The Anonymous Widower

Chinese Offshore Wind Foundation Manufacturer Inks MoU With Scotland’s Ardersier Port

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

 

This is the sub-heading.

Dajin Heavy Industry and Haventus, the owner and developer of Ardersier Port in Scotland, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore combining Dajin’s manufacturing and transport capability with Ardersier’s port infrastructure to support both fixed-bottom and floating wind projects in the UK and across Europe.

These two paragraphs add more details.

Dajin and Haventus will also work together to identify potential new commercial opportunities and how Ardersier Port could provide a site for storage, marshalling, assembly and transportation of offshore wind components to the offshore wind foundation manufacturer.

According to Haventus, Ardersier Port’s extensive quayside land, deep-water access and a high-voltage power connection can support the manufacturing, fabrication, assembly and storage of large-scale structures for offshore wind and other energy-related projects.

These are my thoughts.

Where Is Ardesier?

This Google Map shows the location of the Port of Ardesier in relation to Inverness, the Orkneys and Shetlands, and Norway.

The Port of Ardesier would appear to be ideally placed to bring in business for the partnership.

This Google Map shows more detail around Haventus – Ardesier Port.

Note.

  1. Haventus appears to be located close to Inverness Airport, which has a railway station on the Inverness and Aberdeen Line.
  2. Inverness is on the Moray Firth.

 

Are Haventus A British Company?

I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

Yes, Haventus is a British company.

It is registered in the UK with its corporate headquarters in London, and its primary operations focus on redeveloping the Ardersier Port in the Scottish Highlands to support offshore wind energy.

Company Details

Registration: Registered in England and Wales (Haventus Limited).Head Office: London, United Kingdom.

Project: Transforming the former fabrication yard at Ardersier Port near Inverness, Scotland, into an energy transition facility for offshore wind.

Key Backing: Funded by British institutions like the UK Infrastructure Bank and the Scottish National Investment Bank, alongside major private equity investment from US-based Quantum Capital Group.

Could The Port Of Ardersier Have A Rail Connection?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Port of Ardersier, the Aberdeen and Inverness Line and Inverness Airport.

Note.

  1. The heavy black track is the Aberdeen and Inverness Line.
  2. The Port of Ardersier is above it in the middle of the map.
  3. Inverness Airport is marked by the blue arrow.

There seems to be a lot of space in the area.

Could A Steel Mini-Mill Be Built In The Area?

Consider.

  • Dajin Heavy Industry could need a lot of steel.
  • A steel mini-mill would need a lot of energy.
  • The UK has a lot of scrap steel, that could be of good enough quality to make the steel gubbins needed for offshore wind components.
  • Scrap could be brought in by sea or rail.
  • That part of Scotland has lots of offshore wind power.
  • Three pumped storage hydro systems are being built in the Scottish Highlands to store electricity.
  • Workers could be brought in by train from as far as Aberdeen.

The Port of Ardersier could be an ideal place for a steel mini-mill.

How Many Acres Do You need for a Small Steel From Scrap Mill?

I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

A small scrap-based steel mini-mill requires roughly 5 to 20 acres of land for basic production, casting, and rolling units.

If you include a dedicated on-site scrap yard and heavy inventory storage buffers, the requirement expands closer to 25 to 50+ acres.

Core Space Breakdown

Melt Shop & Electric Arc Furnace (EAF): 2 to 4 acres for the core melting furnace, ladle metallurgy furnace, and pollution control equipment.

Casting & Rolling Mill: 2 to 5 acres for continuous casting (billets or blooms) and the hot re-rolling lines.

Scrap Yard & Raw Materials: 5 to 20 acres depending on how much local scrap inventory you need to stockpile.

Finished Goods & Logistics: 3 to 10 acres for cooling beds, product staging, truck loading docks, and internal roadways.

From this crude analysis with Google AI, I believe that there is enough space to put a small steel mill in the area.

Ideas Borrowed From Failures During The Years Of North Sea Oil and Gas

I suspect there are a few of these, which might be possible to develop at Ardersier.

Conclusion

The Port of Ardersier has lots of possibilities,

 

 

 

 

 

August 21, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Energy Storage, Manufacturing, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

RWE To Build Large-Scale Storage At Hambach Mine

The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from RWE.

These four bullet points act as sub-headings.

  • 236 megawatts capacity and 470 megawatt-hours storage capacity
  • First battery containers have been delivered; commissioning is planned for 2027
  • Large-scale storage system balances fluctuations in the electricity grid in fractions of a second
  • RWE currently constructing around 1.7 Gigawatts of battery storage capacity in Germany

This first paragraph gives some more details.

