New Nukes
Amber Rudd has defended the government’s deal with EDF to build new nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset. “We needed to have nuclear, we hadn’t done nuclear in 25 years. I think this was the right price to pay,” she told MPs if the government’s agreement to pay EDF twice the current wholesale price of electricity for 35 years. The government has admitted Hinkley will cost electricity customers at least £4.4bn. She also said that she would like to see Chinese-designed reactors up and running Bradwell, Essex, by the late 2020s, as well an EDF-designed reactor at Sizewell in Suffolk.
Guardian 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Hinkley
The government is set for a cash windfall if the construction of new nuclear plant Hinkley Point C comes in under budget. Energy secretary Amber Rudd said as much as half of all savings made by EDF Energy during the construction phase would be paid into the government’s coffers, if the total cost of the project is less than the expected £24.5bn. According to Ms Rudd, the government and EDF have agreed that, if the project comes in under budget, 50 per cent of all savings under £1bn and 75 per cent of all savings over £1bn will be paid to the government. Speaking at an energy and climate change select committee meeting in Westminster yesterday, Ms Rudd added that “the construction risk is with the project promoter and that is EDF”.
Construction News 11th Nov 2015 read more »
The new nuclear power station to be built at Hinkley Point in Somerset is “good value for money”. Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom insisted the low carbon energy source is vital in helping the government tackle and solve the energy trilemma. Speaking at the Energy Live 2015 conference in London last week, she said: “It’s low carbon, it’s competitive with the carbon footprint of offshore wind, it’s absolutely reliable and that’s vital for our energy security to have a reliable source of baseload and of course, in terms of the price it’s competitive with other renewable technologies, cheaper than offshore wind. “It’s really important to look at how each different type of technology supports our trilemma and nuclear is absolutely key to it.”
Energy Live News 10th Nov 2015 read more »
A ‘CLEAR commitment’ to building the £18billion Hinkley Point C nuclear power station was demonstrated this week – a move which provoked a surge of economic optimism across Somerset.
Weston Mercury 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Dounreay
For inexpensive and possibly faster cleaning, scientists from Scotland’s Environmental Research Institute turned to biologic materials (like spent whisky grains, coffee grounds and seaweed). Using a process called “biosorption,” these non-living biological materials bond with metallic particles to soak up common radioactive isotopes like Strontium-90. Once the radioactivity of the waste is absorbed, the biologic materials can be gathered, packed up and safely stored off-site without the need for other costly artificial additives, Dounreay Shaft and Silo project leader Mike Gearhart tells the BBC. “We are pleased to be working with ERI to identify a sustainable solution that can be sourced locally,” Gearhart tells the BBC. “We still have a number of issues to address but results to date have been very promising.”
Smithsonian 9th Nov 2015 read more »
Wylfa
Horizon Nuclear Power has appointed a former Laing O’Rourke bid director as programme director for the planned Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station. Civil engineer Carl Devlin brings a wealth of experience leading major infrastructure projects and programmes in both operational and greenfield environments. Most recently he spent nearly three years as programme engineer for London Underground’s subsurface upgrade.
Construction Enquirer 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Construction News 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Sellafield
SDLP South Down MP Margaret Ritchie has repeated her call on the British Government to abandon what she described as its ‘misguided and unsafe Nuclear Strategy’ after news that the Sellafield plant is set to miss its target for the completion of all oversees reprocessing contracts.
