Cold Snap Leaves Britain With Less Than A Week’s Worth Of Gas
The title of this post, are the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
The closure of Russian pipelines through Ukraine and recent weather conditions have left gas stores ‘concerningly low’
These are the first two paragraphs.
Britain has less than a week of gas supplies in storage, the country’s largest supplier has warned after plunging temperatures and high demand.
Centrica, the owner of British Gas, said the UK’s gas storage was “concerningly low” after coming under pressure this winter.
The two largest gas storage facilities in this country are both in the Humberside area.
- Aldbrough is in salt caverns North of Hull and is owned by SSE.
- Rough is under the North Sea and is owned by Centrica
Both are being converted to store hydrogen.
Some might thing that is a bit stupid if we’re short of storage, but we need the hydrogen storage for four reasons.
- To store hydrogen created by electrolysers on Humberside, which will enable heavy gas users in the area to decarbonise.
- The hydrogen will also be burnt in a 1 GW hydrogen-fired power station at Keadby to back up the wind turbines, with zero-carbon electricity.
- The hydrogen will also be sold to the Germans to replace Putin’s blood-stained gas. It will be sent to Germany in a pipeline called AquaVentus, which will also deliver Scottish hydrogen across the North Sea. Hopefully, the Germans will pay a good price for the hydrogen.
- The hydrogen will be used for transport.
The mistake the Government is making is not to develop smaller gas fields, so that domestic gas users can continue to use natural gas, until the technology to replace it with zero-carbon sources is fully developed.
‘Europe’s Biggest Battery Farm’ Built On Coal Mine
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Work is under way to create what has been described as Europe’s largest battery storage project at Coalburn in South Lanarkshire.
These three paragraphs add a bit more detail.
Developers say the two huge neighbouring battery farms – one at the site of a former opencast coal mine – will store enough electricity to power three million homes.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are being built across the UK to help balance the electricity grid, which is becoming increasingly powered by renewables.
Almost 90% of the electricity generated in Scotland last year was from low carbon sources like wind, solar or nuclear, according to figures from the Scottish government.
A search of the Internet found this paragraph describing the size of the battery.
The CIP BESS portfolio (Coalburn 1, Coalburn 2, and Devilla) will have total power capacity of 1.5GW and will be able to store and supply the grid with a total of 3GWh of electricity, equivalent to the electricity demand of over 4.5 million households, across a 2-hour period.
Note.
- CIP is Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, who are a large developer of energy infrastructure.
- It appears there are three separate 500 MW/ 1 GWh batteries being developed together.
- The batteries can supply electricity for two hours.
This looks like a sensible project in an area, where there could be plenty of spare electricity.
Competition With Highview Power
Highview Power’s web site has a Projects section, where this is said.
Scotland And The North-East, UK
Highview Power’s next projects will be located in Scotland and the North East and each will be 200MW/2.5GWh capacity. These will be located on the national transmission network where the wind is being generated and therefore will enable these regions to unleash their untapped renewable energy potential and store excess wind power at scale.
I can see Highview Power’s 200MW/2.5GWh liquid air batteries and 500 MW/ 1 GWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) competing for the same projects.
However, it does appear at Trafford Energy Park, both types of battery appear to be being installed.
- Carlton Power Secures Planning Consent For World’s Largest Battery Energy Storage Scheme
- Centrica Invests In Renewable Energy Storage Capabilities To Boost UK’s Energy Security And Accelerate Transition To Net Zero
Perhaps the two together give the best response?
The Areas Where Labour Wants To Build Onshore Wind Farms, Mapped
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on inews.
This is the sub-heading.
Ten onshore wind projects have been proposed to help keep UK on track to have at least 95 per cent clean power by 2030.
This is the first paragraph.
The Government is bracing for its biggest nimby battle yet as onshore wind farm companies work on a flurry of proposals after an effective ban on development was lifted in England.
I suggest you take the time to read the well-written informative article, if you are worried about onshore wind farms being parked on the hill behind your house.
The first ten are provocative and there is a map of their locations, which are mainly in Scotland and Wales, on the Pennines and in Lincolnshire.
This paragraph in the article, quotes government data on the cost of various forms of energy.
They estimate that over the entire course of a project’s life, onshore wind costs £38 per mega watt hour of energy, compared to £44 for offshore and £41 for solar. Gas, meanwhile, is £114, while nuclear is £128.
I don’t have any other real data, but it does appear that floating offshore wind farms have a higher capacity factor, which should tip the cost comparison back in its favour.