RWE is continuing to expand its battery storage portfolio and is constructing a new large-scale storage facility on the site of the Hambach opencast mine. The battery storage facility is being built near the village of Niederzier in the district of Düren. Preparatory work on a three-hectare site began at the end of 2025. The first of a total of 128 lithium-ion battery containers have already been delivered. The large-scale storage facility will have a capacity of 236 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 470 megawatt-hours (MWh). The facility is scheduled to come on stream in 2027.

Note.

  1. According to the Wikipedia entry for the Hambach opencast mine, it was used to mine lignite or brown coal.
  2. The battery will be a two-hour battery.
  3. The site was originally the Hambach Forest, of which only ten percent remains, as the rest has been cut down because of the mining.
  4. The pit is 500 metres deep.
  5. Full cessation of lignite mining planned by 2030 as part of Germany’s coal phase-out.

The site is being gradually transformed into a reclaimed landscape, including the future Hambach lake.

It is well-worth reading the whole Wikipedia entry for the Hambach opencast mine.

 

August 3, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage, Environment | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ENGIE And La Caisse Select GE Vernova For The Next Phase Of The Modernization Of Dinorwig Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant In North Wales, UK

The title of this post is the same as this news item from Engie.

These are the three bullet points.

First Hydro Company – a 75:25 joint venture between ENGIE and La Caisse, has selected GE Vernova for the modernization/replanting of the first two units of the Dinorwig pumped storage hydropower plant in North Wales, UK. 

GE Vernova is expected to replace two 315 Megawatt (MW) units to improve the plant’s reliability, availability and efficiency. 

By the end of the decade, the two new units at Dinorwig will help ensure the continued delivery of the fast, flexible generation that plays a crucial role in supporting UK grid stability.

These three paragraphs add some more detail.

First Hydro Company (joint venture between ENGIE and La Caisse), and GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE: GEV), announce the next phase of the modernization/replanting of the Dinorwig pumped storage hydropower plant in North Wales, UK. Under the agreement, GE Vernova is expected to replace two pumped storage units as part of First Hydro’s long-term replanting programme at Dinorwig, to help extend the life of the plant for decades to come, while enhancing the plant’s reliability, availability and performance in support of UK grid stability.

Now over 40 years old, Dinorwig is Europe’s largest pumped storage hydropower plant and is renowned for its rapid response capability, delivering up to 1,320 MW of power within 12 seconds from standby, and up to 1,800 MW in under a minute. With such characteristics, this plant plays a vital role in grid resilience and frequency response, providing a capacity equivalent to power around one million homes in the UK.

As majority owner and operator of the plant through First Hydro Company, ENGIE is making a significant long-term investment to extend its operational life. The wider programme includes the replacement of key plant components across all six generating units, alongside significant infrastructure upgrades.

Note.

  1. According to the Wikipedia entry, Dinorwig power station has a storage capacity of around 9.1 GWh.
  2. It was commissioned in 1984.
  3. The plant was built by an Alfred McAlpine / Brand / Zschokke consortium.

As in 1984, Artemis was very busy, managing projects like this, I’d be very interested to know, if this was a project managed by Artemis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 28, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On The Bonnie, Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomon’

I couldn’t resist using the first line of one of the most famous Scottish traditional songs, as the title of this post.

But a very significant power station project, is to be undertaken in the area.

These are the opening few sentences of the Wikipedia entry for the Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Scheme.

The Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Scheme is a hydro-electric facility situated between Loch Sloy and Inveruglas on the west bank of Loch Lomond in Scotland. It is also within the Arrochar Alps. The site was originally suggested as the location of a huge pumped-storage scheme in 1936 by Edward MacColl, but this was rejected as being uneconomic. After the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board was created in 1943, it became the first of their proposed schemes.

This Google Map shows Loch Lomond and Loch Sloy.

Note.

  1. Loch Sloy is in the North-West corner of the map.
  2. Loch Lomond is on the Eastern side of the map.
  3. The red arrow indicates the main buildings of the LochSloy Hydro-Electric Power Station.
  4. Loch Sloy is eight-hundred feet above Loch Lomond.
  5. The total generating capacity of the power station is 152.5 MW.

The facility is operated by Scottish and Southern Energy, and is normally in standby mode, ready to generate electricity to meet sudden peaks in demand. It can reach full capacity within 5 minutes from a standing start.

This second Google Map shows the power station to a larger scale.

Note.

  1. Loch Sloy is to the North-West of the North-West corner of the map.
  2. Loch Lomond is on the Eastern side of the map.
  3. The red arrow indicates the main buildings of the Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Power Station.
  4. The four pipes carry water from Loch Sloy to the actual power station.
  5. The single-track West Highland Line crosses over the four pipes at their South-Eastern end.

The design of Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Power Station is typical of many hydro-electric stations all over the world.

This third map is an OpenRailwayMap of the area.

Note.

