SSE And RWE Tweak North Falls Project Following Public Input, DCO Application Now Expected In 2024
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
RWE and SSE Renewables have made a number of changes to the North Falls offshore wind project in the UK, a proposed extension to the existing 504 MW Greater Gabbard, whose implementation will likely move the planned date for filing a development consent order (DCO) application into 2024. The most significant changes to the project plans include removing the northern array area and reducing the number and height of wind turbines.
These two paragraphs introduce the article.
The developers are tweaking the project following a review of the feedback received from the North Falls statutory consultation held during the summer.
Initially, North Falls comprised two offshore array areas totalling 150 square kilometres and will now have a single array occupying 95 square kilometres. This also moves the wind farm farther offshore, with its closest point to shore now being 42 kilometres, 20 kilometres farther out at sea than proposed originally.
It looks like RWE and SSE Renewables have listened to the public and acted.
But then the developers are two of the most experienced in the UK.
The Day I Saw The Rolling Stones And Bo Diddley
With the release of their new album, I had to look up where I saw the Stones.
I was still at school and I knew I saw them at the Regal Edmonton cinema, which is now a Sainsburys supermarket.
The Internet says they played there on the 2nd of October 1963, when they toured with Bo Diddley, who I also remember seeing at the same venue.
This Wikipedia entry is entitled The Rolling Stones British Tour 1963, also states that the Everly Brothers were on the bill.
It was nearly sixty years ago.
A year later, I saw a similar gig on the 20th of October at the same venue, with The Animals, Carl Perkins, The Nashville Teens, The Quotations, Tommy Tucker and Elkie Brooks. Who was Tommy Tucker?
Those were the days!
Offshore Wind Could Secure Scottish Green Hydrogen Potential – Report
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
New and existing offshore wind farms could help generate large amounts of green hydrogen and support the UK and EU meet their net zero targets, if the necessary infrastructure can be put in place, according to a new report commissioned by Crown Estate Scotland.
This page on the Crown Estate Scotland gives the full report.
The report contains a lot of interesting information.
Toyota Unveils Prototype Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hilux
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Engineer.
This is the sub-heading.
Toyota has today (September 5, 2023) unveiled a prototype hydrogen fuel cell-powered Hilux at Toyota Manufacturing UK’s Burnaston car plant in Derby.
This is the first paragraph.
The pick-up has been developed in a joint project with consortium partners Ricardo, ETL, D2H Advanced Technologies and Thatcham Research. and funding from the government via the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).
It would appear to be a consortium of some of the important great and good of British automobile engineering.
- Ricardo are a well-respected environmental and engineering consultancy, who probably know more about powering vehicles, than most companies have forgotten.
- Thatcham Research is the motor insurers’ automotive research centre.
- The Advanced Propulsion Centre collaborates with UK government, the automotive industry and academia to accelerate the industrialisation of technologies.
To my mind, the great advantage is that they are starting with a vehicle that has a formidable reputation.
When I outlined, the product to a friend, who had owned vehicles of this type, his reply was “Wow!”
Points from the article include.
- The expected driving range is more than 365 miles.
- The project began in early 2022 with a feasibility study undertaken by TMUK and Toyota Motor Europe with the consortium partners.
- Design and development started at July 1, 2022.
- Prototype construction began on June 5, 2023.
- The first vehicle was completed in three weeks.
- Ten preproduction examples will be produced before the end of the year.
- Ricardo supported preparations for the prototype build and will undertake complete evaluation of the vehicle over the coming months.
- Thatcham Research supported the project through the provision of sustainable repair consultancy and the preparation of hydrogen training for the repair market.
On paper, it looks like the consortium have taken an extremely useful vehicle and updated it for the 21st century.
Inly time will tell, if the design is right.
I have a few questions.
What Is The Towing Performance?
In my experience, many owners will want to tow heavy trailers, horse boxes or portable cafes and toilets for events like music festivals and agricultural and country shows.
If the towing performance matches that of a diesel Hilux, Toyota will probably have got it right.
How Many Miles Does The v Average Small Builder Or Smallholder Do In A Week?
Toyota must know this from servicing records of the diesel HiLux fleet.
I would suspect for many, 365 miles would allow a weekly or twice weekly refuelling!
