The Alternative Green Energy Thread

JKenH

Putin hails China oil and gas deals amid tensions with Europe

Russia and China power on with fossil fuels, at least for the next 25/30 years. 

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/2/4/china-and-russia-boost-energy-alliance-with-30-year-gas-contract

JKenH

China’s coal production hit record levels in 2021

China’s coal production reached record levels last year as the state encouraged miners to ramp up their fossil fuel output to safeguard the country’s energy supplies through the winter gas crisis.

The world’s biggest coal producer and consumer mined 384.67m tonnes of the fossil fuel last month, easily topping its previous record of 370.84m tonnes set in November, after the government called for miners to work at maximum capacity to help fuel the country’s economic growth.

Official government figures show that China’s coal binge also spurred the country to record high coal output over the year as a whole. Chinese coal production climbed to an all-time high of 4.07bn tonnes, up 4.7% on the previous year, in a blow to climate campaigners months after the UN’s Cop26 climate talks in Glasgow.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/17/chinas-coal-production-hit-record-levels-in-2021

JKenH

Global rise in electricity use may bring three years of price volatility

Looking at the bigger picture,m perhaps, it would be better for emissions if we allowed fracking in the UK. Any increase in gas production will on a global scale offset coal usage. The EU recognise this so why are we compromising our economy just so the world can burn more coal. 

The IEA’s report found that renewable energy sources grew by 6% in 2021, but that increase was unable to keep pace with the surge in demand as economies reopened following the sudden Covid-19 lockdowns that had choked economic growth.

In order to meet the rebound in demand for power, coal-fired plants generated 9% more electricity last year, or more than half of the global increase in power demand, to reach an all-time peak as gas became more expensive. Electricity generated by gas power plants grew by 2% last year, according to the IEA, while nuclear generation increased by 3.5%.

The return to dirtier sources of electricity caused the world’s total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power generation to climb by 7% to a new all-time high after having declined the two previous years, the IEA said.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jan/14/global-surge-in-electricity-use-could-bring-three-more-years-of-price-rises

JKenH

Rethink net zero plans, Cabinet urges, as country faces biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation

Cabinet ministers are increasingly uneasy about Downing Street’s focus on its net zero target and have warned that the cost of living crisis should be given more priority in the coming years.

One said the UK “should not be running towards net zero so aggressively”, describing the 2050 pledge as one of the “most aggressive targets in the world”.

“We've stigmatised gas, and that’s wrong,” the minister said. “Gas has to be part of the answer.”

Another Cabinet minister told The Telegraph: “The priority should be the cost of living – 2050 is a long way away, and our own gas is a valuable transition fuel in the meantime.” That view is understood to be shared by at least another two Cabinet ministers.

Mr Sunak indicated that he may share these concerns, and highlighted that North Sea gas “plays an important part of our transition to net zero”.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/02/03/ministers-urge-boris-johnson-rethink-net-zero-plans-cost-living/

JKenH

Campaigners call out insurers investing $7.9bn in North Sea oil and gas companies

Removing support for oil and gas production ‘needs to accelerate beyond the current baby steps’, says climate campaigner.

The article is copyright protected so no further quotes but you can read the whole article by clicking on the link.

It is increasingly becoming acknowledged that burning natural gas to produce power (thus displacing coal fired generation) is an integral part of the transition to a green economy. Witness the EU labelling such activities as green. World energy demand is increasing faster than renewables and  burning gas is the lesser of two evils. Denying that is for those who have lost touch with reality/those who don’t have to solve the CO2 problem and those with vested interests in renewables. (Yes there are as many vested interests in the green energy world as in oil and coal and they receive better press).

I find campaigner’s attacking insurance companies that insure and invest in oil and gas companies that have current (and planned) operations in the North Sea to be counterproductive. Attack the EU, the UK government or the generators who recognise the realities of the situation and the necessity of supporting gas production (and provide an alternative solution that can work with timeframes).

But, no, you will get more column inches to paint the oil companies as the bogeymen. Climate campaign groups are strong on rhetoric and short on pragmatism because their business is sound bites that appeal to the young and the gullible who  The annoying part of this is however they are rarely challenged by the media who prefer to regurgitate the sound bite filled press releases without analysis as it sells more copy/gets more clicks.

Instead of considered debate therefore we find polarised jibing with no attempt to provide practical solutions to the dilemma that, somehow or other, until we have sufficient reliable renewable capacity we need gas to plug the gap while minimising CO2 (and methane) emissions.

Now, perhaps, to some that will sound like I am desiring delay and prevarication. In fact it is the opposite. We need to bite the bullet and be upfront about how we practically manage the situation, not kick the can down the road for fear of offending campaign groups. The UK’s net zero ambitions are in tatters because of instead of accepting publicly/politically that we need to invest in the short term in North Sea gas production and storage, combined with realistic plans for long term electricity storage to take advantage off renewable energy, we talk in soundbites about being the Saudi Arabia of wind and Qatar of hydrogen. 

The UK government knows what it needs to do, it’s just afraid to come out and say it’s going to do it.

https://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/news/campaigners-call-out-insurers-investing-79bn-in-north-sea-oil-and-gas-companies/1440251.article

JKenH

Verdigris said:

Anyway, the story is from the Telegraph who, along with the Mail, are full-on trying to revive fracking and other fossil fuel exploitation, at the moment.

