Iceland Is Calling
This was an advert in Bank station, yesterday.
I’ve been to Iceland and it made a good break from hot weather.
There is now a Geothermal Exhibition In Iceland.
I asked Google AI, if you can have a tour of one of the geothermal projects in Cornwall and received this answer.
There are two main deep geothermal projects in Cornwall with public-facing aspects: the United Downs Deep Geothermal Project and the Eden Geothermal Project. While both are operational or nearing completion, direct public tours of the operating power plants themselves aren’t yet a standard offering. Instead, you can visit the Eden Project, which is heated by its geothermal system, and learn about the technology there, or potentially visit the United Downs project site to see the developments.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to see more in a couple of years.
UK Set To Provide Record GBP 800 Million Support For Offshore Wind Projects
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The UK government has revealed the budget of over GBP 1 billion (approximately EUR 1.2 billion) for this year’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 6 (AR6) with the majority of it, GBP 800 million (around EUR 936 million), earmarked for offshore wind.
These three paragraphs explain the three pots.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) confirmed that over GBP 1 billion will be set aside for the budget, divided into three pots.
Within the overall budget, GBP 120 million is designated for established technologies like solar and onshore wind in Pot 1, while GBP 105 million is set aside for emerging technologies such as floating offshore wind and geothermal in Pot 2.
According to DESNZ, following an extensive review of the latest evidence, including the impact of global events on supply chains, the government has allocated a record GBP 800 million for offshore wind, making this the largest round yet, with four times more budget available to offshore wind than in the previous round.
I am glad to see the support for geothermal energy.
Whilst, these three paragraphs explain the pricing.
This follows the increase in the maximum price for offshore wind and floating offshore wind in November and will help to deliver the UK’s ambition of up to 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030, including up to 5 GW of floating offshore wind, according to the government.
Last year, CfD Round 5 attracted no investors with the former maximum strike prices set at GBP 44/MWh for offshore wind with fixed-bottom foundations, which was too low for the developers who were facing the consequences of inflation and supply chain challenges. The maximum bid price for floating wind was GBP 114/MWh.
Now, the maximum price available for offshore wind projects with fixed-bottom foundations has risen by 66 per cent, from GBP 44/MWh to GBP 73/MWh. The maximum strike price for floating offshore wind projects increased by 52 per cent, from GBP 116/MWh to GBP 176/MWh ahead of AR6 which will open on 27 March.
Prices have certainly risen, but this paragraph explains a limiting mechanism, which is straight out of the Control Engineer’s Toolbox.
The funding for the support will be sourced from energy bills rather than taxation. However, if the price of electricity surpasses the predetermined rate, additional charges will be applied to wind power, with the excess funds returned to consumers.
I would hope that extensive mathematical modelling has been applied to test the new pricing structure.
University Of Leeds Drills Test Boreholes For Geothermal Project To Heat Campus
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Ground Engineering.
This is the sub-heading.
A team of researchers at the University of Leeds has started to test the potential to use geothermal energy to heat buildings on campus in a bid to tackle its carbon emissions.
These three paragraphs outline the project.
The project involves drilling eight test boreholes into the ground at several locations on the campus at depths of between 150m to 250m. Work started last Monday (29 January) and will continue until May 2024.
Some of the holes will be water wells at around 50cm in diameter that will look for underground aquifers at the right temperature to use for geothermal heat. Other holes will be monitoring wells at around 15cm in diameter which the team will use to check what impact extracting heat from the ground has on the surrounding areas.
The geothermal project brings together the team responsible for the maintenance and development of the University estate and an academic team which includes professor of geo-energy engineering Fleur Loveridge, research fellow in geosolutions David Barns and lecturer in applied geophysics and structural geology Emma Bramham.
The Wikipedia entry for Geothermal Energy In The United Kingdom, is a very informing and ultimately surprising read.
This is the introductory paragraph.
The potential for exploiting geothermal energy in the United Kingdom on a commercial basis was initially examined by the Department of Energy in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. Several regions of the country were identified, but interest in developing them was lost as petroleum prices fell. Although the UK is not actively volcanic, a large heat resource is potentially available via shallow geothermal ground source heat pumps, shallow aquifers and deep saline aquifers in the mesozoic basins of the UK. Geothermal energy is plentiful beneath the UK, although it is not readily accessible currently except in specific locations.
With more projects like that at the University of Leeds and the development of better technology, I am confident that over the next few years, we will extract more heat from beneath our feet.
UK’s First Deep Geothermal Power Plant To Be Built In Cornwall
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Energy Monitor.
This is the sub-heading.
