RWE And National Grid Answer New York Offshore Wind Call
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Community Offshore Wind, a joint venture of RWE and National Grid Ventures, has submitted a proposal to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop 1.3 GW of new offshore wind capacity in response to New York’s expedited fourth competitive offshore wind solicitation.
These four paragraphs add more details.
This next phase of the project builds upon Community Offshore Wind’s provisional offtake award to deliver 1.3 GW of wind capacity as part of New York’s third solicitation for offshore wind. In total, the projects are expected to generate USD 4.4 billion in economic benefits to New York.
Combined with its provisionally awarded New York project, Community Offshore Wind is on track to deliver nearly USD 100 million in workforce and economic development investments, the developer said.
The new proposal includes nearly USD 50 million in funding for workforce and community initiatives, with a focus on creating opportunities for diverse New Yorkers and supporting local non-profit organizations.
The proposal also includes an investment of up to USD 10 million in the offshore wind supply chain, to help New York businesses prepare for the economic opportunities the growing industry will create. All of these commitments are contingent on NYSERDA’s final selections.
is this partly a result of the meeting between Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho and Germany’s Vice Chancellor, Robert Habeck, that I wrote abut in UK And Germany Boost Offshore Renewables Ties?
We certainly seem to be getting some good deals on renewable energy these days with the Germans and the Koreans.
Perhaps someone in the government is doing something right?
British Gas Joins Forces With Samsung To Help Customers Power Smarter Energy Use
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
British Gas and Samsung have today announced the exciting first step in a long-term venture – aimed at helping customers better manage their energy use and increase the adoption of low carbon heating technologies in homes across Britain.
These are the first two paragraphs.
The collaboration will see British Gas integrate with Samsung’s SmartThings app to help customers optimise their home appliances to use energy when the cost and demand are lower. This is now possible through the integration of SmartThings Energy and British Gas’ PeakSave demand flexibility scheme informing customers (by sending notifications via their smartphone, TV or other compatible devices) of the best times to use household appliances to save money.
The PeakSave scheme includes PeakSave Sundays, running every Sunday until the end of February with half-price electricity from 11am to 4pm for British Gas customers and PeakSave Winter events which encourages customers to move their electricity use out of peak times when there is high demand on Britain’s energy grid.
As a Graduate Control Engineer, I believe that this could make optimising your energy use much easier.
- It would surely be a lot easier to check usage on your phone rather than a smart meter, when you perhaps cook a ready meal, so that you can see if your microwave or traditional cooker is cheapest.
- Suppose you and everybody, who lives with you are out for supper and British Gas want to cut off your gas for a reward, you can make an appropriate decision.
- Hopefully, if you have the right controls, you’ll be able to switch lights and appliances off and on.
The possibilities are endless.
I shall certainly be looking at the reviews of this app.
There is a section in the press release called Scaling Up Low Carbon Heating Opportunities, where this is said.
The collaboration will also help support customers in their journey to decarbonising their homes by introducing smart technologies in a way that is simple and empowering. From early 2024, British Gas will include Samsung heat pumps in its offering to British households to support the UK’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050.
The venture will see specially trained British Gas surveyors and engineers working with consumers to explain the benefits of heat pumps and then conducting the installations on-site. Samsung will be supporting workforce training as part of their efforts to upskill the heating industry to ensure there are enough installers to service the expected growing demand.
British Gas also offers customers the chance to purchase heat pumps through flexible financing methods. This, combined with the recently increased UK Government Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of £7,500, creates an attractive package of financing options to help people make the transition more affordable.
Various plumbers, who I would trust, have given me different views about heat pumps.
I suspect the Samsung’s SmartThings app might be able to simulate your energy usage with or without the heat pump, as it would know your energy use with your current boiler.
I was doing similar calculations for chemical plants in the early 1970s at ICI, using a PACE 231-R computer.
Consider.
- It may look rather old fashioned, but it could solve a hundred simultaneous differential equations in one go.
- Two similar computers linked together were the analogue half of NASA’s moon mission simulator.
- Without these wonderful machines, NASA would not have been able to re-calculate the dynamics of Apollo 13 and the mission would be remembered as a disaster, rather than the first space rescue.
The average current smart phone has more computing power than a PACE 231-R.
What’s In It For Samsung?
I have a Samsung television, but unfortunately it has a screen fault because of age. So if I had the Samsung app and liked it, I might buy another Samsung TV.
