Tag: heating

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

28th Jul 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 July

This article points out that the Committee on Climate Change proposal for net zero emissions by 2050 relies on a major contribution from nuclear power. The author suggests that with existing plans only Hinkley C will be on-line in 2050.

Wednesday – 22nd July

A report from the Confederation of British Industry states hydrogen will play a significant role in decarbonised heating in future and suggests a mechanism like Contracts for Difference might be used to stimulate growth in developing the sector and driving down cost.

Thursday – 23rd July

‘.. and here in Orkney they are streets ahead on hydrogen technology ..’ : UK Prime Minister quoted during a visit to the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland.

According to the insurance company Direct Line, the lifetime cost of a new electric car is cheaper than for a new petrol car. UK Department for Transport figures show almost 100,000 zero-emissions vehicles were registered during 2019.

Friday – 24th July

This article says that a poll carried out in the UK shows only 1 in 4 people support generating power by burning wood from forests being classed as renewables and half are against this being subsidised by public funds. The piece claims UK Government pays £2 million each day in subsidies for generation of electricity from biomass.

Norwegian company Equinor (67% state owned) has announced that, for the medium term, blue hydrogen is more likely to play a role in decarbonisation of energy compared with green hydrogen. Blue hydrogen is generated from natural gas with associated carbon dioxide emissions captured centrally compared with green hydrogen which is generated from water using excess renewable electricity.

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

1st Jul 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 – 15th June

Bloomberg article claims UK is paying £1 billion each year in direct subsidies for electricity generation from burning wood pellets as well as £13 billion in tax breaks.

Wednesday – 17th June

Plans for UK’s biggest onshore wind farm are to go ahead on Shetland Isles north of mainland UK. 103 turbines will provide electricity generation capacity of 0.44 GW and cost £580 million to construct. Development is subject to permission being granted for an export cable connection to the mainland.

Recent sunny weather in the UK has caused records to be broken for solar power generation, reaching almost 10 GW on 20th April, approximately 30% of electricity demand at the time.

Thursday – 18th June

UK Government press release announces that construction has begun on the world’s largest liquid air battery in North West England. The plan is to use renewable energy during times of excess supply to liquefy air. Liquid air will transfer back to a gas, driving turbines to generate electricity, during periods of higher demand.

UK Government is funding research at Birmingham University into hydrogen as a fuel for trains.

Friday – 19th June

UK Energy Systems research body (“Catapult”) has made the case for increased levels of nuclear power in the energy mix in support of net zero emissions targets. The ‘Nuclear for Net Zero’ report includes support for small modular reactors (“SMR”) and hydrogen production.

Almost 2 GW of offshore wind power generation came online in 2019 bringing total capacity to almost 10GW.

Saturday – 20th June

In a BBC interview, the UK energy minister says shale gas industry is over ‘for now’.

Sunday – 21st June

A disused gas network in Teesside will be used as a pilot to test procedures for transporting hydrogen as a zero-carbon heating fuel.

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

15th 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 – 9th June

China is threatening to pull out of new nuclear investments in UK such as south east England Bradwell plant in response to UK Government announcements of developing 5G without Chinese company HuaWei.

BBC describes plans for a small town in north of England to be heated using warm waters from abandoned coal mines. Report states that potential is high because a quarter of British homes live above coal-fields.

Wednesday – 10th June

In this BBC article, National Grid says that, so far this year, electricity generation from renewable sources has been 37% compared with 35% from coal and gas combined. Nuclear power contribution was 18% and imports contributed about 10%.

Germany is backing hydrogen as a key part of a future low carbon economy with hopes of becoming a global leader in the developing technologies.

The Independent reports that the UK Government is considering a scheme to pay drivers £6000 to scrap a petrol or diesel vehicle and purchase a battery-electric vehicle.

Friday – 12th June

Ten of the UK’s largest gas networks and energy supply companies have written to the UK government arguing for policies and regulatory frameworks that encourage and support investment in hydrogen in the future UK energy supply.

A company celebrates a milestone in supplies of imported natural gas to off-grid businesses which require heat, steam or process energy with a lower emissions’ fuel compared with the usual diesel and other refined liquid hydrocarbons.

Sunday – 14th June

Scotland has opened the first offshore wind licensing round in a decade with hopes for a dramatic growth in offshore renewable power generation around its coast and forming part of Scotland’s ‘Green Recovery’.

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

27th May 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 – 18th May

Energy Voice opinion piece includes a study showing the rise of interest in hydrogen fuel, based on number of mentions in articles per year on a science literature database. In 2010, about 19000 were reported. In 2019, there were close to 48000. In the first 4 months of 2020 there have been 32000.

Tuesday – 19th May

Consumption of refined hydrocarbons has rebounded in China almost to December 2019 levels at 13 million barrels per day compared with 13.9 million barrels per day in December (13.4 million barrels per day in May 2019). Private vehicle fuel is driving the increase in a return to work which avoids public transport. Aviation demand remains low.

Thursday – 21st May

UK Government has announced a further £40 million ‘Clean Growth Fund” to encourage start-ups with business ideas consistent with net zero emissions targets.

A study by scientists at Imperial College London suggests there is more than adequate carbon storage capacity to achieve net zero emissions if the world chooses to take that route as recommended by International Panel on Climate Change and UK Committee on Climate Change.

An 8 MW district heating system will be developed for Barnet in north London providing heat and hot water for 6700 residential properties and a new office, retail, leisure site.

Friday – 22nd May

UK National Grid expects renewable energy to exceed demand this weekend due to very low demand (Monday 25th is a UK public holiday) combined with longer days, sunshine and wind. National Grid plans to ask renewable generators to switch off for periods in order to balance the grid supply and demand.

A challenge to UK Government decision to grant permission for what would be the biggest gas-fired electricity generation in Europe, has been rejected. The power station will be at Drax site in northern England.

RenewableUK envisages 3/4 of electricity to be from renewable sources by 2050 coupled with hydrogen generated from renewables during periods of excess supply.

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