A very encouraging turnout this week at the All Energy Show in Glasgow. There were many excellent presentations and, generally, a good vibe to the whole show. Evidence that the energy transition is moving forward with confidence despite the well (over?) publicised headwinds.
COMPANY NEWS
AEP to sell distributed resource business to Basalt Infrastructure funds
American Electric Power intends to sell AEP OnSite Partners, a distributed resources business, to funds advised by London-based private equity firm Basalt Infrastructure Partners, the utility company said Monday.
AEP said it expects to net about $315 million after taxes and transaction fees from the sale. The company expects the sale to close in the third quarter after regulatory approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and others are in hand. (utilitydive)
UK NEWS
Border to Coast raises further £1.2bn for climate investment fund
The Border to Coast Pensions Partnership has raised a further £1.2bn to invest in global climate solutions that aim “to turn the tide on climate change and support ambitions to reach to net zero carbon emissions”, it announced this week.
The UK’s largest local government pensions scheme (LGPS) pool said the latest offering would build on the £1.4bn it has already invested through its Climate Opportunities 1 portfolio, which was launched in 2022.
As such, it brings the total investment committed by councils in the scheme to the climate-focused portfolio to £2.6bn, which will be targeted at projects such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, battery storage, electric vehicles (EVs), charging points, low carbon fuels, next generation plastics, carbon capture and storage (CCS), sustainable food production, alternative proteins, water management, biodiversity, forestry, and low carbon cement and steel production, it said. (businessgreen)
Govt pledges £530m to decarbonise public buildings and businesses
The Government has announced a £530 million investment to decarbonise schools, hospitals and other public buildings by installing low-carbon heating and energy-saving measures.
It has also pledged a further £27.5 million to help support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills and carbon emissions.
It’s estimated that the new projects receiving the funding will help to save taxpayers £650 million a year to 2037, as well as accelerate progress to net zero. (sustainability-beat)
FOR EV charging hubs for Network Rail Scotland
FOR EV has completed the first of two major EV charging hub installations in a project that will support Network Rail Scotland in electrifying its operational fleet.
The company has installed a combination of AC and DC charging technology at sites in Irvine and Cowlairs, Glasgow, designed specifically for the complex operational needs of Network Rail Scotland.
These charging hubs have the capacity to charge 56 fleet vehicles simultaneously and include load-balancing technology. (theenergyst)
Photo: Network Rail
EV OF THE WEEK
Peugeot e-3008 vs Leapmotor C10 highlights global EV battleground
Stellantis is the holding company for a great number of motoring brands such as Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat and Chrysler. They are clearly a significant player in the global industry, but I would contend that their brands are more vulnerable than many from the competitive pressures building as we convert to EV’s. This is a good example.
Peugeot have finally released their flagship mid-size SUV EV called the e-3008. The petrol version has been a winner for the company, but unlike others, Stellantis did not lead with an electric car in this segment, and have allowed the Tesla Model Y, VW ID4, Renault Scenic and others to steal an early march. Reports suggest that the e-3008 is a good EV. It has competitive range of up to 327 miles on the standard model, and up to 435 miles in next year’s premium model. What is concerning is the pricing. They are starting the base model at £46,000, which seems a bit of an ask in a market where prices are falling fast, and the Chinese are coming.
In fact one Chinese car that could compete with the e-3008 is called the Leapmotor C10. I mentioned Leapmotor a couple of weeks ago. Stellantis has taken a stake in this Chinese maker and will market it into Europe starting this year with two models: the tiny T03 (see recent Titbits HERE) and the C10 avery similarly sized car to the e-3008. I don’t know the exact specs for the C10, but the base model is priced in China at the equivalent of £19,000.
photo: Peugeot
photo: Leapmotor
EUROPEAN STORIES
EU rule ecourages Scania to bet on electric trucks
It had been widely assumed across the transport industry that hydrogen fuel cells or green fuels such as ammonia could plug the ‘fuel gap’ until batteries were efficient enough and light enough for long distance haulage.
But now Scania says it expects to leap from diesel directly to battery power following radical improvements in battery duration and cost. Meanwhile, an unrelated EU safety rule is set to mandate that truckers should take a 45-minute break after clocking up 4.5 hours at the wheel, providing an unexpected boost to plans to develop a electric truck charging network across the continent.
The firm believes it can soon deploy truck batteries capable of charging fully in those precious 45 minutes while the driver has gone for their mandated break. (businessgreen)
Polish SMR plan gets Ministry Approval
Polish industrial group Industria’s plan to construct a power plant based on Rolls-Royce’s SMR has been approved by the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment.
Last December, Industria submitted its application for a decision-in-principle to Polish Climate and Environment Minister Paulina Henning-Kloska. The application detailed plans to construct a nuclear power plant using Rolls-Royce’s 470MW small pressurised water reactor and a used nuclear fuel storage facility.
Stating that the investment would be in public interest and in line with Poland’s energy and climate policies, Henning-Kloska issued the ministry’s decision-in-principle on 10 May. The application was positively assessed by the head of the Internal Security Agency and the minister of state assets.
The decision-in-principle is the first in the process of administrative permits for investments in nuclear power facilities in Poland. Industria can now apply for further permits such as a citing decision or construction license. (powertechnology)
photo: Rolls Royce
Mirova to acquire Menorcan PV project
Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, is to acquire a 60MWp solar park with a potential additional storage capacity up to 30MW on Menorca, Spain.
Th project in the municipality of Mahon, has been developed by Qualitas Energy and Q-Impact.
The ready-to-build solar PV plant is expected to start construction by mid-2024 with an expected commissioning date in early 2026.