But I do suspect that Ed Miliband will use these figures to increase the amount of onshore wind in the ?UK and especially n England.
As larger turbines are being tested by the Chinese and Siemens, I suspect too, that we’ll see larger turbines installed onshore.
I also believe as a Control Engineer, that as the number of large turbines increases, we will see more energy storage built alongside wind farms.
America Is Building The World’s Biggest Battery—And It Will Run On Rust
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Popular Mechanics.
It is the first article, that I’ve found that gives a good explanation of Form Energy’s battery, that uses iron oxide for energy storage.
Given the backing of the likes of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, this could be a serious player in the energy storage market.
The article is certainly worth a read.l
Permission Granted For Ayrshire Renewables Hub
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Scottish Construction Now.
This is the sub-heading.
Planning consent has been granted for a £150 million upgrade to an Ayrshire marine yard, paving the way for increased offshore wind power off the UK’s west coast.
These are the first three paragraphs.
Peel Ports Clydeport has secured permission for the complete redevelopment of the Hunterston marine yard as it prepares the site for major renewables infrastructure. The redevelopment works – which are expected to start in early 2025 and last for around two years – will include substantial upgrades to the marine yard, including infilling the current dry-dock basin and the creation of a new quay wall.
Highview Power recently announced it is to construct the world’s largest Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) facility at Hunterston, the latest in a string of renewables projects that are either underway, or in the pipeline, at the site.
The overall redevelopment of Hunterston is expected to attract £3.5 billion in inward investment and create over 5,000 jobs.
Note.
- The Highview Power battery will be 200 MW/3.25 GWh.
- There is also a 400 MW/400 MWh BESS being built at Hunterston.
- The 2 GW MacHairWind project is planned off the coast of Islay.
- According to their web site, MacHairWind will export its first power in the early 2030s.
More renewable infrastructure will surely follow.
Invinity’s New Flow Battery Aimed At Enabling ’24/7 Solar’ For The Grid
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Solar Power Portal.
These three paragraphs outline the story.
New vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) technology from Invinity Energy Systems makes it possible for renewables to replace conventional generation on the grid 24/7, the company has claimed.
Anglo-American flow battery company Invinity launched its new product, Endurium, today. It follows around three years of R&D, testing, and prototyping, during which Invinity has partnered with Siemens Gamesa on technology development.
Designed for high energy throughput with unlimited cycling and with at least a 50% reduction in the footprint required for installation at project sites, the company said it could cost-competitively tackle present-day energy storage markets and emerging long-duration energy storage (LDES) opportunities alike.
This looks like it could be a bit of a breakthrough.
After reading this article, it would appear that traditional lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) now have another competitor along with Highview Power’s liquid air battery.
Buccleuch Group Submits Plans For 39MW Solar, 10MW Storage Development
These are the two introductory paragraphs.
Solar and storage developer Buccleuch Group has submitted a planning application for a new solar plus storage development near Kettering, Northamptonshire.
The Oakley Bush solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) project is a proposed 39MW solar development, with a 10MW BESS proposed for the site. The application area, which covers 150 hectares of land on the Boughton Estate, could play host to as many as 130,000 ground-mounted solar modules, positioned around 3.5 metres above the ground.
The development is interesting for two reasons.
It Is Being Built With Both Solar Panels And A BESS
As a Control Engineer, I believe renewable power systems should have a battery, to even out the power.
The Batteries Could Be Vanadian Flow Batteries
The article says this about, the use of vanadium flow batteries.
According to the application documentation provided to Kettering District Council, two BESS technologies are being considered for use on-site: lithium-ion batteries or vanadium flow batteries. If vanadium flow batteries are used, the site could have an energy capacity of up to 50MWh, although this will be lower if lithium-ion batteries are used.
In a presentation given at a public information event for the project earlier this year, the developers noted that vanadium flow battery technology is being considered due to its significantly lower fire risk and longer lifespan than lithium-ion batteries. An operational lifespan of 40 years is expected for the site, with construction expected to take 18 months if planning consent is granted.
Note.
- Vanadium flow batteries appear to be larger.
- Vanadium flow batteries have a lower fire risk.
- Vanadium flow batteries have a longer life span, than lithium-ion.
With other batterers coming through, I wouldn’t be surprised to see costs, performance and reliability of batteries improve.
BP’s Morven Wind Farm At Risk Of Missing Start Date
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
A lengthening queue for grid connection could scupper plans to provide energy for three million homes from a development in the North Sea by the end of the decade
These two paragraphs introduce the article.
