Moroccan Solar-Plus-Wind To Be Linked To GB In ‘Ground-Breaking’ Xlinks Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Current News.
This is the first paragraph.
New solar and wind under development in Morocco is to be linked with Britain, with developer Xlinks also seeking to develop a cable manufacturing industry.
It looks to be a very challenging project.
- The HVDC cable will be 3,800 km long.
- The plan envisages 10.5 GW of electricity being generated.
- There will be a 5GW/20GWh battery in Morocco.
- They will export 3.6 GW of electricity to the UK for at least twenty hours per day.
- The electricity will be exported to the UK by a cable that skirts to the West of Spain, Portugal and France.
- The UK end of the cable will be at Alverdiscott in Devon.
All except the last are pushing current technology to the limit.
There is more information on the Morocco-UK Power Project page on the Xlinks web site.
- The company claims, that it can supply renewable energy, that acts like baseload power.
- When complete, it could supply eight percent of the UK’s energy needs.
These are my thoughts.
The 3,800 km. HVDC Link
This paragraph on the project web page describes the HVDC link.
Four cables, each 3,800km long form the twin 1.8GW HVDC subsea cable systems that will follow the shallow water route from the Moroccan site to a grid location in Great Britain, passing Spain, Portugal, and France.
It appears that would be 15200 kilometres of cable.
The longest HVDC link in the world is 2375 km. It’s overland and it’s in Brazil.
I can’t think otherwise, than that this will be a very challenging part of the project.
This Google map shows the area of Morocco, where the energy will be generated.
Note.
- Guelmim Oued Noun is outlined in red.
- The Canary Islands are just off the map to the West.
At least the project will be able to have convenient access to the sea.
This second Google Map shows the <Moroccan, Portuguese and Spanish coasts from Guelmim Oued Noun to the Bay of Biscay.
Note.
- The light blue of the Continental Shelf
- The darker blue of deeper water.
- Guelmim Oued Noun is outlined in red.
- The Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean to the West of Guelmim Oued Noun.
- Could the cable bring power to Gibraltar?
- There are other large cities on the route in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
This third Google Map shows the Bay of Biscay.
Note.
- The light blue of the Continental Shelf
- The darker blue of deeper water.
- There are a series of islands off the Spanish and French coasts.
- Could these islands be used as stepping stones for the cable?
This fourth Google Map shows the Western Approaches to the UK.
Note that the prominent red arrow indicates Alverdiscott, where cable connects to the UK National Grid.
This fifth Google Map shows Alverdiscott to Lundy Island.
Alverdiscott substation is indicated by the red arrow.
This sixth Google Map shows the Alverdiscott substation in relation to the town of Bideford.
Note.
- Bideford is in the North-West corner of the map.
- The red arrow indicates the Alverdiscott substation.
- The River Torridge runs through the town of Bideford.
Could the river be used to bring the cables from Morocco to the substation?
This seventh Google Map shows the Alverdiscott substation
Note the solar farm to the South of the substation.
HVDC Cable
The article also says that they may be building their own cable-manufacturing facility. Does this indicate that there is a shortage of HVDC cable?
Judging by the number of proposed interconnectors proposed for UK waters, it might be a prudent move to improve cable-manufacturing capacity.
10.5 GW Of Zero-Carbon Electricity
This sentence on the project web page describes the power generation.
This “first of a kind” project will generate 10.5GW of zero carbon electricity from the sun and wind to deliver 3.6GW of reliable energy for an average of 20+ hours a day.
It appears that they will be providing a baseload of 3.6 GW to the UK for over twenty hours per day.
Consider.
- Hinckley Point C has an output of 3.2 GW.
- As I write this around midnight, the UK is generating 22.2 GW of electricity.
This paragraph from their web site describes the advantages of Morocco.
Most importantly, Morocco benefits from ideal solar and wind resources, required to develop renewable projects that could guarantee suitable power production throughout the year. It has the third highest Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) in North Africa, which is 20% greater than Spain’s GHI and over twice that of the UK. Furthermore, the shortest winter day still offers more than 10 hours of sunlight. This helps in providing production profiles that address the needs of the UK power market, especially during periods of low offshore wind production.
It is not a small power station in the wrong place.
The 5GW/20GWh Battery
That is a massive battery.
The world’s largest lithium-ion battery is Gateway Energy Storage in California. It has a capacity of 250 megawatts for one hour.
The proposed battery in Morocco is eighty times as large.