Once operational in late 2024, the United Downs geothermal project will deliver around 3 MW of baseload renewable electricity and up to 10 MWh of zero-carbon heat.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Italian cleantech company Exergy International will team up with the UK’s Geothermal Engineering to construct the first deep geothermal power plant in the UK, located at the United Downs Deep Geothermal Power project in Cornwall. By late 2024, the project will deliver around 3MWe of baseload renewable electricity and up to 10MWh of zero-carbon heat for a large housing development at the newly developed Langarth Garden Village.
I have already written about using geothermal methods in the UK.
- Can Abandoned Mines Heat Our Future?
- Eden Project: Geothermal Heat Project ‘Promising’
- Exciting Renewable Energy Project for Spennymoor
- Mine Water Heat
- Schlumberger New Energy And Thermal Energy Partners Form Geothermal Development Company STEP Energy
- The Earth’s Energy: Switching Geothermal Power On
- ‘World-First’ As Bunhill 2 Launches Using Tube Heat To Warm 1,350 Homes
I can’t help feeling that in ten years time, geothermal energy will be a larger part of the UK’s energy mix, than anybody believes today.
These are my reasons.
- When engineering companies like Schlumberger get involved, they usually succeed, as this means more projects and more profits.
- If Bunhill 2 in Islington can be a success using heat from the Underground, then any well-designed geothermal project can be a success.
- There are hundreds of coal mines in the UK, that are full of warm water, that can be used as a heat source.
- Research is ongoing all over the world to improve geothermal power.
We may not be able to generate lots of geothermal energy like the United States, Iceland, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, Italy, Kenya and New Zealand, but we’ll be plucky.
Articles From The Engineer
I generally read articles from The Engineer once a week.
Here’s a few that are worth reading.
12th Feburuary 2023 – Hydrogen Ambulance Set For London
A project led by hydrogen fuel specialists ULEMCo is aiming to deliver the UK’s first zero emission hydrogen ambulance later this year
There is an interesting discussion, as to whether hydrogen or battery ambulances are better. Range and hotel power issues seem to favour hydrogen.
11th May 2023 – Bramble Energy Secures £12m For Hydrogen Bus
Bramble Energy has joined forces with Equipmake, Aeristech and Bath University to develop a new hydrogen double-deck bus integrating its printed circuit board fuel cell (PCBFC) technology
Bramble Energy can create bespoke fuel cell stacks in a ‘matter of days at scale and low-cost’.
12th May 2023 – Cornish Geothermal Project Leads Government Heat Scheme
The UK’s first deep geothermal heat network is one of seven new projects to receive funding as part of a new government programme to decarbonise buildings across England.
The full list of projects to receive support today via the Green Heat Networks Fund is detailed.
17th May 2023 – Ricardo Joins Pan-European Hydrogen Shipping Consortium
UK engineering firm Ricardo is set to play a key role in the sustainable HYdrogen powered Shipping (sHYpS) project being funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.
One thing that is disclosed in the article, is that Ricardo have a new 400kW hydrogen fuel cell test chamber at the company’s UK headquarters.
Centrica Plan Green Energy Hub At Former Gas Power Plant
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from Centrica.
These three paragraphs outline the project.
A former gas fired power plant in North Yorkshire is to be turned in to a green energy hub under ambitious plans by Centrica.
The energy company has acquired the four-acre former Knapton Generating Station from Third Energy and plans to develop a 28MW battery on the site.
In addition, Centrica is exploring how Knapton could be used for off-grid hydrogen production, as well as the possibility for solar energy in the surrounding area.
Over the last few months, I’ve written about other small projects from Centrica.
- Centrica Business Solutions Begins Work On 20MW Hydrogen-Ready Peaker In Redditch
- Centrica And HiiROC To Inject Hydrogen At Brigg Gas-Fired Power Station In UK First Project
The company has also announced links with other companies.
- Centrica Announces Hydrogen Ready Combined Heat And Power Partnership With 2G
- Lhyfe And Centrica To Develop Offshore Renewable Green Hydrogen In The UK
- Centrica And Ryze Agree To Develop Hydrogen Pathway
Note, that the first concerns generators and the others concern hydrogen.
The Centrica news item about the Knapton generating station has this fourth paragraph.
The multi-million pound deal is part of Centrica Business Solutions strategic plan to create a 900MW portfolio of solar and battery assets by 2026.
It seems obvious to me that the Brigg, Knapton and Redditch projects fit this Centrica Business Solutions strategic plan, with sizes as follows.
- Brigg – 49 MW
- Knapton – 41.5 MW
- Redditch – 20 MW
I would expect to see Centrica behind several more of these smaller energy projects.
For that reason I have tagged all articles dealing with these projects as Centrica Small Energy Projects.
These are my thoughts about the Knapton generating station.
Third Energy
Third energy’s web site defines Third Energy as an unusual fossil energy company.
- The History page says that Knapton Generating Station was producing electricity using gas from the Vale of Pickering for over 25 years.