One of the largest wind farms in the UK risks missing its 2030 target to start generating power, due to lengthy grid connection queues and supply chain shortages.
The Morven Wind Farm being developed by BP, which is to be located 38 miles off the coast of Aberdeen, will have capacity of 2.9 gigawatts, which is expected to be capable of powering three million homes in Britain.
The delays in getting a grid connection and obtaining various electrical parts could derail BP’s plans.
The Morven wind farm is one of three being developed by a partnership of BP and a German company, which is outlined in this paragraph.
Morven is one of three UK wind farms being built by BP in a joint venture with Energie Baden-Württemberg AG (EnBW), the German energy company. The other two, Mona and Morgan, are being developed in the Irish Sea and have already secured grid connections.
These are my thoughts on the problems with the Morven Wind Farm.
Everybody is assuming that there will be a large cable to bring the 2.9 GW of electricity to the Scottish coast somewhere near Aberdeen.
Cables can be a problem as the article indicates, with connection to the grid and the erection of large numbers of pylons being major ones.
But the energy from Morven doesn’t necessarily need to go to Scotland.
It can be converted into hydrogen using an offshore electrolyser and sent to where it is needed by pipeline or a tanker ship.
I have also noted that BP’s partners are German and Germany has a massive need for zero-carbon energy to replace the large amount of coal they burn.
The Germans are building a massive pipeline called AquaVentus, from their North-West coast to the Dogger Bank, to collect hydrogen created by up to 10 GW of offshore wind farms in the German Ocean or their part of the North Sea to the shore.
I introduced AquaVentus in this post called AquaVentus.
This video shows the structure of AquaVentus.
I clipped this map from the video.
Note.
- The thick white line running North-West/South-East is the spine of AquaVentus, that will deliver hydrogen to Germany.
- There is a link to Esbjerg in Denmark, that is marked DK.
- There appears to be an undeveloped link to Norway, which goes North,
- There appears to be an undeveloped link to Peterhead in Scotland, that is marked UK.
- There appears to be a link to just North of the Humber in England, that is marked UK.
- Just North of the Humber are the two massive gas storage sites of Aldbrough owned by SSE and Brough owned by Centrica.
- Aldbrough and Rough gas storage sites are being converted into two of the largest hydrogen storage sites in the world!
- There appear to be small ships sailing up and down the East Coast of the UK. Are these small coastal tankers, that are distributing the hydrogen to where it is needed?
When it is completed, AquaVentus will be a very comprehensive hydrogen network.
- Pipelines from Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands and the UK will feed directly into AquaVentus.
- Will enBW and BP build a giant offshore electrolyser at Morven and send the hydrogen to Germany via the spine of AquaVentus?
- Will AquaVentus use the vast hydrogen storage North of Hull to store excess hydrogen?
- Will connections be built between AquaVentus and the UK’s Northern gas terminals at St Fergus and Easington?
If AquaVentus works as intended, Germany’s Russian gas will be replaced by zero-carbon hydrogen, a large proportion of which will come from the UK’s waters.
Where Will We Get Our Electricity From?
If the energy from Morven is sold to the Germans as hydrogen, where will we get the energy we need?
Morven is just one of several large wind farms and being developed around the North of Scotland and we’ll probably use the energy from another wind farm.
- Wind farms that can best send their energy to the grid, will do so.
- Wind farms that can best send their energy to one or more of the large Scottish pumped storage hydro-electric power-stations, will do so.
- Wind farms that can best send their energy to Germany as hydrogen, will do so.
- Wind farms that can best send their energy to Scotland or another country as hydrogen, will do so.
The hydrogen will get distributed to those who need it and can pay the appropriate price.
Where Will The Turbines And the Electrical Gubbins Come From?
I’m sure that if Morven was sending a couple of GW of hydrogen to Germany, Siemens could build the turbines and the associated electrical gubbins needed at a favourable price, with an acceptable delivery date.
Conclusion
Germany will likely be pleased, in that they will be able to close a lot of very dirty coal-fired power stations, by replacing coal with green hydrogen.
The UK should be pleased, as the Germans will pay us for the hydrogen.
As for Putin, who knows, what the mad Russian will do?
Large Scale Hydrogen Storage Sites Could Reduce Customer Energy Costs By £1bn Per Year
The title of this post, is the same as this press release from Centrica.
These four paragraphs summarise the report.
Centrica and FTI report finds that hydrogen storage would help balance the UK’s energy system and reduce bills.
A net zero scenario including large scale hydrogen storage – specifically, a redeveloped Rough gas storage facility – would reduce energy costs by an additional £1bn per year by 2050.
