Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

Martyn1981

Another good vid from the 'Just Have a Think' site. This one looks at the many possibilities of Hemp growth, be it to produce clothing, energy, bio-char and BECCS. Also possible to move into other markets, such as graphene and industrial diamonds.

Hemp conversion to graphene and diamond. Smart carbon capture?

Hemp has been celebrated and vilified in equal measure over the centuries. It has fantastic properties for textiles and ropes, but it comes from the cannabis plant, so it arouses deep suspicion among some policymakers. What is unarguable though, is that it is an extremely fast growing plant that stores a large amount of carbon. So is it really possible to convert it into graphene and diamond in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way?

Martyn1981

Economics continues to mercilessly beat on coal as RE costs steadily fall year after year.

New renewables undercut cheapest fossil fuels

The share of renewable energy that achieved lower costs than the most competitive fossil fuel option doubled in 2020, a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has revealed.

Some 162GW, or 62%, of total renewable power generation added last year had lower costs than the cheapest new fossil fuel alternative.

Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2020 shows that costs for renewable technologies continued to “fall significantly” year-on-year.

Concentrating solar power (CSP) fell by 16%, onshore wind by 13%, offshore wind by 9% and solar photovoltaics by 7%.
Renewables increasingly undercut existing coal’s operational costs too, the report found.

IRENA director-general Francesco La Camera said: “Today, renewables are the cheapest source of power.

“Renewables present countries tied to coal with an economically attractive phase-out agenda that ensures they meet growing energy demand, while saving costs, adding jobs, boosting growth and meeting climate ambition.

Martyn1981

Same story as my last post, but a bit more, for anyone interested, or just looking for some good news extracts in the war against AGW:

Most new wind and solar projects will be cheaper than coal, report finds

Almost two-thirds of wind and solar projects built globally last year will be able to generate cheaper electricity than even the world’s cheapest new coal plants, according to a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).

The agency found that the falling cost of new windfarms and solar panels meant 62% of new renewable energy projects could undercut the cost of up to 800 gigawatts (GW) worth of coal plants, or almost enough to supply the UK’s electricity needs 10 times over.

Solar power costs fell by 16% last year, according to the report, while the cost of onshore wind dropped 13% and offshore wind by 9%.

In Europe, the cost of a new coal plant would be well above the cost of new wind and solar farms including mandatory carbon prices. The report found that in the US renewable energy could undercut between three-quarters and 91% of existing coal-fired power plants, while in India renewable energy would be cheaper than between 87% and 91% of new coal plants.

“The trend confirms that low-cost renewables are not only the backbone of the electricity system, but that they will also enable electrification in end uses like transport, buildings and industry and unlock competitive indirect electrification with renewable hydrogen,” the report said.

Coastalwatch

On a similar theme to Marts above, regarding the difference in fuel costs going forward, the disrupting start up Dynamo Taxi highlight the additional purchase cost of the only LEVC competitor in their market(London Black Cabs). Admittedly a mere £12k when purchased new outright, however, if purchased via a credit arrangement it then escalates to  £30k!

HUGE! Dynamo / LEVC Price Difference.

Hello Seedrs Investors. A quick update regarding just how competitive Dynamo is within the taxi sector. Our vehicle is certified in exactly the same way as our only competitor, LEVC. However, not only is the Dynamo Black Cab 100% fully electric, it also comes with a price differential in excess of £30,000 (when bought on credit) according to a recent LEVC Marketing Campaign and that of our own.
Our research has shown the taxi sector is quite price sensitive and that a lower entry price to purchase a vehicle will only find more traction as time goes by across the whole of the U.K. and lets not forget, the running costs of a Dynamo will give substantial weekly savings to the driver, due to its single source of power, which is electric.
This is an important message as to disrupt a market in a positive way not only do we need to reduce pollution and help our environment but we also need to help black cab drivers achieve a sustainable living income to keep this noble tradition on the road.

https://assets.seedrs.com/uploads/news_post_document/file/3831/ezyolu8w13v8diuvsaefdt3p5qr3rna/purchase_price.pdf

Martyn1981

Wave energy - but I have to say I'm a tad shocked at the scale, mass, cost and 'only' 16kW, but I assume if it proves itself, then costs will fall?

AWS reaches wave energy converter milestone

AWS Ocean Energy has achieved a critical milestone in the construction of its 16kW Archimedes Waveswing wave energy converter after the two major sub-assemblies were joined together and the Waveswing finally took shape. 