If I was choosing a battery for this application, I believe the only one that has been demonstrated and might work is Highview Power’s CRYOBattery.
I wrote about Highview’s similar type of application to Morocco in Chile in The Power Of Solar With A Large Battery.
But that installation only will only have storage of half a GWh.
But I believe Highview and their partner; MAN Energy Solutions can do it.
Conclusion
I wish the company well, but I have a feeling that there’s a chance, that this will join the large pile of dead mega-projects.
But I do feel that the solar and wind power station in Morocco will be developed.
And like the project in Chile it will have a large Highview CRYOBattery.
Greater Manchester’s First Low Carbon Hydrogen Hub To Be Developed As Part Of New Collaboration
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article from Manchester Metropolitan University.
This is the first two paragraphs.
A new partnership aims to support ambitions for Greater Manchester to become the first Net Zero region in the world by 2040, with the planned installation of the city’s first low-carbon hydrogen hub.
For the first time, sustainable hydrogen fuel will be produced at scale in the region, creating opportunities for businesses in the area to make Net Zero plans with hydrogen in mind.
It doesn’t say much about the hydrogen hub, but from other sources, I have found the following.
it appears it will have the capability of producing 200 MW of green hydrogen.
- Carlton Power is the main developer.
- It will be built on the Trafford Low Carbon Energy Park.
- Building will start next year with operation scheduled for 2023.
- It will be built near Highview Power’s 50MW/250 MWh CRYOBattery.
It sounds ambitious. Especially, as it appears Carlton Power are talking about developing another ten similar sites in the UK.
Dublin Energy Start-up Targets $2 trillion Offshore Wind Sector
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Irish Times.
The article gives a few clues, as to what Gazelle Wind Power are about.
This is the sub-title.
Gazelle Wind Power raises $4m to develop its hybrid floating offshore wind platform
What is a hybrid floating offshore wind platform?
I have form in the subject of large floating structures, as I did the calculations for a Cambridge-based company called Balaena Structures, that was proposing floating oil production platforms.
The company failed and I got paid, but their ideas returned to obscurity.
However, from that brief interlude in my life, I believe that there are innovative floating designs that could benefit the wind power industry.
This paragraph sums up the platform.
Overall the company estimates its solution costs half the price of other platforms to manufacture and 60 per cent less in terms of installation fees, while providing savings well above €1 million per megawatt.
I’ll go along with that, as the Balaena was very affordable and very stable.
The company has also recruited some powerful advisors, as this paragraph shows.
Gazelle recently named an elite group of energy industry veterans to its board of directors that includes Dr Javier Cavada, chief executive of Highview Power, Pierpaolo Mazza, a former general sales manager at GE Power, and Connie Hedegaard, former minister of environment to Denmark.
I have a feeling Gazelle Wind Power could be on to something.
Does the presence of the chief executive of Highview Power mean they are developing a floating platform with energy storage?
I remember that Balaena’s platform was very stable and as it was for oil and gas production, it had plenty of processing equipment on top.
Certainly, a wind turbine in the megawatt range with power storage would be a useful system.
MAN And Highview Power Sign World-First LAES Project Contract
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on gasworld.
This first paragraph fills out the title and explains the acronyms.
A contract has been signed between the two companies for MAN Energy Solutions (MAN) to provide Highview Power’s (Highview) CRYOBattery facility with its liquid-air energy-storage (LAES) turbomachinery solution.
This contract may apply to only the 50MW/250MWh system at Carrington, near Manchester, but if this system is successful, as Highview have sold nearly a dozen systems worldwide and MAN most certainly has a worldwide support network, it is probably not a small deal for a company like MAN.
Last night, I had a drink with a friend who is the Operations Director for one of London’s largest bus companies. His company is looking seriously at batteries to ease charging of electric buses.
As MAN Energy Solutions are part of the Volkswagen Group could MAN’s interest in Highview’s technology be partly driven by Volkswagen’s need to provide a charging solution for all of the fleets of battery buses, cars, trucks and vans, that they hope to sell in the next few years.
It must surely help in the selling of thousands of electric vans to a company like Amazon, if you can sell them a charging solution, that includes a large eco-friendly battery, that can be fitted into the average site.
How Long-Duration Energy Storage Will Accelerate The Renewable Energy Transition
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Renew Economy, which is an Australian publication.
It is very much a must-read and although it was part-written by the President of Hydrostor, who are a Canadian long duration energy storage company, who store energy by compressing air in underground caverns.
