RWE Looking for Innovators To Boost UK’s Offshore Wind Supply Chain
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
RWE appear to be looking for innovators in three areas.
- Autonomous solutions and the best way to integrate them into wind farm site investigations, construction, and operations and maintenance (O&M) is the first challenge for which RWE is looking for responses.
- The second challenge is about solutions to measure and reduce the environmental impacts of offshore wind farm construction and operations on birds.
- The last challenge focuses on ideas and innovations in cable monitoring and protection, aiming to secure a reduction in offshore wind farm cable failures.
As sums of around £25,000 are talked about in the article, it could be worth applying, if you have a relevant idea.
Is it slightly flattering to the UK’s skills, that a German company is backing British innovation?
But then I was involved in a British invention, which was also backed by the Germans and made me a reasonable amount of money.
More Than Half Of London-Edinburgh Travellers Now Going By Train Instead Of Plane
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on The Independent.
As Lumo seem to be a success on London and Edinburgh, surely a similar service should run between London and Glasgow.
Grand Union are trying to run a London and Stirling service, but it doesn’t seem to be getting close to starting.
National Grid’s North Sea Link Strengthens Electricity Supply And Repays Its Carbon Cost In Just Six Months
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from National Grid.
These are three bullet points from the press release.
- World’s longest subsea electricity cable has been in operation since Oct 2021.
- 5.7 terawatt (TWh) hours of clean power have been shared between GB and Norway, strengthening security of supply for consumers in both countries.
- It has saved 800,000 tonnes of carbon in the first year, paying off its carbon cost after only six months of operation.
This must surely be considered a good start.
These two paragraphs describe the operation in the first year.
During its first year of operation, the link has imported 4.6 TWh of clean electricity – enough to power 1.5 million British homes for a year.
North Sea Link has also exported 1.1 TWh to Norway, demonstrating the vital role that interconnectors play in strengthening energy security and maximising the benefits of clean energy sources for consumers across the UK and Europe.
In The Monster In The Mountains That Could Save Europe’s Winter, I describe what makes the North Sea Link so important.
It gives the UK access to the Norwegian Bank Of Electricity or Ulla-Førre, which is a complex of five hydroelectric power stations and a massive lake in the Norwegian mountains to the East of Stavanger.
- The power stations have a total generating capacity of 2.1 GW.
- Lake Blåsjø is able to hold enough water to generate 7800 GWh of electricity.
- Ulla-Førre can also supply electricity to Germany, through the 1.4 GW NordLink.
If Ulla-Førre has a problem, it is that if Norwegian weather is dry, the filling of Lake Blåsjø could be difficult, which is where the interconnector comes into its own, as excess UK wind power or the 1,185 MW Hartlepool nuclear power station, can be used to send electricity to Norway for storage.
In An Update To Will We Run Out Of Power This Winter?, I predicted we will add the following capacity to our renewable generation in the next three years.
- 2023 – 2925 MW
- 3024 – 3726 MW
- 2025 – 6476 MW
This is a total of 13,127 MW.
As a Control Engineer, I can see the following happening.
- Several of the UK’s gas-fired power stations will be mothballed.
- Some of the UK’s gas-fired power stations will be fitted with advanced control systems so they can supply more precise amounts of electricity.
- Some UK electricity is stored in Ulla-Førre for onward sale to Germany.
- Some UK electricity is stored in Ulla-Førre for withdrawal back to the UK, when needed.
One of Ulla-Førre’s main tasks could be to ensure that no UK electricity is wasted.
Conclusion
With all these wind generated electricity and electricity transfers, the Crown Estate, National Grid and the Treasury should be coining it.
The Germans are already building the 1.4 GW NeuConnect between the Isle of Grain and Wilhelmshaven to import more electricity.
But I do believe that another interconnector will be needed.
National Grid Installs LineVision Sensors To Expand The Capacity Of Existing Power Lines
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from National Grid.
These are four bullet points from the press release.
- LineVision’s Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) technology trialled for first time in Great Britain following successful deployment on National Grid’s electricity networks in the US.
- The sensors and data analytics platform will highlight spare capacity on overhead power lines allowing for the integration of more renewable power.
- Technology has the potential to unlock 0.6GW of additional capacity, enough to power more than 500,000 homes and save £1.4 million in network operating costs per year based on the results from the US networks.
- Combined with the construction of new infrastructure, the innovative technology forms part of National Grid’s work to upgrade and adapt the electricity network to meet increased demand and help deliver a net zero grid.
In some ways this seems like the sort of story, that could be filed under Too-Good-To-Be-True.
