c-a-r-f-r-e-w
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Post by c-a-r-f-r-e-w on Nov 28, 2022 19:58:02 GMT
‘Rolls-Royce and low-cost airline easyJet have tested what they say is the world’s first commercial airline engine powered by hydrogen fuel.
A Rolls-Royce AE 2100 turboprop engine, which is usually used on the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, was tested on a ground rig at the Ministry of Defence’s Boscombe Down airfield, a location long associated with aerospace research.
The successful test marks a milestone in moving global aviation towards greener fuels and away from kerosene. Advocates of the technology say it will help Britain meet a government target of net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
Grazia Vittadini, Rolls-Royce’s chief technology officer, said: “We are pushing the boundaries to discover the zero carbon possibilities of hydrogen, which could help reshape the future of flight.”
Telegraph
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Nov 28, 2022 19:58:09 GMT
Also just seen this in the Telegraph “ Surging energy costs will leave the European Union unable to attract battery plants in a blow to its electric car ambitions, a top Volkswagen executive has warned.
Thomas Schäfer, chief executive of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, said Germany and the EU were “rapidly losing their attractiveness and competitiveness” for so-called gigafactories as a result of sharp rises in the cost of power.
He added that EU bureaucracy and state aid rules risk hamstringing efforts to bring electricity and gas prices under control.
In a LinkedIn post, Mr Schäfer said: “Unless we manage to reduce energy prices in Germany and Europe quickly and reliably, investments in energy-intensive production or new battery cell factories in Germany and the EU will be practically unviable.”” and UK as we're "interconnected" to the European market. Although we are no longer in the EU so we could get around the 'state aid rules' issue and as a Lexiteer then I hope we do. Worth keeping an eye on the brewing EC trade spat with US about 'state aid' for green stuff. If EC do nothing then UK can 'boost it like Biden' with our own 'Green Prosperity Plan' (one for Rachel-Miliband after GE'24). EU27 can then fight amongst themselves, probably with Germany just doing their own thing as they so often do - claiming (with some justification) that is for 'national security' reasons rather than protectionism for their 'precious' (car industry). www.politico.eu/article/joe-biden-ira-inflation-reduction-us-ignores-eu/ |
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c-a-r-f-r-e-w
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Post by c-a-r-f-r-e-w on Nov 28, 2022 20:08:28 GMT
A pedant might mention that technically hydrogen from a nuclear source is 'pink'  As someone who owns some RR shares on the basis of the exciting tech they are developing then I'm perhaps biased but it is great to see them trying to sell SMR's direct to an end user like Ineos. The article you posted covers some of the political aspects (SNP not keen on nuclear) but quite a few companies probably like the 'energy security' of 'always on' nuclear rather than reliance on intermittent and hence unreliable wind+solar. Brucie Bonus: I'd take an inspired guess they would make their lecky available to the grid for the right price at certain times of year when it is dark early and not very windy (ie like tonight). Nice to run the electrolysers as much as possible but doesn't need to be 24/365. It would be very handy for the grid to have additional SMR capacity 'on call', although exactly how we pay for that is where BEIS need to start getting on with it and where politicians from Westminster and devolved nations (where applicable) need to agree to permission SMR builds. Miliband is a big fan of nuclear, although fortunately the tech has moved on in the last decade so we're not building a load of 'old' nuclear and facing lots of 'French' problems with that. Pretty sure that by GE'24 even the painfully slow CON HMG will have worked out the contract issues for 'new' nuclear and possibly for having some additional 'on call' capacity from folks like Ineos that are taking 'Energy Security' into their own hands. Thank you for posting the link. Interesting times! Yeah, another article I checked said pink but I picked this one as a bit better overall. And yep, this could be a way of using nuclear as something like a peaker plant, making hydrogen most of the time but then diverting leccy to help out the grid when necessary. New forms of nuclear are indeed getting to be very interesting now, not to mention fusion. www.theregister.com/2022/04/07/first_light_nuclear_fusion/://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-04/u-k-startup-s-big-friendly-gun-achieves-fusion-breakthroughand here’s the UK government’s STEP programme, for a spherical tokamak. www.gov.uk/government/news/site-of-uks-first-fusion-energy-plant-selected“ Today (3 October 2022), the government announced that the West Burton power station site in Nottinghamshire has been selected as the home for ‘STEP’ (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), the UK’s prototype fusion energy plant which aims to be built by 2040.