Newry Times 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Cumbria
The Cumbria Business Survey aims to gather information ahead of an unprecedented wave of inward investment. Proposals in planning include a nuclear power station at Sellafield, a tidal lagoon in the Solway, and work at BAE Systems in Barrow to build a new generation of submarines to carry the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
In Cumbria 11th Nov 2015 read more »
Energy Costs
The recent government cuts to subsidies for renewables mean the UK could miss out on falling wholesale electricity prices in the next five years, according to a new analysis. The findings come from a new paper, published yesterday in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Materials, which compared the progress towards eventually delivering all-renewable electricity supplies in several countries, including the UK and Germany. The study looked at the extent to which energy capacity from photovoltaic panels, wind power and bio-electricity generation are rising in the different countries, and, based on progress over the last four years, extrapolated to see how the use of these technologies would increase through to 2020. “We found that [based on recent growth rates] Germany is certainly heading to have enough PV and wind for an all renewable electricity supply by 2020,” Keith Barnham, Emeritus Professor of Physics at Imperial College London and lead author on the new study, told BusinessGreen. “The fascinating thing we found was that, had the UK not cut its plans photovoltaic (PV) and onshore wind, it was catching up with Germany, and by the early 2020s it itself could have enough PV and wind power for an all renewable electricity supply, [if current growth rates continued].” The paper also detailed how sharp increases in renewable energy capacity leads to significant downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices, as has happened in Germany in recent years. Catherine Mitchell, a professor of energy policy at Exeter University, said she agreed that the study – which she was not involved in – confirms renewables do lead to cheaper electricity. “It’s somewhat baffling that the UK Treasury either isn’t aware of this or inclined to take advantage of it, particularly when industries such as steel are complaining about high energy prices,” she said in a statement.
Business Green 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Energy Supplies
The UK-China plan for new nuclear build in England defy the evolving reality of 21st century power networks, writes Paul Dorfman. In China itself, the nuclear dream is hitting construction problems and delays, while wind and solar blossom at ever falling cost. But the phenomenon is global. Despite some governments’ nuclear obduracy, renewables are winning the race hands down.
Ecologist 10th Nov 2015 read more »
One of the world’s leading authorities on energy security has criticised Britain for under-investing in its ageing electricity network after emergency measures were taken last week to keep the lights on. The International Energy Agency said incidents that led to National Grid using the “last resort” of paying large energy users to cut their demand would happen increasingly unless investment in infrastructure was increased. Fatih Birol, executive director of the agency, said that electricity security was becoming an area of concern for the IEA, despite its roots lying in addressing “energy security” after the oil crises of the 1970s. Asked about last week’s emergency measures, Mr Birol said: “This will be more of a problem if you don’t take the right measures.” The rise of renewable energy, which is less predictable than coal and gas, also means that electri city networks need to be updated. Last week’s emergency was sparked by a series of unplanned outages at coal and gas-fired power stations. “The infrastructure we have, transmission and distribution, especially in Europe and the US, is getting very old,” Mr Birol said. “I have mentioned the major penetration of renewables, which is good news for climate change, but in order to address the variability of renewables we have to strengthen our key grids and networks . . . in the UK and the rest of Europe.” RenewableUK, the industry body for onshore and offshore wind turbines, said that National Grid could predict the amount of energy that would come from wind turbines 24 hours in advance with 94 per cent accuracy because of advances in forecasting. “Now that we’re making the transition to clean sources of energy, the ageing grid has to be upgraded and modernised to connect the massive offshore wind farms that will power our future, along with the onshore turbines w hich have become a crucial part of Britain’s electricity mix, along with other low-carbon sources,” a spokesman said.
Times 11th Nov 2015 read more »
There are signs of a global energy transition, with low-carbon technologies expected to generate almost half of the world’s electricity by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Nuclear’s share of global electricity generation is set to remain around the current level.
World Nuclear News 10th Nov 2015 read more »
The UK has lost its status as a top-flight energy provider and is in danger of losing further credibility after recent government cuts to onshore wind and solar farm subsidies, a new report warns. The World Energy Council has downgraded the UK’s top-notch AAA rating for providing secure, affordable and sustainable electricity supplies to AAB after a jump in the relative cost of power as a proportion of the household budget. The rating is not related to the subsidy cuts. But the Government’s recent decision to end subsidies for onshore wind power and to slash backing for solar farms raises the prospect of a further cut to its rating, which would push the UK down the league table for electricity supplies from its current fou rth place – behind Switzerland, Sweden and Norway – warns Joan MacNaughton, executive chair of the World Energy Council. “The changes to subsidies could put the cost of electricity up in the future by increasing the cost of capital [interest rate]. Renewable energy is very capital-intensive and there is a risk premium for uncertainty”.