  1. Loch Sloy is on the Western side of the map.
  2. Loch Lomond is on the Eastern side of the map.
  3. The yellow track is the single-track West Highland Line between Glasgow and Mallaig via Fort William
  4. The blue arrow indicates Ardlui station.

The railway goes close to the power station.

A Platinum Celebration for Sloy Power Station!

The title of this section is the same as this must-read web page on the SSE web site, which dates from 2020.

Sloy Power Station Development Plans

This second must read  web page on the SSE web site is entitled Sloy Power Station.

This is the sub-heading.

We’re Proposing To Convert Our Iconic 1950s Hydro Station To Pumped Storage Hydro

This is the introduction to the development.

In April 2025, we submitted a planning application to the Scottish Government to convert the iconic Sloy Power Station into a pumped storage hydro scheme.

Our proposals would bolster energy security and help provide the large-scale and flexible renewable energy back-up needed in a future UK net zero power system, helping meet the UK Government’s ambition of Clean Power by 2030.

If approved for delivery, the converted Sloy scheme would be capable of delivering up to 16GWh of long-duration electricity storage capacity.

It could provide firm, flexible renewable energy for up to 100 hours non-stop.

It appears that the upgraded power station will effectively become a 160 MW/16 GWh long duration energy store.

Currently, the UK’s largest pumped storage power station is the 1727 MW/9.1 GWh Electric Mountain in North Wales.

The updated Sloy power station will have less output, but more storage capacity, than Electric Mountain.

Should There Be A Railway Station At Loch Sloy Power Station?

Google AI gives this answer in reply to “Loch Sloy Railway Station”.

There was never a permanent public railway station called Loch Sloy, but temporary private platforms like Inveruglas railway station and Faslane Platform railway station served the area. These stops were built in 1945 by the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) to haul materials and workers—including prisoners of war—for the construction of the Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Scheme.

Note.

  1. Surely, similar reasons to those in 1945 could apply to the development of the power station. Materials and workers could be brought in by rail.
  2. Given, the power station’s historic significance, I believe that it could become a tourist attraction and/or education centre.It could be a stop for the Caledonian Sleeper.

I believe that as time passes, the power station’s historic significance will increase.

Are There Any Other Hydro Power Stations, That Can Be Upgraded To Pumped Storage Hydro?

Google AI can’t find anything at present.

 

 

 

July 24, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Design, Energy, Energy Storage, Environment, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

UK Pumped Storage Projects Surge After 40-year Gap

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on International Dam and Waterpower Construction.

This is the sub-heading.

Plans are underway to ensure the UK soon adds to its pumped storage portfolio, which hasn’t seen the development of a new project for over 40 years

This first paragraph gives a summary of the new pumped storage hydro schemes under development.

According to the British Hydropower Association (BHA), although the UK hasn’t witnessed new pumped storage capacity for over 40 years, there are now 11 schemes at various stages of development across Scotland and Wales, with a combined 10 GW and 200 GWh of storage capacity.

Note.

  1. Currently, there is a total of 2.8 GW/24-26 GWh of pumped storage hydro in the UK in four plants.
  2. Two are in Scotland and two are in Wales.

The world’s largest operational pumped storage hydro scheme is the Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station in China, which is 3.6 GW/ 40 GWh.

The second paragraph gives details of Coire Glas, which is one of the largest being constructed.

Mike Seaton from SSE Renewables gave an update on a project his company has been working on – the 1.4GW and 30GWh, £2 billion Coire Glas scheme. Planning consent was given in 2020 and a 1km exploratory tunnel has already been dug. With the final investment decision expected in 2026, the scheme could be generating power by 2033.

Note.

  1. This scheme is almost half the size of the world’s largest scheme in China.
  2. It is planned to take thirteen years to build from planning permission.
  3. The slightly smaller 1.7 GW/9.1 GWh Dinorwig power station took ten years to build and cost half a billion.

Pumped storage hydro powerstations consume a lot of time and money in the building phase.

The View Of An MSP Is Given

Michael Matheson MSP said this.

Working alongside the British Hydropower Association, it is my ambition that frank and open engagement can take place between industry, developers, and communities to ensure that Scotland maximises it’s PSH potential while delivering real improvements for communities and driving towards a sustainable economy and energy mix.

That’s a good attitude.

Scottish Pumped Storage Experience

Under this sub-heading three new large schemes are outlined.

  • Earba – 1.8 GW/40 GWh
  • Fearna – 1.8 GW/36 GWh
  • Glen Earrach Energy – 2 GW/34-46 GWh

Note.

  1. All seem to have at least initial planning permission.
  2. All are larger than Dinorwig.
  3. The three schemes total around 5.6 GW/ 116 GWh.

Scotland seems to be finding places to site these monster pumped storage hydro systems.