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The government-backed STEP programme will create thousands of highly skilled jobs during construction and operations, as well as attracting other high tech industries to the region, and furthering the development of science and technology capabilities nationally.
The ambitious programme will also commit immediately to the development of apprenticeship schemes in the region, building on the success of the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) Oxfordshire Advanced Skills centre in Culham. Conversations with local providers and employers have already begun, with schemes to start as soon as possible.
The UK government is providing £220 million of funding for the first phase of STEP, which will see the UK Atomic Energy Authority produce a concept design by 2024.” |
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Nov 28, 2022 21:57:43 GMT
A useful link for those who think UK could survive on nearly entirely wind power AVERAGE load factor might be 40% (rounded) but it varies a lot - see the load duration curves in the below link: energynumbers.info/uk-offshore-wind-capacity-factorsAlso a Europe wide map for wind, showing (if you look now-ish, 10pm 28Nov22) that most of Europe often has similar wind pattern. We're obviously all in the Northern Hemisphere when it comes to seasons and sunlight (although clearly Southern Europe a much better place for lots of solar than we are - I've posted the solar maps and info before) www.weatheronline.co.uk/weather/maps/current?So interconnectors aren't going to be a major help if everyone else builds a load of unreliable and unpredictable wind+solar and doesn't also look at reliable base load and storage requirements. Wind farms will be very important part of UK's mix. We have a huge natural comparative advantage for wind. However, we need a lot of other stuff as well - notably base load supply and storage. |
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Post by lens on Nov 29, 2022 0:47:05 GMT
If you're talking about green (pink?) hydrogen for industrial use, displacing dirty hydrogen, then maybe yes. But for use as energy, then here's a novel idea - why not just use the electricity produced by any such reactor in it's own right (as electricity), than using it to make hydrogen and then using that as the source for heating etc? |
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Post by alec on Nov 29, 2022 8:04:54 GMT
Mr Poppy - "A useful link for those who think UK could survive on nearly entirely wind power" Who would that be then Trevor? Would be far better if you actually directed such comments to the people/person you were thinking of. Or is it that no one has ever said such nonsense, and you're just creating a straw man for your own satisfaction? I'll obviously withdraw this comment if you present the evidence of people (on here or elsewhere) that have ever said such a thing.
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Post by alec on Nov 29, 2022 8:12:35 GMT
Not sure whether this has been covered on here previously? - www.current-news.co.uk/news/beis-allocates-32-9-million-to-long-duration-energy-storage-projectsThe Longer Duration Energy Storage (LODES) funding has been coming for a while, but although it's very useful, it's a very small amount of funding. However, in a young and developing market it's possibly too early to through large sums of public cash. The five projects supported here are varied, with one hydrogen based project alongside four other technologies, including two heat storage technologies, a new type of battery and a novel hydro pumped storage scheme using super dense liquid that can utilise shallower gradients and smaller head than traditional water based systems. My gut feeling is that this is about the right mix, with hydrogen certainly in their but greater emphasis being placed on heat storage, along with new battery technologies and some other novel ideas. I would predict that with a broad range of cost effective solutions, seasonal energy balancing won't end up as difficult an issue as many sometimes think, and I don't see hydrogen as the main technology here. |
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Nov 29, 2022 8:14:10 GMT
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Nov 29, 2022 8:40:52 GMT