Independent 11th Nov 2015 read more »
Energy Policy
The complexity of Britain’s energy landscape has ballooned in recent years as successive governments have created new policies, regulatory bodies, and codes of conduct to try and control the UK’s rapidly shifting energy landscape. There are now more than 30 different bodies involved in the running of the UK’s energy system, from the big names such as Ofgem and the National Grid to a raft of smaller bodies and quangos scattered around Whitehall. Meanwhile, administrative costs have spiralled to more than £500m – in addition to the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s (DECC) annual £135m expenditure on administration. This level of complexity is acting as a barrier for growth and innovation in the energy sector, according to a new report released today by Policy Exchange. It finds that only the largest firms can afford to pay the hundreds of staff required to keep up to date with all the new and existing regulation coming through from central authorities, leaving smaller firms and would-be innovators constrained by their ability to navigate the sprawling bureaucracy. Low-carbon innovations in particular are being stifled by bureaucracy, Howard warns, because many firms working in the clean tech space are not necessarily energy companies and as such lack experience of the market’s regulatory complexity makes it difficult for them to deliver clean energy breakthroughs. He argues that for firms specialising in data analytics and demand management entering the energy sector the multiplex of different regulations are a “huge burden”. For example, Tempus Energy, which offers demand-side management services, have expressed dissatisfaction with the current regulatory landscape, Howard says. In particular, the government has faced plenty of criticism over the way the current capacity mechanism allegedly favours large-scale back up energy solutions, curbing the growth of demand-management services.
Business Green 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Nuclear Weapons
The $8 billion upgrade to the US B61 nuclear bomb has been widely condemned as an awful lot of money to spend on an obsolete weapon. As an old fashioned ‘dumb’ bomb it has no role in US or NATO nuclear doctrine, but the upgrade has gone ahead anyway, in large part as a result of lobbying by the nuclear weapons laboratories. In non-proliferation terms however the only thing worse than a useless bomb is a ‘usable’ bomb. Apart from the stratospheric price, the most controversial element of the B61 upgrade is the replacement of the existing rigid tail with one that has moving fins that will make the bomb smarter and allow it to be guided more accurately to a target. Furthermore, the yield can be adjusted before launch, according to the target.
Guardian 10th Nov 2015 read more »
US – Energy Politics
The Keystone Pipeline decision is in line with Obama’s determination to leave a green legacy; that it has empowered the environmental movement in the US; that the NY Attorney General’s decision to investigate Exxon will feed into the growing political importance of the ‘drill baby drill’ versus the ‘keep-it-in-the ground’ debate; that US environmental steps forward, like the Clean Power Plan, are still contested; that Republican views now differ on climate change, and the means to mitigate it, and as such, whilst a new Republican President may put road blocks in the way of new legislation, the current legislation, such as the CPP, is unlikely to unravel completely; and, finally, there is still a lot at stake between the two parties, even in the absence of new legislation.
IGov 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Romania
State-owned China General Nuclear Power Corp. made an agreement to build two reactors in Romania, continuing China’s push to export nuclear technology abroad. The memorandum of understanding, signed on Nov. 9 with Romania’s state-owned Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica SA, covers construction and operation of two Chinese-developed reactors at the nation’s Cernavoda nuclear power plant, according to a statement on the Chinese company’s website. The project’s total investment will be about 7.2 billion euros ($7.7 billion) and the two companies will establish a venture, the statement said. Romania’s entire nuclear fleet consists of two reactors at the Cernavoda atomic station, about 48 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Black Sea. The nation has been seeking to expand capacity at the facility for more than a decade. The original plan to build two additional reactors was abandoned by GDF Suez SA, RWE AG and Iberdrola SA in 2011.