Similarly, the app might give me a financial reason to buy a Samsung heat pump.
Samsung will sell more equipment.
What’s In It For Centrica?
Centrica would appear to be a loser, as bills will fall and they could be paying customers to not use energy.
But they are surely hoping that their market share will increase and I’m sure Samsung will give them a commission.
What’s In It For The Consumer?
Hopefully, they’ll get lower energy bills.
But also they might get a lot of convenience controlling their appliances and heating.
Conclusion
Using energy is becoming a computer game with monetary rewards.
Is the deal between Centrica/British Gas and Samsung another deal that has been brought to fruition by the Korean President’s visit to the UK?
It looks like this is the third recent deal signed between UK and Korean companies, after these two.
- South Korea, UK Strenghten Offshore Wind Ties
- UK And South Korea Help Secure Millions For World’s Largest Monopile Factory
I suspect, there might be a few more deals, if Charles and Camilla really turned on the charm.
In Mersey Tidal Project And Where It Is Up To Now, I wrote about talks between Liverpool City Council and Korea Water about a tidal barrage of the Mersey. This project must surely be a possibility!
This is said in the Wikipedia entry for Korean Air under Fleet Plans.
At the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines Assembly in 2018, Korean Air announced that it was considering a new large widebody aircraft order to replace older Airbus A330, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777-200ER and Boeing 777-300. Types under consideration for replacement of older widebody aircraft in the fleet include the Boeing 777X and Airbus A350 XWB. At the International Air Transport Association Annual General Meeting (IATA AGM) in Seoul, Chairman Walter Cho said Korean Air’s widebody order is imminent and it is considering an extra order of Airbus A220 Family including developing version, Airbus A220-500.
Note.
- Airbus A350 XWB have Welsh wings and Rolls-Royce engines.
- Airbus A220-500 are made in Canada with wings and composite parts from Belfast. Rolls-Royce may have a suitable engine.
Could a deal have something in it for the UK?
Although Korea has its own SMR program, I wonder, if there could be a link-up between Korean industry and Rolls-Royce over SMRs?
BESS Projects Represent ‘Encouraging Progress’ in New York Efforts To Replace Dirty And Polluting Peakers
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Energy Storage News.
These are the first three paragraphs.
Battery storage is playing an active role in helping New York City retire its fleet of peaker power plants, with around 700MW of its most polluting power generation assets already fully retired.
According to a new report, 4,019MW – about two-thirds of a 6,093MW fleet – has either retired or put in place plans to replace turbines with cleaner technologies since New York adopted its climate goals and environment protection policies in 2019.
In addition to 700MW already retired, around the same amount again is actively being moved towards end of life.
Note.
- Just over 6,000 MW seems a lot of extra peaker power, even for a city as large as New York.
- But at least over 4 GW has been retired or the plans to replace it with cleaner technologies are in place.
- The New Yorkers certainly seem to be getting on with the conversion, with about a GW/per year either retired or planned to do so.
The article says this about batteries.
Battery storage is one of a number of different technologies that can be used to replace peaking capacity. While lithium-ion batteries with 4-hour duration might be the most directly analogous in terms of technical capability to peakers, effectively retiring the power plants could be facilitated with a combination of other resources including rooftop solar, offshore wind and energy efficiency measures.
I find the 4-hour duration interesting, but I suspect the Yanks know what they’re doing.
So if you were going to replace the 240 MW Glanford Brigg power station, which Centrica describe as a peaker station, with energy storage, you’d use a 240 MW/960 MWh battery, if you were working to New York rules.
Batteries in the UK, that I’ve talked about lately include.
Amp Hunterston – 400 MW/800 MWh – 2 hours
Amp Kincardine – 400 MW/800 MWh – 2 hours
- Carlton Energy Park – 1040 MW/2080 MWh – 2 hours – Close to an 884 MW gas-fired power station.
- Coalburn – 500 MW/1000 MWh – 2 hours- Close to a 946 MW collection of wind farms.
- Gateway Energy Centre – 450 MW/900 MWh – 2 hours – Close to an 732 MW gas-fired power station.
- Normanton Energy Reserve – 500 MW/1000 MWh – 2 hours
- Richborough Energy Park – 100 MW/100 MWh – 1 hour
- Spalding Energy Centre – 550 MW/1100 MWh – 2 hours – Close to an 860 MW gas-fired power station.
