Fifth Update of July 2020 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

Below is this week’s summary. It should be a one minute read relevant to UK energy with links to documents for those who wish to read more.

(Click a bullet point to open the relevant article)

Monday – 27th July

• National Grid, the operator of the electricity grid, has published scenarios for future power generation. Three of five scenarios show net zero emissions by 2050 and a scenario of net zero electricity generation by 2033 requiring growth in renewables; hydrogen from gas with carbon capture, heat pumps, electric vehicles and energy efficiency.

• Energy provider, EDF, is going through the planning process towards opening a 39 hectare solar power generation station with capacity of 50 MW in eastern England.

• Independent article quotes results of a study from Imperial College London, suggesting that, during their lifetime, new offshore wind power generators may pay government subsidies.

Tuesday – 28th July

• Scottish Government has announced £300k investment in a ‘hydrogen accelerator’ at University of Saint Andrews in order to develop technologies for hydrogen as a transport fuel.

Thursday – 30th July

• UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has released its annual summary of energy production and use for 2019. This press release summarises highlights: Transport continues to be highest demand for energy; oil and gas continue to dominate meeting a combined 75% of energy demand; coal continues to decline (33% down in 2019 compared to 2018); 35% of all energy is imported; renewable sources rose to 37% of electricity generation; overall emissions dropped about 4%.

• Article proposes shift to hydrogen as fuel for public transport including trains focused on cleaner air as well as greenhouse gas emissions.

Saturday – 1st August

• The Arab world’s first nuclear power generation plant has opened in United Arab Emirates.