It is great to see UK (and others) investing in 'one day, possible' options. However, it would be too risky to assume that 'new tech' will be much if any of the 'answer' and I know you're not proposing that. The great thing with a flexible plan is that we can review it the whole time (well periodically at least). If something we've been 'seeding' as a possible ends up showing it can be deployed at scale and is economically viable at scale then that will be fantastic. The issue with tech that we know works has been 'dither and delay' on mass roll-out, although for some of the tech (eg SMR, floating wind farms, etc) then we're not quite at the point of being able to roll it out at scale - but should be very soon. Lots of opportunity to revisit 'old tech' as well (eg Tidal Lagoons, where like wind, UK has a natural comparative advantage) |
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Post by Mr Poppy on Nov 29, 2022 10:36:46 GMT
Link with more data on Wind Farms: Current: Offshore 11.3GW + Onshore 14.2GW = 25.5GW By 2030 then could be: Offshore 50GW + Onshore 29GW = 79GW (Longer term then hopefully: "129GW. (93.3GW offshore and 36GW onshore)") IE more than tripling our current capacity by the end of the decade, but that won't solve the issue of the very low wind days we're experiencing this week when we're only getting approx 2% of the total wind farm capacity producing electricity. Luckily those <=2% days are rare (see a previous link and the load duration curves to see that 'capacity factor was 2.4% or higher 97% of the time*). So for about 3% of the time, we have/will have less than Current: 2.4% x 25.5GW = 0.6GW 2030 (hopefully): 2.4% x 79GW = 1.9GW Longer-term (hopefully): 2.4% x 129GW = 3.1GW Nowhere near enough by itself (and oddly enough it's not that sunny in the Winter) www.renewableuk.com/news/613936/Wind-power-reaches-new-milestone-of-25-gigawatts-powering-two-thirds-of-UK-homes-.htm* Also look to the other extreme for how often we'd have sufficient surplus for 'economically viable' long-term storage, especially if used in conjunction with short-term storage for intra-day 'smoothing' (ie overnight when it is windy we can make hydrogen and recharge batteries so that during windy+sunny days we can still make hydrogen and use the batteries to 'top-up' supply if needed). |
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Nov 30, 2022 23:05:21 GMT
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 1, 2022 8:08:45 GMT
Yeah, I haven’t really looked at it, partly because more interested in things like what’s the best way to add loads more energy via developing nuclear tech, the possibility of solar arrays in orbit etc., easily attainable stuff like that (!!) Well how about making fairly easily attainable stuff even easier to obtain?
New device can make hydrogen when dunked in salt waterarstechnica.com/science/2022/11/waterproof-clothing-concept-used-to-make-hydrogen-from-seawater/The article highlights lots of other potential for that bit of tech. One more map for you/others on wind. Could be a better one that shows the wind out to sea but you'll get the idea from the comment: In general, the windiest parts of the UK are the north and west. Where as from the map of sea levels then the sea starts to get deep pretty quick on the 'windier' side but places like Dogger Bank (East of England) aren't very deep so that area has a concentration of wind farms (built and being built) Scroll down to: Mean UK wind speeds mapwww.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/types-of-weather/wind/windiest-place-in-uk(also highlights some pretty obvious stuff like it's windier on hills) So what about 'dem floating wind farms then? Well yes, they will be very helpful indeed and are past the 'proven tech' stage and starting to built to a larger scale with some 'learn by doing' to improve the tech even further before mass roll out. A link for the sea depth issue of 'fixed' v 'floating' with some additional click-thrus to more info:
The frontier between fixed and floating foundations in offshore windwww.empireengineering.co.uk/the-frontier-between-fixed-and-floating-foundations-in-offshore-wind/ |
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 1, 2022 8:34:16 GMT
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Post by johntel on Dec 3, 2022 17:43:37 GMT
The usual clear analysis by Sabine Hossenfelder - "Renewable Energy Storage: No Wind, No Sun, Now What?" www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8xsg9iK5yoShe concludes that if you take into account the carbon issues associated with the storage that is needed to make wind and solar generation viable when they are not producing then they become less attractive compared to nuclear. |
