UK To Fund Hydro Energy Storage Projects
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
New infrastructure aims to help balance the electricity system after the rapid growth in renewables
These three paragraphs infrastructure the article.
Projects that use water to store and release energy are to be given government support, in an attempt to help manage the volatility in supply and demand as more green power enters the grid.
From next year, pumped hydro storage projects will be able to apply for government subsidies, which will be provided via a “cap and floor” mechanism. These would guarantee revenues if prices drop below a certain floor but prevent providers from charging above a ceiling when power prices are high.
Like other government support schemes, any cost will be levied on energy bills, while consumers will be paid back any money generated above the cap. It is yet to be decided precisely how the cap and floor will be set.
I feel it is reasonable to expect the system to be a success, as a similar system is used for interconnectors and this article on Offshore Energy is entitled Over $86 million To Be Split Between UK and Belgium Consumers As 1 GW Subsea Interconnector’s ‘Remarkable’ Revenues Exceed Ofgem’s Cap.
It looks like Ofgem played this right for interconnectors and the Nemo Link is making a substantial payment.
It will be interesting to see what happens when “cap and floor” contracts are assigned.
This move by Ofgem will probably have effects in two areas.
- SSE, Statera and Statkraft, who are typically developing systems at the high end with a size of about 1.5 GW/25 GWh could find money is easier to come by.
- At the lower end, companies like Highview Power, who have systems of 50 MW/300 MWh and 200 MW/2.5 GWh under development, will also benefit.
My Control Engineering thoughts are leaning towards the 200 MW/2.5 GWh systems being the popular ones. Especially as they would appear to be close to the right size to support a 1 GW wind farm for two hours.
A Highview Power Two-Hour Liquid Air Battery could fit nearly with a fleet of Two-Hour BESS.
It should be noted that CAF use a little-and-large approach to theit battery-electric trams in the West Midlands.
A large lithium-ion battery is the main storage device.
A supercapacitor handles the high-frequency response and keeps the power steady.
Pairing a Highview Power Two-Hour Liquid Air Battery and a Two-Hour BESS could achieve the same performance and possibly result in some cost savings.
Am I Sleeping Better Because Of Ocado?
A couple of months ago, I switched to shopping for food on-line at Ocado, and I am certainly sleeping better.
The only big change in my eating habits, is that I am now having a Marks & Spencer’s Lamb’s Liver and Bacon ready meal once a week.
Is that Vitamin B12 making a difference?
I do wish, that someone would do a proper Italian fegato, like Carluccio’s used to do. It’s virtually unobtainable in London.
After they stopped selling it, I used to have lunch with a friend in a pub in Oxfordshire. But sadly they died a couple of years ago.
If anybody knows of a decent country pub, by a station, that services excellent liver please let me know.
15+ MW Floating Wind Turbines to Be Tested At Norway’s METCentre
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Three companies have signed contracts with Norway’s Marine Energy Test Centre (METCentre) to test new technology aimed at reducing the costs of floating offshore wind by demonstrating floaters equipped with 15+ MW turbines.
These are the first two paragraphs.
According to Norwegian Offshore Wind, this is the turbine size that will be relevant for future floating offshore wind farms.
The test area is located just a few kilometres away from the Utsira Nord zone, where Norway’s first commercial floating offshore wind farm will be located.
This sounds like the sort of sensible test philosophy, that you’d expect from the Norwegians.
Lower Thames Crossing Decision Delayed To May 2025
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
A decision on whether to build a new road crossing under the Thames will not now be made until at least 23 May 2025.
These are the first three paragraphs.
The Lower Thames Crossing would link Gravesend in Kent and Tilbury in Essex.
A statement from Transport Secretary Louise Haigh on Monday said the delay was “to allow more time for the application to be considered further, including any decisions made as part of the spending review”.
This is the third time the decision has been extended, with previous dates of 20 June and 4 October having also been missed.
This article on RouteOne, which is entitled Further Lower Thames Crossing Delay Draws Dismay From RHA, indicates the views of the road haulage industry.
On the other hand opponents say that the building of the link will damage the Green Belt.
But then the Government’s proposed housing will do that!
