Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

Martyn1981

OK, bear with, so we've talked about Gravitricity and the idea of lowering and raising a weight (or two) in a deep mineshaft as a form of energy storage. Well this isn't that ..... fooled you ..... this is about Energy Vault (which I think may have been mentioned years ago) and their similar but different idea, of raising and stacking hundreds of heavy blocks into a tower, as a form of energy storage.

But that's still not the story ....... nor is it the story of how we need to find a way to manage all of the waste material from the thousands of giant wind turbine blades that will need replacing over time as we move into the RE future.

No, this is about all of these ideas coming together, and the possible use of old WT blade material as a potential source for some of the material for 'the weights'. To quote a famous military man - "I love it when a plan comes together."

New Recycling & Energy Storage Plan Claps Back At Wind Turbine Critics

Oh, those pesky wind turbines, running around the countryside cluttering up the landfills with their big old unrecyclable blades. That’s the picture drawn by critics, but not for long. A new scheme is afoot that takes the old blades from a wind turbine and recycles them into new energy storage systems for wind and solar power.

Energy Vault’s block-type gravity system could help resolve the location issue, since it does not require massive new infrastructure and copious amounts of water. All it really needs is 35-ton blocks, and those could be made from just about anything, including wind turbine blades.

Let The Wind Power – Energy Storage Mashup Begin

And, that’s where the company Enel Green Power comes in. The company, which comes under the Enel Group umbrella, has been aiming to hitch its renewable energy activities to new forms of energy storage, and it is very excited about the potential for Energy Vault to provide a home for spent wind turbine blades.

“The benefits of this solution are the same as those of a pumped storage hydro plant, but at a much lower cost, with greater possibility of being replicated in any geographical context and greater efficiency: the Energy Vault technology can even exceed an efficiency level of 80%,” EGP enthuses.

Martyn1981

National Grid ESO have released their 2021 report on future energy scenarios, though I can't yet find the report, perhaps it'll get posted on the NG ESO site later (or I'm just missing it), but the article suggests that the UK can meet its targets if we act as needed.

'UK can meet 2050 net-zero goal'

The UK can achieve its legally-binding targets of slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035, and reach net zero by 2050, but only if consumers embrace new ways to use energy, and urgent policy decisions drive immediate energy efficiency measures, according to National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO).

National Grid ESO's latest Future Energy Scenarios (FES) report models different credible pathways for energy in Britain over the coming decades.

In three out of four scenarios in the analysis, the country reaches net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or earlier, with two scenarios seeing Britain reduce its emissions by 2035 by the 78% from 1990 levels committed to in the recent sixth Carbon Budget.

But the report makes clear the level of societal change that will be required to meet the targets, as well as the importance of policy direction around – among other areas – residential heating and support for energy efficiency measures to help reduce overall demands.

Martyn1981

Good news for renewables, and the UK, but overall it doesn't look like we're acting fast enough.

Strong solar generation helps UK place sixth globally for renewable generation

Thinktank Ember has ranked the UK as sixth in the world for wind and solar generation, with the technologies contributing 29% of its electricity mix in 2020.

Its new report, Global Electricity Review, shows that the renewable technologies produced 2,435TWh in 2020, or almost a tenth of the world’s electricity. As such they’ve doubled since 2015, when they generated 1083TWh or 5% of the world’s electricity.

But emissions globally still rose, and were 2% higher than in 2015. This is largely due to coal generation falling just 0.8% over the last five years, while gas rose 11%.“Progress is nowhere near fast enough.

 Despite coal’s record drop during the pandemic, it still fell short of what is needed,” said Dave Jones, global programme lead at Ember.

“Coal power needs to collapse by 80% by 2030 to avoid dangerous levels of warming above 1.5 degrees. We need to build enough clean electricity to simultaneously replace coal and electrify the global economy. World leaders have yet to wake up to the enormity of the challenge.”

Martyn1981

Ok, this article may seem boring (coz it is), but it reminded me of the larger issue and how RE generation is still young and improving every day, with falling costs, and that's kinda interesting ........ I think!

[Just for info, I seem to recall that ~60% of the cost of off-shore wind is the wind turbine, with the base, cabling, electrical hubs etc representing the other 40%, so anything that reduces the cost of that ~40% is good news.]

'Digital twin helps cut jacket costs up to 30%'

Using predictive digital twin technology can reduce the steel weight and associated costs of offshore wind jacket foundations by up to 30%, an EU-backed design project has found.

Akselos was awarded €1.4m in 2018 to conduct the research and pilot project Global Optimal Design of Support Structures (Godess).

Martyn1981

Bit depressing, I'm afraid.

So we have two articles from the Grauniad demonstrating the trap we seem to be in at the moment.

We have yet more surveys showing support for climate action and green technologies. The Gov's own quarterly attitude surveys have shown (for 10yrs) that renewables have massive support in the 70% to 80%+ range with little opposition, yet only off-shore wind has really been supported, and then we have an article showing the reluctance by the Gov to reduce the VAT rate on green and energy efficiency products.