The annual production is estimated to be up to around 92,000MWh or approximately 20% of the annual electricity demand of the island of Menorca.
With this transaction executed with the fund Mirova Energy Transition 5 (MET5), Mirova continues to finance proven technologies needed for clean energy infrastructure essential to the decarbonization of energy production, storage, and consumption in Europe. (renews)
NATURAL WORLD FEATURE
How a Small Herd of Romanian Bison Is Locking Away Thousands of Tons of Carbon
Gone from Romania for 200 years, European bison were reintroduced to the Țarcu Mountains, at the southern end of the Carpathian range, in 2014. Now numbering 170, the bison are reshaping the mountain landscape in ways that are helping clean up emissions.
Bison fertilize grasses and spread seeds, spurring growth. With their enormous girth, they also compact soil, helping to keep carbon locked in the ground. According to a new modeling study from the Yale School of the Environment, the Țarcu grasslands are capturing roughly 10 times as much carbon as they were before bison were reintroduced.
The research estimates that just 20 square miles of grassland are drawing down an additional 54,000 tons of carbon annually, an amount equal to the yearly emissions of 43,000 cars. The findings, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, highlight how the restoration of large animals can help slow warming. (yale360)
photo: Wikimedia Commons
GLOBAL STUFF
Renewables Will Skyrocket Under New Transmission Policies
The transmission system must modernize and expand to meet the demands of the 21st Century. Indeed, the growth of artificial intelligence, data centers, and electric vehicles — powered by green energy — means the country must at least double regional transmission capacity.
That’s why the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) voted 2-to-1 Monday to modernize the nation’s long-distance high-powered transmission policies — geared to meeting the Biden Administration’s decarbonization goals and to harden the grid to withstand extreme weather that could wreak havoc on local economies.
The changes have multiple ramifications: It will help with backstop authority—or the ability to build transmission when progress slows. Over the next decade, it will lead to considerably more renewable energy and noticeably less coal-fired power. For both reasons, litigation will abound, although the regulatory commissioners considered that before approving the new policies. (forbes)
NYK, Drax and Tsuneishi Partner to Develop ‘Bioship’ Technology
Leading Japanese companies, NYK Line, NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding,and British renewable energy business, Drax Group, have signed a new memorandum of understanding to develop both the world’s first biomass-fueled ship (bioship) and the technology that could power it.
Biomass is playing a growing role in Japan’s transition from fossil fuel power generation to low carbon and renewable electricity, and the country’s demand for biomass pellets, sourced primarily from North America and composed of sawmill and forestry residues, is increasing.
Drax produces biomass pellets in both the US and Canada. The company has a longstanding relationship with NBP which transports its pellets to Japan.
These pellets are currently shipped through smaller handysize bulkers, which, due to the limited size of their fuel tanks, have proved challenging to switch to lower emission fuels, such as ammonia.
The biomass fuel plant would use a gasifier to combust biomass at high temperatures and create and contain gases including carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methane. These gases would then be used to power a generator which could propel the bioship and also provide a proportion of its internal power.
The installation of a biomass fuel plant could see a 22% reduction in well-to-wake carbon emissions in bioships when compared to using fossil fuels. If this development is successful, the companies will jointly study the possibility of building a bioship by the end of 2029. (renewableenergymagazine)
Queensland zinc mine plans behind the meter wind farm to cut gas power costs
One of the world’s biggest zinc mines – the Dugald River project in north-west Queensland – is planning to build a substantial behind the meter wind farm to help it slash its crippling energy costs.
The mine currently sources most of its power from the Diamantina gas generator near Mount Isa, although it is also now sourcing around one third of its power needs from the newly expanded 88 MW Dugald River solar farm, which also services other big mining operations in the area.
However, energy costs are still too high, so the Dugald River mine owner, the Chinese based Minerals and Metals Group, wants to build a 48 megawatt wind farm – behind the meter – to service another 40 per cent of its electricity needs. (reneweconomy)
TECHIE CORNER
Grid-Enhancing ‘Magic Balls’ to Get Tested in Minnesota
A sensor about the size of a bowling ball can measure the real-time temperature of a transmission line. With this information, the operator can safely increase the level of power flowing through the line.
The technology has grown in popularity in Europe in recent years, while remaining on the fringes of the U.S. market.
Great River Energy, a power provider to rural electric cooperative utilities in Minnesota, is now poised to take the lead in using these tools stateside. This week, it announced the installation of 52 sensors on lines across the state.
The company, which is based near the Twin Cities, decided to use the sensors systemwide following a positive experience with a pilot project in which four of the sensors, made by Heimdall Power of Norway, helped to increase the amount of power that could be delivered on a line by up to 42.8 percent.
That’s an eye-popping number, considering that interstate power line capacity is at a premium and the lack of available capacity is a major choke point hindering the speed of development of renewable energy.
The Heimdall sensor’s official name is the “Neuron” but Heimdall sometimes refers to the product as a “magic ball.” The equipment weighs eight pounds and can be fastened to live power lines using a drone. The sensor runs using electricity it draws from the line.
One of the key points to understand is that power lines get hotter as their power flow increases. By knowing the precise temperature, the operator knows how close the line is to maxing out on its capacity.
Without such sensors, a power company will set limits on the flow of power on a seasonal basis, rather than in response to real-time conditions, which can lead to a lot of unused capacity. By knowing exactly how much power a line can handle, an operator can increase the flow of power for hours or even days to get closer to the limit than otherwise would happen. (insideclimatenews)
photo: Heimdall Power