I laid out various options in What Are We Going To Do For The Lower Thames Crossing?, but it just seems an intractable problem.
The Wikipedia entry for the Lower Thames Crossing is a long list of failed and abandoned proposals.
Wrightbus Signs Deal For Largest Ever Order
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus has signed a deal to supply more than 1,000 buses to operator Go-Ahead over the next three years.
These are the first three paragraphs.
The company said it is the largest deal in its 78-year history and will be worth up to half a billion pounds.
Go-Ahead is an international transport group and one of the UK’s largest public service providers.
Wrightbus has had a strong 2024 with 786 buses registered so far this year and it now employs more than 2,000 people.
It finally looks like Wrightbus is securely on the road again.
Looks Like It Was Modelled On A Steel Urinal Stolen From The Gents In A Flat-Roofed Pub
This pithy comment was put in the comments of The Times for an article on the Tesla Cybertruck.
I once saw a Hummer on the road in London, but Tesla’s monstrosity would be a lot worse.design.
The Cybertruck is certainly a design crime!
My Worst Part Of A Visit To The Dentist
This afternoon, I went to the dentist.
My dentist is only a couple of stops away on the 141 bus route at Newington Green and getting up the hill is easy, once the bus arrives.
It used to be a route, where two buses, the 21 and the 141 doubled up, but now there is only one bus; the 141, so the journey takes longer.
Coming down was particularly bad, as I had to wait perhaps twelve minutes for a bus to roll down the hill.
To make matters worse, it was school throwing out time and there wasn’t any space left on the bus.
Have bus services deteriorated as bad as this all over London?
I suspect, I shall be using a taxi for my next dental appointment! Or cancelling, if it’s not a fine day, so that I can walk down the hill.
Donald Trump To Open Second Aberdeenshire Golf Course In 2025
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
These opening two paragraphs introduce the course.
The 18-hole links MacLeod Course – named after the former US president’s Lewis-born mother, Mary – will welcome players at the Trump International resort in Menie from the Summer of 2025.
The resort claimed the course would feature the “largest sand dunes in Scotland” and form “the greatest 36 holes in golf” alongside the original course, completed in 2012.
It sounds to me that the environmental aspects could be rather detrimental. But then Trump has form for a poor record in this area, as I wrote in Trump Forgot The Ace Of Clubs!
Equinor Acquires Minority Stake In Ørsted, Becomes Second-Largest Shareholder
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Norway-headquartered Equinor has acquired a 9.8 per cent minority stake in Denmark’s Ørsted, making it the second-largest shareholder behind the Danish state, which holds a controlling stake in the company.
These are the first two paragraphs.
According to Equinor, the company is supportive of Ørsted’s strategy and management and is not seeking board representation.
“Equinor has a long-term perspective and will be a supportive owner in Ørsted. This is a counter-cyclical investment in a leading developer, and a premium portfolio of operating offshore wind assets”, said Anders Opedal, CEO of Equinor.
Could it also be two Scandinavian companies getting together to put up a stronger front to outside interests?
Are they frightened of the actions that might be taken by Great British Energy and by the Germans with their massive thirst for hydrogen?
Norway Plans EUR 3 Billion Subsidy For Floating Offshore Wind
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The Norwegian government has proposed NOK 35 billion (approximately EUR 3 billion) for a support scheme dedicated towards the first commercial floating offshore wind tender within the Vestavind F and Vestavind B areas.
These are the first two paragraphs.
According to the press release, the government is making progress in following up on its ambitious plan to allocate project areas for 30 GW of offshore wind by 2040.
Norway plans to conduct the next tendering round for offshore wind in 2025. After that, the government intends to hold regularly scheduled tendering rounds and state aid competitions leading up to 2040.
The original press release is called A Responsible Approach To Floating Offshore Wind.
Some politicians and green sceptics might not call three billion euros responsible.
I do suspect that Great British Energy will have to deal in this size of numbers to be able to compete with the Norwegians.
We’ll have to work hard to meet our target of 100 GW by 2040.
But at least as the UK’s target is higher, does that mean that the target should be easier. Or do we have more suitable sea?