Bloomberg 10th Nov 2015 read more »
World Nuclear News 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Renewables
Amber Rudd has admitted the UK does not have the right policies in place to meet its EU target of sourcing 15% of energy from renewable sources by 2020, and challenged transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin to help make up the shortfall. The energy secretary told MPs on Tuesday that meeting the target would be challenging, and admitted that the UK could end up having to buy renewable energy from its European neighbours if it fell short. Rudd said that the prospect of the UK getting just 11.5% of energy from renewables by 2020 without further action, first revealed in a leaked letter on Monday, was accurate. The gap would have to be addressed by the Department for Transport and by her department doing more on heat, she said. Making up the shortfall by increasing the amount of renewable electricity from sources such as windfarms, which the Tory party has hit with subsidy cuts, was not an option, she said. She also rejected claims that the government’s subsidy cuts to renewable electricity over the summer had harmed the UK’s ability to meet the EU target. On heat, the energy secretary said she was lobbying the Treasury to continue subsidies for renewable heating ahead of the autumn statement.
Guardian 10th Nov 2015 read more »
It is “difficult to say” whether or not the UK will hit its 2020 renewable energy targets, according to Energy Secretary Amber Rudd, after a leaked letter revealed there could be a massive shortfall. The UK has legally-binding targets to source 15% of the UK’s final energy consumption from renewable sources in 2020. Within that goal, the UK has set itself subtargets of 30% of electricity from renewables, 12% of heat, and 10% of transport fuel. However, in a letter sent by Rudd to fellow cabinet members, and leaked to the Ecologist, Rudd reveals she expects the UK to miss its targets by around 25%, equivalent to a 50 TWh shortfall. By comparison, the entire renewable electricity output in Q2 2015 was less than 20 TWh. Appearing in front of the Energy and Climate Change Committee (ECCC) today (10 November) to present information on DECC’s annual accounts, Rudd was immediately questioned about the letter and the UK’s 2020 targets. She said it was “difficult to say at the moment”, whether the UK will hit its 2020 goals, but added that she was “concerned about the work that is being done on [renewable] transport and heat”. “We don’t have the right policies in transport and heat in order to make those targets but we have four to five years and I remain committed to making those targets”, Rudd said.
Edie 10th Nov 2015 read more »
WESTMINSTER policy will prevent Scotland from meeting its “world-leading” 2020 green energy target, according to a damning new report. In 2011, ministers set themselves the ambitious target of generating 100 per cent of the country’s electricity from renewables, claiming it would set a global standard. A report published today by industry body Scottish Renewables suggests we are way off target and, based on current trajectories, will only achieve 87 per cent without immediate action. It follows a keynote speech in which Nicola Sturgeon warned of the pressing dangers of climate change and comes as a Westminster leak reveals the UK will also miss its 2020 targets. A letter from Energy Secretary Amber Rudd shows the UK is on track to produce just 11.5 per cent of energy from renewables by that date, short of its 15 per cent target, but that “publicly we are clear that the UK continues to make progress to meet the target”. The report states: “On current projections, Scotland will fall short of its 2020 renewable electricity target, with predicted capacity only sufficient to generate 87 per cent of the equivalent annual demand for power. However, there is significant capacity on onshore wind, offshore wind and solar with planning consent which could proceed if offered appropriate support in the necessary timescales. “These projects cannot meet the deadline for the closure of the Renewables Obligation … but could deliver the capacity required to take us up to and beyond the 100 per cent target.”
The National 11th Nov 2015 read more »
Labour MSP Sarah Boyack agreed UK Government policy was deterring investment. But she added: “This is also a wake-up call for the SNP. Jobs and investment are at stake and they must make it their business to keep their pro mise to meet the 100 per cent renewable electricity target by 2020.”
