mainly to leather processing.

More recently, the market has expanded to include preservatives for livestock feed. Formic acid is also emerging as an energy storage option for renewable hydrogen.

Rising demand for formic acid could spell good news for the petrochemcial industry, since formic acid is made from methanol. However, the new wave energy device could cut off that avenue by achieving the green trifecta of sequestering carbon and producing renewable formic acid with renewable energy.

Martyn1981

This week's Carbon Commentary newsletter, with, you've guessed it, hydrogen news. Definitely a theme for the future developing here.

1, Fuel cells for ships. Electrical engineering giant ABB put its weight behind hydrogen fuel cells for ocean-going ships. It unveiled plans to build megawatt-scale power plants developed with fuel cell pioneer Ballard at a factory in France. Although we are still several years before large ships will be directly powered by fuel cells, this commitment from ABB is a strong signal that hydrogen will eventually become the main fuel source.
 
2, Shell. The company made a new proposal for its emissions reduction targets. It said that it would cut the total CO2 resulting from the production and use of its products by 65% in 2050. This is expressed as grams of carbon dioxide emitted per unit of energy produced and thus allows the company to expand its operations without breaching its target. (Some commentators suggested that the company was promising full neutrality but this commitment only appears to cover the emissions from production, not final use). Shell claims that its plan is consistent with the Paris Agreement’s objective of a temperature increase of ‘well below 2 degrees’. This will be a surprise to many: almost everybody else says that the Paris target requires no net emissions at all by 2050. See here, for example. Unlike Repsol, the leader among international oil companies, Shell is also wholly unspecific about how it will achieve its limited objectives. In an unfortunate coincidence, it announced the final approval for a US $6.4bn development of a natural gas project in Australia. The gas is collected from underground coal seams, a particularly potent source of fugitive methane, which has a far greater short-term global heating effect than CO2. This large Australian project – about 0.2% of current world consumption - will be producing gas until the late 2040’s, just before Shell’s 2050 horizon. 
 
3, Hydrogen support. ARENA, the Australian renewables agency, announced a competition for US $45m of funding for large electrolyser projects. It reiterated its target of getting the cost of hydrogen below AUS$ 2 per kilogramme. (Equivalent to about 4 US cents per kilowatt hour). This figure is below the current cost of most hydrogen produced from natural gas. The Australian government’s target will need electricity to be provided at below 2 US cents per kilowatt hour and cheaper electrolysers. Repeated rumours suggest that Chinese manufacturers are now able to produce electrolysers at a price which significantly undercuts Western producers, possibly making the Australian target achievable within five to ten years. (Thanks to Gage Williams)

4, South Korea. The recent parliamentary elections provided an authoritative mandate for President Moon Jae-in to move towards ‘Green New Deal’ policies. The ruling party proposes carbon neutrality by 2050. No other Asian country has yet made this commitment. It also wants a carbon tax and a complete phasing out of public financing for coal-fired power stations. The crucial challenge is to work out how to rapidly reduce coal use from its current 40% share of all electricity generation.
 
5, India solar rates. An auction saw a further small reduction in the prices offered for solar electricity production. A 2 GW offering resulted in bids of around $33 per megawatt hour, down about 5% over the last year. (The lowest prices globally have been around $20 per megawatt hour). The recent financial problems of India’s electricity distribution companies, and the slowness of their payments for power, might have been expected to prompt higher bids. The number and diversity of the foreign investors in the recent auction suggests continuing interest in exploiting India’s need for growth of solar power.

6, Netherlands hydrogen strategy. The Netherlands sees a major industrial opportunity to develop hydrogen manufacturing, storage and transport. Dutch companies, such as its gas grid operator Gasunie, are running many experiments on the generation and use of the gas as a low carbon alternative to natural gas. In a recent strategy paper, the Dutch government argues that at least 30% of primary energy after maximum electrification will still need to come from gas. Renewable electricity use will grow sharply but many industrial applications, such as steelmaking, require the very high temperatures produced by burning gas, whether renewable methane or hydrogen. Hydrogen will also be needed, it says, for heavy transport and for some domestic heat demand. The government also stresses the following advantages for H2: low transport costs compared to electricity, as safe as natural gas or petrol and abundant scope for storage (either in old natural gas fields or in salt caverns).
 