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Post by leftieliberal on Dec 3, 2022 21:59:46 GMT
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 4, 2022 0:01:27 GMT
The usual clear analysis by Sabine Hossenfelder - "Renewable Energy Storage: No Wind, No Sun, Now What?" www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8xsg9iK5yoShe concludes that if you take into account the carbon issues associated with the storage that is needed to make wind and solar generation viable when they are not producing then they become less attractive compared to nuclear. A great link covering a huge range of options with costings, etc. Thank you for posting that. The main takeaway IMO is the massive scale of the challenging and the enormous amount of 'storage' that we will need for intermittent wind+solar. Loads of important issues covered (eg importance of cycle rate for Li-batteries, although didn't mention that can be the opposite for 'cheap and neat' hydrogen whose storage use would be similar to the way Europe fills storage of nat.gas during the Summer for use in the Winter). I think we all agree that 'pumped hydro' is best (certainly for short-term due to higher cycle rates) - but she points out not everyone can do that. 'Sympathy award' for thermal storage was perhaps a bit harsh - given the scale of the challenge we need a bit of everything. I like the term "(cold) Dunkelflaute" - we recently had four days in a row of that with very squeaky bums at NG. As more folks buy BEVs and more heating moves to electric (ie need to look at the full energy requirement and not just current electricity usage) then we're certainly going to need to get cracking with 10GW+ of 'new-new' nuclear and a XX TWhs of storage. PS Nothing says "start panicking" (eg panic fuel buying in UK a while back) like a politician saying "don't panic" and with France's nuclear fleet still nowhere near full capacity then Macron is right to be worried. I note in the article below, no mention of France's other 'unlikely hero' near neighbour that has been helping them out a lot lately (although not on 'Dunkelflaute' days obviously) - although it is the Brussels Times! www.brusselstimes.com/331849/french-president-macron-warns-of-power-cuts |
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Danny
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Post by Danny on Dec 7, 2022 17:43:03 GMT
I like the term "(cold) Dunkelflaute" - we recently had four days in a row of that with very squeaky bums at NG. As more folks buy BEVs and more heating moves to electric (ie need to look at the full energy requirement and not just current electricity usage) then we're certainly going to need to get cracking with 10GW+ of 'new-new' nuclear and a XX TWhs of storage. Whats obvious to me is that if we had the same currently intalled capacity to generate from gas and coal, plus double or quadruple wind and solar, then we would be better off than we are now. The cheaper renewables energy would compensate for leaving the other plant idle (ie not burning expensive fuel). I can see this might be difficult to operate where the generating capacity is owned and run by private profit making companies. They would either have to become part of a state generator, or placed on contracts based upon the cost of maintaining plant at standby most of the time. My opposition to nuclear as the main genertor -which you are pushing hard- is first that it is very expensive compared to wind, and second accidents are very dangerous. And still no one has figured what to do with the nuclear waste, despite there being much the same proposals how it could be managed when I was a kiddie as there are now. No progress except to leave it for our children to solve. Surely a reason not to rely on nuclear...it too suffers dunkelflaute. |
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 7, 2022 22:19:48 GMT
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Post by alec on Dec 8, 2022 8:01:05 GMT
Mr Poppy - "Mixing diesel and hydrogen provides big cuts in emissions" Yes, that's the same principle as the Scottish example I posted a couple of months ago, with the bolt on electrolyser and H2 injection system for tractors. Good idea, especially as it's already economically viable. Thise units were made by a Derby based company I recall.
