Wind and solar take up space, so a massive expansion will have an effect on biodiversity. But how much? Sebastian Dunnett at Hammersmith and Fulham Council in London, writing for Carbon Brief, summarises his co-authored paper that takes the latest data on wind and solar and its multiple impacts (a few are good, surprisingly) on the environment. The conclusion is that the consequences of land overlap need not be as severe as feared, provided … [Read more...]
Gas crunch causes electricity crisis despite record cheap clean energy. Time to create a âgreen energy poolâ?
In the UK and similar nations, the gas crisis is ballooning electricity prices too. Thatâs because the UK operates a wholesale electricity market where the most expensive power sets the price. As we enter an era where renewables are getting cheaper every year, itâs time to change that model so that consumers see the benefits, argues Michael Grubb at UCL. The design of electricity systems is not keeping up with the revolution in renewable energy. … [Read more...]
Carbon Taxes have a multiplier effect on clean energy policies
President Bidenâs Build Back Better package has already had to be cut back drastically. The climate aspect is to halve the U.S.âs greenhouse gas pollution from its peak by 2030. Given the limitations on what Biden can do, will tax credits alone (favouring low-carbon solutions) achieve the target, asks Meredith Fowlie at the Energy Institute at Haas. She reviews papers that say it almost certainly wonât. However, the addition of a modest $20/tonne … [Read more...]
Energy Storage to 2050: how it can support the grid 24/7 all year long
NREL is modelling grids with rising amounts of storage that captures excess wind and solar power to deliver it back during peak times. Storage capacity starts at around 10GW today and rises to hundreds by 2050. A range of increasingly complex system configurations and grid mixes are studied. The storage can gradually replace thermal peakers (fed with coal or gas but having GHG emissions, and expensive to start-up for peaking) as the grid gets … [Read more...]
EU Taxonomy: labelling Gas âgreenâ is a gift to Putin
Many of todayâs clean energy technologies were given their first boost in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, explains William Todts at T&E. He now hopes the current confrontation between NATO and Russia over Ukraine will shake up and deepen Europeâs commitment to the energy transition. But entirely the wrong signal was sent over the New Year, says Todts. He describes the European Commissionâs inclusion of gas in the EU Taxonomy for sustainable … [Read more...]
Grid-scale modelling of Distributed Energy Resources and dynamic pricing for all customers
Smart grids can solve multiple problems now and throughout the lifetime of the energy transition. The supply from hundreds (existing + new wind, solar, etc.) and ultimately millions (rooftop solar, EV batteries) of power sources can be matched in real time with demand from all major customer devices (air conditioners, water heaters, batteries, EVs). Dynamic pricing keeps the peaks low and the troughs high. It takes the pressure off total load, … [Read more...]
The Green Hydrogen disruption: what nations, firms and investors are doing to reshape global energy
Everyone knows the new hydrogen economy has huge up front capital costs to make the green H2 (called GH2), the logistical challenges of delivering it where itâs needed, and creating the customer base to consume it. But Tim Buckley at IEEFA believes the policy support is already shaping up to make GH2 a successful disruptor of the global energy system. He runs through the nations, companies and investors at the beginning of the learning curve that … [Read more...]
Where can Europe get its Gas if Russia cuts off supplies?
What impact will the confrontation between Russia and NATO over Ukraine have on Europeâs energy security? Russia provides nearly half of Europeâs natural gas, and Moscow could tighten the flow if hostilities break out. If that happens, where would Europe get its gas from? Amy Jaffe at Tufts University looks at the constraints on global LNG supply (mainly liquification and regasification capacity), the global ability to redirect shipments to … [Read more...]
Research into slowing lithium degradation can extend Battery life by 30%
The massive scale-up of batteries is essential to a successful transition. That will be made much easier if the lifetime of existing lithium batteries is greatly extended. With each charge-discharge cycle, the batteries accumulate tiny islands of inactive lithium that are cut off from the electrodes, decreasing the batteryâs capacity to store charge. Jennifer Huber at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory explains how new research is showing a … [Read more...]
EU Taxonomy: why nations are backing Nuclear and Gas
The heated debates over the potential inclusion of nuclear power and natural gas in the EU taxonomy has again exposed the different interests of EU nations. Simon GĂśss at cr.hub, writing for Energy Brainpool, explains what parameters the EU taxonomy controls, what conditions are attached should the two technologies be classified as sustainable, as well as summarising those national interests and constraints. Critics say neither should be … [Read more...]
The right â and wrong â way to design a behind-the-meter Battery pilot
Hereâs a story on how not to design a pilot project. The point of any pilot is to serve as the basis for larger rollouts. They should also be designed to maximise benefits. Joseph Daniel at the Union of Concerned Scientists describes how a U.S. utility in Michigan tried to create a pilot for behind-the-meter small-scale home storage. They wanted to invite anyone to apply to join. The problem was the likely applicants would be wealthy home owners. … [Read more...]
Piloting green shipping corridors: Australia-Japan and Asia-Europe
The shipping industry is diverse, disaggregated and part of the logistical chain of 80% of global trade. So reducing its emissions (3% of the global total) will be complex. One way to cut through this complexity is to create a limited number of green shipping corridors between major port hubs, to pilot solutions. This can shrink the challenge of coordination between fuel infrastructure, vessels, firms and national policies down to a manageable … [Read more...]
District Heating: policies for cutting emissions need work says IEA
District Heating policies need urgent attention according to the IEA so here in Europe it's a good moment to examine what the "Fit for 55" package means for the sector's future development. On February 10 Energy Post is hosting an online roundtable alongside MEP Pernille Weiss, MEP Morten Petersen, and MEP Grzegorz Tobiszowski - all (senior) members of the ITRE committee - to take in the viewpoints of key Member States and stakeholders (COGEN … [Read more...]
New York City to stop new buildings connecting to the Gas network
New York City is the U.S.âs largest metropolis, over twice the size of second spot Los Angeles, and is still growing. It has just passed a bill that effectively stops new buildings from hooking up to the gas network. The significance is not simply because of NYCâs global prominence, but because it gets very cold in winter with average temperatures just above freezing point. The move is a major win for the electrification of buildings. The … [Read more...]
Replacing centralised power with Distributed Energy Systems needs new policies and coordination
We need integrated resilient smart grids that can accommodate the rapid growth of intermittent renewables as well as the rise of âprosumersâ who both buy and sell electricity into the grid. This is the focus of three online discussion sessions on February 8th, 9th and 10th organised and hosted by power management company Eaton. The proliferation of multiple generation sources (solar, wind, batteries and other clean, flexible technologies) means … [Read more...]
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