Are Centrica Entering The Bunkering Market For Lowcarbon-Fuelled Ships?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this answer.
Yes, Centrica is actively entering the low-carbon shipping fuel market, specifically by strengthening its ability to supply bio-LNG (liquefied natural gas) for the shipping industry.
Key developments in 2026 indicate a strategic push into this sector:
Bio-LNG Expansion: Centrica Energy has strengthened its bio-LNG bunker fuel offering through ISCC certification.
Strategic Partnerships: Centrica is supporting Gasrec in the UK to supply bio-LNG and bio-CNG to fleets, and is investing in large-scale carbon storage at Morecambe Bay, which can serve shipping.
Decarbonisation Focus: This move aligns with Centrica’s target to become a net-zero business by 2040 and to support customer emission reductions.
This could be a nice little business.
Gas-Fired Power Still Looks A Safe Bet For Centrica In The Renewables Era
I feel rather surprisingly, the title of this post, is the same as this article on the Guardian.
You’d think, that they would be critical of Centrica for keeping the gas power stations going.
But this is the sub-heading.
There will still be a need to have gas in the wings to keep the lights on, so the financials stack up on Severn plant purchase.
So why should Centrica buy a 832 MW closed cycle gas fired power station?
These posts describe, what Centrica have done at Brigg with another closed cycle gas fired power station.
- Construction Under Way To Double Power Station Capacity At Centrica’s Brigg Energy Park
- Hydrogen Milestone: UK’s First Hydrogen-to-Power Trial At Brigg Energy Park
Will Centrica be taking closed cycle gas fired power stations and making them more efficient to provide the back up to wind farms, when wind is having an off day?
I wouldn’t be surprised, if Centrica put a big battery on the two sites, as after all they are a godparent to Highview Power.
Are there any more closed cycle gas fired power stations, that they can acquire?
I asked, Google AI,”How many closed cycle gas fired power stations are there in the uk?” and received this answer.
As of early 2026, there are approximately 35 active combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power stations—often referred to as closed-cycle—in the UK.
These plants provide the bulk of the UK’s gas-fired capacity, totaling roughly 30-35 GW along with smaller, single-cycle (OCGT) plants which are used for backup.
Total Capacity: The total capacity of all gas-fired generation (CCGT and others) is approximately 35.7 GW.
Role in Power Mix: CCGTs are highly efficient and provide baseload power, while OCGT plants (about 14+ sites) are typically used for peak demand.
Key Locations: Major plants include Pembroke (RWE), Staythorpe (RWE), Didcot B (RWE), and Connah’s Quay (Uniper).
These plants remain the largest single source of electricity generation on the UK grid, though they are increasingly being paired with carbon capture proposals.
I think, that Engineer Baldrick is now working for Centrica and he has a cunning plan to use efficient CCGT power stations to back up the wind.
Consider.
- Severn power station is an 832 MW combined cycle power plant running on natural gas, which is located near Newport in South Wales.
- 4.5 GW of offshore wind is to be built near Port Talbot.
- Will some hydrogen generated by HiiROC be used to part-fire Severn power station and reduce its carbon footprint.
- South Wales can easily find space for a couple of Highview 300 MW/3.2 GWh CRYOBatteries.
- It would be useful to have a good-sized hydrogen store in South Wales.
That mix would surely provide enough reliable power for green steelmaking and a few data centres.
Delta And Centrica Launch Scalable Off-Grid Fuel Cell Power Solution
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from Centrica.
The news item is accompanied by this picture.
So who is the happy oriental-looking guy sitting with the equally-happy Robert Booker, who is Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Centrica?
He is Charles Tsai, General Manager of Hydrogen Energy BD at Delta Electronics Inc.
Google AI produces this answer to “Who Are Delta Electronics Inc.”
Delta Electronics, Inc. is a Taiwan-based global leader in power and thermal management solutions, founded in 1971. Renowned as the world’s top provider of switching power supplies and DC brushless fans, they focus on energy-efficient, IoT-based smart solutions for industrial automation, EV charging, data centers, and renewable energy.
Core Business Areas
Power Electronics: A global leader in switching power supplies, thermal management, and components for cloud computing and electric vehicles (EVs).
Automation: Offers industrial and building automation systems to enhance manufacturing efficiency.