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 8, 2022 16:32:21 GMT
Miliband seems very pro-Hydrogen but we are falling behind our near neighbours in planning for a Hydrogen economy (see previous links to Hydrogen network in places like Germany). We need a detailed HMG level plan and copy what our neighbours are working towards: MEPs also suggest setting up more hydrogen refuelling stations (HFS) along main EU roads (every 100 km as opposed to every 150 km, as proposed by the Commission) and to do it faster (by 2028 instead of by 2031)
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20221014IPR43206/car-recharging-stations-should-be-available-every-60-km-say-mepsDemand will be rising into 'economically viable' (ie zero subsidy) status by 2030 but only if potential hydrogen vehicle purchasers can see that they'll be able to refill their tanks across the UK and not just via their own depots. It's great that we plan to make a lot more Green Hydrogen in UK, trialling hydrogen blends in heat networks and CCGT 'peaker plants', etc. but we also need a detailed plan for implementation of hydrogen in the transport sector. I appreciate the 'chicken+egg' conundrum but we're only just starting to think about a proper HFS network (and it will require HMG 'help' to get it to rolling) www.ukhfca.co.uk/2022/11/23/hydrogen-think-tank-to-examine-the-issue-of-refuelling-in-the-uk/PS Adding link for the 'vague' UK HMG 'Hydrogen sector development action plan' as I don't think I've posted that before: www.gov.uk/government/publications/hydrogen-sector-development-action-plan |
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 10, 2022 5:12:41 GMT
Another link with a map showing: Climate Impact by Area
Ranked by carbon intensity of electricity consumed (gCO₂eq/kWh)
app.electricitymaps.com/mapIf you click on any country then you can see their mix (eg look how much thermal coal Germany and Poland burn to make electricity). You can see imports and exports by clicking on the arrows between countries and you can even do stuff like add 'wind later' (click on the wind symbol) to see a colour coded 'wind power potential' - although you'll need to use previously supplied maps to see wind farm locations. |
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Post by lens on Dec 12, 2022 0:51:15 GMT
Further to what alec says, his link to the Scottish example worked by the engine driving a generator to produce electricity to make hydrogen by electrolysis which was then put back into the engine as fuel. In case that sounds like a perpetual motion machine, the hydrogen wasn't the primary source of fuel (!!), it just served to make the usage of diesel more efficient. Considering the engine as a black box, it meant no change other than needing to supply water as well as diesel, but apparently improved the efficiency relative to diesel alone. The link above relies on supplying the vehicle with both diesel and hydrogen. Consequently we are back to all the issues regarding (heavy and bulky) storage for the hydrogen, it's transport and refuelling infrastructure. With a liquid fuel a fairly simple pump is enough to refuel - hydrogen needs a pretty sophisticated compressor. Noteworthy also is that it will still give rise to some NOx tailpipe emissions, and efficiency will be far lower than using hydrogen in a fuel cell. It may be feasible for railway usage, converting existing diesel engines, and where shipping in the hydrogen by rail tanker gets over the worst of the supply issues, but I'm much more sceptical about the viability of it for such as agricultural use? |
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 12, 2022 2:44:42 GMT
... (something I didn't read)... The link above relies on supplying the vehicle with both diesel and hydrogen. Consequently we are back to all the issues regarding (heavy and bulky) storage for the hydrogen, it's transport and refuelling infrastructure. With a liquid fuel a fairly simple pump is enough to refuel - hydrogen needs a pretty sophisticated compressor. Noteworthy also is that it will still give rise to some NOx tailpipe emissions, and efficiency will be far lower than using hydrogen in a fuel cell. It may be feasible for railway usage, converting existing diesel engines, and where shipping in the hydrogen by rail tanker gets over the worst of the supply issues, but I'm much more sceptical about the viability of it for such as agricultural use? I totally accept that the 'bridging' tech still needs some improvement and is certainly not yet 'economically viable' but its potential scope is far beyond 'agricultural' use. If existing diesel engines can be converted to run on mostly hydrogen (and the link covered the issues of other emissions) then it will have potentially huge scope - as a 'bridging tech'. The bridge to 'what' is still TBC but a fully hydrogen internal combustion engine is one possibility* and you can google that if you don't believe me (use search term H2ICE) Along with such advancements as not necessarily needing 'ultrapure water' to create green hydrogen (see previous link supplied) then a lot of the practical 'issues' of hydrogen are being solved. I've already commented on