Final hook-up of the internal systems is now under way at Malin Marine in Glasgow and Inverness-based AWS expects to start commissioning and dry-testing early in July, before deployment at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney later this year. 

The £3.4m (€4m) project has been funded by Wave Energy Scotland (WES) as part of the Novel Wave Energy Converter development programme. 

The objective of the programme is to demonstrate Europe’s leading wave energy technologies in real sea conditions. 

Weighing 50 tonnes, the seven metre high, four metre diameter Waveswing will produce continuous power of 16kW in moderate seas. 

Martyn1981

There seem to be a number of articles like this at the moment which credit UK Gov with ambitious targets, but also report that actual action is lagging.

The article also mentions how a little support for on-shore wind should lift it to 30GW by 2030, roughly twice what we have today. For info, the target for off-shore wind by 2030 is 40GW, up from 30GW, but again, that's a Gov pledge.

CCC gives Westminster the hurry up on climate pledges

The UK government has been ‘too slow’ to follow its ambitious climate targets with delivery, according to the country’s independent Committee on Climate Change (CCC).

In two new progress reports, the CCC said that Downing Street’s Ten Point Plan, published at the end of last year, had yet to be backed up with firm policies including on renewable energy.

The reports call on the government to outline clear targets to ramp up onshore wind and solar deployment by 2030.

The CCC also wants to see continuing auctions for clean power contracts and reforms to the planning system to empower local communities who want new wind projects.

michaels

Martyn1981 said:

There seem to be a number of articles like this at the moment which credit UK Gov with ambitious targets, but also report that actual action is lagging.

The article also mentions how a little support for on-shore wind should lift it to 30GW by 2030, roughly twice what we have today. For info, the target for off-shore wind by 2030 is 40GW, up from 30GW, but again, that's a Gov pledge.

CCC gives Westminster the hurry up on climate pledges

The UK government has been ‘too slow’ to follow its ambitious climate targets with delivery, according to the country’s independent Committee on Climate Change (CCC).

In two new progress reports, the CCC said that Downing Street’s Ten Point Plan, published at the end of last year, had yet to be backed up with firm policies including on renewable energy.

The reports call on the government to outline clear targets to ramp up onshore wind and solar deployment by 2030.

The CCC also wants to see continuing auctions for clean power contracts and reforms to the planning system to empower local communities who want new wind projects.

That sounds extremely unambitious for offshore wind - if the market wants to go faster would govt policy on granting licences potentially slow down deployment?

EVandPV

Not really energy as such, but definitely green .....

Climate change: Large-scale CO2 removal facility set for Scotland

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57588248.amp

A large facility capable of extracting significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the air is being planned for north east Scotland.

The proposed plant would remove up to one million tonnes of CO2 every year - the same amount taken up by around 40 million trees.

EVandPV

Pivot Power, Wärtsilä and Habitat Energy activate 50MW transmission-connected battery in Cowley, Oxford

https://www.pivot-power.co.uk/press-release/pivot-power-wartsila-and-habitat-energy-activate-50mw-transmission-connected-battery-in-cowley-oxford/

Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, Wärtsilä, the global technology company, and Habitat Energy, the battery storage optimisation specialists, today activated the UK’s first grid-scale battery storage system directly connected to the transmission-network as part of the £41 million Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO) project.

Pivot Power is developing the battery energy storage system together with an 8km private wire network, which will share the connection to the high-voltage transmission network and deliver large volumes of power to public and commercial EV charging locations across the city. The first of these will be the UK’s largest public charging hub at Redbridge Park & Ride, which will feature 38 fast to ultra-rapid chargers when it opens later this year, to kick start Oxford’s EV revolution.

Coastalwatch

That will be some battery. Although I do wonder what means they will employ to remove a million tonnes of rock from within the mountain! Wouldn't it be great if they could utilise renewable energy and ease the need for further curtailage of supply during the construction phase even before it gets hooked up to the grid.

Drax to expand pumped storage hydro station Hollow Mountain

Drax has announced plans for a new underground pumped hydro storage power station, and will seek planning permission to expand its Cruachan site in Scotland to 1.04GW.

The 600MW power station will be built inside Argyll’s highest mountain Ben Cruachan, alongside the company's existing 440MW pumped storage hydro station dubbed the Hollow Mountain. The two will share the existing upper reservoir, as it has enough capacity for both at 2.4 billion gallons of water.

A new, hollowed-out cavern will be constructed, with more than a million tones of rock excavated to create the space within the mountain.

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