Infrastructure: Provides data center infrastructure, EV charging solutions, and telecom power systems.
Key Facts and Highlights
Market Position: Often cited as the world’s largest provider of computer power supplies, with significant market share in server power units.
Sustainability Focus: Dedicated to “innovative, clean and efficient energy solutions” with a strong ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) focus.
Global Presence: Operates manufacturing plants and R&D centers worldwide, including Taiwan, China, Thailand, Mexico, India, and Europe.
Financials: Publicly listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (code: 2308).
Delta Electronics serves industries looking for energy-efficient, AI-ready, and sustainable technology solutions.
Delta Electronics has had an R & D facility in East Kilbride in Scotland for nearly ten years.
This is the sub-heading of Centrica’s news item.
Centrica and Delta Electronics, Inc. today announced an infrastructure partnership to serve the data centre market and energy intensive industries in the UK and Europe, launching with Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) for off-grid energy generation.
These two paragraphs add more detail to the partnership.
This partnership creates a pathway for offering customers competitively priced, on-site power generation, significantly reducing exposure to wholesale electricity market volatility and grid capacity constraints. The partners plan to establish a demonstration site in the UK within the next 12 months, with a medium-term goal of delivering MW-scale, rapidly deployable ‘gas-to-power’ solutions within the next three to five years.
Delta’s SOFCs, licensed by British solid oxide technology leader Ceres, provide stable, low-carbon energy fuelled by natural gas and reach 60% electrical efficiency – significantly higher than the open-cycle gas turbines typically used for on-site and back up generation (35%-42%). These cells are designed to meet the growing power demands of data-intensive digital infrastructure in the UK and Europe which underpin economic growth, digital sovereignty and the energy transition.
This partnership appears to be a partnership of three world-leading companies doing what they do best, to efficiently satisfy the enormous power need for data centres and energy intensive industries.
- Centrica will make sure, that there is enough natural gas. They have a strong reputation for trading gas and source it from all over the world.
- Ceres will provide the Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), that will efficiently convert this natural gas into electricity. Ceres’s SOFCs are fifty percent more efficient than open-cycle gas turbines, which is a large improvement.
- Delta Elctronics then work their high power electronic wizardry to supply the electricity.
Nothing is said about what happens to all the carbon dioxide. It will certainly be captured and will probably be of food grade, but this could be the next piece of the jigsaw that Centrica are putting together.
SSE And Centrica Lifted As UK Moves Wind And Solar Farms To Fixed-Price Contracts
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Proactive Investor.
These two paragraphs add more detail.
Shares in SSE PLC (LSE:SSE), Centrica and several renewable energy investment companies rose after the UK government confirmed plans to move older wind and solar farms onto fixed-price contracts, or else be hit with higher windfall taxes.
SSE, which owns windfarms and hydroelectric power plants, saw its share climb 3.3% to 2,610p on Tuesday, while fellow FTSE 100-listed energy producer Centrica PLC (LSE:CNA), which owns British Gas, and FTSE 250-listed biomass burner Drax Group (LSE:DRX) were up 2.3% and 1.8%.
In World’s Largest Wind Farm Attracts Huge Backing From Insurance Giant, I posted an article, about why insurance companies invest in renewables.
I suspect someone has come up with an idea to make wind farms more attractive for long term investors.
The new mechanism are called Wholsale Contracts for Different and have this aim.
The move is aimed at breaking the link between electricity prices and gas in the UK, as wholesale power prices are currently set based on the gas price, despite renewables generating a growing share of power.
The proposed wholesale CfDs would target legacy assets
This can only be good for the UK, as we have so many long term renewables.
I also wonder, whether they will make Highview Power’s liquid air batteries a worthwhile investment?
No Panic At The Pumps … South Koreans Just Stop Driving On Wednesdays
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
President Lee Jae-myung has urged the public to ‘save every drop of fuel’ and introduced a number-plate rotation to keep drivers off the road
These first three paragraphs deeply illustrate the differences between the energy situation in North and South Korea.
From the lookout point atop Mount Dora, in the heart of the demilitarised zone that has separated the peninsula since 1953, you can clearly see where South Korea ends and North Korea begins.
