Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

Exiled_Tyke

thevilla said:

I saw this posted on the Ripple forum and haven’t seen it here:

https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4120027/track-net-zero-report-reveals-exponential-growth-putting-power-track-global-climate-goals

We are on track for net zero': Report reveals how exponential growth is putting power system on track for global climate goals

Maybe a bit optimistic but positive all the same.

I really hope this is true but I agree it does seem optimistic and pretty much disagrees with everything else I've read.   And as for the UK meeting it's targets...........

Martyn1981

Exiled_Tyke said:

thevilla said:

I saw this posted on the Ripple forum and haven’t seen it here:

https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4120027/track-net-zero-report-reveals-exponential-growth-putting-power-track-global-climate-goals

We are on track for net zero': Report reveals how exponential growth is putting power system on track for global climate goals

Maybe a bit optimistic but positive all the same.

I really hope this is true but I agree it does seem optimistic and pretty much disagrees with everything else I've read.   And as for the UK meeting it's targets...........

Yes ..... but.

As the article points out, the exponential growth, with falling costs, creating a virtuous circle, are what most predictions miss. And to be fair, we as humans have trouble seeing, as our brains are excellent at appreciating linear growth and changes, but appalling when it comes to trying to comprehend exponential changes/disruptions.

So, I also feel it's optimistic, but it does fit well with my hopes, and it also seems to make sense, even if I have trouble 'making sense' of it ..... so to speak.

I'd also suggest that just becasue the potential is there, there is still the possibility of clutching defeat from the jaws of victory, if UK policies continue to stall on PV, home efficiency and on shore wind.

Martyn1981

I think this is excellent news.

It's not, as the article states, that H2 doesn't have a place in our future, but that should really be as energy storage.

Removing H2 from consideration for space heating / boilers would, I believe, help the general public better see what options there are for the future. The same of course applies to transport, where H2 for road vehicles would require far more green leccy generation, than needed for BEV's.

Nothing wrong with considering these ideas, nor testing them, but now that things are becoming clearer, let's focus on the winners, and getting 'stuff' done.

UK poised to drop plans to replace home gas boilers with hydrogen alternatives

Controversial UK government aspirations to replace gas boilers in some homes with a hydrogen-based alternative are likely to be scrapped, Grant Shapps, the energy minister, has indicated.

Shapps said he believed hydrogen would form part of Britain’s overall energy mix but predicted it was “less likely” that the gas would be routinely piped into people’s homes, amid growing concerns about cost, safety and perpetuating a reliance on fossil fuels.

Critics argue that creating green hydrogen for home heating is six times less energy efficient than using heat pumps powered by electricity, and say that switching from gas boilers to heat pumps could save money as well as cut emissions.

Further to that last posted paragraph, here's a visual aid (I've posted before) which shows/explains why you need 6x the green leccy input for H2 space heating v's heatpumps:

Superscrooge

www.carbonintensity.org.uk It may have changed by the time you click on the link if the wind has dropped. But this is the first time I have seen every region of National Grid energy generation graded as 'Low' or 'Very Low' carbon intensity. There is usually one region burning a lot of gas. The electricity grid is definitely getting cleaner  

ed110220

Superscrooge said:

www.carbonintensity.org.uk It may have changed by the time you click on the link if the wind has dropped. But this is the first time I have seen every region of National Grid energy generation graded as 'Low' or 'Very Low' carbon intensity. There is usually one region burning a lot of gas. The electricity grid is definitely getting cleaner  

Here in SW England it's gone up to moderate now, the only region to not be 'low' or 'very low'. We don't have much wind capacity and Hinkley B is now closed.

Exiled_Tyke

May be, just may be, we will finally see government under enough pressure to start moving in the right direction on RE including freeing up planning to allow onshore windfarms in England (which would make Ripple very happy I'm sure).

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/16/top-uk-energy-firms-to-warn-rishi-sunak-dont-back-off-green-agenda

thevilla

Exiled_Tyke said:

May be, just may be, we will finally see government under enough pressure to start moving in the right direction on RE including freeing up planning to allow onshore windfarms in England (which would make Ripple very happy I'm sure).

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/16/top-uk-energy-firms-to-warn-rishi-sunak-dont-back-off-green-agenda

With an election imminent? I doubt it very much sadly.

Martyn1981

This article really caught my eye, especially the second (of the three companies). Reading it, cement free concrete, I was thinking, but what's the cost, and the cost is stated as being comparable to 'normal' concrete, so my brain started wondering about its strength/uses, but in terms of compression it is apparently comparable again.

Sounds a bit too good to be true, but at the same time, this could be huge and positive news.

C-Crete, A Cement-Free Concrete, Debuts In Seattle

Concrete is an essential building material used in many new homes and commercial buildings around the world. About 7% of global carbon emissions come from making concrete — half to make the cement that makes concrete possible, and half from making the concrete itself.

C-Crete Technologies has a different idea. It says it has invented a new process that does away with cement entirely. In a press release, the company announced that its process was used for the first time in a commercial building foundation in Seattle, Washington. It says its sustainable alternative to Portland cement produces almost no carbon dioxide in its manufacturing and actually absorbs CO2 from the air over time.

Each ton of C-Crete binder that replaces Portland cement prevents approximately 1 ton of CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the product utilizes a suite of natural minerals and industrial by-products, which should eliminate any supply chain issues.

Martyn1981

A pleasant crop of articles that might (or might not) interest some, from the Renews site.

Firstly work progressing on a test platform for floating off shore solar. Looks like a massive overkill to me, but will follow with interest.

Jan De Nul, DEME, Tractebel to install offshore PV project

SeaVolt, a collaboration between Tractebel, DEME, and Jan De Nul, is preparing to install its first floating solar energy test platform offshore.

The platform flotation system is currently located in the Port of Ostend, on the Belgian North Sea coast, where main contractor Equans is finalising assembly.

The test platform will be the first installation in the Belgian North Sea aimed at the large-scale development of offshore solar energy and is scheduled to be towed offshore, anchored, and put into operation to gather data for at least a year starting in August.

Unlike existing floating solar installations on lakes, SeaVolt has developed a concept specifically tailored to the conditions of rough seas, the consortium said. 

Secondly, here we go again, with another attempt to remove the anti on shore wind restrictions in the UK.

UK Energy Bill amendments seek to lift onshore wind ‘ban’

Alok Sharma has tabled an amendment to the Energy Bill that would lift key restrictions to onshore wind development in England.

His proposal includes removing wording in National Planning Policy Framework that has effectively blocked any new projects from being approved since introduced in 2015.

And for thrice the fun, we have work starting on yet another interconnector, this time, between the UK and Germany.

Work starts on UK, Germany interconnector

Construction is now underway on the 1400MW NeuConnect project - a vital new energy link between the UK and Germany that will connect two of Europe’s largest energy markets for the first time.

Exiled_Tyke

Let's hope there's a big enough storm to get onshore wind finally moving this time...but I'm not holding my breath.