Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

NedS

ed110220 said:

QrizB said:

That's quite impressive.

US$59 is about £43, so my hypothetical  "container ship full of batteries" with 16GWh of storage would be £690M:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78489255/#Comment_78489255

You could put half a dozen of them at the major container ports around the UK and all of a sudden we've got 100GWh of distributed storage ...

Great news, but one possible concern I have is that cheap PV and now cheap batteries are going to give a big advantage to places with excellent solar resources year-round and disadvantage places like N Europe where winter days are short and tend towards cloudiness.

Like places who were sat on huge reserves of oil and natural gas have had a huge advantage for the last 50 years.

They will find a way to export the power just like they export oil and gas down huge inter-continental pipelines.

ed110220

NedS said:

ed110220 said:

QrizB said:

That's quite impressive.

US$59 is about £43, so my hypothetical  "container ship full of batteries" with 16GWh of storage would be £690M:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78489255/#Comment_78489255

You could put half a dozen of them at the major container ports around the UK and all of a sudden we've got 100GWh of distributed storage ...

Great news, but one possible concern I have is that cheap PV and now cheap batteries are going to give a big advantage to places with excellent solar resources year-round and disadvantage places like N Europe where winter days are short and tend towards cloudiness.

Like places who were sat on huge reserves of oil and natural gas have had a huge advantage for the last 50 years.

They will find a way to export the power just like they export oil and gas down huge inter-continental pipelines.

Yes, I'm a bit dubious about exporting energy itself, but I can see very energy intensive processes like aluminium smelting, ammonia/fertiliser production, maybe iron ore reduction etc going to places like that. And nothing wrong with that really.

Martyn1981

Blast from the past, with the return of Chris Goodall's Carbon Commentary newsletter.

No idea if these are useful, but I see it as something to enjoy just to keep me updated / aware of various topics, or introduce me to new thoughts.

I'll include a link this time, in case anyone wants to subscribe, as I edit the list to remove anything that might appear commercial, such as subscribe links, just in case they contravene any MSE rules.

This newsletter has been in abeyance for a year. I hope to bring it back every two weeks to discuss the background to what I think are the most significant and under-reported news stories of the previous fortnight. As before, your comments will be much appreciated.

1, CO2, methanol and hydrogen supply chains. Japanese carrier Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and Mitsubishi shipbuilding gained approval for a new design of vessel that will carry either liquid CO2 or synthetic methanol. This unprecedented combination allows a round trip carrying captured CO2 from fossil fuel combustion in Japan to provide the carbon for synthetic methanol production at low electricity cost sites around the world. The methanol will then be brought back to Japan for use as a fuel, probably mostly for shipping. MOL has already invested in HIF Global which is building synthetic methanol plants in various countries with a total capacity of about 4 million tonnes a year. In another world first, LH2 Shipping got $23.5m from the Norwegian government to build the first liquid hydrogen carrier. As with the methanol, the hydrogen will be made in low electricity cost locations and then shipped to places where the fuel is needed.

 
2, China battery storage auction. A state-owned energy company held an auction for Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery supply in China. It asked for bids for a total of 25 GWh, the equivalent of over twice the UK’s total installed battery capacity today. Bids came in at around $50 per kWh compared to the $65 in a smaller auction in March. Battery costs are continuing to fall sharply.

3, Climeworks fund raising. Direct Air Capture (DAC) specialist Climeworks raised another $162m to take total funding to more than a billion dollars. This follows reports about how remarkably little CO2 the company has actually managed to stuff underground at its trial plant in Iceland. So why is more money still forthcoming? Climeworks says seen major recent improvements, including that it has ‘doubled energy efficiency’. On its own, this change would cut at least $50 a tonne off CO2 capture and storage costs. But in the context of the $1,000 per tonne total costs mentioned in the last edition of this newsletter, that reduction doesn’t seem hugely significant.

4, Grid-forming batteries. The Spanish blackout demonstrated one of the disadvantages of a renewables dominated electricity system. Once a solar or wind farm disconnects itself from a grid because either voltage or AC frequency have moved outside limits, they cannot then be reconnected until the grid has stabilised. They are also unable to offer ‘inertia’, the stabilisation of electricity supply provided by the rotation of turbines at conventional power stations. The move to 100% renewables will require the extensive use of electronics fitted at renewables sites and battery farms that will replicate the ‘grid-forming’ capabilities of existing power stations. Small numbers of pilot grid-forming inverters have been built around the world, including recently in Scotland. Recently, a much larger installation was completed in China at a 400 MWh lithium and sodium ion battery project. But we’ll need this technology in very large amounts: this week a Wood Mackenzie study suggested that 37% of all new wind, solar and battery installations globally will need to incorporate grid forming from 2025 onwards. The report also estimated a cost premium of 15% over today’s standard ‘grid-following’ batteries. Since the cost of batteries is falling rapidly (see note 2), this shouldn’t represent a major obstacle. I’ll go out on a limb and say that, fully implemented, grid-forming electronics would have kept the Spanish system online.