Note.
- The first field is Output/Storage Capacity.
- The second field is the duration.
- I have assumed Spalding Energy Centre is another two hour duration system, like Gateway Energy Centre, which is also being developed by Intergen.
- Two hours seems to be the most common duration for a UK battery.
Adding the batteries up gives a virtual 3940MW/7780MWh battery.
It amazing how they add up to quite large values. But then every little helps!
And these are only the ones I’ve talked about.
H2 Green Steel Raises More Than €4 billion In Debt Financing For The World’s First Large-Scale Green Steel Plant
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from H2 Green Steel.
This is the sub-heading.
H2 Green Steel signs definitive debt financing agreements for €4.2 billion in project financing and increases the previously announced equity raised by €300 million. Total equity funding to date amounts to €2.1 billion. The company has also been awarded a €250 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund. H2 Green Steel has now secured funding of close to €6.5 billion for the world’s first large-scale green steel plant in Northern Sweden.
These three paragraphs describe the company and outlines the financing.
H2 Green Steel is driving one of the largest climate impact initiatives globally. The company was founded in 2020 with the purpose to decarbonize hard-to-abate industries, starting by producing steel with up to 95% lower CO2 emissions than steel made with coke-fired blast furnaces. The construction of the flagship green steel plant in Boden, with integrated green hydrogen and green iron production, is well under way. The supply contracts for the hydrogen-, iron- and steel equipment are in place. A large portion of the electricity needed has been secured in long-term power purchase agreements, and half of the initial yearly volumes of 2.5 million tonnes of near zero steel have been sold in binding five- to seven-year customer agreements.
Today H2 Green Steel announces a massive milestone on its journey to accelerate the decarbonization of the steel industry, which is still one of the world’s dirtiest. The company has signed debt financing of €4.2 billion, added equity of close to €300 million and been awarded a €250 million grant from the Innovation Fund. Funding amounts to €6.5 billion in total.
H2 Green Steel has signed definitive financing documentation for €3.5 billion in senior debt and an up-to-€600 million junior debt facility:
Note.
- I first wrote about H2 Green Steel about three years ago in Green Hydrogen To Power First Zero Carbon Steel Plant.
- The Wikipedia entry for Boden in Northern Sweden, indicates it’s a coldish place to live.
- In that original post, H2 Green Steel said they needed €2.5 billion of investment, but now they’ve raised €4 billion, which is a 60 % increase in financing costs in just three years.
Is this Sweden’s HS2?
The Future Of Green Steelmaking
The finances of H2 Green Steel look distinctly marginal.
I have a feeling that green steel, as the technology now stands is an impossible dream.
But I do believe that perhaps in five or ten years, that an affordable zero carbon method of steel production will be developed.
You have to remember, Pilkington developed float glass in the 1950s and completely changed an industry. Today, we’d call that a classic example of disruptive innovation.
The same opportunity exists in steelmaking. And the rewards would be counted in billions.
SeAH Wind Goes On Recruitment Spree For UK Monopile Factory
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
South Korea’s SeAH Wind has started its large-scale drive to recruit for positions including welders, platers, roll bending machine operatives, mechanical and electrical technicians, supervisors, and general operatives for its XXL monopile manufacturing facility on Teesworks, the UK.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Applications will be accepted via the company’s dedicated recruitment website where individuals can sign up for job alerts, register their expressions of interest, and apply directly for jobs.
SeAH Wind will hold events across multiple Teesside towns, including Middlesbrough, Redcar, Cleveland, and Hartlepool over the coming months where more details will be shared about vacancies and training opportunities at the South Bank site.
These three paragraphs talk about the education and training, and the number of jobs.
As part of the recruitment drive, the South Korean firm has also joined forces with Nordic Products and Services and Middlesbrough College to create two programmes under its SeAH Wind Academy programme.
During the 24-week training and development programme, 30 people will be trained to become welders for SeAH Wind.
Once fully operational, it is expected that a total of 750 direct jobs and 1,500 further supply chain jobs are set to come from the SeAH manufacturing facility.
I suspect, this the sort of investment that Teesside needs and will welcome.
Europe Installs Record-Breaking 4.2 GW Of Offshore Wind In 2023
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Europe’s offshore wind industry brought online a record 4.2 GW of new capacity in 2023 and is expected to build around 5 GW of offshore wind annually over the next three years, according to WindEurope data. However, this is still not enough to meet the continent’s 2030 climate and energy security targets, WindEurope added.