Herald 11th Nov 2015 read more »
Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland said: “This report makes it clear that the renewables industry urgently needs certainty from the UK Government about future funding if it’s to continue to thrive, create jobs and cut emissions in Scotland. However, the good news is that there’s more than enough renewables projects in the pipeline to hit our 2020 target if funding is secured. “Making progress on reducing our demand for power would also help to bring the target within reach, while cutting fuel bills for consumers at the same time. That’s why, as we approach the Holyrood elections, we look to all th e political parties to set out how they’d help customers and businesses reduce their demand for electricity, as recently recommended by a cross-party committee of MSPs.” The 2020 target is not legally binding and therefore there are no penalties for missing it.
Blue & Green Tomorrow 11th Nov 2015 read more »
A new report published today (11 Nov 2015) shows that Scotland will miss its 100% renewable electricity target without further investment in onshore and offshore wind. The 100% renewable target by 2020 was set in 2011 by Scotland’s former First Minister Alex Salmond. The 2020 target is not legally binding and therefore there are no penalties for missing it. The SR spokesman said that there are consented schemes onshore and offshore, but they can only go ahead if they are allocated a long term contract for their power. He added: “The industry had expected an auction round for contracts this autumn, but UK ministers postponed that, and we are still unsure if and when that will go ahead which is inevitably impacting on investor confidence across the industry. “If we don’t start the process by next spring, the delay could fatally undermine the timeline for the projects on Scotland’s main island groups, ending prospects for major developments on the Western Isles and Shetland. It would also raise serious questions about whether the proposed offshore wind projects can make the 2020 deadline. “If we get an allocation round next spring and enough Scottish projects are successful we can still hit the target.”
Scottish Energy News 11th Nov 2015 read more »
Letters: Is Matt Ridley right to claim that so-called cleaner energy has created a dirtier, costlier and less reliable electricity industry?
Times 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Between the tropics and probably as far as the 33rd parallel, the sun could soon be a major source of energy for households and businesses alike. Countries such as Mexico and Indonesia, long dependent on cheap home-produced oil and coal, are realising that a solar panel on every roof can reduce poverty by lowering energy costs as well as minimising the destabilising weather effects from higher CO2 emissions. As the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in its World Energy Outlook 2015, the tumbling cost of installing photovoltaics, as much as a commitment to limiting climate change, is persuading these populous countries to switch to renewables. It predic ts a cumulative $7.4trn global investment in renewable energy by 2040. Indonesia has forged ahead by limiting investment subsidies that have underpinned coal, oil and gas production for decades. China is also beginning to make the switch to renewables while moving away from dirty, energy-intensive industries. The result, says the IEA, could limit the demand for oil and keep the price relatively low for the rest of the decade.
Guardian 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Renewable energy accounted for almost half of all new power plants in 2014, representing a “clear sign that an energy transition is underway”, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Green energy is now the second-largest generator of electricity in the world, after coal, and is set to overtake the dirtiest fossil fuel in the early 2030s, said the IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2015 report, published on Tuesday. “The biggest story is in the case of renewables,” said IEA executive director, Fatih Birol. “It is no longer a niche. Renewable energy has become a mainstream fuel, as of now.” He said 60% of all new investment was going into renewables but warned that the $490bn of fossil fuel subsidies in 2014 meant there was not a “fair competition”.
Guardian 10th Nov 2015 read more »
The UK renewable energy industry may have taken a bit of a battering in recent months, but it was given something to celebrate today as the latest government survey of public attitudes towards energy confirmed the sector continues to command high levels of public support. The quarterly tracker survey of over 2,100 adults revealed the level of public support for renewable energy rose marginally compared to the previous quarter climbing to 76 per cent, while just five per cent said they were opposed to the use of renewables with one per cent “strongly opposed”.