The article gives some details on how investment is flowing into long duration energy storage.
We’re also seeing significant and sustained levels of investment in long-duration energy storage happen beyond Australia’s borders.
For example; Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures invested in Energy Vault to accelerate its global deployment of its energy storage solution; Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos invested in iron-flow batteries via Breakthrough Energy Ventures; Sumitomo Corporation invested in UK-start up Highview Power and their cryogenic liquified air storage system; and our team at Hydrostor closed a financing round including a strategic partnership with infrastructure investor Meridiam.
Big players like these, generally don’t back losers. Or at least they pour in more money and expertise, to make sure they succeed.
This paragraph also describes Hydrostor’s sale to Australia.
In 2020, Hydrostor’s 200 MW and 8 hours (or 1,600 MWh) A-CAES system was selected by New South Wales’ Transmission Network Service Provider, TransGrid, as the preferred option in its RIT-T process for reliable supply for Broken Hill.
They are also developing a large system in California.
With Highview Power having sold perhaps ten systems around the world, it does appear that long duration energy storage is taking off for Highview and Hydrostor, who both use that most eco-friendly of storage mediums – air.
The article is fairly scathing about developing more of the most common form of long duration energy storage – pumped storage using water. Especially in Australia, where water can be scarce. But with the world getting warmer, I don’t think we need to design systems, where all our stored energy can evaporate.
Conclusion
I agree very much with the writers of the article, that more long duration energy storage is needed, but that pumped storage is not the long term answer.
The Power Of Solar With A Large Battery
This post is based on this press release from Highview Power, which is entitled Highview Enlasa Developing 50MW/500MWh Liquid Air Energy Storage Facility In The Atacama Region Of Chile.
This is the first paragraph.
Highview Enlasa, the 50/50 joint venture between Highview Power, a global leader in long duration energy storage solutions, and Energía Latina S.A.-Enlasa, the largest backup power generation provider in Chile, is pleased to announce that it is developing the first liquid air long duration energy storage project in Chile. This 50MW/500MWh (10 hours) CRYOBattery™, which represents an estimated investment of USD $150 million, will be located in Diego de Almagro in the Atacama Region.
Ican deduce these points from this paragraph.
The power output of 50 MW appears to be standard for all of Highview Power’s CRYOBatteries, which is not surprising as the centre of each system appears to be a standard turbomachinery solution from MAN Energy Solutions, as I wrote about in MAN Energy Partners With Highview Power On Liquid-Air Energy-Storage Project.
But whereas the first system at Carrington, near Manchester, can only store 250 MWh, this plant in Chile is twice the size and can provide 50 MW of electricity for ten hours. The Chile plant will just have twice the number of storage tanks for liquid air.
I can no reason, why if Carrington needed to store more electricity, that more tanks couldn’t be added.
This Google Map shows the area around the city of Diego de Almagro.
Note.
- The city of Diego de Almagro is in the centre of the map.
- In the North-Western corner is the Planta Fotovoltaica ENEL Diego de Almagro, which even my rudimentary Spanish, identifies as a solar power plant.
- In the North-Eastern corner of the map, is appears that a second solar power plant is under construction.
The city is surrounded by the large Atacama Desert.
This second Google Map shows the location of Diego de Almagro, with respect to the Chilean Coast.
Note.
- The red arrow indicates the solar powerplant at Diego de Almagro.
- La Paz in Bolivia is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The sandy-beige colour indicates the Atacama Desert.
The area would appear not to lack sun.
This extract is from the press release.
With one of the highest solar irradiations in the world, the Atacama Region has the potential to generate all the country’s electricity. By pairing solar with cryogenic energy storage, Chile can benefit from 24/7, 100% renewable energy.
The Wiukipedia entry for Solar Power In Chile, is not as optimistic as the press release, but does show the rapid growth in the amount of solar power.
Conclusion
Solar power installed with large batteries, will transform the electricity supply in countries like Australia, Chile and India and those in Africa and other places, where there are large hot deserts.
In Europe, Spain is investing heavily in solar power and is a big innovator in solar technology.
A CRYOBattery For Chile
This article on pv Magazine is entitled Latin America’s First Liquid Air Storage Project.
This is the first paragraph.
The 50 MW Highview Enlasa project will be located in Diego de Almagro, in Chile’s Atacama Region.
It looks like it is a similar size to their other projects at Carrington in Manchester and in Vermont and Spain.
Diego de Almagro is a city in the North of Chile.