These are the first two paragraphs.
The overall offshore wind capacity installed in 2023 was 40 per cent higher than in 2022. Of the 4.2 GW of new capacity, 3 GW was in the EU, an increase of 2.1 GW year on year, WindEurope said.
The Netherlands, France, and the UK installed the most new capacity, including the 1.5 GW Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind project in the Netherlands, according to the organisation.
But where are the Germans?
They’ve got plenty of steel and sea, Siemens make a lot of wind turbines and they certainly need the electricity.
In 2023, Germany generated their electricity as follows.
- Brown coal (17.7%)
- Hard coal (8.3%)
- Natural gas (10.5%)
- Wind (32.0%)
- Solar (12.2%)
- Biomass (9.7%)
- Nuclear (1.5%)
- Hydro (4.5%)
- Oil (0.7%)
- Other (2.9%)
By comparison the UK’s figures were.
- Coal (1%)
- Natural gas (32%)
- Wind (29.4%)
- Solar (4.9%)
- Biomass (5%)
- Nuclear (14.2%)
- Hydro (1.8%)
- Storage (1%)
- Imports (10.7%)
Note.
- The Germans use a lot of coal.
- The UK uses a lot more natural gas.
- Despite the much-criticised Drax, the Germans use twice as much biomass as we do.
- The UK uses tens times more nuclear.
The Wikipedia entries for German and UK wind power make interesting reading.
Schneider Electric: Vertical Farming – The Next Yield In Data Centre Sustainability
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Intelligent Data Centres.
This is the sub-heading.
David Abrahams, Key Client Manager, Cloud and Service Partners at Schneider Electric UK and Ireland, discusses vertical farming and the next yield in data centre sustainability. He outlines new data centre sustainability strategies, vertical farming solutions and how data centres can apply already existent models which will allow plants and crops to thrive in unique Growth Towers.
These are the first two paragraphs.
As data centres begin to reach their physical sustainability limits without redefining the laws of physics, vertical farming could provide a new solution to the decarbonisation challenge, creating a symbiotic environment for both data and nature to benefit one another.
Coined by some as the fourth revolution in agriculture, vertical farms today provide closed conditions which deliver major sustainability benefits including limited or zero use of pesticides, while ensuring the farm is safe from extreme weather-related events such as high temperatures, humidity, floods and fires.
The last section is called Making The Concept A Reality, where these are the first three paragraphs.
Equinix has already taken the leap and has become the first global operator to develop a fully functioning vertical farm at its PA10 Paris data centre, creating a 4600 sq.ft greenhouse which is surrounded by 61,000 sq.ft of garden space.
The vertical farm is kept at an ideal growing temperature, using heat exchangers linked to the data centre’s chilled water-cooling system with sensors that monitor internal and external temperatures and humidity levels. With such available technology, farmers will be able to make real-time changes to their growing conditions to achieve higher yields at lower energy. This could be a game changer considering the greater strain on the global food supply chain and the general cost of energy.
With increased demands for efficiency and sustainability, both data centre and agricultural sectors are under the greatest scrutiny. The idea of data centre and farming worlds collaborating to create a circular economy to help futureproof both industries is not only exciting but unveils a world of new decarbonisation opportunities.
It strikes me that combining a data centre and a vertical farm could be a marriage made in eco-heaven.
I suggest you read all the original article.
Google Starts Building £790m Site In Hertfordshire
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Google has invested $1bn (£790m) to build its first UK data centre
These are the first four paragraphs.
The tech giant said construction had started at a 33-acre site in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, and hoped it would be completed by 2025.
Google stressed it was too early to say how many jobs would be created but it would need engineers, project managers, data centre technicians, electricians, catering and security personnel.
The prime minister said it showed the UK had “huge potential for growth”.
The project marked the latest investment by a major US tech firm in Britain, after Microsoft announced it would invest £2.5bn to expand data centres for artificial intelligence (AI) across the UK.
Note.
- By “completed by 2025” do they mean completed before 2025 or completed by the end of 2025. Judging by the time they took to build their London HQ, its the latter.
- Rishi is right about the UK having a huge potential for growth! Especially, if the nihilists of the United States vote in the Big Orange!
- Judging by the total spend of £2.5 billion on data centres and the £790 million for this one, this looks to be the first of three.
