Tag: gas grid

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

1st Jun 2020 • 0 Comments

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)

Tuesday – 26th May

Sweden has started a pilot project to capture carbon dioxide emissions from a hydrogen generation plant and then store them beneath the Norwegian seabed.

Netherlands advances plans to capture carbon dioxide emissions from Rotterdam Port industries and then store them beneath the Dutch seabed.

Wednesday – 27th May

EDF has submitted an application for construction of Sizewell C nuclear power plant on coast of SE England. Once operational, the plant would be capable of delivering 3.2 GW of electricity baseload, saving 9 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year according to the company.

UK Government regulator The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has published studies showing greenhouse gas emissions from imported Liquid Natural Gas are more than double the emissions of domestic supplies of natural gas.

Thursday – 28th May

Power generation company Drax announced that at one point in the week, biomass at their plant supplied almost 14% of UK electricity.

Article provides an update on plans to build a Liquid Natural Gas import terminal in NW England.

Gas network companies have announced almost £1 billion of investment, subject to UK Government approval in order to prepare infrastructure to deliver hydrogen to the network. Plans include carbon capture and storage projects in support of UK net zero emissions targets.

Friday – 29th May

Plans for 900 acres of subsidy-free solar power generation, the largest in the UK, on the south coast of England, have received UK government approval.

Third Update of April 2020 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

20th Apr 2020 • 0 Comments

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)

Wednesday – 15th April

The head of UK Oil and Gas Authority says the energy transition might be part of the way out of the current downturn. Recent meetings with operators were encouraging regarding energy transition. “CCS (carbon capture and storage), hydrogen and subsea engineering, including repurposing and reusing valuable infrastructure are some of the key areas being progressed”.

UK Government Department for Transport has awarded funds to examine the potential for carbon capture and storage of fuel from shipping. The article quotes a cost of converting engines to another fuel as an alternative solution for net-zero emissions, at about $1 trillion globally (for context, global GDP for 2017 was estimated as $128 trillion).

Friday – 17th April

A gas plant capable of rapidly delivering 20 MW of power generation when renewable power generators fluctuate has been brought on-line in Greater Manchester.

Energy Networks Association has launched a programme to examine and promote changes to the gas network in order to be able to transfer from natural gas to hydrogen using the existing infrastructure in support of net-zero emissions targets.

The UK Government has announced reinstatement of onshore wind and solar PV in 2021 round of Contracts for Difference bids. The article mentions that 3.8 GW of total onshore wind capacity of 4.2 GW is in Scotland.

Saturday – 18th April

National Grid reports changes to domestic demand for electricity as many have begun working from home recently. Overall, household demand is up but also, early morning demand is down as fewer people are getting up early to start the commute and there is a surge in demand at lunchtime which was previously the lowest demand period of the working day.

BBC reports on a technology which can reduce the storage pressure of fuel in vehicles using hydrogen.

Third Update of March 2020 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

24th Mar 2020 • 0 Comments

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 – 16th March

Applications for renewable energy projects in the UK hit a new high in 2019, increasing by 75% compared with 2015.

Tuesday – 17th March

EDF which operates all 15 nuclear power reactors in the UK has said plans are in place to ensure continued operations across the fleet. Total combined capacity is 4.2 GW. (for context, UK demand is at 32 GW at time of writing according to Gridwatch: https://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/ )

Thursday – 19th March

UK Government has reached agreement with all domestic energy suppliers to ease payment difficulties for households in the current situation.

The biggest service station in Europe to offer natural gas as an alternative fuel to diesel for heavy goods vehicles is open along a motorway in NW England.

Friday – 20th March

A Geographical article describes the need for a ‘Just Transition’ for workers as part of targets to reduce greenhouse emissions. The article describes efforts from around the world, cases in history (including east Scotland fabrication yards) and points of view.

Saturday – 21st March

The Guardian reports that between a quarter and half of UK greenhouse gas emissions are generated from central heating systems which heat 85% of homes. The article quotes a report from Institution of Engineering and Technology which suggests hydrogen may be the way to solve this using the existing network.

First Update of March 2020 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

11th Mar 2020 • 0 Comments

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 – 2nd March

More than 12 million UK homes (about half) are rated below C Grade (scale A to G) for energy efficiency.

A consortium led by BP and Shell has launched a Hydrogen Taskforce to examine and promote the role of hydrogen in meeting UK net zero emissions targets as well as aims for UK to develop a role in global hydrogen solutions.

Tuesday – 3rd March

UK Government has lifted opposition to onshore wind power generation allowing onshore wind to compete for financial support with other renewable projects.

Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage Project is moving to the next stage of development. Acorn aims to be the first CCS plant in UK. Based at Saint Fergus in NE Scotland, the project will convert natural gas from the north sea into hydrogen for blending into the grid; then capture and store the Carbon Dioxide by-product.

Wednesday – 4th March

A company will open the first hydrogen refuelling station in central Scotland near Edinburgh. Company Director quotes the need for urgent action like this to meet longer-term emissions targets and support policies regarding petrol/diesel/hybrid vehicles.

UK Government has announced plans to increase the amount of ethanol in petrol in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions. Transport Secretary claims it to be the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the UK roads. Article also shows almost 5-fold increase in purchase of battery electric vehicles (BEV’s) in previous 5 years in UK.

Thursday – 5th March

A briefing from the UK House of Commons Library lays out the status of UK nuclear power: UK has 15 existing reactors contributing about 25% of power as ‘base load’. 13 reactors are in various stages of construction or planning including Hinkley Point in SW England.

Friday – 6th March

45 households in London have taken part in a UK Government trial using household batteries to store non-peak demand electricity for use at peak demand.

Ahead of this week’s UK Government budget, the nuclear industry has warned that 2050 net zero emissions cannot be achieved without commitment to further new nuclear plants. Article points out that nuclear power provides 20% of UK electricity and that all but one of the existing fleet will be closed down in the next ten years.

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