I have copied your comment from the heat pump thread to respond here. 

The Telegraph are not anti renewables as the articles below demonstrate. They do make the argument for more North Sea gas as part of an integrated approach to CO2 reduction. You may prefer articles from other publications that pursue a renewables only policy but unless you are prepared to read articles from outside the renewable energy/climate campaigning press you will not get to hear the other side of the argument. Having heard both sides of the argument you can then reach your own conclusions. Filtering out/rejecting articles and sources you don’t like before you read them will give a very one sided view of the world. 

Technology saves us: Oxford sees a $26 trillion gain from net zero

Britain should go hell-bent for North Sea gas and wind

A good day’s work: Glasgow has turned the tide on global deforestation and methane abuse

Green warriors weaponise human rights laws to force net zero this decade

Spend more on renewables or power prices will keep rising, warns IEA

michaels

Isn't there an issue with rogue methane emissions from fracking that result in electricity from fracked gas actually emitting more co2(e) than coal. 

Personally I can see an argument for both fracking and UK production as I could see us going to gas CCT providing probably very expensive per unit 'peaker services' via some sort of capacity agreement at an ever diminishing proportion of total generation as renewables and specifically wind provide a bigger and bigger share at a CfD price of £50 per mwh or less - but not if it is less 'green' than burning coal. 

Basically a gas station fleet to meet the 'cold still days' demand whilst wind (with spill and timeshifting via car batteries) provides pretty much 100% of demand the rest of the time.

JKenH

Six North Sea oil and gas fields to be fired up amid Cabinet row over net zero

Six North Sea oil and gas fields are set to be given the green light this year, The Telegraph has learnt, as Cabinet figures push back against “insane” demands to go further on net zero.

A Whitehall source told The Telegraph: “The Business Secretary is pushing for more investment into the North Sea while we transition – not just for jobs and tax revenue, but for domestic energy security.

“Kwasi is actively resisting insane calls from Labour and the eco-lobby to turn off UK production. Doing so would trash energy security, kill off 200,000 jobs, and we would only end up importing more from foreign countries with dubious records.

“Over the long term, we need to generate more secure, affordable, low carbon power in the UK to achieve greater energy independence. 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/02/07/six-north-sea-oil-gas-fields-fired-amid-cabinet-row-net-zero/

JKenH

Net zero strategy: The key policies in the Government's ambitious plan

One or two of the headlines

The Government wants to end the sale of new gas boilers from 2035, but homes off the gas grid will be expected to wean themselves off fossil fuel use nearly a decade earlier. 

More than one million, mostly rural, homes that use oil or coal will have to switch to low-carbon alternatives such as heat pumps when they replace their old equipment from 2026, under new proposals. 

New homes built from 2025 will not be connected to the gas grid and will instead be expected to have heat pumps installed as standard. 

The Net Zero strategy confirms government plans to decarbonise electricity generation by 2035 - 15 years earlier than first envisaged - “subject to security of supply”. 

Its planned power system of 2035 will include wind, solar and nuclear power.  

Gas-fired power stations will still be used, but coupled with carbon capture systems to scrub out the emissions. Hydrogen will help smooth out periods of intermittent wind and solar. 

Cardew

JKenH said:

Verdigris said:

Anyway, the story is from the Telegraph who, along with the Mail, are full-on trying to revive fracking and other fossil fuel exploitation, at the moment.

I have copied your comment from the heat pump thread to respond here. 

The Telegraph are not anti renewables as the articles below demonstrate. They do make the argument for more North Sea gas as part of an integrated approach to CO2 reduction. You may prefer articles from other publications that pursue a renewables only policy but unless you are prepared to read articles from outside the renewable energy/climate campaigning press you will not get to hear the other side of the argument. Having heard both sides of the argument you can then reach your own conclusions. Filtering out/rejecting articles and sources you don’t like before you read them will give a very one sided view of the world.

Well said!

It is a shame that it seen by some as heresy to challenge the green propaganda machine – typified by a thread in this section of MSE.

Of course we would all wish that renewable energy could power the world, but it can’t and is unlikely to do so even in my young grandchildren’s life.

Meanwhile we have the absurd situation where, according to some economists, the UK is going to spend more to achieve Net Zero than fund the NHS; AND FOR WHAT?

Below is the list of the Top 5 largest emitters of carbon Dioxide in the world in 2019 ( chart in https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59238869 - won't cut and paste)

China 11,535 megatonnes

US 5,107 megatonnes

EU 3,304 megatonnes

India 2,597 megatonnes

Russia 1,792 megatonnes

The UK’s contribution in 2020 was 326 megatonnes ie approx 10% of the EU’s contribution.    

Even if we achieved the goal of Net Zero this year, within 12 months the increased emissions from fossil fuels produced by China and India alone would wipe out the UK’s savings.

China’s priority is to have the largest and most powerful Armed Forces in the world. Even India, receiving $billions in foreign aid, prioritises their nuclear weapons and space program.

Apparently this Government feels Britain should set an example to the rest of the world, who will surely follow our lead – perhaps!