But where is this data centre going to be built?
This article on EssexLive is entitled Google To Move Into Waltham Cross With £788m Data Centre To Support ‘AI Innovation’, where this is said.
The new data centre will go on land at Maxwell’s Farm, next to the A10 Great Cambridge Road and around one mile from the M25 junction 25. Debbie Weinstein, Google vice president and managing director in the UK and Ireland, set out the decision in a blog post on Thursday, January 18 – the fourth day of the World Economic Forum’s Davos 2024 in Switzerland.
This is a Goggle Map of that area, when I searched for Maxwell’s Farm.
Note.
- The red arrow indicates the result of my search, which Google interpreted as A.J. Maxwell.
- The dual-carriageway road running down the East side of the map is the A10 between London and Cambridge.
- The A10 road joins the M25 at Junction 25.
- The arrow to the South-West of the roundabout indicates the new studios; Sunset Waltham Cross, which is being built.
- At the other side of the studio site, there is a label saying New River and this important piece of London’s water infrastructure can be traced to the top of the map.
- The other dual-carriageway road is the B198 or Lieutenant Ellis Way.
- A quick calculation shows that 33 acres is roughly a 365 metre square.
I would suspect that the data centre will lie somewhere between the A10, the B198 and the New River.
This Google Map shows the South-East corner of the site.
Note.
- There appears to be a lane running East-West, that crosses over both the A10 and the New River.
- Theobalds Lane appears to have some housing and possibly a farm.
- The smaller field by the roundabout appears to have some animals using it as grazing.
- The field between the East-West lane and Theobalds Lane appears to have a good crop of cereal.
The East-West lane would appear to be a possible Southern border of the site.
This Google Map shows where the East-West lane goes.
Note.
- The lane leads to Queen Mary’s High School.
- The school also has access from Lieutenant Ellis Way.
- The New River appears to form, the Eastern boundary of the school site.
- There are sports pitches between the New River and the school.
The New River looks to be the Western boundary of the Google site.
This Google Map shows around the red arrow from the Google search that led me to this area.
Note.
- A.J. Maxwell is identified by the red arrow in the Theobalds Enterprise Centre.
- The New River can be seen at the West of the map.
- A hedge runs roughly East-West to the North of the Enterprise Centre.
- North of the hedge are a number of football pitches, which appear to belong to the Affinity Academy at Goffs Churchgate.
The hedge could be the Northern boundary of the Google site.
This Google Map shows the area between the South of the Enterprise Centre and the East-West lane I picked out earlier.
A crude measurement indicates it could be around 33 acres or slightly more.
This picture is used in nearly all the news reports about the Data Centre.
Note.
- Could that be the gentle curve of the New River on the left?
- With the high fence, the New River forms an almost-mediaeval defence against trespassers.
- There looks to be a dual-carriageway road running down the other side of the site, which would be the A10.
- Between the A10 and the site, there appears to be loots of dark areas, which I take to be car parks.
- Are the car-parking spaces in the front of the picture marked for those, who are disabled? There certainly appear to be chargers on some spaces.
I have a few thoughts.
The Relative Locations Of Google’s Data Centre And Sunset Studios?
This Google Map shows the two sites to the West of the A10.
Note.
- St. Mary’s High School is in the North-West corner of the map.
- Cheshunt Football Club is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The dual-carriageway A10 runs North-South on the map.
- I believe that Google’s Waltham Cross Data Centre will be located in the field to the West of the A10, at the top of the map.
- The A10 connects to the M25 at Junction 25, which is in the centre at the bottom of the map.
- In The Location Of Sunset Studios In Broxbourne, Sunset Studios are placed to the North West of the Junction 25 roundabout.
- Just as the A10 forms the Eastern boundary of both sites, the New River forms the Western boundary.
The two sites are close together between the A10 and the New River, separated by the dual-carriageway Lieutenant Ellis Way.
Will Google’s Data Centre Be Storing Data For Sunset Studios?
I’ve never worked in the production of films, but these days with digital electronic cameras, CGI, motion capture and other techniques, producing a film must need huge amounts of data storage.
- So have Sunset Studios outsourced their data storage needs to Google?
- Perhaps too, Sunset Studios found the local authority welcoming and this attitude was recommended to Google.
- Both sites will need local services like electricity, gas, sewage and water.
I suspect that there would be cost savings in construction and operation, if the two sites shared the utilities.