People in the UK want bold climate action – why aren’t politicians listening?

The fight against climate change is often presented as a binary decision between a costly but sustainable future or missing environmental targets while protecting people’s jobs. Not only is this framing environmentally dangerous, it’s politically unnecessary. There is strong support for ambitious government policy to tackle the climate crisis, and optimism about the positive benefits of doing so, as long as the measures taken are fair.

The IPPR Environmental Justice Commission, which publishes its final blueprint for a fair transition today, has seen this first-hand from hundreds of hours of conversations with citizens across the UK. Over the past 18 months, we have convened “citizens’ juries”, where people from different areas are randomly invited to take part in a series of events, to hear from experts and discuss and propose their own ideas. We spoke with people from all walks of life and different viewpoints in Aberdeenshire, Tees Valley and County Durham, Thurrock and south Wales. In each place, we asked these jurors what a fair transition would look like to them.

Our findings were clear and arresting. Jurors are concerned the UK government is acting too slowly, and wants it to move faster. They know that addressing the climate crisis will require the whole of society, including businesses, to get involved, and they want government to show real leadership in driving this. They recognise the challenges we face but are overwhelmingly optimistic about what a greener, fairer future for the country could look like, from more good jobs to flourishing local wildlife, access to nature and revitalised neighbourhoods and communities.

UK ministers resist calls to reduce VAT on green home improvements

Ministers are resisting calls to reduce VAT on green home improvements, despite pleas from MPs and builders, as they prepare to set out a national strategy for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from home heating.

Heating Britain’s homes accounts for about 14% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, and that number has barely budged in the past decade. This year, ministers scrapped the green homes grant, a scheme to subsidise insulation and low-carbon heating systems, after only six months. This left the UK with no plan to bring homes into line with the government’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been preparing a new heat and buildings policy to solve the problem, which may finally be published this week. However, the Treasury seems intent on leaving out a key plank of the strategy that has the support of MPs, the construction industry, green experts and campaigners.

In a letter seen by the Guardian, in response to a request to consider VAT cuts for green home improvements, the Treasury minister Jesse Norman wrote last month: “The government has no plans to change the VAT treatment of energy-saving materials at this time.”

Exiled_Tyke

Better news to cheer Mart up.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-57842375

Martyn1981

Heard of a s... sandwich? Bad news given between two bits of good news? OK, here goes.


So this article starts with an eye catching graph showing coal production in the US rising steadily from ~400 million short tons, to ~1,200 over 50yrs. Then in the late 2000's it starts to drop rapidly, halving by 2020. Good news.

Bad news, whilst RE has played its part, the main reason is due to cheap FF gas from fracking, and sadly whilst that might appear at first to be a win as gas generation has a lower CO2 than coal generation, the bigger picture is that the use of FF gas may have higher CO2(e) emissions than coal, due to the enormous fugitive emssions of methane from the fracking industry.

But, back to the healthy wholemeal bread of good news - RE generation is now undercutting not only coal but gas generation in the US, and RE + storage is just about managing it too now, especially if externality costs of FF generation are included.

And for an extra slice of good news, though I admit this is just a theory of mine I posted a long time back, I suspect that moving from coal to RE is a tough fight v's the Republican Party, and the proud history of coal in the US, but coal has been 'destroyed' by the FF gas industry, and that's 'OK' because it's just economics ....... but does anyone in the US really care about the history of fracking, and it also doesn't tend to have associated towns, as it's a more mobile industry than coal mining.

Again, entirely theoretical, but I suspect RE will have an easier political job of displacing gas, than it would have had with the coal industry .... all hail economics!  ;-)

In 2020, U.S. Coal Production Fell To Its Lowest Level Since 1965

U.S. coal production totaled 535 million short tons (MMst) in 2020, a 24% decrease from the 706 MMst mined in 2019 and the lowest level of coal production in the United States in any year since 1965.

Coastalwatch

Reassuring test results from Sonnen and while only 65% capacity remained the 28k cycles probably represents 76 years in service, given one charge and discharge each day. Not sure how many charge/discharge cycles are generally performed in residential batteries but can't imagine more than a couple in any 24hour period being required which would still give 38 years in service. Think one would see me out with no trouble!

Sonnen battery still running after 28,000 full charge cycles

German storage system manufacturer Sonnen has published test results that indicate the longevity of its products after extended use. In laboratory tests, the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells, which are also used in the company's “solar battery,” reportedly withstood 28,000 charging cycles.

The lifespans of battery storage systems remain an issue for many potential buyers. Sonnen says that it has charged and discharged battery cells at a C rate of one and a depth of discharge of 100% over a period of eight years. This means that a full charge or discharge was completed within an hour. It noted that the test for the batteries was significantly more demanding than its use as a residential storage system.

Over the past few years, it has carried out tests in a laboratory operated by Sonnen in Wildpoldsried, Germany. According to the manufacturer, the iron phosphate battery cells still had 65% of their original capacity. As a result, the cells have not yet reached the end of their lifespans, because for this there must be a sudden drop in capacity, the manufacturer explained.

