Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

shinytop

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61256615

Coal fired power stations to stay open longer. Short sighted panic move or sensible contingency plan?

EVandPV

‘Heat battery’ invention could make millions of homes gas-free

Researchers believe they can make millions of homes in Europe gas-free in the near future, after inventing a “heat battery” based on salt and water.

The team from Eindhoven University of Technology say their cheap, compact battery system is ready for real-world tests and will be a “game-changer for energy transition”.

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/battery-heat-salt-gas-russia-b2067404.html?amp

gefnew

A Welsh one for Mart to have a read of.

Ceredigion proposed wind farm test mast given go-ahead - BBC News

Martyn1981

EVandPV said:

‘Heat battery’ invention could make millions of homes gas-free

Researchers believe they can make millions of homes in Europe gas-free in the near future, after inventing a “heat battery” based on salt and water.

The team from Eindhoven University of Technology say their cheap, compact battery system is ready for real-world tests and will be a “game-changer for energy transition”.

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/battery-heat-salt-gas-russia-b2067404.html?amp

That was fascinating. I've been on to their site and some FAQs for a good nose. Cool idea, so to speak.

I recall a similar idea, I think it was discussed on the now defunct Navitron site probably 10yrs ago. It used a particular type of extremely porous stone (with enormous surface area) that if dried thoroughly, gets hot when water is added. I think it had a Greek name meaning steaming stones, or something like that. A site member then mentioned an aluminium waste product, an oxide (or something) that can do similar tricks. I've not heard anything since about these, and I don't think they were economical, or available in high enough quantities. So great to see another version.

The FAQs don't state round trip efficiency, but suggest losses are low*, and also suggest how this heat storage could work with heat pumps for DHW, letting them do the super efficient 0-20C heating of water, then stepping in to lift it to 65C+.

*No losses during the sit and wait stage of storage.

Spies

The space power stations... How do they get that power down to earth? 

ABrass

Spies said:

The space power stations... How do they get that power down to earth? 

Very long cables

Or microwave beamed power. Like the world's biggest wireless charger.

markin

Martyn1981 said:

EVandPV said:

‘Heat battery’ invention could make millions of homes gas-free

Researchers believe they can make millions of homes in Europe gas-free in the near future, after inventing a “heat battery” based on salt and water.

The team from Eindhoven University of Technology say their cheap, compact battery system is ready for real-world tests and will be a “game-changer for energy transition”.

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/battery-heat-salt-gas-russia-b2067404.html?amp

That was fascinating. I've been on to their site and some FAQs for a good nose. Cool idea, so to speak.

I recall a similar idea, I think it was discussed on the now defunct Navitron site probably 10yrs ago. It used a particular type of extremely porous stone (with enormous surface area) that if dried thoroughly, gets hot when water is added. I think it had a Greek name meaning steaming stones, or something like that. A site member then mentioned an aluminium waste product, an oxide (or something) that can do similar tricks. I've not heard anything since about these, and I don't think they were economical, or available in high enough quantities. So great to see another version.

The FAQs don't state round trip efficiency, but suggest losses are low*, and also suggest how this heat storage could work with heat pumps for DHW, letting them do the super efficient 0-20C heating of water, then stepping in to lift it to 65C+.

*No losses during the sit and wait stage of storage.

2 weeks may be fine in the NL but i would want the 2 cubic yard version, Its just salt so i expect the same cost as a 2 week version!

Martyn1981

As we know, decarbonising energy, no matter how quickly we do it, won't be enough to prevent 2C+ of warming this century, without us also removing vast amounts of CO2 from the environment - sadly something we don't yet know how to do on the necessary scale, and at a cost we can afford.

So this episode of 'Just Have a Think' looks at an idea for removing CO2 from the oceans, a method that also locks in the CO2 for 'easy(ier)' storage. It may also have benefits to desalination and green hydrogen production if co-located.

Carbon Dioxide Removal from our oceans. Can we achieve 20 BILLION tonnes per year?

michaels

Martyn1981 said:

As we know, decarbonising energy, no matter how quickly we do it, won't be enough to prevent 2C+ of warming this century, without us also removing vast amounts of CO2 from the environment - sadly something we don't yet know how to do on the necessary scale, and at a cost we can afford.

So this episode of 'Just Have a Think' looks at an idea for removing CO2 from the oceans, a method that also locks in the CO2 for 'easy(ier)' storage. It may also have benefits to desalination and green hydrogen production if co-located.

Carbon Dioxide Removal from our oceans. Can we achieve 20 BILLION tonnes per year?

Presumably this just brings oceanic co2 levels back towards former levels and the ocean then soaks up atmospheric co2 more quickly? 

Coastalwatch

Great news on the one hand yet seems to be a case of one step forward and two back. Makes on wonder who really was behind raising the circumvention case!

For the first time in history, California’s demand was 100% matched by renewable energy generation

On Saturday afternoon, as the sun shined brightly, solar PV and other renewables generated 100% of the state’s needs for about fifteen minutes.

According to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), California hit a big milestone in its energy transition, achieving a 100% renewable energy supply on Saturday afternoon. For about fifteen minutes, the state’s energy demand was matched by a 101% supply availability of renewable energy, a majority of it supplied by solar PV.

This is a glimpse into the state’s emissions-free future that it envisions, and a huge accomplishment when considering California as a sovereign nation would represent the fifth largest economy in the world, larger than Germany.

At about 2:45 PM on Saturday, CAISO reported that 12,391 MW of the 18,000 MW demand was supplied by solar PV. The remainder was picked up by generation from wind, geothermal, and other sources. After fifteen minutes of peak solar irradiance, the supply dipped down to about 97% renewable energy. The peak renewable production broke a previous record of 96.4%.

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/05/02/for-the-first-time-in-history-california-was-100-powered-by-renewable-energy/?utm_source=USA+|+Newsletter&utm_campaign=a84d96dd06-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_80e0d17bb8-a84d96dd06-159341337

California Governor calls on DOC to end anti-circumvention investigation. DOC says it can’t

The investigation is estimated to have put more than 4,350 MW of solar and storage projects set for deployment between 2022 and 2024 in jeopardy.

California Governor has sent a letter to the Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, laying out the devastating impact the ongoing investigation into solar cell and module manufacturers in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam will have on California’s development market and ability to reach its climate goals. In the letter, Newsom asked the DOC to “resolve this issue as soon as possible and restore certainty in the market.”

According to Newsom’s letter, uncertainty regarding the investigation has already delayed at least 4,350 MW of solar and storage projects set for deployment between 2022 and 2024. In 2022 alone, Newsome is anticipating delays of over 400 MW of hybrid solar and storage projects, including 163 MW of storage that the state had anticipated to come online in September of this year.

Last week, the Solar Energy industries Association (SEIA) released updated data anticipating that the case will result in a drop of 24 GW of planned solar capacity over the next two years, which is more solar than the industry installed in all of 2021. By 2025, imposition of tariffs will cause solar capacity to fall 75 GW short of the pace needed to reach the president’s goal, equal to the size of the entire US solar market prior to 2020.

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/05/02/california-governor-calls-on-doc-to-end-anti-circumvention-investigation-doc-says-it-cant/?utm_source=USA+|+Newsletter&utm_campaign=a84d96dd06-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_80e0d17bb8-a84d96dd06-159341337