the storage issue and hence why even in the most weight sensitive modes of transport (ie air travel) then hydrogen, directly or indirectly, might well be the eventual solution to truly 'net zero' - although we will need some 'bridging tech' to get us there (and that will likely require hydrogen to create synthetic hydro-carbons) 'Efficiency' is important of course and I know not to engage with you about the inefficiencies of the present, let alone the future. Ensuring there is an adequate 'refuelling infrastructure' is also obviously important (see previously supplied links that shows that our near neighbours are ahead of UK in that regard - although we do finally seem to have realised the importance). I'm fully aware that there are 'issues' but IMO they are solvable and for those willing to open their eyes then they will see a lot of the issues are being solved. You are entitled to be sceptical and cynical of course, but fortunately others are working to solve the 'issues' to ensure we do get to 'Net Zero'. * One 'novel' (not) idea would be to use hydrogen as.... hydrogen (for heat, CCGT peaker plants and perhaps monofuel H2ICE) |
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 12, 2022 4:59:33 GMT
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 12, 2022 16:11:03 GMT
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Post by johntel on Dec 12, 2022 18:45:29 GMT
you can use to get to the article without subscribing to the fT. |
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Post by lens on Dec 13, 2022 0:53:12 GMT
If existing diesel engines can be converted to run on mostly hydrogen (and the link covered the issues of other emissions) then it will have potentially huge scope - as a 'bridging tech'. The bridge to 'what' is still TBC but a fully hydrogen internal combustion engine is one possibility* and you can google that if you don't believe me (use search term H2ICE) I'm well aware of an internal combustion engine running on hydrogen (JCB are championing such), it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone, just go back to wartime and the photographs of lorries with large bags on the roof, running with town gas. (Just for fun - www.worldwar1luton.com/blog-entry/coal-gas-new-motor-fuel ) OK, it may have been acceptable as a solution in WW1, but I doubt health and safety would be very impressed with large bags on the top of vehicles now. It's not just a question of converting a diesel engine to run on gas - you have to make provision for the tanks, fuelling arrangements, etc etc in a safe manner. As I said before, that *MAY* be practical for rail use, but to modify the average road vehicle for hydrogen in addition to diesel is unlikely to ever be viable. A large reason JCB have thought about the hydrogen road was battery supplies being locked up by first entrants, and shortage of supply on the open market. That is now coming less of a problem as battery manufacture ramps up rapidly and becomes available to more existing manufacturers. Wrightbus was previously seen as a hydrogen proponent after it's rescue - they are still keeping a foot in both camps, but it's battery bus sales that are increasingly important. I know how much you like links, so www.route-one.net/news/first-bus-orders-193-wrightbus-battery-electrics/ Along with such advancements as not necessarily needing 'ultrapure water' to create green hydrogen (see previous link supplied) then a lot of the practical 'issues' of hydrogen are being solved. The problem with hydrogen for road transport is that too many of the issues are bound up by physics. In particular it's boiling point, and maybe more importantly it's critical point. They are practical issues that CANNOT be solved. Similarly the very low energy density by volume (at 1 bar), and the way Boyle's Law is breaking down at higher pressures to effectively mean there's little point in even considering going beyond 700 bar. Oh that hydrogen had physical properties along the lines of LPG - liquid over a very wide range of everyday temperatures with only very moderate pressures. A critical point of -240C (!! about 33K) completely rules that out. This is before even thinking about inevitable losses in the conversion from electricity to hydrogen and back again. I don't deny there has been progress in the last 3 decades, but it's been slow, dwarfed by battery progress, and even with advancements is continuing to slip further and further behind. I stress I'm talking about it's application to road transport. You are entitled to be sceptical and cynical of course, but fortunately others are working to solve the 'issues' to ensure we do get to 'Net Zero'. Hah! There are certainly people working to ensure nett zero for road transport - but I'd put Elon Musk and such as Herbert Diess well at the forefront! Even after several decades FCEV sales worldwide barely reach thousands per year - BEV sales are already well into the millions, after a much later start. And are fast increasing year on year. The sad story of Trevor Milton and Nikola I assume you are well aware of? (With his sentencing due in a month or so.) Would you really call that champion of hydrogen and fuel cells someone working to get us towards nett zero!? Unfortunately, it doesn't end there. Maybe not as well known as Milton and Nikola, but a company which also had big ambitions for FCEV trucks was Hyzon. Again a story which doesn't seem to be going well - www.freightwaves.com/news/fuel-cell-truck-maker-hyzon-motors-increases-risk-of-nasdaq-delisting And I've already mentioned that Shell are closing all their stations that sell hydrogen for cars, I've recently heard that ITM are closing their hydrogen station in Swindon as well. That matters. Together with the Shell stations they were quite strategic along motorways, and there are now reports of drivers who did go the FCEV route but are now effectively in possession of an unusable car. |