Business Green 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Renewables – floating turbines
The race is on to prove that offshore wind power on floating platforms can be a significant power source for coastal states, with more than a dozen designs in development. All countries with deep seas off their coasts can exploit the technology by anchoring wind farms near their major cities. Countries supporting these floating power stations include Japan, the US, and European countries bordering the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. Island states with limited land space would also benefit. There are already successful demonstration platforms in Norway and Portugal, proving that the technology works. The battle now is to get costs down so that offshore wind can compete with other renewables.
Climate News Network 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Community Energy
Over 20 co-operatives are planning to close funding for community energy projects before the schemes are excluded from the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) tax relief at the end of this month. The 22 projects are seeking to complete fund-raising on a collective total of £18.7m before the arrival of the 30th November deadline for the tax relief to be halted, according to community energy specialist Mongoose Energy.
Business Green 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Spare a thought for the residents of the Applecross Peninsula. The clock is ticking on their efforts to finance a green energy project that could transform local fortunes. Planning a hydro on a local burn has taken seven years of frustration and disappointment but work finally began in August. A share offer giving the opportunity to invest in the £780,000 project went live last month. So far £330,100 has been raised, in itself a remarkable achievement for a community of under 300. However, they only have a few weeks to raise as much as they can and thereafter will have to borrow the balance. If all shares were sold the scheme could earn the community £25,000 a year, but if only half are sold income drops to about £10,000 a year. This is an enterprising community, already running its own filling station open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also provides its own broadband services through a community network.
Herald 11th Nov 2015 read more »
The Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative has already raised around £350,000 through a share offer (Now over £430,000). The co-operative – launched in September – aims to raise £1.4 million to install solar panels on 25 public buildings across the capital. If fully subscribed, the scheme will offer an index-linked 5% return to investors. The project qualifies for the UK Government’s Enterprise Investment Scheme – delivering a potential return of around 7%, depending on individual investor tax-circumstances. However this investment incentive is set to close. The Finance Bill currently being considered in the UK Parliament proposes to close the scheme to new applicants after 30 November 2015. Anne Schiffer, community energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “We’re delighted that the Solar Co-op aims to to bring renewable energy and associated benefits to the citizens of Edinburgh. “Community energy projects are a vital part of the energy transformation we need; as well as reducing carbon emissions, they give communities a stake in the energy system and a chance to share benefits locally. Projects like the Edinburgh Community Solar Co-op are the signs of a brighter future.”
Scottish Energy News 11th Nov 2015 read more »
National Grid
National Grid, Britain’s electricity network operator, has put a majority stake in its UK gas-distribution business up for sale in a deal that could raise billions of pounds for the company. The group said that the disposal would “rebalance National Grid’s portfolio to deliver a higher asset growth profile” while maintaining “sustainable” dividend growth. The gas-distribution arm, which analysts estimate could be worth £11bn, could attract interest from big infrastructure investors and sovereign wealth funds keen for stable returns in an environment where yields on bonds and gilts have slumped.
FT 10th Nov 2015 read more »
Times 11th Nov 2015 read more »
Fossil Fuels
Ten UK universities with endowments worth £115m are in the process of moving their money out of fossil fuels ahead of crunch UN climate change talks in Paris later this month. The University of Surrey, the University of Arts in London and Oxford Brookes University have divested their respective £42m, £3.9m and £1.6m endowments from all fossil fuel companies. Wolfson College at the University of Oxford has divested its £42m endowment from thermal coal and tar sands, often considered the dirtiest fossil fuels because of the high level of carbon they emit. It follows a similar move by the university in May after a two-year camp aign by students and alumni. A further six universities – Birmingham City University, Cranfield University, Heriot-Watt University, the University of Hertfordshire, the University of Portsmouth and the University of Westminster – joined the global fossil fuel divestment movement after their fund manager CCLA decided to move its investments out of coal and tar sands.
Guardian 10th Nov 2015 read more »