- The Net Zero Rise page describes their involvement in the Net Zero RISE consortium with Durham, Leicester and Oxford Universities.
- The Plug & Abandon and Geothermal pages are very much worth a read.
According to the Centrica news item, Third Energy will retain the ownership of the 12 well-sites and associated gas pipeline network.
I shall be watching this company and their developing relationship with Centrica.
The Net Zero RISE Consortium
The Net Zero RISE Consortium has a home page on the Newcastle University web site.
The page has this sub-heading.
Research Infrastructure for Subsurface Energy: an academic-industry partnership to deliver the UK’s first deep test sites.
This is said under a heading of Our Ambition.
This is the most cost-effective way of developing the UK’s first deep test site onshore.
Repurposing wells leverages previous capital investment. Using an onshore site with existing wells and geophysical data:
- eliminates the major cost of drilling and engineering
- reduces uncertainty by drawing on knowledge of the well and surrounding geological conditions
- is safer and easier access than offshore locations
We propose developing three test sites: CO2 storage; H2 storage and geothermal.
This seems to be a very sensible research collaboration and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more companies and universities join.
The Battery
The Centrica news item says this about the battery.
The first project at the site near Malton will be a 56MWh battery which will utilise some of the 41.5MW export capability of the existing grid connection. It’s anticipated the battery would be able to power around 14,000 homes for two hours.
This paragraph would indicate that the battery is supplying just 2 kWh per hour.
A common figure on the Internet is that the average house uses 8 kWh per day, which is 0.33 kWh per hour.
I have a feeling that the figures need correcting somewhere.
Solar Power
The third paragraph of the Centrica news item mentions solar energy.
In addition, Centrica is exploring how Knapton could be used for off-grid hydrogen production, as well as the possibility for solar energy in the surrounding area.
This Google Map shows the site.
It appears to be several hundred metres to the nearest house.
I have read a very simple rule, that says a hectare, which is about the size of a full-size football pitch can accommodate a MW of panels. Obviously Centrica will have accurate calculations.
Off-Grid Hydrogen Production
The third paragraph of the Centrica news item mentions off-grid hydrogen production.
In addition, Centrica is exploring how Knapton could be used for off-grid hydrogen production, as well as the possibility for solar energy in the surrounding area.
Consider these points about the Knapton site.
- It has been handling gas for at least twenty-five years.
- It is connected to the electricity and gas grids.
- It has connections to a dozen gas wells.
- There would be space for a smaller electrolyser.
- Hydrogen could be exported from the site, by blending into the natural gas grid.
If Third Energy and the Net Zero RISE Consortium develop Knapton as a site for their H2 Storage test well, Centrica and an off-grid hydrogen production facility would be ideal partners.
Centrica could even use the site to try out new ideas.
This appears to be one of those engineering projects, that has been thought through whilst drinking several pints of real ale in a welcoming hostelry nearby.
Geothermal Engineering
This site could be used for experiments with geothermal engineering, but there doesn’t seem many places nearby, that would need a good supply of hot water.
Conclusion
There’s more to this deal, than meets the eye.
First Ever Gravity Green Energy Storage System Set For North Yorkshire Town
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Yorkshire Post.
These paragraphs give an outline of the project.
Plans to create the UK’s first below ground gravity energy storage system have been unveiled in North Yorkshire.
Scottish energy storage firm Gravitricity is to apply to Ryedale District Council with its plan for a facility at East Knapton in Ryedale on the site of the former Knapton gas generator.
If completed, it could store up to four megawatt hours (4MWhs) of electricity – sufficient to power more than 9,000 homes for an hour.
It looks like the system will have an output of 4 MW.
This Google Map shows the two villages of West and East Knapton.
Note.
- The A64 road between Malton and Scarborough going across the map.
- Scarborough and the coast is about fifteen miles to the East.
- The Third Energy site in the North-East corner of the map.
This second Google Map shows the Third Energy site in more detail.
Note.
- The substation and a power line in the North-East corner of the map.
- The 42 MW Knapton Generating Station used to be on this site and it was powered by local gas wells.
Third Energy have now called the site Knapton Energy Park and it now has a web page, which has this mission statement.
Third Energy is developing the former Knapton Generating Station into the Knapton Energy Park. The energy park will house multiple sources of power generation and energy storage. The aim of the project is to pay a part in the development and generation of renewable energy systems in North Yorkshire, and contribute to making the UK Net Zero by 2050.
This paragraph talks about weights.
One of our technology partners has also received government funding to conduct feasibility studies for a pilot project at Knapton which would utilise suspended weights to store energy as an alternative to the traditional battery storage technologies. This project will be developed through 2022 onwards.
It looks like Gravitricity has planted an acorn in Yorkshire.
