Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

Martyn1981

PT1.

OK, bear with me here. This article looks at the work and results of Mark Jacobson and his team, who I've mentioned many times over the years, and quite recently, and who produce roadmaps for the mix of RE needed for countries or US states to go 100% RE.

[I say bear with, because the article mentions analysis going back to 2015, and this got me thinking about how things have changed over the time. Two big factors being the falling cost of PV combined with rising panel efficiency, and the other being the rising capacity factors of onshore and offshore wind. This article explains the impact that 4hr storage has on the calculation. So, see follow up post for some interesting changes.]

U.S. can get to 100% clean energy with wind, water, solar and zero nuclear, Stanford professor says

A prominent Stanford University professor has outlined a roadmap for the United States to meet its total energy needs using 100% wind, water and solar by 2050.

Mark Jacobson, a Stanford professor of civil and environmental engineering and the director of its Atmosphere/Energy Program, has been promoting the idea of all renewable energy as the best way forward for more than a decade. His latest calculations toward this ambitious goal were recently published in the scientific journal Renewable Energy.

Transitioning to a clean-energy grid should happen by 2035, the study advises, with at least 80% of that adjustment completed by 2030. For the purposes of Jacobson’s study, his team factored in presumed population growth and efficiency improvements in energy to envision what that would look like in 2050.

[Six year review to follow. M.]

Martyn1981

Martyn1981 said:

Stanford University have produced a report outlining an economical shift to 100% renewable energy by 2050:-

The world could be 100% renewable by 2050

Researchers from Stanford University have layed out exactly how the planet could forego fossil fuel and nuclear power and adopt renewable energy across the board.

A new study by Stanford University’s Atmosphere/Energy Program makes the case that the world could be fully powered by renewable energy as early as 2050 by detailing the necessary resources for each country.

Speaking to innovation news website Co.Exist, Atmosphere/Energy Program director Mark Z. Jacobson said, "These are basically plans showing it's technically and economically feasible to change the energy infrastructure of all of these different countries."

Jacobson rejected claims that adopting renewable energy to such a wide extent would be too expensive and unreliable. “What this shows is that all these claims are mythical."

But here's the fun bit, they have produced a very easy to use tool that shows the suggested mix for each country. Just hover over a country to see the mix:-

100% RENEWABLE ENERGY

Spoiler alert!

For the UK it suggests 85% wind and 10% PV.
Ireland is similar about 83% wind and 12% PV.
Germany 35% wind and 62% PV (seriously?)
Spain has a broad mix, 53% solar (PV and CSP), 36% wind, 12% hydro.
Canada broad mix, 58% wind, 21% PV and 16% hydro.
US 48% wind and 47% solar.
Australia 36% wind and 53% solar.
China is quite dramatic with 64% solar and 29% wind.
India takes it even further with 77% solar and 20% wind.
African countries vary a lot, but high solar, even 90% in the Congo.

Have fun.

Mart.

PT2. Original post 28/11/15.

The link here still works, so scroll down to 'Our 100% Renewable Energy Vision' or go straight to the World Map.

Generally there is a move from PV towards wind, with wind now leading at 50%, with PV/solar at 44% and hydro at 5%.

The UK shift is of course the opposite, not like the UK to buck the trend, moving to 53% wind and 42% PV.
Germany moves to 61% wind and 37% PV.
US unchanged at 48% wind and 47% PV/solar.
China has also flipped, with 49% wind and 44% PV/solar.
India also becomes much more balanced with 43% wind and 55% PV/solar.
Huge shift for the Congo to 52% wind and 40% PV.

michaels

Coastalwatch said:

Spies said:

Whoever is responsible for V2G needs to get their finger out, that's a huge amount of potential storage just being sat there. 

Agree with you there, I bought our Leaf three years ago for that very purpose and still nothing on the horizon in spite of repeated enquiries! Out of frustration I've just ordered a couple of storage batteries to fill the void!

Several people on the ovo leaf v2g trail are now completing their 2 years and a few are selling their v2g chargers for hundreds compared to the 4-5k list price - ask on the v2g - h facebook group. 

Coastalwatch

Thanks for that michaels. I'd rather been put off by the negative comments experienced by some of those on the trial. It's difficult to understand why anyone would want to sell their unit if they were comfortable with it's operation. I'd be pleased to learn if you are able to offer a more balanced view!

michaels

Coastalwatch said:

Thanks for that michaels. I'd rather been put off by the negative comments experienced by some of those on the trial. It's difficult to understand why anyone would want to sell their unit if they were comfortable with it's operation. I'd be pleased to learn if you are able to offer a more balanced view!