7, Insects as food. Renewed interest in funding the new companies growing insects as a source of food. Most of the money is directed towards businesses, such as Ynsect, that are producing insects for use in fish and animal food. Feeding insects to farmed fish reduces the need to harvest smaller fish as feed. Insects are highly efficient converters of energy but still typically need 2 grams of food for each I gram of weight. However this is much better than cattle, which need about 8 units of food for each unit of meat. Israeli company Hargol raised $3m to further develop a food based on grasshopppers that is suitable for human consumption. I suspect the company’s marketing is unprecedented for a food product; it claims firstly that the product has almost no discernible taste and, second, that it mimics the diet of John the Baptist, who is said to have survived on grasshoppers and honey. The brand will be launched in the US this year, apparently under the name ‘Biblical Protein’. Although about 2 billion people already include insects as part of their diet around the world, but I’m still not sure that insect food will work in the West.
 
8, Germany and synthetic fuels. The Netherlands sees hydrogen as a major part of its industrial strategy. In contrast, the German petroleum trade association is lobbying the government to encourage synthetic fuels to replace fossil oil and gas as part of its plan for the post-virus economy. This looks like a heartfelt plea from the industry for a level of carbon taxation that would make synthetic hydrocarbons, made from hydrogen and captured CO2, cost-competitive with today’s cheap oil and gas, enabling existing operators to switch away from fossil fuels. 
 
9, Airline subsidies. The inevitable debates have started about whether to prioritise green ambitions at the end of the lockdown or whether to try to shore up old businesses. Not unexpectedly, the first argument concerns airlines, the fastest growing source of global emissions over the last few years. The Austria environment minister suggested that the bailout for Austrian Airlines, owned by Lufthansa, should be tied to demanding decarbonisation targets and a reduction in short-haul flights. The EU transport commissioner responded, as is so often the case, by arguing that ‘now is not the time’ to burden the industry with new requirements. We will see this debate across the world over the next months. Greens have to make the case that this crisis offers the opportunity to use state tax and subsidy tools as well as regulation to drive the reform of carbon-intensive industries such as aviation.
 
10, Hydrogen at offshore wind turbines. Several European projects to make hydrogen from offshore wind are in train. These generally bring AC electricity onshore and then put it into shore-based electrolysers. Wind developer Orsted and electrolyser manufacturer ITM Power unveiled an outline design that sees electrolysers installed in individual turbine towers. The two clearest advantages are that the electrolyser can use DC power directly from the turbine, reducing electricity losses and, second, that as the Netherlands paper mentioned in paragraph 6 suggests, moving hydrogen around in pipelines is cheaper than distributing electricity. And of course there is no shortage of water for the electrolyser. 

Martyn1981

Sorry to keep pushing this but it is pretty important, so be warned, I'm sure there are many more articles like this to come.

Green energy could drive Covid-19 recovery with $100tn boost

Renewable energy could power an economic recovery from Covid-19 by spurring global GDP gains of almost $100tn (£80tn) between now and 2050, according to a report.

The International Renewable Energy Agency found that accelerating investment in renewable energy could generate huge economic benefits while helping to tackle the global climate emergency.

Investing in renewable energy would deliver global GDP gains of $98tn above a business-as-usual scenario by 2050 by returning between $3 and $8 on every dollar invested.

It would also quadruple the number of jobs in the sector to 42m over the next 30 years, and measurably improve global health and welfare scores, according to the report.

“A green recovery is essential as we emerge from the Covid-19 crisis. The world will benefit economically, environmentally and socially by focusing on clean energy,” he said. “Aligning economic stimulus and policy packages with climate goals is crucial for a long-term viable and healthy economy.”

Martyn1981

So, will the World go back to 'normal' after Covid 19, or perhaps something a tad better now that we are getting a taste of what reduced air pollution is like?

Milan announces ambitious scheme to reduce car use after lockdown

Milan is to introduce one of Europe’s most ambitious schemes reallocating street space from cars to cycling and walking, in response to the coronavirus crisis.

