Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

Martyn1981

One of those days, when a chart surprises me on the sheer scale of RE generation in China. Their WWS (water(hydro), wind and solar) generation has added around 1,500TWh pa in the last decade, taking the total to ~2,500TWh. For scale, the UK's whole annual leccy consumption is around 300-350TWh.

Here's a fun and curvy graph of annual (not cumulative) WWS and nuclear capacity deployments:

Renewables In China Trend Upward While Nuclear Trends Flat

I’ve been publishing assessments of the poor performance of nuclear compared to wind and solar in China for years (2014, 2019, 2021, 2022). My premise nine years ago was a first principles assertion with limited empirical results that wind and solar would radically outstrip nuclear in China. Why? Modularity reducing long-tailed risks, as Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, global expert and go to person for megaprojects, puts it in his new book How Big Things Get Done, where he includes my assessment of the natural experiment.

Subsequent assessments found that was true. Every year, the combination of wind and solar, and usually both individually, outstripped new nuclear generation, both in raw nameplate capacity and in additional TWh of annual generation. But as Professor Mark Z. Jacobson likes to remind us, it’s not WS, it’s WWS, that is wind, water, and solar. And so, today I spent a bit of time looking at hydroelectric generation capacity additions around the world since 2000, which turned out to be almost entirely in China. Of the 132.5 GW of new big hydroelectric projects connected to the grid in the world since 2000, 113 GW were in China. Unsurprising to anyone paying the slightest attention, but still, big numbers.

gefnew

More proposed storage on the Scottish borders to use up the excess re.
Borders battery energy scheme passes planning hurdle - BBC News

Martyn1981

Great vid from the Fully Charged Show - It shows how the UK's grid is being enlarged, improved and modernised to cope with the higher demand that it will get in the future, and the work to allow for better movement of power across the UK and also between nations.

Whilst I've never bought into the 'the Grid won't be able to cope' argument, which tbh I find pretty stupid (it's a business with buyers and sellers, if customers want more, businesses will provide more), it's still fascinating to see how it's growing and evolving.

Also, and more of a personal thought as I watch things develop, this is yet another 'thing' that changes the storage dynamic a bit, as better integration happens.

The INVISIBLE Energy Super Highways Powering the UK!

Can the National Grid really cope with electric vehicles?! That's the question we get asked A LOT on the Fully Charged Show and so we thought it was time to ask the experts. In this episode Helen takes us over, under and into the inner workings of the incredible infrastructure powering our homes and readying the grid for mainstream adoption of electric vehicles. From renewable energy see-saw cables, hidden underground tunnels and secret control rooms, Helen shows us the remarkable journey the electrons travel before they end up powering our kettles, phones, laptops, cars and the myriad of other things we plug in every day!

michaels

I'm guessing that intraday storage might be a real winner as it also provides major support to the grid as well as the storage benefits.

70sbudgie

On the other hand...

https://www.ft.com/content/bc200569-cb85-4842-a59a-f04d342805fc

Title: Renewables groups sound alarm over UK grid connection delays

(Sorry, I don't know how to do the pretty links that others do)

I also think the FT article may be behind a subscription / paywall. I managed to view it previously, but can't now.

An internet search of the title brings up a lot of discussion that appears to be from the industry. I had hoped one of the links might be to a copy of the article.

Martyn1981

Thought it might be worth posting this, as Fluence is a large producer of stationary storage, so any progress to profitability with their growth is good news.

Fluence continues path to profitability in first results since new CEO

Global battery storage system integrator Fluence grew revenues 78% and doubled its gross profit margin in October-December 2022, its first financial quarter under the helm of new CEO Julian Nebreda.

The company’s first quarter of its financial 2023 year – which runs from 1 October, 2022, to 30 September, 2023 – was the first period with Nebreda as CEO, having replaced Manuel Perez Dubuc at the end of the company’s fourth quarter 2022.

Revenue for Q1 2023 was US$310 million, up 78%, while GAAP gross profit margin increase to 3.9% versus 2% the previous quarter. This was a substantial improvement on the previous Q1’s -30%, with the company attributing the difference to the absence of an adjustment for Q1 2023 which was made during Q1 2022 related to Covid-19 impacts.

Fluence is the largest battery storage system integrator globally according to IHS Markit but has increasingly been moving into digital energy asset optimisation covering all renewables.

Martyn1981

I suspect we all know this already, but more RE tools in the tool box, is better. Better energy security, and a better overall package.

Maybe they've been reading Z's posts?

‘Tidal boosts energy security’

Adopting tidal power alongside other forms of renewable energy can “significantly enhance” energy security and help communities to fulfil their clean energy ambitions, a new study has shown.

The University of Plymouth study, published in the journal Applied Energy, found that installing tidal stream systems, in addition to solar and offshore wind farms, is around 25% more effective at balancing supply with demand than just relying on solar and wind technologies.

Using tidal technologies as part of a renewable energy mix can also reduce the space required for power generation facilities, both on land and at sea, by around 33%, as well as reduce their visual impact since much of their operation is below the sea’s surface.

Martyn1981

Quite a milestone, as the UK's offshore wind pipeline reaches ~100GW. Obviously not all of this will be built, schemes will fall in, and out of the pipeline, but it's very positive news. Also, offshore wind takes a long time to develop, from first thoughts to commissioning, I think it can be 10-15yrs. So when contracts are issued, like the CfD auctions, with commissioning dates of ~5yrs, that's because schemes are progressing through site research, and planning stages, ready for the chance to be built out.

The UK has healthy offshore wind, and PV pipelines, and I think onshore wind is growing back too now.

UK offshore wind pipeline 'approaching 100GW

New research published by RenewableUK’s (RUK) EnergyPulse data analysts shows that the UK’s pipeline of offshore wind projects at all stages of development now stands at almost 100GW.

In total it found 99.8GW across 130 projects – an increase of 14GW over the past 12 months.

This includes 13.7GW of fully operational capacity and a further 13.6GW under construction or with support secured for a route to market.

Martyn1981

Good news story, but confession time, had to post it, because at first glance I thought the pic was people making sticks of rock. Doh!

Only 8 lines long, but definitely worth a very quick read.

Siemens Gamesa starts UK production of 108-metre blades

Martyn1981

Thought this would be an item on replacing old WT's with newer ones, but it's actually just an application to extend the life to 40yrs. So thought it worth posting as 40yrs is impressive, but no idea if we can (yet) assume longer lifespans for these bigger WT's.

Banks applies to increase lifespan of Stockton-on-Tees site

Renewable energy firm Banks Renewables has submitted a planning application for an extension to the permitted lifespan of its Lambs Hill Wind Farm (pictured) near Stockton-on-Tees.

The four-turbine wind farm, which sits to the south west of Stillington, has been operational since late 2016 and was originally given permission to run for 25 years.

But having carried out regular maintenance work at the site and reviewed its efficient ongoing operational performance, the family firm has now decided to look for permission to extend the lifespan of the wind farm by 15 years, to 40 years’ duration.