5, PET recycling. Fully circular recycling of PET, representing about 10% of world plastic consumption, remains challenging. Today PET soft drink bottles can be melted and made into new, lower quality items such as bags or carpets. A better way forward is to use a chemical process to break down the polymers in PET back into the constituent monomers. Then the monomers can be remade into clear plastic that can be indefinitely recycled back into soft drink bottles and other uses. The French company Carbios has developed enzymes that can break down PET for full circularity but the costs of the process are high. A study from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Portsmouth in the UK showed that by using a different – and fully recyclable – chemical to control acidity, costs for enzymatic recycling processes similar to those pioneered by Carbios could be reduced to below the level of virgin PET.

6, Dual fuel shipping. The shipping industry is conscious of the pressure to reduce its footprint but has swung away from low carbon methanol as the alternative fuel for next ships towards LNG (which nevertheless may actually be as bad for the climate as conventional shipping fuel). In the first half of 2025, DNV analysis shows that 87 ships were ordered that will burn LNG as the alternative fuel while only 40 will be equipped to use methanol. Ammonia fuelled new ships have declined even more with only 3 ordered in the first half of the year compared to 27 vessels during 2024. About half of all ships ordered from January to June 2025 will have the capacity to burn a fuel other than oil.

7, Green steel in Europe. Arcelor Mittal drew back from its plan to move to green steel through the use of hydrogen-fuelled furnaces (DRI) in Germany and elsewhere. This was another blow to those of us who believe in the vital role of H2 in future steelmaking. However two of its European competitors restated their belief in the transition. Tata Steel confirmed its intention to shift to DRI at its Dutch site at IJmuiden and Salzgitter said its plans also remained on track. But both the two companies stated their strong wish for clearer government support.

8 Low carbon clothing. Altri, a Portugese cellulose manufacturer, bought a majority stake in AeoniQ, a Swiss start-up. AeoniQ makes fully biodegradable (or indeed recyclable) cellulose textiles made from trees that can be engineered to mimic polyester and cotton without using any plastic. The product has been used in small collections from Hugo Boss and other clothing brands. Altri said it would build the first industrial scale plant in Portugal. The production quantities are small - only 1,750 tonnes a year for the initial plant – but the market for cellulose fabrics, often called Lyocell today, is now over half a million tonnes a year and growing rapidly. Lyocell is more expensive than cotton or polyester and we’ll see whether the Altri product can reduce the price differential.

9, EV sales. José Pontes wrote in Clean Technica that EVs captured 25% of the world market for new cars in May. Sales were about two thirds pure electric and about one third plug-in hybrid. Volumes were up 22% over last year. The share of EVs in China seems to have been over 50% in May, substantially bolstering the global percentage. José Pontes also lists the 20 best-selling individual cars. There are two Teslas near the top of this list and, at number 20, the VW iD4. All the rest are Chinese brands, with BYD occupying 10 places in the list. At present, the main European, American and Korean automakers are struggling to compete globally with Chinese manufacturers and, in particular, are losing ground in China itself, by far the world’s largest market for EVs.

10, UK capital investment for electricity grid. Ofgem, the UK utilities regulator, agreed a batch of electricity grid upgrade projects and gave a further estimate of total investment needs before 2030. It says that around 3,500 km of new high voltage transmission lines will be needed as well as upgrades on existing links of 4,400 km. (The UK currently has about 8,700 km of high voltage lines). The budgeted cost is around £80bn (€95/$100bn). My estimates are that the UK will make investments of around £130 bn in new wind and solar by 2030, meaning that new and upgraded transmission infrastructure will add about 60% to the capital costs of the move to a near 100% decarbonised electricity grid by that date.

Martyn1981

I had no idea that tidal stream turbines could potentially run for multiple years without the need for servicing. Live and learn.

Energy breakthrough as underwater turbine spins for six years off Scotland’s coast

A tidal turbine submerged off the Scottish coast has achieved a significant milestone, operating continuously for more than six years to harness the power of ocean tides for electricity. This remarkable durability, with the unit spinning approximately 40 metres (44 yards) below the surface, underscores the technology's commercial viability.

According to the trade association Ocean Energy Europe, maintaining a large, grid-scale turbine in such a harsh marine environment for this duration is a record. This longevity is crucial, as it helps pave the way for the development of larger tidal energy farms and significantly enhances the sector's appeal to investors. The proven resilience of the technology mitigates the prohibitive costs that would arise if turbines required frequent removal for maintenance.

Martyn1981

Speaking of long life expectancy, another article has surprised me - It details a number of old wind farms, some are refurbished with new/larger WT's on the same site, some have the old WT's transported for second life use, and to my surprise, some 25yr old 2MW WT's have been certified for another 25yrs .... nice.

Wind Farms Outlast Expectations: Longevity Matches Nuclear

However, the perception that nuclear alone can deliver these multi-decade operational lifetimes has recently been challenged by a growing body of evidence from the wind sector. Denmark provides perhaps the clearest recent example, notably through its decision to extend the lifespan of the Middelgrunden offshore wind farm. Middelgrunden, located near Copenhagen, was originally commissioned in 2000 with an anticipated operational life of 25 years. Rather than decommissioning the turbines as previously planned, Danish authorities and the farm’s operators have certified Middelgrunden for another 25 years, effectively doubling its operational lifetime to a full 50 years.

