Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

michaels

Adressing Martin's post.

1) IT would seem that a lot of current gas production, especially from the US fracking and Russia (and who knows what elsewhere) sees a lot of previously unrecorded methane release (now captured by satellite monitoring) that possibly mans it is just as global warming harmful as coal.

2) The govt is forcing every gas and electricity user to borrow £200 at 0% interest paid back over 4 years.  Could the govt not spend £200 (or a suitable property dependent amount) per property improving insulation (to be paid back over 4 years at 0% interest) - the difference being that for this loan, some of the repayment will actually be funded from energy savings and will improve the energy demand/supply balance?!

Martyn1981

Nothing special news, so to speak, but I thought some positive RE news was needed, and also this article is a reminder of something discussed a short while back about the difficulties of going too big with onshore wind due to the need to get very large cranes on site (and on site being at each individual WT).

Whilst this piece is about the electrical control unit, not the WT's specifically, I still thought that lifting 4,800 tonnes was, shall I say, quite impressive, and massively understated by the project director's modest description of 'significant'.

Just a ramble, but often once the electrical support hardware and cabling (to shore, and on shore) has been completed, WF's start some generation, long before all of the WT's have been installed, and the final commissioning date.

Seagreen completes platform topside installation

The offshore platform topside for the 1100MW Seagreen offshore wind project, off Scotland, has been successfully installed, according to developer SSE Renewables.

“At around 4800 tonnes, the topside is a significant piece of equipment which has been carefully designed to withstand the rigours of a long operational life in the North Sea.

shinytop

Verdigris said:

I fear this current crisis will be seized upon by the usual suspects to put us back decades in decarbonising our economy. Ironically, it may be the FF companies that save us, with their greater expertise in looking into the future, from the ravings of the grotesques who inhabit the Tory back-benches.

Have a listen to the last 5 minutes, or so, of last Sunday's The Westminster Hour (R4) to see what I mean.

I hope not decades but maybe some sensible reflection about the glide path to net zero might be required.  

This is a speech from the Chief Exec of Ofgem.  Lots of generalisation and assurances but not a lot of practical detail.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/jonathan-brearleys-speech-future-utilities-event?fbclid=IwAR19ONm3mEgmFPCQNVzzVNTgAwi4bqrpVeRrv_mOD4IQmBK3s7yZEIBJ07o 

QrizB

It's been a few weeks since I took much interest in the LCC CFD Levy Dashboards.

I went back to the site today and there's some interesting info there.

• The interim levy amount is currently zero (no surprise) but is expected to remain at zero for the next four quarters
• CFD payments this period are forecast to be -£545M, and to remain negative next period (ie. we get another refund from "the green levy")
  
• The average strike price for CFD-backed offshore wind is under £160/MWh (and less for other technologies), and will fall next quarter to around £140/MWh (due, I guess, to cheaper windfarms coming on-line)

Martyn1981

It's a cheeky thought, but presumably that means the average offshore wind price will drop below the HPC cost (currently £107/MWh) before HPC comes on line, especially with the £47/MWh wind farms coming on line in 2024/25/26. Plus the earliest and most expensive wind farms ageing out of subsidies perhaps 5yrs after HPC starts.

I'm extremely critical of the Governments actions in 2015 with regard to PV, onshore wind, building standards etc etc, but I have to tip my hat to them for strongly backing offshore wind, what a success story.

Fun times ahead.

Coastalwatch

LFP appears to be the popular choice for batteries these days and understandably so I guess given their lower fire risk over the original Li Ion versions. It would also appear these contain no Cobalt or Nickel so another postive along the way to reducing their environmental impact. Afraid no figures that I could find for output/kg but along with commercial & Domestic storage, heavy duty and agricultural EV's are areas also aimed at so probably not competing entirely with Li Ion.

Plans announced for a US lithium-ferro-phosphate battery gigafactory network

A new company, American Battery Factory (ABF), announced plans to set up a network of lithium-ferro-phosphate (LFP) battery fabrications across the United States. Incubated by Lion Energy, a mobile battery and solar generator provider that reported $100 million in sales in 2021, ABF brings forward an executive team backed by a company with ten years of energy storage experience.

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/03/08/plans-announced-for-a-us-lithium-ferro-phosphate-battery-gigafactory-network/?utm_source=USA+|+Newsletter&utm_campaign=859f6b1d3a-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_80e0d17bb8-859f6b1d3a-159341337

NigeWick

Martyn1981 said:

I have to say I'm more than a bit baffled at this government idea/suggestion.

Follow the money! My MP gets £50,000 for 11 days a year being a consultant for a fossil fuel company.

Exiled_Tyke

A good summary of the present UK energy situation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60683929

shinytop

Exiled_Tyke said:

A good summary of the present UK energy situation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60683929

Quite a well balanced article IMO.  In the short term, we have to find a way of getting the 'consume less' message out there and implemented in a way that is acceptable across the Guardian/Telegraph spectrum.    

michaels

I still don't understand how nuclear and renewables coexist in any coherent energy strategy.  THe maths just seems to not make sense.