But as a Graduate Control Engineer, I’m willing to give National Grid and LineVision the benefit of the doubt.
- It appears to be technology proven in the United States.
- That experience should feed over, once the manuals are translated into the dual English-American form of English.
- I suspect that applying this technology to interconnectors could increase their capacity.
- I also think that as we add more storage, power sources or interconnectors to our electricity network, this will open up more savings.
- As the UK power network gets more complicated, the system should come into its own.
This is an excellent decision by National Grid.
The Whitechapel Shortcut
Note that this post is unfinished.
When the East London Line of the London Overground opened just over a decade ago, the interchange with the District and Hammersmith and City Lines at Whitechapel station was not one of the best.
- There were no lifts.
- The stairs were too narrow and inadequate for the number of passengers using the interchange.
- Adding extra Overground trains to Clapham Junction station didn’t help.
If the Elizabeth Line had been added without extra work, the station’s passageways and stairs would have jammed solid.
- But improvements were added, when the station was expanded to handle the Elizabeth Line.
- A wide interchange plaza was created between the Eastern ends of the District and Hammersmith and City Line platforms.
- A double-width spiral staircase was installed between the Eastern end of the interchange plaza and the Southbound East London Line of the Overground.
- A convenient lift was installed alongside the spiral staircase.
- The original staircases to and from the Northbound East London Line of the Overground were updated and augmented by a lift.
- Passengers entering or leaving the station, were given alternative routes to avoid the interchange plaza.
These pictures show the interchange plaza and the various lifts and staircases.
Note.
- The spiral stairs and the lift at the Eastern end of the plaza.
- The Eastern ends of the District and Hammersmith and City Line trains connect directly with the plaza.
It seems to be working well, since the opening of the Elizabeth Line.
Using The Whitechapel Shortcut
There are eight ways to change between the District and Hammersmith and City Lines and the Overground at Whitechapel station.
Southbound Overground To Westbound District And Hammersmith and City Lines
Today, I travelled between Haggerston and Moorgate stations, which I wrote about in From Haggerston To Moorgate.
I could have changed at Whitechapel station for the brand-new Elizabeth Line, but this would have meant a long walk to get to the Moorgate end of Liverpool Street station.
So I did this.
- I got in the front carriage of the Overground train at Haggerston station, which was conveniently by the lift at the station.
- This meant that on exiting the train, I was by the lift to the interchange plaza at Whitechapel station.
- The lift took me up a level to the District and Hammersmith and City Line platforms.
- I got in the rear carriage of a Hammersmith and City Line train to Moorgate station.
- This positioned me by the lift to the exit at Moorgate station.
I would be surprised if I walked much more than sixty metres between the two station entrances, as against the road distance of around two-and-a-half miles.
Southbound Overground To Eastbound District And Hammersmith and City Lines
This is very similar to the previous section except that you take the District And Hammersmith and City Line trains from the opposite platform.
Northbound Overground To Westbound District And Hammersmith and City Lines
There are two staircases and two lifts between the Northbound Overground and the interchange plaza.
Choose your stairs or lift and then take the Westbound District and Hammersmith and City Line.
Northbound Overground To Eastbound District And Hammersmith and City Lines
This is very similar to the previous section except that you take the District And Hammersmith and City Line trains from the opposite platform.
Westbound District And Hammersmith and City Lines To Southbound Overground
Eastbound District And Hammersmith and City Lines To Southbound Overground
Walk to the interchange plaza and choose the spiral stairs or lift.
Westbound District And Hammersmith and City Lines To Northbound Overground
Eastbound District And Hammersmith and City Lines To Northbound Overground
Walk to the interchange plaza and choose your stairs or lift.
Conclusion
It’s all very quick and painless.
From Haggerston To Moorgate
I did this journey this morning and I described it in detail in The Whitechapel Shortcut.
It may seem obvious to take the Overground to Whitechapel and then take the Elizabeth Line to Liverpool Street and come out on Moorgate.
But that route means a long walk at either Whitechapel or Moorgate to get to the right end of the train.
So I took a Hammersmith and City Line train, which was slower, but involved much less walking.
UK Funds Hydrogen-Enabled Decarbonisation Of Steel, Cement, Ceramics Production
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Ryse Hydrogen.
This is the first paragraph.
The latest round of grants under the UK government’s Industrial Hydrogen Accelerator Programme shows the breadth of decarbonisation opportunities that hydrogen provides and the depth of innovative talent in our country.
Industries targeted by the projects that received funding include steelmaking, asphalt, cement, waste, paint, and ceramics manufacturing.
The article is good background to how hydrogen will change industry.
The Anonymous Widower 