Where Would Owners Refuel Their Hydrogen-Powered HiLux?
I suspect that Toyota dealerships Selling Hydrogen-Powered HiLux and Mirai, would make their own arrangements.
Would A Hydrogen-Powered HiLux Help To Decarbonise Work Sites?
I suspect it would and the electrical system could probably be used to power and charge small electrical tools.
Would A Hydrogen-Powered HiLux Be An Ideal Farm Runabout?
I am thinking about a friend of mine, who is a Suffolk farmer, who farms rare breed sheep.
He uses a big pick-up to tow a large trailer to take the sheep to market and shows and to move them around the country to other breeders. He has in the past used a golf buggy to check on his flocks and help with the welfare of the animals.
Some of his sheep are raised on the saltings, which gives them a unique flavour, but does involve the occasional accident, and sometimes needs a tricky recovery.
I spoke to him last night and he will be looking at this Toyota. His current vehicle does tend to frighten the sheep as it is too noisy.
Would A Hydrogen-Powered HiLux Work Well In Hot Countries?
The current HiLux is built in South Africa and those for Europe were generally made there.
So I would expect some African examples could have been made there.
Some hydrogen fuel cells need to be cooled, so would this be a problem in hot countries?
On the other hand , it does seem that hydrogen production in hot countries, with all that sun, might not be a problem.
Would A Hydrogen-Powered HiLux Make A Good Technical?
Diesel HiLux are popular as technicals and I suspect that the hydrogen-powered HiLux will be just as good.
Although the low-down mounting of the hydrogen tanks may make them susceptible to landmines.
Why Is It Not Called A HyLux?
I couldn’t resist asking that.
Conclusion
I like the hydrogen-powered HiLux and feel it will be a winner.
Malta Months Away from First Offshore Wind Tender, Identifies Six Floating Wind Areas
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Malta’s Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise has issued a draft National Policy for the Deployment of Offshore Renewable Energy for public consultation and has demarcated six floating offshore wind development areas located beyond the country’s 12-nautical-mile territorial waters and into its potential Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
These are the first three paragraphs.
According to the Ministry, an international call for expressions of interest will be launched after the public consultation and the subsequent updating of the policy document, while a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will be prepared at the same time. The completion of a plan-level SEA will help further narrow down the preliminary areas and pinpoint the preferred locations for offshore renewable installations.
The six areas, as well as the rest of Malta’s potential EEZ, have been deemed most suitable for floating offshore wind and solar technologies and, according to the policy, the government has taken into account the possibility of having projects that combine the two technologies.
Looking at other offshore and marine renewables, the government has determined that, although not precluded, wave and tidal energy potential for Malta is considered very limited.
Note.
- Malta has no domestic resource of fossil fuels and no gas distribution network.
- Renewable energy on Malta has one of the lowest shares in the European Union.
- Malta has four operational electricity plants , with a total capacity of 537.8 MW.
- There is a 200 MW interconnector to Sicily.
- Malta has run a pilot project to assess floating solar power.
- The article embraces solar power, but dismisses wave and tidal power.
As the article says that Malta has 25 GW of offshore wind potential, I suspect that Malta will attract bids for the offshore wind licences around the island from some of the world’s largest, experienced and most well-respected offshore wind companies.
I do have a few thoughts.
A Large Generation Capacity
If Malta develops its full 25 GW of offshore wind potential, it will have more than enough electricity for its normal use.
This could mean.
- Malta could have all the electricity needed to run air-conditioners everywhere.
- Malta could export electricity to Sicily.
- Malta could become a hydrogen production centre.
- I also suspect, it could mean that Malta would need some energy storage.
I’ll look at the last two points, in the next two sections.
Hydrogen Production
In the last year or so I’ve written several posts about Offshore Hydrogen Production and Malta would it seems be an ideal location to develop this industry.
- Hydrogen could be used for transport on the island.
- Hydrogen could replace imports of gas.
- Hydrogen could be exported by tanker.
- Lhyfe and other companies are developing offshore hydrogen production.
I don’t think, there would be a problem recruiting engineers to develop the industry.
Energy Storage
Because of the large generation capacity around Malta, even with substantial hydrogen production, I am sure there will be a need for some energy storage around the island.