All You Want To Know About Highview Power
This article on Power is entitled Market Prospects Heating Up for Cryogenic Energy Storage.
It talks in detail about the technology, financing and market prospects for Highview Power and their CRYOBattery.
- Their batteries store energy by liquifying air and storing it in large tanks.
- To recover the energy, the air is encouraged to go to a gaseous phase and put through an air turbine.
- Their first commercial system is being built at Carrington near Manchester.
- The Carrington system will have an output of 50 MW and be able to store up to 250 MWh.
- Other systems are under development for Vermont and Spain.
- The systems are built like Leho from readily available components from the oil and gas industry.
One of my regrets in life, is that I missed the crowdfunding for this company!
Read the article as you might find one of Highview Power’s CRYOBatteries coming to a site near you.
Power’s article is the best yet on describing the technology.
How Siemens Gamesa Could Give Coal Plants a Second Life
This article on Greentech Media is a must-read as it makes you think. This is the sub-title.
The ETES thermal battery can offer coal plants a new life as heat and power storage hubs. The first customer for a full-size version could be on-board as early as next year.
It talks about the philosophy of reusing coal-fired power station sites and some of their equipment like turbines.
It is an idea much more applicable to countries like the US and Germany rather than the UK, as they still have lots of operational coal-fired power stations and and we only have a few.
I first came across this idea, when Highview Power were talking about their 50/MW/400 MWh installation in Vermont, which was to be built on the site of a demolished coal-fired power station. The utility company and Highview were in that case just reusing the grid connection.
But then I’ve heard of other energy storage systems using old power station sites.
And not to forget that Highview Power’s installation at Carrington is close to a gas-fired power station.
Highview Power Unveils $1bn Of Liquid-Air Energy Storage Projects In Spain
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Recharge Magazine.
The article is based on this press release from Highview Power, which is entitled Highview Power Developing 2 GWh of Liquid Air Long Duration Energy Storage Projects in Spain.
This is the introductory paragraph from the press release.
Highview Power, a global leader in long duration energy storage solutions, announced today it is developing up to 2 GWh of long duration, liquid air energy storage projects across Spain for an estimated investment of around $1 billion. These projects will enable several Spanish regions to move towards their net zero emissions target.
The press release also says this about location and size.
Highview Power is planning to develop up to seven CRYOBattery™ projects ranging from 50 MW/300 MWh in Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla y Leon, and the Canary Islands.
Three of these areas are in Northern Spain and the other is a group of islands.
As Spain has at least two large pumped storage systems, perhaps geography rules this proven technology out in these areas.
System Modularity
According to the Wikipedia entry for Highview Power, the two current CRYOBatteries under development are sized as follows.
- Carrington, Manchester, UK – 50 MW/250 MWh – Under construction
- Vermont, USA – 50 MW/400 MWh – Under development
Do the figures indicate that several systems will share the same 50 MW core power system, with a number of liquid air tanks to give the appropriate capacity?
I have extensively modelled chemical plants in my past to see, how different sizes work and I am fairly certain, that Highview Power have developed a design, that is extremely flexible.
It looks like if initial calculations show that a system capable of supplying 50 MW for five hours is needed, but operation proves that a capacity of six hours would be better, that all Highview Power need to do is add another 50 MWh tank.
This is surely an operator’s dream, as if say a developer builds a thousand dwellings and/or a windfarm nearby and more energy storage is needed, an appropriate number of extra tanks can be added.
Sourcing The 50 MW Core Power System
I talked about how the first system at Carrington will use a system from MAN Energy Solutions in MAN Energy Partners With Highview Power On Liquid-Air Energy-Storage Project.
This surely is an approach that minimises risk.
Sourcing The Storage Tanks
I have been searching the Internet for manufacturers of cryogenic gas tanks and I’ve found them in countries like Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the US.
But then most hospitals have one for their liquid oxygen.
This image was from shutterstock.
They are not difficult to find.
Spain And Renewable Energy
Spain is a large producer of renewable energy and also a leader in wind and solar power technology.
See Renewable Energy in Spain on Wikipedia for more details.
Siemens Gamesa, which was created by a merger of a German and a Spanish company and is headquartered at Zamudio in Spain, have also developed the Siemens Gamesa ETES, which is a volcanic rock-based energy storage system about the same size of Highview Power’s CRYOBattery.
Conclusion
It looks to me, that Highview Power have closed a good sale.
The Anonymous Widower 