Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

Martyn1981

Analysis in Australia appears to show that no expansion of gas generation will be needed, as RE plus dispatchable power solutions (such as storage) could meet needs. Also great to see that small scale solar and storage is predicted to meet 13%-22% of Australian demand by 2040. Power to the people!

New gas-fired power not needed as renewable energy expands, grid operator says

New gas-fired power is not essential for a grid increasingly based on renewable energy, and gas prices will need to stay low if it is to compete with alternatives, according to the government agency responsible for the electricity system.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo) has released a roadmap detailing what an optimal national electricity market would look like to 2040 if it was designed with a focus on security, reliability and the lowest cost for consumers.

Its integrated system plan, the result of 18 months consultation and analysis, describes a diverse system built on large and small-scale renewable energy supported by a range of “dispatchable” power sources that can be turned on and off when needed.

It says renewable energy may at times provide nearly 90% of electricity by 2035, the amount of gas-fired power will fall as pumped hydro and batteries come online and there is no place for new coal-fired generation.

The report nominates six potential sources of dispatchable power to support variable wind and solar. Five are needed: pumped hydro plants, big battery storage such as Tesla’s operation in South Australia, household-scale batteries, virtual power plants and demand-side participation, which offers energy users cash to cut consumption when needed.

The sixth, gas-fired power, is described as “a potential complement to storage”, but further investment in it is considered “less likely”. “New flexible gas generators could play a greater role if gas prices remained low at $4 to $6 per gigajoule over the outlook period,” it says.

Martyn1981

The title says it all, including 'Scotland' which I personally admire so much for their RE leadership in showing/proving what can be done.

Economic benefits of renewables highlighted in Scotland

Renewable energy’s contribution to the economy of rural Scotland has been highlighted in a new publication by industry body Scottish Renewables.

The report reviews five economic studies carried out over the past three years and shows the “remarkable and undeniable” positive effects of the sustainable development of wind, hydropower and marine energy from Dumfries and Galloway in the south to Orkney in the north.

The report puts a spotlight on economic benefits including the 40 marine renewables-related businesses which have sprung up to service this cutting-edge sector in Orkney, currently employing around 200 people locally.

It also points out three wind farms and a hydropower station in Scotland’s Great Glen, built between 2012 and 2018, which will generate £1.2bn for Scotland’s economy over their lifetime, with £360m of that staying in the local area.

Coastalwatch

That's two really positive and uplifting articles today Mart, thank you. Looks like the present government in Oz will need to change tactics to comply or keep their heads stuck firmly in the sand like the perverbial Ostrich. I wonder which they'll choose.

You have to hand it to Scotland as well, they could easily have rested on their laurels knowing their economy in recent years was doing very nicely thanks in no small part to the oil/gas industries so for them to promote Renewables as they have has to be admired.

Martyn1981

Some articles and news borrowed (pinched) from Navitron.

Firstly no-coal is at it again, with 41 days of no generation in the UK.

Then we have news (an update really) on the big batts being rolled out in the US

PG&E, Tesla start building world’s biggest battery

and to end, a multi technology rollout from the Netherlands:

Testing floating PV, storage and hydrogen at Netherlands’ largest off-shore wind complex

Eneco said five technologies would be trialed at the site which could even out the energy generated by intermittent wind power, including a floating solar park, green hydrogen production, turbines adapted to minimize the negative ‘wake’ effect the structures have on each other and two forms of energy storage, one of which was described as “short-term.”

Coastalwatch

Coastalwatch said:

That's two really positive and uplifting articles today Mart, thank you.

And just to go for a hatrick, how's this for a third!

Renewable generation hits new highs confirming ‘revolution in power generation’

Renewable generation hit a new record in 2019, generating 37.1% of the UK's electricity throughout the year.

This was up from 33.1% in 2018, and reflected a 6.5% increase in renewable generation capacity, which rose to 47.2GW according to new figures released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) today.

Over the course of 2019, solar generation increased by 1.4% helping to bolster renewable generation. Overall renewables jumped by 10% to hit a record 121TWh on a year earlier. Since 2004, today’s statistics showed, there has been a tenfold increase in renewable generation in the UK.

https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/renewable_generation_hit_new_highs_confirming_revolution_in_power_generatio

michaels

Coastalwatch said:

Coastalwatch said:

That's two really positive and uplifting articles today Mart, thank you.

And just to go for a hatrick, how's this for a third!

Renewable generation hits new highs confirming ‘revolution in power generation’

Renewable generation hit a new record in 2019, generating 37.1% of the UK's electricity throughout the year.

This was up from 33.1% in 2018, and reflected a 6.5% increase in renewable generation capacity, which rose to 47.2GW according to new figures released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) today.

Over the course of 2019, solar generation increased by 1.4% helping to bolster renewable generation. Overall renewables jumped by 10% to hit a record 121TWh on a year earlier. Since 2004, today’s statistics showed, there has been a tenfold increase in renewable generation in the UK.

https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/renewable_generation_hit_new_highs_confirming_revolution_in_power_generatio

As some of our less helpful posters will no doubt point out, renewables are now on a downslope, we certainly won't see another 10 fold increase in the next 15 years....