The northern Italian city and surrounding Lombardy region are among Europe’s most polluted, and have also been especially hard hit by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Under the nationwide lockdown, motor traffic congestion has dropped by 30-75%, and air pollution with it. City officials hope to fend off a resurgence in car use as residents return to work looking to avoid busy public transport.

On the subject of change, scary future for Florida.

Will Florida be lost forever to the climate crisis?

Few places on the planet are more at risk from the climate crisis than south Florida, where more than 8 million residents are affected by the convergence of almost every modern environmental challenge – from rising seas to contaminated drinking water, more frequent and powerful hurricanes, coastal erosion, flooding and vanishing wildlife and habitat.

If scientists are right, the lower third of the state will be underwater by the end of the century. Yet despite this grim outlook, scientists, politicians, environment groups and others are tackling the challenges head on.

michaels

I can imagine the response for many to C19 will be to give public transport the swerve

Martyn1981

Sweden and Austria end coal generation.

Sweden exits coal two years early

The Nordic nation is now the third European country to have waved goodbye to coal for power generation. Another 11 European states have made plans to follow suit over the next decade.

“With Sweden going coal-free in the same week as Austria, the downward trajectory of coal in Europe is clear,” said campaign director Kathrin Gutmann. “Against the backdrop of the serious health challenges we are currently facing, leaving coal behind in exchange for renewables is the right decision and will repay us in kind with improved health, climate protection and more resilient economies.”

Other European nations plan to exit coal in the next few years. France expects to shut its last coal-fired facility by 2022, Slovakia and Portugal in 2023, the U.K. in 2024 and Ireland and Italy a year later. Euro neighbors Greece, the Netherlands, Finland, Hungary and Denmark also plan to ditch coal-fired power generation this decade, in line with Paris Agreement climate commitments.

Martyn1981

Safe to assume that IRENA  (the International Renewable Energy Agency) isn't entirely unbiased, but I'm sure the numbers can be checked by others.

Investing In Renewable Energy Could See A Return Of To Up To 800%

Actually, says the International Renewable Energy Agency, investing in renewable energy and a green economy would create tens of millions of jobs worldwide and provide a return on investment of between 300 and 800% over time. Which would we rather have, support for a dying industry or support for the energy systems of the future?

Martyn1981

Remember when folk used to say RE was only viable with subsidies, and always would be? Well part of this article on a proposed new coal powerstation in Aus tickled me.

Proposed Queensland coal-fired power plant under cloud over emissions and financing

Carbon emissions from a new coal-fired power station at Collinsville in north Queensland would be comparable to generators built in the state 15 to 20 years ago, according to sources familiar with the proponent’s submissions to the federal government.

Guardian Australia has learned the company behind the proposal, Shine Energy, has held discussions about obtaining a concessional infrastructure loan from the federal government via the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

In February the government awarded Shine $4.4m to conduct a feasibility study. The grant was broadly considered a concession to pro-coal Queensland Nationals MPs.

Energy sector analysts say the extent to which Shine has asked for government subsidy should dismiss outright any suggestion that a coal-fired power station at Collinsville could be independently viable.

“Large subsidies are the only way they can get it up and running,” said Tim Buckley, the director of energy finance studies at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. “It’s a project that’s entirely unbankable by any private financier. It’s 100% an ideological exercise, there’s no commercial viability.”

Coastalwatch

My, that's quite a revelation following the introduction of lockdown in India. But I'm still disappointed, as we still can't see them from our bedroom window!

Himalayas Visible For The First Time In 30 Years In Jalandhar, India

The view from Pathankot, India, usually doesn’t include the Himalayas due to the high pollution levels there, but that has changed as these levels have dropped to a large degree. This is due to people being on lockdown in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus threatening lives around the world. Residents in northern India can see the majestic Himalayas that are 200 kilometers away for the first time in 30 years.

https://cleantechnica.com/2020/04/21/himalayas-visible-for-the-first-time-in-30-years-in-india/?utm_source=CleanTechnica+News+(2020)&utm_campaign=2b13f0cfba-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_01_29_12_34_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b9b83ee7eb-2b13f0cfba-332776605