Fuel and electrolysis cells both involve electrochemical reactions (one is the reverse of the other), and their efficiency depends on the catalysts used on the electrodes. Conventional metal catalysts coarsen at high temperatures, reducing activity and durability. Elizabeth Thomson at MIT describes new research there that uses ion irradiation to precipitating metal nanoparticles onto the surface of the electrode. The process allows close control … [Read more...]
Another good year for Renewables. But can we triple Wind and Solar by 2030?
COP28 saw a calling for a tripling of renewable capacities by 2030, off the back of positive signs. In 2022, 80% of incremental power demand and 12% of electricity generated worldwide came from solar and wind. And the IEA believes solar generation can grow at 25% to 2030. But, as Ramnath Iyer at IEEFA explains, specific challenges must be met to ramp up successfully. The non-financial barriers include a lack of policy clarity, permitting, and … [Read more...]
Four net-zero opportunities for 2024: wind, solar, lab-grown meat, positive tipping points
Will de Freitas at The Conversation draws attention to four reasons to celebrate 2023 and their implications for our drive to tackle climate change. Most will be familiar with the continued progress made with wind and solar, though they deserve repeating given its immense significance. Wind turbines now stand more than a quarter of a kilometre high, and will get taller. At that size, one turn of the blade will power an average home in the … [Read more...]
Five major outcomes from COP28 (and next yearâs is in Azerbaijan, another oil and gas producer)
Mark Maslin, Priti Parikh and Simon Chin-Yee at UCL lay out the five major outcomes from the latest COP28 climate summit in the UAE, a major oil and gas producer. Though in the run up there was great hope for a new climate agreement on the phasing out of all fossil fuels, that never happened. Phase out turned into a âtransition away from.â The authors note that the first ever mention of fossil fuels in an international climate agreement was only … [Read more...]
The E-bike revolution is already underway (in developing countries): 280m micro-vehicles on the road and rising
While weâre all still waiting for the tipping point for EVs, it might have already happened for e-bikes â just not in rich countries. Car-owning nations will always struggle to switch to micro-mobility. But in China and other developing nations, owning a moped or bicycle is very common, so the switch is much easier, explain Muhammad Rizwan Azhar and Waqas Uzair at Edith Cowan University. Itâs why, globally by 2022, there were over 280m electric … [Read more...]
Most investors still arenât factoring in climate risks. Oil and Gas firms face virtually no additional borrowing costs
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to climate change. At the same time, global decarbonisation is changing the economics of the energy sector. Yet credit ratings agencies arenât consistently factoring in the risk of climate-related change into borrowing costs, explains Matt Burke at the University of Oxford. For example, oil and gas firms are facing virtually no additional borrowing costs. Itâs a similar story for governments … [Read more...]
Heat Pump + Gas Boiler hybrids can reduce bills and emissions faster than a 100% heat pump roll out
The reduction in buildings emissions is well off track, not least in the residential sector. Something governments and millions of households are well aware of. The problem with replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump is the up-front cost and disruption. Installing the heat pump alone can cost several thousands more than replacing a gas boiler. On top of that, you should properly insulate your home and replace the radiators. Jovana Radulovic at … [Read more...]
How practical is an E-bike compared to a Car: time, cost, energy
As e-bikes proliferate in cities around the world, there is a growing need to measure how practical an e-bike is compared to a car, and why. Julia Thomas at NREL describes research there that evaluates usefulness using the Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) metric. The MEP quantifies the ability of an area's transportation infrastructure â given any specific travel mode â to connect individuals to goods, services, employment opportunities, and … [Read more...]
China is still playing the long game with its ânew threeâ: solar cells, lithium batteries, EVs
Chinaâs ânew threeâ â or xin san yang â are solar cells, lithium-ion batteries, and EVs. The term harks back to the concept of its âold threeâ that were once the pillars of its exports: clothing, home appliances and furniture. Chinaâs success is seen in the numbers: it accounts globally for 80%+ of solar cell exports, 50%+ of lithium-ion batteries and 20%+ of EVs. You Xiaoying, writing for China Dialogue, interviews experts and quotes reports … [Read more...]
Modelling revenue potential for Germanyâs Battery Storage future
In the last ten years Germany has installed battery storage systems totalling 6.5 GW of power and 10.1 GWh of energy. Storage is an essential part of every nationâs electrification plans: for peak shaving, uninterruptible power for industrial customers, use as a buffer, and self-supply in households. Elena Dahlem and Alex Schmitt at Energy Brainpool start with a summary of storageâs use in the household, industrial and large-scale sectors. They … [Read more...]
Nearly 2,000 Hydrogen projects worldwide: IEAâs interactive tools give snapshot on progress, costs
The IEA has released new interactive data tools to track the development of low-emissions hydrogen production around the world. They provide a snapshot of progress on hydrogen production, with data on almost 2,000 projects that are either already in operation or have been announced. Most projects to date are concentrated in Europe and Australia, with a growing number planned in Africa, China, India, Latin America and the U.S. One of the tools … [Read more...]
Another chapter in Offshore Windâs stop-go story: New York
New York State should be leading the offshore wind ambitions of the U.S. The region enjoys high capacity factors for offshore wind, especially during the peak winter heating season. And New York is used to being a leader in so many things. Thatâs why it put its climate reputation at risk in October when the state government announced it would not renegotiate contracts with offshore wind providers Ărsted, Equinor and BP, explains Joseph Webster at … [Read more...]
Making solid fuel from captured CO2 (with a 96% conversion rate)
What if CO2 could be captured and, rather than locked away underground for eternity, turned into a stable powder that can be used in fuel cells to produce electricity? David Chandler at MIT describes research there and at Harvard that has demonstrated a new process that has a 96% conversion rate. Itâs been tried before, but the conversion rates were an unusable 20%. The CO2 is converted into formate and used like hydrogen or methanol (both strong … [Read more...]
Polandâs Coal-to-Nuclear plans move forward with U.S. partners
Poland sees nuclear as ideal for replacing its coal, explain Matt Bowen and Sagatom Saha at the Center on Global Energy Policy. Though Poland's renewables like wind and solar have grown rapidly in the last few years, reactors can provide dispatchable heat and power in the way that coal currently does. Poland is extremely reliant on coal, generating over 70% of its electricity and giving it the second-largest coal fleet in the EU. Hence, in … [Read more...]
EU Energy Outlook to 2060: power prices and revenues predicted for wind, solar, gas, hydrogen + more
Huangluolun Zhou, Elena Dahlem and Alex Schmitt at Energy Brainpool present their updated âEU Energy Outlook 2060â, modelling how the European energy system will undergo major changes in the coming decades while continuing to guarantee a secure supply and meet its climate targets. What do these developments mean for power prices, revenue potential and risks for solar PV and wind? The two main scenarios are âCentralâ and âGoHydrogenâ for the EU 27 … [Read more...]
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