Martyn1981

michaels said:

Coastalwatch said:

Coastalwatch said:

That's two really positive and uplifting articles today Mart, thank you.

And just to go for a hatrick, how's this for a third!

Renewable generation hits new highs confirming ‘revolution in power generation’

Renewable generation hit a new record in 2019, generating 37.1% of the UK's electricity throughout the year.

This was up from 33.1% in 2018, and reflected a 6.5% increase in renewable generation capacity, which rose to 47.2GW according to new figures released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) today.

Over the course of 2019, solar generation increased by 1.4% helping to bolster renewable generation. Overall renewables jumped by 10% to hit a record 121TWh on a year earlier. Since 2004, today’s statistics showed, there has been a tenfold increase in renewable generation in the UK.

https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/renewable_generation_hit_new_highs_confirming_revolution_in_power_generatio

As some of our less helpful posters will no doubt point out, renewables are now on a downslope, we certainly won't see another 10 fold increase in the next 15 years....

I don't think it would matter, pretty much all the pro people on here wouldn't fall for such cheap maths tricks. If RE continues to grow at about 3%pa, and adds another 30% over the next 10yrs, then the 'slope' will continue to grow upwards very nicely, be it 5% to 35% and then on to 65%, no 'downs' as far as I can see.

Martyn1981

The US continues to slowly 'get it'. Even the 'not too' right of center are getting it now.

It’s Time! A Majority Of People In The US Say The Federal Gov’t Should Do More About Climate

The US federal government should be doing a whole lot more to reduce the impacts of climate change. Those are the findings from a just-released national survey by Pew Research Center. And it’s not just Democrats who are calling foul — over half of Republicans as well say the US government should do more about climate. Both these constituent groups say they would support a range of initiatives to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Coastalwatch

Just as you get one piece of good news from across the Altlantic so another, not so, rather takes the shine off of it.

If allowed to continue the cost in environmental terms is unthinkable, while the American public also   look set to picking up an astronimic bill subsidizing Duke Energy for ploughing on with FF's regardless of permissions or their impact!

Morning Brief: Duke alleged to violate state law by building gas capacity without approval

Climate-justice groups filed a legal petition with the North Carolina Utilities Commission today asserting that Duke Energy — one of the top polluting U.S. utilities — is violating state law by quietly building large amounts of inefficient gas-burning capacity without commission approval. Duke Energy has 24 more efficient gas units sitting idle, but is building new gas capacity at many of its coal-burning plants. The utility is seeking $278 million, plus a roughly 10% profit from ratepayers, for some of the gas expansions in an ongoing rate case. Jim Warren, executive director of NC WARN: “Duke ranks annually among the top U.S. carbon dioxide emitters, and its plan to build 60 fracked-gas power plants adds to its notoriety by expanding the emissions of unburned methane and locking in fossil fuels.” The utility is adding the gas power even as 24 nearby and more efficient Duke gas units went entirely unused last year. Source: Appalachian Voices

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2020/07/31/morning-brief-duke-alleged-to-violate-state-law-by-building-gas-capacity-without-approval/?utm_source=pv+magazine+USA&utm_campaign=875666dc55-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_80e0d17bb8-875666dc55-159341337

Coastalwatch

I'm certainly interested with any reports on storage battery explosions so was keen to read the conclusions drawn from this one. Unfortunately, the last paragraph below didn't suggest to me that the manufacturers were taking their responsibility seriously, instead pointing the finger at Safety Standards for only outlining the risks.

In my limited understanding of such matters I'd have thought that any manufacturer when having such risks outlined to them would do all in their power to negate, reduce or mitigate them. Not only from a safety point of view but also as a defence against any possible litigation arising.

New reports detail cause of APS battery explosion that left 8 injured

New details have come out surrounding the Arizona Public Service (APS) battery failure and corresponding explosion that left eight firefighters and one police officer hospitalized in Surprise, Arizona in April of 2019.

All of the new details regarding the incident are put forth in two reports, one released by APS, the other by the Underwriters Laboratory Firefighter Safety Research Institute.

According to the APS report, developed by DNV GL Energy Insights, “The suspected fire was actually an extensive cascading thermal runaway event, initiated by an internal cell failure within one battery cell in the BESS: cell pair 7, module 2, rack 15.” The cascading thermal runaway is believed to have been caused by an internal cell defect, specifically abnormal Lithium metal deposition and dendritic growth within the cell.

According to APS, existing battery storage system safety standards and procedures only acknowledge cascading thermal runaway as a risk. These standards do little to prohibit thermal runaway, and fail entirely to address the risk of non-flaming heat transfer to neighboring cells, modules and racking. According to the utility, those same standards focus on the means to manage a fire, but provide no solutions to restrict or slow cell-to-cell and module-to-module thermal runaway.

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2020/07/30/new-reports-detail-cause-of-aps-battery-explosion-that-left-8-injured/?utm_source=pv+magazine+USA&utm_campaign=875666dc55-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_80e0d17bb8-875666dc55-159341337