In UK Cleantech Consortium Awarded Funding For Energy Storage Technology Integrated With Floating Wind, I described a technique called Marine Pumped Hydro, which is being developed by the STORE Consortium.
- Energy is stored as pressurised water in 3D-printed hollow concrete spheres fitted with a hydraulic turbine and pump.
- The spheres sit on the sea-bed.
- This page on the STORE Consortium web site, describes the technology in detail.
- The technology is has all been used before, but not together.
I think it is excellent technology and the UK government has backed it with £150,000 of taxpayers’ money.
I also believe that Marine Pumped Hydro or something like it, could be the solution to the intermittency of wind farms.
It could be ideal to use in the seas around Malta.
Conclusion
Malta could be a renewable energy hub in the middle of the Mediterranean.
I think the Malta renewable energy developments, will show how various technologies can work together.
Artemis Technologies Unveils All-Electric CTV Design
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
UK-based Artemis Technologies has unveiled the design of its 100 per cent electric high-speed crew transfer vessel (CTV) for the offshore wind industry.
These are the first two paragraphs.
The Artemis EF-24 CTV has a maximum speed of 36 knots and a foiling range of 87 nautical miles.
The vessel is intended to transport up to 24 industrial personnel and the incorporation of the company’s Artemis eFoiler system should ensure a smooth and comfortable ride as well as reduce passenger and crew susceptibility to seasickness, Artemis said.
The Artemis Technologies web site has a home page with a video showing one of their hydrofoil workboats at speed in Belfast Harbour.
Conclusion
This looks to be viable technology.
The last two paragraphs, indicate how the vessels could be charged in the future.
Artemis Technologies, together with its partners, is developing offshore charging points for electric vessels.
The goal of the project is to design, build, and test an electric charge point situated on a wind turbine. This approach will access the infrastructure already in place such as a turbine platform and electrical cables, to provide renewable electricity to vessels.
Artemis Technologies is certainly a company that appears to be going places.
Fresh Air Fuels Global
Because of its history, South Africa has developed technology to create biofuels, as alternatives to diesel.
If you read the Wikipedia entry for South African chemical company; SASOL, you’ll see the things that South African chemists did, to get round the sanctions imposed because of apartheid.
SASOL has advanced the Fischer–Tropsch process and uses it to produce diesel and other fossil fuels.
Note that Velocys have also developed this process to make sustainable aviation fuel in the UK.
Fresh Air Fuels Global have a page on the G-volution web site.
The page is dominated by an infographic, which shows organic waste (animals and plants) going into an anaerobic digester, which produces.
- Biogas, which is used to create heat, electricity, CO2, biomethane, fuel and gas for the grid.
- Digestate, which is used for fertiliser and livestock bedding.
It almost sounds too good to be true.
This is the mission statement below the graphic.
Our mission: To be the most reliable producer of energy secure low carbon fuels.
There is then these paragraphs, which explain the relationship between G-volution and Fresh Air Fuels Global.
Global energy security concerns and climate targets necessitate countries and businesses to transition away from high-cost fossil fuels towards low-carbon alternatives.
Over more than a decade, Cape Advance Engineering South Africa (CAE) have been developing an incredibly cost-effective Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technology, which has proven to generate renewable energy from organic waste in the form of gas, heat and electricity that is cost competitive with fossil fuels.
G-Volution has partnered with CAE to form Fresh Air Fuels Global (FAFG), with aim of introducing the CAE technology to international markets that the G-Volution already have a foothold, constructing AD plants and creating carbon neutral biofuel from waste that can be used in dual fuel engines.
In Grand Central DMU To Be Used For Dual-Fuel Trial, I describe how G-volution’s dual fuel technology has been applied to one of Grand Central’s Class 180 train.
This picture I took after travelling in a Grand Central Class 180 train, shows that G-volution don’t hide their light under a bushel.
Note.
- This train appears to run on diesel and liquified natural gas.
- This G-volution video gives more details.
This clip from the video, shows the possible fuels.
Note.
- Can the dual fuel engine use biodiesel or HVO instead of diesel?
- It looks like the Fresh Air Fuels Global process can produce biomethane, which could be liquified as LNG.