Providing Electricity And Heat For Both Sites
Consider.
- I estimate from information given in the Wikipedia entry for Google Data Centres, that a data centre needs between 10 and 12 MW.
- There is no obvious power source like offshore wind or a nuclear power station nearby.
- There is the 715 MW Rye House gas-fired power station, which is a few miles away.
- In Google Buys Scottish Offshore Wind Power, I talked about how Google had signed a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement to buy 100 MW from the Moray West offshore wind farm.
Google and Sunset Studios would also want an electrical and heat supply that is at least 100 % reliable.
Liverpool University had the same problem on their hundred acre campus in the centre of Liverpool.
- The University decided to build their own 4 MW Combined Heat and Power Unit (CHP), which is described in this data sheet.
- It is fired by natural gas.
- On their web site, Liverpool University state that their CHP can be adapted to different fuel blends. I take this includes zero-carbon fuels like hydrogen and carbon-neutral fuels like biomethane.
But given their location in Waltham Cross close to the Lea Valley, CHP units may have a use for their carbon dioxide.
This Google Map shows between Junction 15 of the M25 and Tomworld.
Note.
- Junction 25 of the M25, where it joins the A10 is in the South-West corner of the map.
- The sites of Google’s Data Centre and Sunset Studios can be picked out with reference to the previous map.
- Tomworld is in the North-East corner of the map.
- So why should Tomworld need a lot of carbon-dioxide?
This Google Map shows Tomworld.
Note.
- This web page indicates what Tomworld do.
- They have 44 acres of glass growing tomatoes, about five miles to the North-East of Google’s Data Centre.
- The map has lots of other greenhouses.
I know of a guy, who has a large greenhouse, that grows tomatoes for the supermarkets.
- He heats the greenhouse with a gas-fired Combined Heat and Power Unit (CHP).
- The electricity produced runs his business.
- Any surplus electricity is fed into the grid.
- The carbon dioxide is fed to the plants in the greenhouse, which helps them grow quality tomatoes.
I just wonder, if carbon dioxide from CHP units at Google’s Data Centre and Sunset Studios could be used by the multitude of greenhouses in the Lea Valley.
Could A Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Be Built Along The M25?
This Google Map shows the Northern section of the M25, South of Waltham Cross.
Note.
- The M25 running East-West across the bottom of the map.
- Junction 25 of the M25 in the South-West corner of the map.
- The A10 running North-South at the West of the map.
- Google’s data centre and Sunset Studio are to the West of the A10.
- The River Lee, which has numerous water courses is at the East of the map.
I wonder, if a carbon dioxide pipeline could be built along the M25 to connect the producers to those who could use it?
- It would not be a dangerous pipeline as carbon dioxide is a fire extinguisher.
- It wouldn’t be a huge pipe.
I think it would be possible.
Google’s Commitment To Being Zero-Carbon
This blog post on the Google web site is entitled Our $1 Billion Investment In A New UK Data Centre, has a section, which has a sub-title of 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy By 2030, where this is a paragraph.
Additionally, we’re also exploring new and innovative ways to use the heat generated by data centres, and this new facility will also have provisions for off-site heat recovery. Off-site heat recovery presents an opportunity for energy conservation that benefits the local community, as it allows us to capture the heat generated by the data centre so that it can be used by nearby homes and businesses. The data centre is also set to deploy an air-based cooling system.
If they are using off-site heat recovery, it would be logical to use waste carbon dioxide from CHPs to provide carbon dioxide for the local horticultural businesses.
Will Google Be Building A Vertical Farm Nearby?
In Schneider Electric: Vertical Farming – The Next Yield In Data Centre Sustainability, I noted that some data centres are paired with vertical farms to increase their sustainability.
Could Google be doing that in Waltham Cross?
- They will have a lot of waste heat.
- They will have a fair bit of carbon dioxide, which could be used to help plants grow.
- The local workforce probably contains a lot of experience of market gardening.
I like the idea of pairing a data centre and a vertical farm.
Public Transport Access
Consider.
- Increasingly, the cost of electric vehicles, medical problems and the UK economic situation are causing people to adopt a car-free lifestyle.
- After my stroke, my eyesight deteriorated such, that I am no longer allowed to drive.
- Others may live in one-car families and it may not be their’s to use every day.
- Or your car may just break down on the way to work.