The trees that proliferate across Korea’s undulating topography come to an abrupt halt. On the land that sits beyond, a farmer can be seen guiding an ox pulling a plough.
Sealed off from the world economy for 73 years, communist North Korea has resorted to cutting down much of its vegetation to burn for fuel. Democratic South Korea, by contrast, has established deep global trading ties that allow the country to import vital natural resources it cannot produce domestically.
North Korean communism certainly can’t be considered green.
I find these two paragraphs extremely significant.
South Korea may have to import almost all of its crude oil, but the country plays a huge role in refining it into petrol, diesel and jet fuel before shipping it around the world. This means that demand from overseas for Korea’s refined products is greater than ever, which has forced the government to step in. The country’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has implemented mandatory caps on refined petroleum products.
Of all South Korea’s refined products, kerosene, or jet fuel, is the most in demand. The country is one of the biggest exporters of jet fuel in the world. The US, for instance, relies on it for 70 per cent of its total jet fuel imports.
They could also be problematical for the country, as they will surely need to replace these jet fuel exports with exports of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Most viable processes, that I’ve seen need the following ingredients.
- Lots of hydrogen or masses of GWhs of electricity to make it.
- Some carbon atoms, which can even be captured from the air or a gas-fired power station.
- Some form of Fischer-Tropsch process to force the atoms to make sustainable aviation fuel.
There are several companies that can do this, with British ones seeming to often to be connected to Oxford University.
There is also this Anglo-Korean connection over hydrogen.
I asked Google AI, who are investors in innovative hydrogen production company; HiiROC, which is a spin-out of the University of Hull, and received this answer.
HiiROC, a UK-based developer of “turquoise” hydrogen technology, is backed by a consortium of major industrial and financial players, including Centrica, Melrose Industries, HydrogenOne Capital Growth, Hyundai, Kia, Wintershall Dea, VNG, and Cemex Ventures. The company has raised over £40 million to develop its thermal plasma electrolysis technology.
Note the presence of two of the biggest Korean companies ; Hyundai and Kia.
HiiROC is also five times more efficient than traditional electrolysis.
Google AI says this about South Korean offshore wind.
South Korea is aggressively developing its offshore wind sector, targeting 14.3 GW to 15 GW of installed capacity by 2030, with over 116 projects and 44 GW of capacity under development. The country aims for a 2030 renewable energy share of 20-30%, leveraging floating technology for massive projects like the 3.2 GW Jindo project.
It appears to me, that South Korea will replace their market share of the jet fuel market with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
I’m also sure, that if the Koreans need to produce more hydrogen to make more SAF to power the world’s aircraft, Centrica will help them to rent some of our empty seas.
I can see the Koreans, with a little help from their friends, including the UK, dominating the SAF market.
New Optimisation Agreement For 70 MW / 160 MWh BESS In Sweden
The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
Centrica Energy, the energy trading and optimisation arm of Centrica plc, has signed an optimisation agreement with Ånge Storage Solutions AB, a project company jointly established by Delta Capacity, a Swiss-based developer of utility-scale battery storage systems, and Wood & Co., a leading European investment bank and asset manager, for a 70 MW / 160 MWh battery project in Ånge, Sweden, scheduled to be commissioned in Q2 2026.
These three paragraphs add more detail.
Once operational, the Ånge project will be the largest BESS currently in operation in the Nordics, underlining the strong partnership between the companies and the project’s clear strategic significance and market impact. The project represents a major step forward for grid flexibility in Sweden, supporting the country’s rapidly growing renewable energy capacity while strengthening system stability in the SE2 bidding zone.
Under the agreement, Centrica Energy will act as optimiser for the project, providing 24/7 in-house trading and optimisation services. Leveraging advanced forecasting, real-time market benchmarking and AI-enhanced trading algorithms, Centrica Energy will optimise the battery across wholesale electricity markets and ancillary services, dynamically capturing value across multiple revenue streams.
The agreement on the Ånge project kicks off the partnership between Centrica Energy and Delta Capacity, underlining the companies’ shared ambition to accelerate flexible energy solutions across the Nordics.
It seems that Centrica are doing some serious programming, which mirrors the offbeat engineering, that was hinted at in Centrica Tackles Difficult Terrain To Deliver Sustainable Solar Solution For Derbyshire Manufacturer.