- Hydrogen is the only true zero-carbon secondary fuel.
- There is a Wikipedia entry for ethanol fuel.
- Hydrous ethanol is about 95% ethanol and 5% water and is used as a fuel in Brazil in petrol cars.
- There is a Wikipedia entry for the use of methanol as fuel.
Have G-volution got access to the technology to both reduce the fuel consumption of diesel engines and run them on zero-carbon fuel?
UK Trains That Have Cummins QSK-19 R Diesel Engines
Grand Central’s Class 180 trains have a Cummins QSK-19 R diesel engine.
All these trains have the same engine.
- 14 – Class 180 trains
- 51 – Class 185 trains
- 34 – Class 220 trains
- 44 – Class 221 trains
- 27 – Class 222 trains
In addition, Class 175 trains have a different engine made by Cummins.
Conclusion
If G-volution’s technology can be made to work successfully, it could play a large part in the decarbonisation of UK passenger trains.
On Track For A Low Carbon Energy Future – Centrica Signs Corporate Power Deal With Deutsche Bahn
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
These two paragraphs outline the deal.
Centrica Energy Trading has signed a two-year corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) with Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway company.
Starting January 2024, Centrica will offtake power from three onshore wind farms with an installed capacity of 60.7 MW. The sites, developed by Prokon AG in Germany, have a total of 45 turbines and will provide approximately 70GWh of renewable electricity annually to Deutsche Bahn.
Sounds like good business to me! You buy electricity from three German onshore wind farms and flog it to a large German company and probably get an appropriate commission in Euros.
Support For Offshore Wind In New Jersey Drops, Industry Points To Effect Of Misinformation
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The number of New Jersey residents who support offshore wind fell by more than 20 per cent since 2019, from 76 per cent four years ago to just over half (54 per cent) now, and the number of those opposing offshore wind has climbed from 15 per cent to 40 per cent since 2019.
These are the first two paragraphs.
This is according to the results of a poll performed earlier this month by the Monmouth University Polling Institute, which found that 40 per cent of New Jerseyans think offshore wind farms could hurt the state’s summer tourism economy and 45 per cent see a connection between wind energy development and the recent beached whale phenomenon in New Jersey.
Furthermore, only 22 per cent expect the offshore wind industry to create a lot of jobs for the state, with most (55 per cent) saying that a few new jobs would be created and 15 per cent expecting that the industry would not create any new jobs.
It would appear that much of the drop in support has been down to Republicans.
The article is definitely a must-read.
Sun-Powered Rooftops Could Generate Two Nukes Of Electricity…If England Follows Peterborough’s Lead
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit.
This is the sub-heading.
Household and commercial rooftop solar could save £450 million on bills.
These are the first two paragraphs.
If all English constituencies matched Peterborough, which has the highest proportion of homes with rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, the country’s solar capacity could be increased by around 7GW (gigawatts), new analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) has found.
The nuclear power station Hinkley C will have a capacity of around 3.2GW, so the capacity rooftop solar on domestic properties could be more than the capacity of two new nuclear power stations.
It is an interesting thought.
I should say, that I have rooftop solar and it generates more electricity, than I ever thought it would.
I find this an interesting paragraph.
In addition, industry analysis shows that the capacity potential of solar on the roofs of commercial properties, such as warehouses, is 15GW. Combined, Peterborough levels of domestic solar and industry estimates for commercial solar could deliver an additional 22GW capacity, which is the equivalent of the capacity of almost 7 nuclear power stations. However, industry has reported that it is currently difficult to get commercial roof top developments connected to the grid, with waits up to a decade or more, and it can be costly.
22 GW is a lot of electricity, but I do feel, that with innovation that probably uses energy storage devices, the connection problems can be solved.
In Denny Bros Completes Solar Scheme At Bury St Edmunds Factory, I wrote about what one company in Suffolk has done with their roofs.
The technology already exists, so how long will it be before a company offers an electrolyser to convert excess electricity into hydrogen, which is used for transport, heating or an industrial process?
In Government Hydrogen Boost To Help Power Kimberly-Clark Towards 100% Green Energy Target, I talked about how Kimberly-Clark are partially switching from natural gas to green hydrogen.
The Anonymous Widower 