I can’t think of how many times, often when you least expect it, that I have found myself in a debate with someone about whether we shall always need fossil fuels. Michael Liebrich now supplies five easy answers to end any bar room argument, see below. COMPANY NEWS Polestar raises almost $1 bln, sees margins … Read More
hydrogen
Constraint/flexibility/geothermal/vertical-agrivoltaic/wave power & focus on sodium-ion batteries
We truly live in the exponential age: I only heard of sodium-ion battery technology about this time last year and now the first car is being launched running on sodium and gigafactories are being built. I checked the Northvolt website relating to the first story below and it trumpets the arrival of sodium-ion technology too, … Read More
Batteries/long term storage/regenerative agriculture/hybrid AD & focus on African Carbon Credits
The first week of COP28 did achieve some progress, despite the oppressive presence of fossil fuel lobbyists. Weak oil and gas prices would seem to suggest that they are not having it all their own way. COMPANY NEWS Zenobē reveals £270 million investment from MubadalaBattery energy storage and EV fleet solutions provider Zenobē has received … Read More
Offshore wind/carbon capture/CfD’s/biodiesel/flow batteries & focus on heat pumps in the UK
One aspect of doing this that I particularly like is when different stories create links with each other. An example this week is the announcement of the increase in auction prices for the next round of CfD auctions, which links with Octopus Energy’s announcement of a new offshore wind fund. Maybe Octopus’ timing is good … Read More
Synchronous condenser/biogas/green hydrogen/ccs & focus on NIA2
There is some kind of irony that the developed world put the CO2 into the atmosphere and Africa takes it out (see below) COMPANY NEWS Siemens Energy to deploy ‘first’ synchronous condenser-BESS hybrid project in IrelandIt pairs a synchronous condenser, including a flywheel, capable of injecting 4000MW of inertia into the grid, and a large … Read More
CCS/hydrogen/cheapest EV/ERW & focus on Flexibility
The third quarter in the UK saw record renewable generation once again, according to figures by EnAppSys: wind, solar, hydro and biomass together contributed 26.2 Terrawatt hours in the quarter. The increase was driven by 16TWh of wind power and also wholesale prices fell y/y by 12%. The Energy Transition continues to roll. COMPANY NEWS … Read More
Biogas/heat pumps/fusion/geothermal & focus on EU & UK ETS
Looking at the selections this week, two kinds of innovation are featured: First are the “out of the box thinking” type such as the burying of biomass and the fracking energy storage. The second is the Government sponsoring the long term ambitions of the fusion industry, and trying to pick winners. COMPANY NEWS AstraZeneca Partners … Read More
Green Steel/Tyre recycling/Concentrated Solar
Our beloved Government seem to be dropping more balls than Scottish goalkeepers of the 1980’s. It has become so regular that the excuses all sound equally rediculous: “most schools won’t fall down” and “the CfD’s are enabling more projects”. Strewth. COMPANY NEWS H2 Green Steel raises €1.5b for ‘world’s first green steel plant’In the largest … Read More
Airship/recycled steel/heat pumps & focus on next gen solar
I hope that in times to come it will be seen as one of the scandals of our age that governments continued to subsidise fossil fuels even though they were well aware of the damage to climate and health. COMPANY NEWS Octopus acquires Shell EnergyShell has reached an agreement to divest its home energy businesses, … Read More
Solar & storage/heat pumps/white hydrogen/solid state batteries & focus on natural carbon stores
Every week there seems to be a story telling us how the UK is squandering its lead in the race to net-zero, or, at least that we are falling behind our targets in most areas. So as to avoid depressing you all I am away for a couple of weeks, so next episode will be … Read More