For these and probably lots of other reasons, any large site employing a lot of employees, must have a valid way of getting there by public transport.
The nearest rail station to Google’s Data Centre and Sunset Studios is Theobalds Grove station.
This Google Map shows the roads between the sites and the station.
Note.
- The Sunset Waltham Cross label in the South West corner.
- Google’s Data Centre will be just off the map to the West of the A10.
- Theobalds Grove station is marked by the TfL roundel in the North-East corner of the map.
- There would appear to be no bus stops on Winston Churchill Way or the A10.
I walked South from the station to Winston Churchill Way, where I took these pictures.
Note.
- At that point, I gave up because of the cold and pollution.
- It was also a Saturday morning about midday.
The route I took is certainly not an alternative route to get to Google’s Data Centre or Sunset Studios.
A Possible Station At Park Plaza North
This article on the BBC is entitled Broxbourne: Two New Stations Planned.
This is the sub-heading.
Two new train stations could be built in Hertfordshire if plans to tighten planning policies are adopted.
This is the first paragraph.
Broxbourne Borough Council said stops at Park Plaza North – between Turkey Street and Theobalds Grove London Overground stations – and Turnford on the London to Bishop’s Stortford route would be subject to a consultation.
Later the BBC say that Park Plaza North station will be South of the A121 Winston Churchill Way near Waltham Cross
This Google Map shows the area South-East of the roundabout, where Winston Churchill Way meets the A10.
Note.
- The green patch of land to the South-East of the roundabout where Winston Churchill Way meets the A10 appears to be ripe for development.
- Looking at the green patch with a higher resolution, the land is little more than high class scrub beloved of newts.
- The London Overground line to Cheshunt runs down the East side of the site.
- To the North, the London Overground crosses Winston Churchill Way to get to Theobalds Grove station.
- To the South, the London Overground crosses the M25 to get to Turkey Street station.
- There is a lane running East-West along the South edge of the site, which crosses the railway in a level crossing.
This picture clipped from Google StreetView shows the level crossing.
This is certainly one, that drivers dread.
This GoogleMap shows the level crossing and a stretch of the London Overground.
Note.
- The level crossing is in the South-East corner of the map.
- There isn’t much space to put a London-bound platform on the East side of the tracks, South of the Park Road circle.
- There is plenty of space to put a Cheshunt-bound platform on the West side of the tracks.
- North of the Park Road circle, there would appear to be space for two platforms.
It will need a lot of ingenuity to provide a safe and efficient solution to the problems of the level crossing and fitting a station in this limited space.
The first thing I’d do, would be to dig an underpass for pedestrians and cyclists to connect the two halves of Park Lane.
Centrica Business Solutions Delivers Significant Energy Savings For The Pirbright Institute
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
These three paragraphs outline the project.
Centrica Business Solutions has partnered with The Pirbright Institute to deliver sustainable on-site technology that will help reduce its net energy use by more than 10 per cent by 2026.
Centrica installed a new Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP), which will provide around 75 per cent of Pirbright’s future power needs. The CHP uses natural gas to generate electricity and hot water at the site, with its exhaust gases also used to feed into a heat recovery generator to provide steam. It means CHP technology is over twice as efficient as conventional power sources and can lower organisational reliance on the Grid.
The Institute, which is dedicated to the study of infectious diseases of farm animals, has already devised an energy plan which has introduced energy-saving upgrades across the Surrey campus, including the closure of energy-inefficient buildings, the introduction of efficient lighting and a programme to raise staff awareness of energy consumption.
The system is still powered by natural gas.
Liverpool University
I was an undergraduate at Liverpool University and according to this page on their web site, which is entitled Sustainability, they seem to be following a similar route to the Pirbright Institute.
With a heading of Energy And Carbon, this is the mission statement.
The University’s ambition is to be a climate-resilient campus, that has minimal negative and maximum positive environmental impact, achieving net zero carbon by 2035. We monitor energy and carbon across the entire University as part of the Climate plan and in support of the Sustainability Strategy and Strategy2026 net zero carbon targets.
One section of the page has a title of The Green Recovery with Clarke Energy at the University’s Energy Centre, where this is said.
The University of Liverpool generates up to 90% of its campuses electricity needs on site in the Energy Centre, through CHP. Clarke Energy help the University operate CHP in the most efficient way, keeping us on track with technological developments, such as how the CHP can be adapted to take different fuel blends.