“The test results achieved so far go beyond the expected service life of the battery technology we use,” said Sonnen Managing Director Oliver Koch. “This is an important quality factor for our customers. And those who have a long-lasting battery also benefit economically for a longer period of time.”

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/07/15/sonnen-battery-still-running-after-28000-full-charge-cycles/

Coastalwatch

It would seem that at least one Australian Grid operator is planning for a renewables future in place of coal, even if the national government seeks to maintain fossil fueled energy generation for as long as it possible!

Australian grid operator reveals plans for 2.5 GW renewable energy hub

Spark Renewables, an offshoot of Spark Investment, plans to develop a 2.5 GW hybrid wind, solar and battery storage project near Jerilderie, New South Wales.

The site for the proposed Dinawan Energy Hub is on the route of the planned AUD 2.28 billion ($1.7 billion) Project EnergyConnect, the high-voltage electricity transmission interconnector stretching between New South Wales and South Australia. Spark Renewables said the hub is also strategically positioned in relation to the proposed HumeLink, a 500 kV transmission upgrade to increase transfer capacity from the Snowy Mountains hydroelectric scheme and the VNI West interconnector.

The company, which owns the 100 MW Bomen Solar Farm near Wagga Wagga, said the hub would generate enough electricity to power more than 1 million average Australian homes per year and significantly offset the impact of coal-fired power station closures in New South Wales.

Spark Infrastructure Managing Director Rick Francis said the hub will serve as a “cornerstone project” in the South-West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) and will accelerate the development of new renewable generation in the zone.

“It will unlock significant renewable generation capacity consisting of wind, solar and battery energy storage across (New South Wales) in the coming years, providing resource diversity to renewable generation planned in the other REZs,” he said. “This proposed major new renewable project further underpins the need for new and expanded high-voltage transmission links within (New South Wales) and to Sydney which are crucial as the energy transition continues to accelerate in our quest for a sustainable energy future for Australia.”

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/07/15/australian-grid-operator-reveals-plans-for-2-5-gw-renewable-energy-hub/

Martyn1981

Coastalwatch said:

Reassuring test results from Sonnen and while only 65% capacity remained the 28k cycles probably represents 76 years in service, given one charge and discharge each day. Not sure how many charge/discharge cycles are generally performed in residential batteries but can't imagine more than a couple in any 24hour period being required which would still give 38 years in service. Think one would see me out with no trouble!

Sonnen battery still running after 28,000 full charge cycles

German storage system manufacturer Sonnen has published test results that indicate the longevity of its products after extended use. In laboratory tests, the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells, which are also used in the company's “solar battery,” reportedly withstood 28,000 charging cycles.

The lifespans of battery storage systems remain an issue for many potential buyers. Sonnen says that it has charged and discharged battery cells at a C rate of one and a depth of discharge of 100% over a period of eight years. This means that a full charge or discharge was completed within an hour. It noted that the test for the batteries was significantly more demanding than its use as a residential storage system.

Over the past few years, it has carried out tests in a laboratory operated by Sonnen in Wildpoldsried, Germany. According to the manufacturer, the iron phosphate battery cells still had 65% of their original capacity. As a result, the cells have not yet reached the end of their lifespans, because for this there must be a sudden drop in capacity, the manufacturer explained.

“The test results achieved so far go beyond the expected service life of the battery technology we use,” said Sonnen Managing Director Oliver Koch. “This is an important quality factor for our customers. And those who have a long-lasting battery also benefit economically for a longer period of time.”

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/07/15/sonnen-battery-still-running-after-28000-full-charge-cycles/

That's so impressive. To achieve that with such brutal charge / discharge rates, and a full 0-100%, has to be well beyond what they would typically see.

I'm disappointed that battery prices haven't fallen faster, but higher cycle lives bring down the cost of storage dramatically. If you double the cycles, then you effectively halve the cost of the battery per kWh of use. And getting down into the weeds now, whilst a longer life might mean a longer period to include cost of capital in the calculations, I'd suspect that can be ignored since interest rates are so low now, so even a small amount of inflation would negate it.

OK, can't resist trying some numbers, so just guessing at a 10kWh battery capacity and £5k cost, and an average battery capacity of 82.5% over 28k cycles, we get 2.16p/kWh cost of storage. At £7k it's about 3p/kWh.

Assuming a gentler 10-90% usage pattern and therefore a drop of only 20%(?) over the period, so an average total capacity of 90%, then we have £7k / (28,000 x 0.8cf x 9kWh) = 3.47p/kWh. [And the battery is still useable at 80% capacity.]

Those numbers, albeit made up by me, look really promising. Be very interesting to know what their testing would show for say a gentler 0.5C charge/discharge (or a more comparable 0.2C perhaps?) and operating in the 10-90% range, the loss of capacity maight be far, far lower.

[Note - those are gross figures, so don't take into account battery efficiency losses.]

Oops, I've gone off on a waffle again.  ;-)