You can’t do anything but like Centrica’s robust attitude and their determination to get things done.
I also wonder, if Centrica are putting their expertise and technical excellence alongside the money and risk of others!
You can argue it was like that with Artemis in the last thirty years of the last century. One quarter million pound computer and software package would be planning and controlling the building of a multi-billion pound project.
I feel now, that I can say that now the Channel Tunnel is part of my history.
From the words of the press release, they seem to have developed a very-sophisticated hybrid-battery-control system, where types with expertise-honed on the trading floor or even the battlefield, could be intimately involved in the decisions.
As a check on my use of battlefield, I asked Google AI”if ex military weapons officers good operators on a city trading floor?” and received this reply.
Ex-military weapons officers—and military officers more broadly—can make excellent operators on a city trading floor, as their skill sets in leadership, pressure management, and risk assessment are highly transferable and increasingly sought after by financial institutions.
Key Reasons Military Officers Succeed as Traders
Decision-Making Under Extreme Pressure: Operational officers are accustomed to making critical, split-second decisions with limited information, which mirrors the environment of a volatile trading floor.
Risk Management & Discipline: The military teaches meticulous planning, risk mitigation, and strict adherence to procedures. In trading, this translates into managing margin, controlling losses, and following a strict, repeatable trading strategy.
High Mental Stamina and Resilience: The ability to stay calm and focused when others are losing their composure is a key trait that veterans bring, helping them survive high-stress trading scenarios.
Adaptability: The ability to respond to changing circumstances on the battlefield translates into managing portfolios in rapidly shifting market conditions.
Transferable Skills Checklist
Strategy & Logistics: Background in understanding supply chain imbalances (supply/demand).Communication: Ability to convey orders clearly and concisely.
Integrity: High level of discipline and accountability.
Potential Challenges and Considerations
While they possess strong psychological skills for trading, ex-military personnel often face a steep learning curve regarding technical financial knowledge and specific market terminology. Furthermore, the transition from a highly structured hierarchy to a meritocracy—where the only measure of success is profit/loss—requires a change in mindset.
Industry Adoption
Banks and trading firms in both the UK and US have recognized the value of these skills, with firms like Citibank and various prop firms establishing veteran-focused programs to hire and train former military personnel.
Conclusion
If ex-military weapons officers can adapt their ability to assess risks and manage operations to financial data, their natural inclination to stay calm under pressure and operate with discipline makes them top candidates for trading roles.
Centrica Tackles Difficult Terrain To Deliver Sustainable Solar Solution For Derbyshire Manufacturer
The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
Centrica Business Solutions has successfully completed a bespoke solar farm for Carpenter Ltd, a Glossop based manufacturer, overcoming significant terrain challenges to help the business take a major step towards a sustainable future.
These two paragraphs add some more detail.
- Built on a 14.62% sloped bank – a location once considered unsuitable for development – the project required careful planning, specialist machinery, and adaptive engineering techniques to ensure safe, efficient installation in mud-heavy winter months. Most solar farms are installed on flat ground; this project demanded a fully customised approach.
- The new solar array comprises 1,666 panels generating 1,025 MWh of renewable energy per year. This will help Carpenter Ltd cut carbon emissions by 116,150 kg CO₂ in the first year alone, reduce energy costs, and strengthen local economic resilience by supporting sustainable manufacturing jobs in the region.
This is a picture of the site from Centrica.
Google AI says the array is around a MW.
How many other difficult solar installations can be developed using good old-fashioned construction and engineering techniques?
Centrica Partners With Ceres Power On Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
The title of this post, is the same as this article on gasworld.
This is the sub-heading.
UK multinational energy and services company Centrica is partnering with clean tech firm Ceres Power to accelerate solid oxide fuel cells [SOFCs] production to meet forecasted ‘multi-gigawatt’ demand from industrial customers across Europe.
These three paragraphs indicate the market opportunity, that Centrica feel, that the partnership will fill.
With electricity grid connection delays impacting new industrial, commercial and digital projects, the UK and Europe are experiencing a widening gap between demand and available capacity.
Centrica aims to offer customers high‑efficiency, low‑carbon, grid independent on‑site power that can be deployed much faster than gas turbines or nuclear.
