Renewables

It promises to provide unlimited clean, green energy to some of Scotland’s most remote communities while also generating much-needed cash for local projects. Hopes are growing that ambitious proposals for a £37 million community-owned windfarm on Lewis will make good progress after groups within the Stornoway Trust area started collaborating in talks to build seven turbines on the Arnish moor. They organised negotiations because massive costs to link into the electricity network ruled out their own individual plans. It is thought major savings can be gained by working together on a joint wind scheme close to the grid substation. The overarching issue is whether a subsea cable will be built between Lewis and the mainland, without which no new turbines can be built on the island. If successful, profits would be shared out amongst the community consortium, with a view to allocating a certain percentage of the funds for other local groups which were unable to join initially.

Herald 25th Feb 2020 read more »

UK energy companies Bristol Energy and Baxi Heating have completed year-long trials funded by the Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to explore whether offering heat as a service could drive demand for low-carbon heating solutions in the UK’s domestic building stock. The two energy companies partnered with Energy Systems Catapult to trial Living Labs, whereby 100 homes across Newcastle, Manchester, the West Midlands, Gloucestershire and Bridgend in Wales were fitted with smart heating systems. The aim of the trial was to garner how the public would interact with the systems, due to many prioritising comfort and cost over whether or not the heat source is low carbon. In response, the companies trialled selling “heat-as-a-service”, offering a “Heat Plan” where consumers purchased ‘hours of warmth’ rather than units of energy (kWh). This enabled the households to schedule and budget for heating and was offered a fixed price based on data about the thermal efficiency of their home and the number of hours of warmth needed by the customer each week. According to Energy Systems Catapult, the accessibility and ease of the smart heating systems could lead to more willingness amongst the public to adopt low-carbon heating.

Edie 26th Feb 2020 read more »

The effect that fossil fuels are having on the climate emergency is driving an international push to use low-carbon sources of energy. At the moment, the best options for producing low-carbon energy on a large scale are wind and solar power. But despite improvements over the last few years to both their performance and cost, a significant problem remains: the wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always shine. A power grid that relies on these fluctuating sources struggles to constantly match supply and demand, and so renewable energy sometimes goes to waste because it’s not produced when needed. One of the main solutions to this problem is large-scale electricity storage technologies. These work by accumulating electricity when supply exceeds demand, then releasing it when the opposite happens. However, one issue with this method is that it involves enormous quantities of electricity. Existing storage technologies like batteries wouldn’t be good for this kind of process, due to their high cost per unit energy. Currently, over 99% of large-scale electricity storage is handled by pumped hydro dams, which move water between two reservoirs through a pump or turbine to store or produce power. However, there are limits to how much more pumped hydro can be built due to its geographical requirements. One promising storage option is pumped thermal electricity storage. This relatively new technology has been around for about ten years, and is currently being tested in pilot plants. Pumped thermal electricity storage works by turning electricity into heat using a large-scale heat pump. This heat is then stored in a hot material, such as water or gravel, inside an insulated tank. When needed, the heat is then turned back into electricity using a heat engine. These energy conversions are done with thermodynamic cycles, the same physical principles used to run refrigerators, car engines or thermal power plants.

The Conversation 25th Feb 2020 read more »

Hydrogen stocks jump — but is this another ‘hype cycle’? Hydrogen-linked stocks have raced to their strongest levels in more than a decade, as investors bet that efforts to cut emissions will make.

FT 26th Feb 2020 read more »

Energy Voice 26th Feb 2020 read more »

The Solar Trade Association (STA) has submitted its response to the Decarbonisation Programme Action Plan published by UK energy and gas regulator Ofgem, highlighting several major gaps in relation to decentralised renewable energy technologies such as solar and energy storage. The STA also set out ten key recommendations to address industry concerns and deliver on Net Zero, as follows: Government must provide an updated and clear Statement of Policy and Strategy for Ofgem, in line with the UK’s legally binding net zero targets. An 18-month framework is insufficient to provide the overarching, holistic approach toward decarbonisation that is needed. Ofgem must outline a clear, long-term strategy towards their role in achieving net zero 2050 with further detail on implementation. Ofgem must outline how the progress of the Decarbonisation Programme will be tracked and monitored, with opportunity for stakeholder feedback. For months the STA has been echoing calls by the likes of the National Infrastructure Commission and the Confederation of British Industry for Ofgem’s remit to be realigned to the UK’s legally-binding Net Zero target. In its response, the STA has highlighted that there is insufficient recognition for the challenges involved in gaining a grid connection for onshore renewables; the regulatory instability caused by reforms such as the Targeted Charging Review; and that Government must provide an updated and clear Statement of Policy and Strategy for Ofgem, in line with the UK’s legally binding net zero targets.

