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  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,760 Forumite
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    Energy transition to generate US$10 trillion in benefits by 2050 – IEA/IRENA
    The route to decarbonisation in the energy sector will create benefits of US$10 trillion every year by 2050, while requiring only US$1.8 trillion to implement, according to a new joint report from the International Energy Agency (IAE) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
    Costs of the energy transition up to 2050 are projected to reach US$29 trillion by 2050, roughly 0.4% of global GDP, but these costs are expected to then boost global GDP by 0.8% in the same period.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • lstar337
    lstar337 Posts: 3,441 Forumite
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    Nappy power plant converts tonnes of waste into energy

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-39333446
    A multi-million pound plant has opened in West Bromwich to convert tonnes of used nappies, sanitary protection and incontinence pads into fuel for power stations.

    On a similar note, I followed a tanker carrying human waste on my way to work this morning. It put a huge smile on my face for two reasons. Firstly, the number plate was P200 P00 :D, Secondly it had a sign on the back saying "This vehicle is carrying political promises".

    So good to see a company with a real sense of humour.
  • michaels
    michaels Posts: 28,003 Forumite
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    More demand for batteries:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39478856

    No wonder Tesla is worth more than Ford:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39485200
    I think....
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,760 Forumite
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    Tory voters like PV and on-shore wind too, so it's hard to work out exactly who the government is trying to please by virtually destroying these two, cheap, industries?

    Tories favour solar and call on government to encourage further renewables deployment
    The report also concluded that the majority of Tory voters were proud of the UK’s historic support of climate and environmental initiatives, and 85% wanted the country to maintain renewable energy and energy efficiency targets post-Brexit, as these are currently set at EU level.

    This extended to a majority of those surveyed wanting the current government to afford further support to the deployment of renewables despite the raft of cuts enacted shortly after the party’s election victory in May 2015.

    Since then solar and onshore wind – the two cheapest renewable generation technologies according to the government’s advisory body, the Committee on Climate Change – have been subjected to various cuts in subsidies which have significantly stymied deployment.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,760 Forumite
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    Update on this month's long anticipated (no? Just me then) CfD auction. Off-shore wind is still expected to join PV and on-shore wind by going cheaper than new nuclear, but 9 years sooner than expected:

    UK’s bet on offshore wind pays off as costs plunge
    “I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a dramatic reduction in costs to below the £85/MWh target set by Government for 2026,” he said.

    Just for info, I believe the £85 figure is in 2012 monies not 2017 nor 2026 monies, and therefore compares to HPC's original strike price of £92.50, not today's inflationary linked price of about £100.

    Yes, it's confusing, or at the very least I am.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,760 Forumite
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    Thought some might be interested in a Nov 2016 report on UK electricity generation costs.

    I thought page 30 table 7 was very interesting as it gives estimates for PV and wind costs in 2016, 2020 and 2030, but compares the 2013 estimates to the 2016 estimates - *spoiler alert* estimated costs dropped massively during that 3 year period.

    BEIS - ELECTRICITY GENERATION COSTS
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • zeupater
    zeupater Posts: 5,355 Forumite
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    edited 10 April 2017 at 3:12PM
    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    Thought some might be interested in a Nov 2016 report on UK electricity generation costs.

    I thought page 30 table 7 was very interesting as it gives estimates for PV and wind costs in 2016, 2020 and 2030, but compares the 2013 estimates to the 2016 estimates - *spoiler alert* estimated costs dropped massively during that 3 year period.

    BEIS - ELECTRICITY GENERATION COSTS
    ... be a decent idea if the authors actually had a clue on what tornado charts are supposed to convey and therefore structure them appropriately ... as it is, they are not 'tornado charts' ...

    ... says it all really, predictions made not long ago have been proved so wrong in such a short timescale that the same people need to either (a) take the flack and justify themselves -or- (b) make excuses & move the goalposts through rushing out a report update (the age-old responsibility long grass solution)... the problem is that in not understanding basic terminology or how to best convey relative priorities and key impact parameters, they've simply produced something which instils no more confidence in accuracy as the original which has been proved to be totally inadequate .... apart from that, it doesn't really take a moment of genius to see how original assumptions have been manipulated and how they would impact the (in)accuracy of the estimations/predictions .... :think: , :idea: , :doh: , :naughty: .... :wall: ...

    Z
    "We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit. " ...... Aristotle
    B)
  • michaels
    michaels Posts: 28,003 Forumite
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    Thought some might be interested in a Nov 2016 report on UK electricity generation costs.

    I thought page 30 table 7 was very interesting as it gives estimates for PV and wind costs in 2016, 2020 and 2030, but compares the 2013 estimates to the 2016 estimates - *spoiler alert* estimated costs dropped massively during that 3 year period.

    BEIS - ELECTRICITY GENERATION COSTS
    Interesting projections - costs have fallen much more quickly than anticipated so future predicted reductions are now smaller.....
    I think....
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,760 Forumite
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    michaels wrote: »
    Interesting projections - costs have fallen much more quickly than anticipated so future predicted reductions are now smaller.....

    As Z points out, the predictions have not been very good. So it could be that costs have fallen rapidly, or also that the earlier estimates were too pessimistic, possibly deliberately given that HPC was being contracted at that point in time.

    I would also say that even the lower future estimates look a little questionable already. This month we should find out the latest off-shore wind contracts, with commissioning dates around 2021. Predictions are for £85(ish) in 2012 monies, which would be around £92 today (I think) v's the £106 in the chart for 2020.

    There have been £50/MWh off-shore contracts for Dutch farms, but these are shallow coastal waters, and exclude the electricity infrastructure costs, but still interesting.

    Also, for on-shore wind and PV the report suggests £60/MWh costs for 2030, but recent German (PV) and Italian (on-shore wind) contracts have been approx £60/MWh this year for pre-2020 commissioning, so 10yrs ahead of this report - but perhaps I'm splitting hairs on that one v's the £63-£67 for 2020 UK estimates.

    All criticisms aside, still very positive news, just a shame that the government has taken so long to get closer to the costs, and has pretty much ended most of the support for PV and on-shore wind before they were fully mature ....... so close, so close!
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • zeupater
    zeupater Posts: 5,355 Forumite
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    .... just a shame that the government has taken so long to get closer to the costs, and has pretty much ended most of the support for PV and on-shore wind before they were fully mature ....... so close, so close!
    Hi

    ... The way that changes related to capital investment tax handling for technologies with a high investment to operating cost ratio have been stirred into the mix is extremely interesting too ... very much so when HinckleyC would be included in this subset ....

    Anyway, to the above-referenced .... what's the odds on news of UK support for domestic-scale battery storage leaking out over the summer ... something along the lines of (say) £500/kWh of usable storage capped at (say) 50% of fully installed cost, payable in quarterly instalments over (say) 7 years ?? ... it'd certainly fit in with the basic structure of (say) RHI etc and could possibly launched under the name (say) RSI (no, not that RSI, a different one !!) and would certainly leverage the potential of existing microgeneration to address peak demand within a reasonable timescale and at a reasonable cost, which at an estimated £3billion(max) even at current costs would have far more immediate grid-balancing impact than the £12billion smart-meter debacle due to there being no co-reliance on consumerisation or uptake of smart-products and/or home automation ...

    Just speculation, of course .... :D

    HTH
    Z
    "We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit. " ...... Aristotle
    B)
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