Group Chief Executive Chris O’Shea said by collaborating with Ceres’ technology it sees an opportunity to support data centres, AI and industry with cleaner power at scale. Ceres claims SOFCs can be manufactured and delivered on site to get power online “in months not years”.
It certainly sounds feasible to drop in an appropriate-sized stack of fuel cells and connect them up to the gas main.
These two paragraphs, indicate how Ceres will support Centrica.
Initially, Ceres will support Centrica in expanding a new differentiated service-led model for clean power, providing access to British technology through its expanding network of global manufacturing partners.
Ceres will assist Centrica with opportunities across project origination, installation and commissioning, remote monitoring, predictive maintenance and end of life recycling.
I have a few questions for Google AI.
Do Ceres Fuel Cells Emit Carbon Dioxide?
Google AI replied this.
Yes, Ceres Power has developed Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology, known as the SteelCell®, that works on natural gas. This technology is specifically designed to be fuel-flexible, capable of converting grid natural gas into electricity at high efficiency.
Key Details About Ceres Fuel Cells and Natural Gas:
Technology Capability: The Ceres SteelCell runs on natural gas, as well as future-focused fuels like hydrogen and biogas.
Application: These fuel cells are used for distributed power generation in homes, businesses, and industrial settings (such as AI data centres).
Efficiency: When running on natural gas, the SOFC systems can achieve an electrical efficiency of around 62%, with total efficiency exceeding 90% when combined with heat recovery.
Emission Reductions: Compared to conventional combustion engines, the technology offers a 30% reduction in carbon emissions.
Current Strategy: As of early 2026, Ceres is focusing on natural gas-fueled SOFCs for stationary power markets, particularly in collaboration with partners like Centrica to address power shortages in the UK and Europe.
While the systems can be used for hydrogen in the long term, they are currently fully functional with natural gas, making them a “bridge” technology for decarbonisation.
A 30% reduction is surely worthwhile!
In What Size Are Ceres Power Holdings Fuel Cells Manufactured?
Google AI replied this.
Ceres Power Holdings’ solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology is manufactured in modular, scalable sizes, with individual stacks ranging from 10-50 kW and commonly deployed in 1-5 MW power modules. These stacks are produced at manufacturing facilities with capacities like 50MW (e.g., with partner Doosan), with plans for up to 100MW annual capacity.
Key manufacturing and size details include:
Cell Component: 30–150W.
Stack: 10–50 kW.
Stack Array/Module: 100–500 kW, up to 1-5 MW modules.
Manufacturing Capacity: 50MW production facility in South Korea (Doosan), with plans for 100MW+ annual capacity in future plants.
Applications: Primarily stationary, distributed power systems for AI data centres, industrial decarbonisation, and commercial buildings.
Ceres licenses its technology to partners like Bosch and Doosan, with cell technology based on low-cost printed steel substrate
How Much Power Does A Top Of The Range MRi Scanner Use?
I am asking this question, as it is surely something you might power with a Ceres fuel cell powered by natural gas.
Google AI replied this.
A top-of-the-range MRI scanner (such as a 3-Tesla or 7-Tesla system) is highly energy-intensive, consuming substantial power 24/7 to maintain its superconducting magnet. During active scanning, power usage often ranges from 25 kW up to 80 kW or more.
Here is a breakdown of the power consumption for high-end MRI scanners:
Power Consumption Breakdown
Idle/Stand-by Mode (24/7): The machine constantly consumes roughly 6 to 7 kW for background cooling (liquid helium refrigeration).
Standard Scanning: Productive scanning sessions typically demand around 25 kW.
High-Demand Scanning: Demanding examinations (e.g., head examinations with EPI sequences or special angles) can cause power usage to surge to 70 kW to 80 kW.
System Total: A 3T MRI, including cooling systems (chillers) and peripheral electronics, might require a 3-phase, 480V, 200A supply—roughly equivalent to the capacity of six modern houses.
Conclusion
This seems to be a deal with a large number of possibilities.
Speaking from my past experience of banks and financing, where the bill is ultimately paid by a reputable individual or company like Shell or BP, I believe that Centrica will have no difficulty in financing lots of these systemsusing instiutions like Lloyds or Deutsche Bank.
The Anonymous Widower 