The extension involves no major repowering effort or equipment replacement. Instead, it relies primarily on proactive maintenance, regular inspections, and repairs. Middelgrunden’s turbines, each rated at 2 megawatts, are set to remain operational until around 2050, illustrating clearly that wind infrastructure can achieve lifespan parity with nuclear plants.

Coastalwatch

Martyn1981 said:

Speaking of long life expectancy, another article has surprised me - It details a number of old wind farms, some are refurbished with new/larger WT's on the same site, some have the old WT's transported for second life use, and to my surprise, some 25yr old 2MW WT's have been certified for another 25yrs .... nice.

Wind Farms Outlast Expectations: Longevity Matches Nuclear

However, the perception that nuclear alone can deliver these multi-decade operational lifetimes has recently been challenged by a growing body of evidence from the wind sector. Denmark provides perhaps the clearest recent example, notably through its decision to extend the lifespan of the Middelgrunden offshore wind farm. Middelgrunden, located near Copenhagen, was originally commissioned in 2000 with an anticipated operational life of 25 years. Rather than decommissioning the turbines as previously planned, Danish authorities and the farm’s operators have certified Middelgrunden for another 25 years, effectively doubling its operational lifetime to a full 50 years.

The extension involves no major repowering effort or equipment replacement. Instead, it relies primarily on proactive maintenance, regular inspections, and repairs. Middelgrunden’s turbines, each rated at 2 megawatts, are set to remain operational until around 2050, illustrating clearly that wind infrastructure can achieve lifespan parity with nuclear plants.

That's good news Mart and especially for those on here who have invested in wind generation generally.

It's also quite timely in that it follows a similar example of EV longevity, or rather battery life discovered when I came across this video today from Clevely about one of their service vehicles!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM1keOJ5vjQ

Martyn1981

This Aussie project caught my eye for a couple of reasons.

Firstly it is a 100MW PV farm, with 200MW of storage capacity and 4-8hr of energy, so 800MWh to 1,600MWh, which seems like a very good mix/ratio for Aus.

Secondly, the approval period is staggering at just 17 days. Maybe this is just an anomaly, but potentially more evidence that Australia is embracing RE on the grid, to reduce its high emissions.

Australia: Zen Energy sees solar-plus-storage site with up to 8-hour BESS approved in 17 days

Zen Energy has seen a 200MW solar-plus-storage project in Queensland approved by the Australian government, which could feature a battery energy storage system (BESS) between 4 and 8 hours in duration.

The approval comes via the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. Zen Energy launched the application on behalf of its joint venture with Taiwan’s HD Renewable Energy, ZEBRE.

Australia’s minister for the environment, Murray Watt, noted that the approval process for the project took just 17 days.

“This was made possible because the 267-hectare project site was designed so its environmental impacts were minimised,” Watt added.

“It will be located on predominantly cleared land, so there’s an option for agricultural use on the site, including sheep grazing through the solar array, demonstrating once again that there’s ways for renewables and agriculture to work together.”

Martyn1981

OK, my bias is showing, as this caught my eye as it relates to Wales, but I was also pleasantly surprised to see that we have a state owned RE company, but less pleased to hear that grid connection dates are currently mid 2030's. Ouch.

Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru is a registered and limited private company, established in March 2024. We operate from our base in Merthyr Tydfil.

Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru is wholly owned by Welsh Government. The Welsh Government defines our remit, and the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning has oversight of our activities.

Trydan plans 400MW wind trio for Wales

The state-owned renewable energy developer for Wales, Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, has announced plans to develop three new wind farms with a total capacity of up to 400MW.

The clean electricity generated will be enough to power 350,000 Welsh homes, meeting the annual average electricity needs of around a quarter of homes in Wales.

The first three proposed sites are: 132MW Clocaenog Dau Wind Farm in Denbighshire/Conwy, 162MW Glyn Cothi Wind Farm in Carmarthenshire and 108MW Carreg Wen Wind Farm in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Most of Trydan's projects currently have grid connection dates set for the mid-2030s. However, the company is working to secure earlier connections through ongoing grid reform efforts.

Martyn1981

Have to admit I'm impressed. It appears that all of the off-shore wind turbines around Taiwan, hit by a Typhoon, are undamaged and working.

Power grid disrupted, offshore turbines undamaged by Typhoon Danas

Taipei, July 7 (CNA) More than 400 offshore wind turbines remained undamaged as Typhoon Danas swept across Taiwan Monday, while electricity was restored to over 450,000 households affected by power outages, according to the Energy Administration and Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower).

In 2017, Taiwan and Japan jointly introduced a new typhoon-resistance standard requiring offshore wind turbines to meet Class T specifications, officials with the agency said.

Under this standard, turbines must be able to withstand an average wind speed of 57 meters per second over a 10-minute period -- equivalent to a Beaufort scale 17 wind, or a typhoon -- prosecutors said, noting that this requirement is stricter than Europe's Class 1A standard.

Screwdriva

Highest observed PV generation in the UK to date!