The Third Energy web site is worth an explore. This is the mission statement on the home page.
At Third Energy our aim is to be at the forefront of North Yorkshire’s transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. Our team are proactively playing a part in innovative energy solutions and energy development; transforming our facilities into a multi-purpose energy park and research centre.
I particularly like this page, which is entitled Plug & Abandon.
This is the outline of their P % A philosophy on the page.
As wells near the end of their life cycle they must be decommissioned and the land returned to its original state. Unfortunately, the current P&A practices of the oil and gas industry are cost prohibitive, resulting in delays to abandonment (as companies attempt to avoid the high cost), and poor abandonment practices that may be harmful to the environment.
Fortunately, there are solutions to this problem. Our ambition is to use new and innovative technologies to P&A the wells in a more effective and sustainable manner, and first to extend the period our wells may service the community by re-purposing them for geothermal energy.
Can they really convert abandoned gas wells into geothermal energy sources?
Westinghouse And Bloom Energy To Team Up For Pink Hydrogen
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Hydrogen Fuel News.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Westinghouse Electric Company and Bloom Energy Corporation have announced that they have signed a letter of intent together for the production of pink hydrogen in the commercial nuclear power market.
Note.
- Westinghouse Electric Company is an American builder of nuclear power stations.
- Bloom Energy Corporation make a solid-oxide electrolyser.
- Pink hydrogen is green hydrogen produced using nuclear power.
Figures on the Bloom web site, claim that their electrolysers could be upwards of twelve percent more efficient than PEM electrolysers, as produced by companies like ITM Power.
Bloom Energy Vice President of Hydrogen Business Rick Beuttel, is quoted as saying this.
We are proud Westinghouse has turned to Bloom and our solid oxide technology to supercharge the clean hydrogen economy. Solid oxide technology is well suited for nuclear applications, efficiently harnessing steam to further improve the economics of hydrogen production. High temperature electrolysis is already garnering attention and accolades as a cost-effective and viable solution to create low-cost, clean hydrogen, which is critical to meeting aggressive decarbonization goals.
It sounds that by integrating the nuclear power station and the electrolyser, there are cost savings to be made.
Conclusion
I think this could turn out to be a significant development.
Some countries, like Iceland, Indonesia, New Zealand, Philippines and the United States, who can generate large amounts of electricity and steam from geothermal energy, Bloom’s technology must surely be a way of electrolysing hydrogen.
Fracking Has a Bad Rep, but Its Tech Is Powering A Clean Energy Shift
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Texas Monthly.
It shows how former frackers are developing their techniques to do the following.
- Extract heat and energy from shale using water.
- Store energy safely underground.
- Drill deeper and better geothermal wells.
One of the companies; Quidnet has been backed by Bill Gates and his friends. I wrote about Quidnet Energy a couple of years ago in How Do You Save Clean Energy? This Company Plans To Pump It Underground.
And all in environmentally-friendly ways, that would get a seal-of-approval from a committed anti-fracker.
It’s the best article I’ve read this week.
Mine Water Heat
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from the Coal Authority.
This is the introductory paragraph.
The Coal Authority is working with partners to unlock the heat within our historical coal mine network, to transform the homes and workplaces of the future.
The Coal Authority doesn’t have much of a historic product, so selling the heat from the mines could be an environmentally-friendly revenue scheme.
These four paragraphs are the heart of the press release.
As part of our work to make a better future for people and the environment in mining areas, we’re exploring opportunities to use mine water to heat and cool homes and businesses.
Water within the mines is warmed by natural processes and can, if sustainably managed, provide a continuous supply of heat. Mine water temperatures are not affected by seasonal variations and, subject to the right support, mine water can provide renewable, secure, low carbon heating for buildings in coalfield areas.
With heating accounting for 40% of energy use in the UK, mine water heat could improve the sustainability of the places where we live and work. Mine water heat could also play a part in the UK’s efforts to tackle climate change and support its net zero future.
The Coal Authority are working with academics, local authorities, central government and others to help realise the potential of mine water heat. We’re supporting the delivery of mine water heat projects and working with others to make them happen.
The press release then adds more details and describes specific projects.
Mines For Storing Electricity
We also mustn’t forget other uses for abandoned coal mines.
I particularly like Gravitricity’s idea of used abandoned deep mines to store energy, that I wrote about in Gravitricity Explores Czech Coal Mine For MW-Scale Storage.
I hope the Coal Authority has its eyes on this ball.
Conclusion
I first became aware of the ability to extract heat from abandoned coal mines at a lecture at the Geological Society of London, after which I wrote Can Abandoned Mines Heat Our Future?.
I believe that for some parts of the country, this could become the preferred technology for heating homes and businesses.
The technology was even featured on the BBC tonight.
The Anonymous Widower 