Although there is a nod to different fuel blends, I suspect that the system, like that at Pirbright, is currently powered by natural gas.
Clarke Energy, is headquartered in Liverpool and is a division of Kohler.
Centrica And HiiROC
CHP systems are becoming more common and like these two systems, they are generally powered by natural gas.
In Plans Submitted For Hydrogen Pilot Plant At Humber Power Station, I describe how Hull-based start-up; HiiROC are going to help fuel a gas-fired power station with a hydrogen blend.
This is a paragraph from this article on Business Live, which describes Centrica’s relationship with HiiROC.
It comes as the owner of British Gas has also increased its shareholding in the three-year-old business to five per cent. Last November it was one of several investors to pump £28 million into HiiRoc alongside Melrose Industries, HydrogenOne, Cemex, Hyundai and Kia, who joined existing strategic investors Wintershall Dea and VNG.
HiiROC’s system can take any hydrocarbon gas from biomethane, through chemical plant waste gas to natural gas and convert it to hydrogen and carbon black.
Carbon black has a large number of manufacturing uses and can also be used in agriculture to improve soil.
It looks to me, that HiiROC’s systems will be a simple way to convert natural gas-powered CHPs to zero carbon.
EDF Receives Green Light For Solar Farm At The Macallan Estate
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Solar Power Portal.
These three paragraphs outline the story.
Energy company EDF Renewables UK has been granted the green light to develop a 4MW solar farm to decarbonise the production of The Macallan’s single malt Scotch whisky in Craigellachie.
Located at The Macallan Estate in north-east Scotland, the distillery company alongside EDF Renewables will integrate ground-mounted solar panels to deliver up to 50% of the daytime electricity needs at peak output. In doing so, this could provide 30% of the site’s yearly electricity demand.
A key aspect of the project is biodiversity and local community engagement – aspects of solar projects which regular readers of Solar Power Portal will be aware of across a number of different schemes.
This Google Map shows the Macallan Estate about sixty miles to the North-West of Aberdeen.
This page on the Macallan Estate web site gives details about the company, its whisky and principles.
As the estate is 485 acres, they’ve certainly got enough space for 4 MW of solar panels.
I do wonder though if low- or zero-carbon whisky and other spirits is the way the industry is going.
Searching the Internet for “Zero-Carbon Whisky” gives some worthwhile results.
- NC’NEAN is organic Scotch Whisky distilled in a net-zero distillery in the Western Highlands of Scotland.
- Cooper King is the is the very first whisky in England to be distilled using net zero energy.
- Diageo opens its first carbon neutral whiskey distillery in North America
- The Scotch Whisky Association will achieve Net Zero emissions by 2040 in our own operations.
- Scotch Whisky Heads To Zero Emissions With Wind & …
Scotland seems to be moving to make whisky at least carbon neutral.
There are also two hydrogen projects aimed at distilleries under development.
This is a paragraph from the home page of the Cromarty Hydrogen Project.
The Cromarty Hydrogen Project is the first project in the Scotland Hydrogen Programme. It originated from a collaboration between the Port of Cromarty Firth, ScottishPower, Glenmorangie, Whyte & Mackay and Diageo and the project originator, Storegga during the feasibility stage. This project is looking to develop a green hydrogen production hub in the Cromarty Firth region and revolves around the local distilleries forming the baseload demand for early phases of the project, which would enable them to decarbonise in line with their own ambitions and sector targets.
This project appears to be backed by three companies, who produce Scotch whisky.
In Major Boost For Hydrogen As UK Unlocks New Investment And Jobs, I said this.
I have just looked at the InchDairnie Distillery web site.
- It looks a high class product.
- The company is best described as Scotch Whisky Reimagined.
- The company is based in Fife near Glenrothes.
- They appear to have just launched a rye whisky, which they are aiming to export to Canada, Japan and Taiwan.
The press release says this about InchDairnie.
InchDairnie Distillery in Scotland, who plan to run a boiler on 100% hydrogen for use in their distilling process.
That would fit nicely with the image of the distillery.
I suspect the hydrogen will be brought in by truck.
Would a zero-carbon whisky be a hit at Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil parties?
Diageo
This page on the Diageo web site is entitled Accelerating To A Low Carbon World.
It would probably help if more companies thought like Diageo.
Conclusion
Macallan are certainly going in the right direction.
The Anonymous Widower 