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Mr Poppy
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 13, 2022 5:24:09 GMT
Follow up to France getting some more of their nuclear fleet back online then UK is now pretty much at our effective full capacity of close to 6GW (+1.4GW from the start of the month). See gridwatch website or EDF's website gridwatch.co.ukwww.edfenergy.com/energy/power-station/daily-statusesEvery little helps but I admit to being a bit miffed about UK deciding not to fire up more UK coal power stations and then paying top ££ for effectively importing German coal powered electricity via FR, BL and NE. I can appreciate why Germany doesn't want to use up their gas storage too quickly but that doesn't mean UK should stick with the desire to avoid using additional reserve coal power plants this Winter when quite clearly other countries are burning the cheaper and environmentally far more damaging option - not just for their own needs, but also for export.  |
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Post by birdseye on Dec 13, 2022 13:37:57 GMT
Also just seen this in the Telegraph “ Surging energy costs will leave the European Union unable to attract battery plants in a blow to its electric car ambitions, a top Volkswagen executive has warned.
Thomas Schäfer, chief executive of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, said Germany and the EU were “rapidly losing their attractiveness and competitiveness” for so-called gigafactories as a result of sharp rises in the cost of power.
He added that EU bureaucracy and state aid rules risk hamstringing efforts to bring electricity and gas prices under control.
In a LinkedIn post, Mr Schäfer said: “Unless we manage to reduce energy prices in Germany and Europe quickly and reliably, investments in energy-intensive production or new battery cell factories in Germany and the EU will be practically unviable.”” and UK as we're "interconnected" to the European market. Although we are no longer in the EU so we could get around the 'state aid rules' issue and as a Lexiteer then I hope we do. Worth keeping an eye on the brewing EC trade spat with US about 'state aid' for green stuff. If EC do nothing then UK can 'boost it like Biden' with our own 'Green Prosperity Plan' (one for Rachel-Miliband after GE'24). EU27 can then fight amongst themselves, probably with Germany just doing their own thing as they so often do - claiming (with some justification) that is for 'national security' reasons rather than protectionism for their 'precious' (car industry). www.politico.eu/article/joe-biden-ira-inflation-reduction-us-ignores-eu/Hasnt the british attempt at a battery factory gone under already? and isnt the electric mini being made in China? We done even seem to try to compete and as for "working the system" as you suggest - it was failure to do that like the Frenchh did that doomed our membership of the EU. |
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Mr Poppy
Member
Teaching assistant and now your elected PM
Posts: 3,774
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Post by Mr Poppy on Dec 13, 2022 18:00:23 GMT
Something we should copy: EU climate action: provisional agreement reached on Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/12/13/eu-climate-action-provisional-agreement-reached-on-carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism-cbam/NB it includes electricity and hydrogen imports and note they intend to "import 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen in the EU by 2030"*, so once UK becomes a 'Green/Clean Energy Superpower'** then we'll have a large export market right on our doorstep (and there is a 'gravity' component to trade in stuff like electricity and hydrogen). TBC if stuff like ammonia imports from Qatar, made with blue hydrogen, would count - hopefully not. Might be some delays but late 2023 makes sense for timing given inflation will be dropping fast by then and Europe (incl UK) will have a load more renewable supply online by then as well. TBC when UK copies the CBAM. Hopefully CON HMG will do so but I would expect LAB of 'make, buy, sell more in Britain' fame will if CON HMG don't. * energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-systems-integration/hydrogen_en** No copyright on good ideas or slogans. IIRC then LAB came up with that term but Rishi adopted it into COP27. |
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