Personal experience after 18 months - no issues at all with the hardware or the trial.  For those who have finished the trial there is now the chance to go to a time of day tariff with any other supplier and v2h optimisation of charge/discharge.

Coastalwatch

Thanks michaels that's reassuring to learn, I'm pleased you've had a trouble free time with yours.

I'm just wondering what support, if any, might be available should problems arise as they appear to be many and often when trawling through the V2G group posts. But I guess people only post when something goes wrong rather than add praise when all goes well!

Spies

There haven't been any trials to my knowledge further North, do trials need to take place for each DNO?

It would be perfect if you could lease an EV at a reduced rate with the understanding that the DNO can use the battery as they wish. 

Martyn1981

I wasn't sure about posting this article, and CO2 capture in general on this thread, but I'm hoping it fits with the general premise since the AGW temperature targets involve carbon removal, and much RE will be supported by demand following FF gas for years, so balancing that out, is a way towards 'net-zero'.

So here's another innovative idea towards carbon capture, and may also help to boost fish stocks, since phytoplankton feeds fish, but needs whale poo at the surface for fertiliser, and this has been reduced due to historic whaling.

[Note - Geo-engineering carries many risks, so this is just one of those ideas worth watching, but of course may not be viable on a large scale.]

Can fake whale poo experiment net Australian scientists a share of Elon Musk’s US$100m climate prize?

Scientists and engineers have pumped 300 litres of simulated whale poo into the ocean off Sydney as part of efforts to snag a share of Elon Musk’s US$100m prize for capturing and storing carbon.

The team, known as WhaleX, carried out its first open-ocean experiment on Sunday about eight kilometres off Port Botany in New South Wales after gaining clearance from the federal government.

The 12-strong team are racing to carry out a follow-up experiment using up to 2000 litres of the simulated poo – a mix of nitrogen, phosphorus and trace elements – before the end of January.

Tesla and SpaceX founder Musk announced in February he was funding a US$100m competition through the XPrize Foundation to find methods that could safely capture and store carbon dioxide at a scale of a billion tonnes or more a year.

Dr Edwina Tanner, a climate scientist who is leading the WhaleX project, and colleagues said they targeted a 225sq km area off Port Botany where their previous water sampling had shown a deficiency in nutrients.

From a small boat, the team aerated the formulation with a gel made from seaweed and mixed that with a dye so they could see from a drone how it dispersed.

The formulation, manufactured as an aqua food by a fertiliser company in regional New South Wales, was formulated to match the deficiencies in nutrients in the area where the trial was carried out.

The amount released was about the equivalent of a Humpback whale doing two poos, Tanner said. To be successful, she said the aqua food mix needs to stay in the top 20 to 30m for at least a day.

“It was incredible. The food stayed buoyant and well within the trial zone location,” Tanner said.

QrizB

Martyn1981 said:

Can fake whale poo experiment net Australian scientists a share of Elon Musk’s US$100m climate prize?

Thank you for that  

Everyone here was fascinated by the idea of fake whale poo and my youngest remarked, wuithout prompting, that the shortage of whales "is our fault too".

EVandPV

Canada And The UK Are Eyeing Massive Tidal Power Developments

Tidal power is expected to grow exponentially over the next decade as several countries boost investments in the renewable energy source. As Scotland secures funding for a huge new project, Canada expects to start operations in 2022. While financing is an issue, due to high set-up and operational costs, other countries could also start to establish tidal projects if early developments are seen to be a success. Scottish firm Nova Innovation has secured a $2.83 million investment from the European Innovation Council Accelerator Fund for its planned Upscaling Tidal Energy Manufacturing and Production Output project. Nova aims to construct a 200-kilowatt tidal turbine that is more compact, reducing both the weight and cost of the machinery. 

The company was also granted planning permission for a 30-megawatt tidal development in the U.K.’s Isle of White this month. Work on the Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre (PTEC) will commence in 2023 to be completed by 2025. It is expected to be “England’s first multi-megawatt tidal stream power generation project.” 

https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Tidal-Energy/Canada-And-The-UK-Are-Eyeing-Massive-Tidal-Power-Developments.amp.html