Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

Coastalwatch

Along with Mart's Abundance announcement I came across the publication of this book Carbon Choices, by Neil Kitching. In view of the posts above I thought appropriate to share on here as it appears topical. In the authors own words it is written "In an easy to read style" so I'm hoping even I might be able to understand most of it. What the heck I've ordered three, two destined as early Christmas presents!

I've not previously come across the author but he does appear to have had a wealth of experience on subjects listed below dating back to 1988.

Why Carbon Choices?

This book is about people.  It is for those who care; care for their communities, care for nature, care for people living today that they will never meet and care for future generations. 

This book will help businesses and consumers to influence governments to set the right regulatory framework; to encourage businesses to offer consumers better choices; and to empower individuals to make better choices for our climate and for wildlife.

Specialities: water, Low carbon economy, heat, energy, water, climate change, economic development, carbon assessment models, strategic planning, policy, workshop facilitation, innovation, sustainable development, net zero, COP26.

ASavvyBuyer

Coastalwatch said:

Along with Mart's Abundance announcement I came across the publication of this book Carbon Choices, by Neil Kitching. In view of the posts above I thought appropriate to share on here as it appears topical. In the authors own words it is written "In an easy to read style" so I'm hoping even I might be able to understand most of it. What the heck I've ordered three, two destined as early Christmas presents!

I've not previously come across the author but he does appear to have had a wealth of experience on subjects listed below dating back to 1988.

Why Carbon Choices?

This book is about people.  It is for those who care; care for their communities, care for nature, care for people living today that they will never meet and care for future generations. 

This book will help businesses and consumers to influence governments to set the right regulatory framework; to encourage businesses to offer consumers better choices; and to empower individuals to make better choices for our climate and for wildlife.

Specialities: water, Low carbon economy, heat, energy, water, climate change, economic development, carbon assessment models, strategic planning, policy, workshop facilitation, innovation, sustainable development, net zero, COP26.

The preview reads well, so I have ordered a copy.

Martyn1981

Just a boring bit, but nice to see that better consideration is being given to how we change our grid to cope with off-shore wind, since RE's requirements are not the same as the old FF approach.

UK government to change offshore connection regime

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the government is drawing up plans to modify the way offshore wind farms connect to the grid.
Johnson said the government is “in the process of developing the necessary regulatory changes” to enable projects to join the grid in a more co-ordinated way.
BEIS is currently leading a review into the current OFTO system, which connects projects to shore via individual radial links.

Coastalwatch

Quite a claim by Thierry Lepercq, but he seems confident that we won't have to wait for a decade either. September next year!

Don't know how that might transpose into cost/kWh for energy but if competitive pricewise with gas then presumably not too far away. Although he was basing this cost on Solar Energy being available at €10/MWh in countries around the Mediterranean.

‘There is no magic to get to €1.5/kg for green hydrogen in 2022’

Solar pioneer Thierry Lepercq spoke with pv magazine about recent plans of the HyDeal consortium to deploy 95 GW of solar and 67 GW of hydrogen capacity in southern Europe by 2030. Record low green hydrogen prices are easily achievable as solar PV has already reached the required cost level and effects of scale in procurement and manufacturing of electrolyzer capacities will help reduce production costs, he says. Lepercq is also convinced that the consortium will begin selling solar-powered hydrogen at €1.5/kg when the initial supply to industrial customers begins in September 2022.

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/02/25/there-is-no-magic-to-get-to-e1-5-kg-for-green-hydrogen-in-2022/

silverwhistle

'O' level chemistry was the only one I failed so could anybody work out how much energy and volume a kilo of hydrogen would be.

You know the sort of thing: 'an area the size of Wales', 'the volume of 20 Olympic swimming pools' etc. How about 'half a Hindeburg' or '2 blimps'?

EVandPV

silverwhistle said:

You know the sort of thing: 'an area the size of Wales', 'the volume of 20 Olympic swimming pools' etc. How about 'half a Hindeburg' or '2 blimps'?

Ah, yes. The Cbeebies scale of measurements. 😁

Martyn1981

silverwhistle said:

'O' level chemistry was the only one I failed so could anybody work out how much energy and volume a kilo of hydrogen would be.

You know the sort of thing: 'an area the size of Wales', 'the volume of 20 Olympic swimming pools' etc. How about 'half a Hindeburg' or '2 blimps'?

Google says it's 33.33kWh. Fuel cells are around 60% efficient I think, so around 20kWh of leccy ...... (ish).

Martyn1981

The US have put the social cost of CO2 back up to $51/ton (T***p's administration lowered it to $1-$7).

Biden matches Obama’s ‘social cost of carbon’ for now — it’s a figure roughly 50 times greater than Trump’s

The interim estimate puts the average cost of carbon of $51 per ton as they assess the costs and benefits of mandates to curb emissions. The temporary figure calculates the social cost of carbon, adjusted for inflation, and is used by federal agencies. The report could help the Biden administration justify stricter emissions controls.

Federal agencies will also adopt interim values for the social cost of methane and nitrous oxide, two other greenhouse gases, also aligned with the Obama administration’s metric.

A final number from Biden is expected to be set in a year.

Martyn1981

Be nice to see an increased emphasis on green energy, and green jobs today.

UK urged to create green apprenticeships to help Covid recovery

Green apprenticeships would prepare young people for jobs in renewable energy and the restoration of the UK’s natural landscape, and stop young people having their careers blighted for life by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, a report says.

The report found that 250,000 green apprenticeships and a network of skills centres at further education colleges could be created with about £10.6bn of government money. Local authorities could create more than 44,000 apprenticeships in London with the right investment, along with about 20,000 in the West Midlands and 14,000 in Greater Manchester.

Other regions also have high potential, as the report found scope for nearly 12,000 apprenticeships in West Yorkshire and 6,400 in the Sheffield area.

Rishi Sunak, the chancellor of the exchequer, has promised green measures including a £22bn investment in a national infrastructure bank, some of which would go to low-carbon projects, and the sale of green bonds to investors.

He said: “The UK is a global leader on tackling climate change, with a clear target to reach net zero by 2050 and a 10-point plan to create green jobs as we transition to a greener future. We’re also launching new competitions that will unlock innovation in renewable energy and help us develop the cutting-edge technology we need to reach net zero.”

However, green campaigners are concerned that the government’s green measures so far in response to the pandemic have been weak, and that concentrating on developing future technology such as hydrogen and nuclear fusion is distracting ministers from creating “shovel-ready” green jobs now through building electric-vehicle charging points, extending broadband networks, insulating homes and restoring natural landscapes, all of which require substantial investment.

Martyn1981

We don't see a lot of news about wave energy, but tests and pilot programmes continue.

Israeli wave pilot kicks off construction

Swedish developer Eco Wave Power has started preparation works for the installation of a 100kW wave energy device on the sea wall of the Port of Jaffa in Israel.

The EWP-EDF One wave energy project will include 10 floaters, connected to one conversion unit.
It will be located on land, just like a regular power station, enabling an easy access for operation and maintenance, Eco Wave Power said.