Report also finds that a UK energy system focused on renewable generation risks high levels of intermittency without an established hydrogen market. By 2050, electricity generation from renewables could exceed total demand around 15% of the time.
Electricity generation from renewables could also rise or fall by as much as 100GW over the course of a single day. More than twice current levels of peak demand on winter evenings and the equivalent energy output from over 30 Hinkley Point C nuclear power stations.
Note.
- Hydrogen Central entitles their article about the Centrica press release Centrica Says Hydrogen Can Reduce Household Bills by £35 a Year. That’s almost a bottle of my favourite Adnams beer a week!
- I talked about the redevelopment of the Rough facility into hydrogen storage in Aberdeen’s Exceed Secures Centrica Rough Contract.
- Generating hydrogen from excess electricity and storing it until it is needed, must be an efficient way of storing electricity or powering industrial processes that need a lot of energy, if storing hydrogen makes £1bn per year!
- It should be noted that Centrica have a large interest in HiiROC, who are developing an efficient way to generate hydrogen from any hydrocarbon gas from chemical plant off-gas through biomethane to natural gas. In a perfect world a HiiROC system in a sewage works could capture the biomethane and split it into hydrogen and carbon black. The hydrogen could be used to refuel vehicles and the carbon black would be taken away to someone, who has need of it.
In some ways, it is surely sensible to have enough energy in a store, if the renewables fail. As Rough is already there and functioning, it is surely one of the easiest routes to redevelop Rough, so that it is in top-quality condition.
It should also be noted, that Rough is not far from the Aldbrough Gas Storage, which SSE are converting to a second massive hydrogen store.
So Humberside will have two of the largest hydrogen stores in the world, which Centrica and SSE will use to maxise energy security in the wider Humberside and East Yorkshire area, and I suspect to maximise their profits as well.
This video shows the structure of AquaVentus, which is a pipeline system, that the Germans are building to bring much-needed hydrogen to German industry from electrolysers in the North Sea and other countries like Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and the UK.
I clipped this map from the video.
Note how a branch of AquaVentus makes landfall around the Humber estuary at a UK label.
Will Centrica and SSE be trading hydrogen from Rough and Aldbrough with the Germans through AquaVentus? You bet they will, as the Germans are short of both hydrogen and hydrogen storage.
DOE Funds Research Into Long-Duration Energy Storage Using Lead-Acid Batteries
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Best Magazine.
This is the sub-heading
US federal cash is on its way to fund research into long-duration energy storage using lead-acid batteries.
These two paragraphs give more details.
A consortium backed by industry bodies Battery Council International and the Consortium for Battery Innovation, will conduct pre-competitive research aimed at improving lead battery performance. Companies participating in the consortium include Advanced Battery Concepts, C&D/Trojan, Clarios, Crown Battery, East Penn Manufacturing, EnerSys, Gridtential and Stryten Energy. The collaborating national laboratories are Argonne, Oak Ridge and Pacific Northwest (PNNL).
The $5 million award from the US Department of Energy, announced on 27 September, will support work to develop lead batteries capable of 10+ hours of storage with a pathway to $0.05/kWh levelised cost of storage by 2030.
Note.
- The companies involved have names that indicate they could be battery makers.
- The collaborating national laboratories are world-class Premier League players.
- Over the nearly fifty years, that I drove cars, lead-acid batteries improved a lot and there might be more to come.
- The last paragraph is ambitious, unless they know more than I do about lead-acid batteries. Which is likely!
This is also said in one of Highview Power’s news items.
Highview Power, the global leader in long-duration energy storage solutions, is pleased to announce that it has developed a modular cryogenic energy storage system, the CRYOBattery, that is scalable up to multiple gigawatts of energy storage and can be located anywhere. This technology reaches a new benchmark for a levelized cost of storage (LCOS) of $140/MWh for a 10-hour, 200 MW/2 GWh system. Highview Power’s cryogenic energy storage system is equivalent in performance to, and could potentially replace, a fossil fuel power station. Highview Power’s systems can enable renewable energy baseload power at large scale, while also supporting electricity and distribution systems and providing energy security.
The battery researchers are saying $0.05/kWh levelised cost of storage by 2030 and Highview Power are saying $0.14/kWh for the same parameter.
Could Elon Musk’s Relationship With Donald Trump Be The Fly In The Ointment?
Would Musk want research to go on, that might weaken the use of his lithium-ion batteries for stationary applications?
The Anonymous Widower 