Renewable Energy Magazine 24th Feb 2020 read more »

Solar technology is getting cheaper and more efficient. That winning combination means that many of the oldest projects in the global solar fleet may be set for a facelift. Throw in sunsetting subsidies, worthless warranties and a smattering of poorly built projects, and repowering and revamping (the latter involves changes that don’t increase capacity) will be an obvious choice for many developers in the years ahead, creating a big new subsector of the global solar industry. More than 67 gigawatts of solar capacity will celebrate its twentieth birthday this decade, according to Wood Mackenzie. A large chunk of that capacity is in the European market, where solar repowering and revamping are taking off first. In the U.K. and Germany, projects lose their subsidy support once they reach 20 years of age.

GTM 24th Feb 2020 read more »

Two more leisure centres are generating solar energy thanks to a community initiative aimed at reducing the borough’s carbon footprint. Chester Community Energy Ltd (CCEL) has commissioned solar panels for Christleton and Neston sports centres following a similar project at the Northgate Arena. Local people are members of CCEL after buying shares in the benefit society and receive annual interest payments on their investment. All schemes are the result of partnerships with Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC), Brio Leisure and Chester Solar PV specialist, Genfit Ltd. Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Justin Madders and council leader Cllr Louise Gittins celebrated the project at Neston Recreation Centre.

Cheshire Live 26th Feb 2020 read more »

The global rollout of cryogenic energy storage technology received a boost yesterday as Japanese manufacturing giant Sumitomo Heavy Industries (SHI) announced a $46m investment in British clean tech firm Highview Power. Highview is a developer of the CRYObattery, a cyrogenic energy storage system that uses liquid air as an energy storage medium. The firm currently operates a plant in Bury, which became the world’s first liquid air energy storage plant when it opened in 2018, bringing online a 5MW/15MWh system. It is now developing a 50MW/250MWh project at a decommissioned thermal power station in the North of England.

Business Green 25th Feb 2020 read more »

EDF’s energy storage subsidiary teams up with tech firm Wärtsilä to deliver two 50MW batteries in Oxford and Kent by end of 2020. Large-scale grid batteries comprising 100MW of electricity storage capacity are expected to go online later this year in Oxford and Kent as part of a tie-up between Pivot Power and Finnish technology firm Wärtsilä announced yesterday. Pivot Power, the energy storage and EV charging specialist acquired by EDF Renewables late last year, is planning to build two 50MW batteries – one in Cowley, Oxford, and another in Kemsley, Kent – after placing orders for the technology with developer Wärtsilä.

Business Green 26th Feb 2020 read more »

While performance and installation standards have improved steadily over the past ten years, there are still plenty of myths and negativity around heat pumps, which need addressing. Myth 1: heat pumps are not suitable for ‘hard-to-heat’ homes. Delivering heat into a house successfully depends entirely on the heat distribution system. And there is very little research into heat pumps effectiveness in older buildings. My experience is that they can work – even without modifications to the heating system. My house is of mostly 150-year-old stone construction, with some timber frame extension done in the mid 80’s. Insulation levels are adequate at best, or non-existent in some parts, other than loft insulation. I have no problems whatsoever in heating my house to my chosen 18 degrees. I leave my heating on from 7am until 11pm constantly, and the comfort levels are no different to when I had an oil boiler. I have not changed any radiator sizes.

EST 18th Feb 2020 read more »

A new, EU-backed fund has been announced for community energy projects in the west of England. The West of England Low Carbon Challenge Fund is offering £500,000 to microgeneration projects of up to 5MW. This will be split between renewable energy projects across Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire council areas. Local groups, such as community energy companies, can apply for between £100,000 to £500,000 to cover 40% of eligible, capital costs. The project is being funded as part of the £1.7 million Low Carbon Challenge Fund, which is being managed by the West of England Combined Authority and funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Solar Power Portal 24th Feb 2020 read more »