Tag: geothermal

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

8th 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 – 2nd June

May electricity generation in UK was coal-free. According to this article, wind generated 16% of power; solar, 11%; biomass 9% and natural gas 30%.

Offshore wind electricity generation developers have expressed disappointment in learning of a second delay to the planning decision, now put off until July.

Wednesday – 3rd June

Humberside industrial cluster is assessing southern north sea capacity for storage of carbon dioxide emissions from heat and power plants and a refinery as well as from hydrogen generation plants.

A company in northern England has been appointed to invest in plant which will take carbon dioxide emissions from a heat and power plant and convert it to Sodium Bicarbonate.

Thursday – 4th June

The UK Centre for Policy Studies has published a report which includes the view that hydrogen is a key component in decarbonising the transport sector for private, public and heavy goods vehicles.

Offshore wind trade bodies and Greenpeace have urged UK Government Environmental Audit Committee to ensure the UK invests heavily in offshore wind in order to achieve 40GW of capacity by 2030.

Friday – 5th June

A meeting held by the Wood Recyclers’ Association has heard reports of a drop in volume of imported wood into the UK due to a drop in demand related to recent changes in business activity.

Italy will re-introduce subsidies for geothermal energy. According to the article, 30% of Tuscan region power generation is from geothermal sources.

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

28th 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)

Monday – 20th April

A consortium of industrial power suppliers and end-users has been awarded funds from UK Government to support plans to make Humberside in eastern England the first industrial cluster to be ‘de-carbonised’ by 2040. The plans depend upon production of hydrogen and Carbon capture and storage.

Tuesday – 21st April

Industry body Oil and Gas UK has stated that UK offshore oil and gas met approximately two-thirds of UK oil and gas demand and almost half of total energy in 2019.

Article describes UK Government data showing biomass share of electricity generation has multiplied three-fold in the previous 10 years. Total power generation from all renewable sources, including biomass, has increased four-fold.

Wednesday – 22nd April

A project in NW England, aiming to become the UK’s first net-zero industrial cluster, using hydrogen and Carbon capture and storage, has received government funding in order to develop a plan.

Cargoes of liquid natural gas from the USA have been cancelled by Asian and European importers due to lower demand from the current business environment.

Thursday – 23rd April

Plans are being made to use heat from water in flooded former coal mines in northern England to heat homes.

Friday – 24th April

The fine spring weather across the UK meant that on Monday 20th April 2020 solar power generation broke a record. At peak generation solar power provided 30% of the electricity supply, generating 9.7 GW (for context UK electricity demand during the week varied between 20 and 30 GW).

Sunday 26th – April

EDF is preparing to submit an application for a large nuclear power station (Sizewell C) to be constructed on the English east coast.

Third Update of October 2019 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

27th Oct 2019 • 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 – 14th October

UK 3rd Quarter 2019 was first quarter in history where electricity generation from wind, solar and biomass exceeded electricity generation from coal and gas.

The Eden Project visitor attraction in Cornwall, SW England has announced £17 million funding is in place to drill a well which will exploit geothermal energy from granite rocks 4.5 kilometres beneath the surface as first phase of a bigger programme.

4th offshore wind leasing competition has opened for a total of 7 GW power capacity. Successful applicants based on financial, technical and legal criteria will be announced in about a year.

A UK company is proposing turning waste plastic that cannot be recycled into methane and hydrogen. Article quotes UK has sending approximately 2.5 million tons of waste plastic to landfill.

Tuesday – 15th October

UK Government Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy report shows aspects of implementation of Committee on Climate Change proposal for net-zero emissions by 2050. £2 billion provided to various research projects including hydrogen, electric vehicles, new nuclear and carbon capture.

Thursday – 17th October

US Liquid Natural Gas companies are betting on increased growth and more flexibility in customer-base. US plans for terminals match 2018 global consumption and usual approach for long-term contracts is in decline.

Article highlights UK dependence on natural gas for domestic heating. According to the article, 40% of UK energy is for heating properties and 85% of UK households have a gas central heating boiler. Options to tackle this challenge towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions are quoted as hydrogen, heat pumps and district heating.

BBC article discusses floating offshore wind power for deeper water areas of UK coast. UK has over half global floating offshore wind capacity. Article is critical of lack of UK presence in supply chain.

Exploratory work has begun on a giant pumped storage plant in Australia. 17km of tunnels will connect 2 reservoirs with an elevation difference of 800m. When there is excess power water will be pumped uphill and power will be generated when needed by flowing water downhill through turbines. Cost estimate is equivalent to 3 to 4 billion pounds.

Friday – 18th October

UK energy supplier Scottish Power claims regulator OFGEM is holding up investment into infrastructure for charging electric vehicles.

Total has launched its first vessel which will supply liquid natural gas (LNG) to marine vessels switching from liquid fuel (diesel) to natural gas as a fuel.