Cap & Floor For Pumped Storage Hydro

This paragraph talks about how the authorities and an energy company are talking about a better financial regime, that will encourage investment.

Gilkes Energy is also working with the UK Government and Ofgem to implement the Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) ‘Cap & Floor’ mechanism in 2025. This policy is expected to facilitate investment in PSH projects by addressing financial risks. Crompton noted that the mechanism has already attracted private investment for interconnectors and is expected to do the same for pumped storage.

Note.

  1. My experience with truck leasing and peer-to-peer lending, tells me, that if you want billions you can get it.
  2. Goldman Sachs has taken an interest in Highview Power, who are developing liquid-air batteries, which are up to 300 MW/ 3.2 GWh.
  3. Barclays have also invested in specialist batteries to charge electric buses, as I wrote in First Bus To Launch 1MW BESS Unit In Hampshire, Aberdeen To Follow.
  4. From what is said in World’s Largest Wind Farm Attracts Huge Backing From Insurance Giant, I can see big insurance companies like Aviva, helping to fund pumped storage hydro.

With pumped storage hydro, which is very much a scenic asset, the CEO of the investing company can have a nice picture on his wall.

Upgrading Sloy

The upgrading of Sloy hydro power station to a pumped storage hydro powerstation, is unusual, but the sort of practical idea, that engineers think up over a few pints of real ale.

These two paragraphs outline the Upgrade.

Back in April, SSE Renewables submitted a Section 36 planning application to the Scottish Government to convert the existing Sloy Power Station near Loch Lomond into a pumped storage hydro scheme. The proposal would see the station, which has operated since 1950, adapted to include a pumping capacity of up to 100MW, allowing it to deliver up to 16GWh of long-duration electricity storage. If approved, SSE plans to reach a final investment decision by late 2027, with the conversion completed and operational by the end of 2030.

The project would involve installing new pumps at the Inveruglas site, enabling water to be pumped from Loch Lomond to Loch Sloy during low electricity demand periods. This stored water would then be released to generate electricity when demand is higher. The application also includes a proposal to upgrade the station’s existing 32.5MW G4 turbine, which would raise the plant’s total generating capacity from 152.5MW to 160MW.

 

Note.

  1. Sloy has been operating for 76 years.
    It looks like it could be a 160 MW/ 16 GWh pumped storage hydro powerstation.
    I doubt there would be any planning problems.

With Cruachan pumped storage hydro powerstation and the 300 MW/3.2 GWh Highview Power battery at Hunterston, it would be one of a number of assets protecting Glasgow’s electricity supply.

New Ways To Use Water

This section starts with these two paragraphs.

As discussions at a recent webinar hosted by the International Hydropower Association highlighted, other technologies need to be able to step up to provide deep storage in locations where conventional pumped storage is unable to.

Gavin O’Leary is the Head of Electricity Storage Policy at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Explaining that although the UK has 2.8GW of Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) capacity installed in the form traditional pumped storage across four sites, he said: “We have not found the right model in a privatised electricity grid to incentivise development of storage.” And that’s why the country has gone over four decades without adding to its stockpile of long duration storage.

O’Leary also says, that it takes a long time to build.

Scalable Solution

This section starts with these two paragraphs.

Stephen Crosher is the CEO of RheEnergise, a company that is developing High-Density Hydro. Based on traditional pumped hydro storage, it claims to be solving the challenges the technology faces, such as lack of sites, environmental and social issues around flooding valleys, water abstraction, the time taken to consent and construct, plus distances from generation or demand.

RheEnergise’s solution is a form of gravitational energy storage that pumps proprietary fluid uphill. And with the LDES market predicted to be US$4 billion by 2040, with rapid scaling and exponential growth, Crosher says there is a “huge demand for solutions to solve the problems”.

High Density Hydro, the company believes, is a scalable pumped storage solution for the future.

As I thought so too, I invested a small amount of my pension.

Although RheEnergise looks good, there is one small drawback.

Although they’re “looking for small hills and not mountains” for prospective project sites, Crosher admits that elevation can be a prohibiting factor. Consequently in the UK, flatter areas such as East Anglia, along with other countries such as The Netherlands, won’t provide favourable conditions. However a small hill or mine or mine shaft will suffice. In fact, he said the company is currently assessing a 280m mine shaft in Wales.

But I do like the concept of a non-nuclear heavy water, with a specific gravity of 2.5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 12, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage, Environment, Finance & Investment | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Can A ‘Secret Sauce’ Help Store Renewable Energy?

The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

The US-Israel war with Iran has led to higher electricity bills and put the issue of energy security back in the spotlight.

These two paragraphs add more detail to the story.

Now a pilot project inspired by a 100-year-old idea aims to store renewable energy.

Those behind the high density hydro demonstrator scheme near Plymouth say the technology can “turn small hills into giant batteries”, as part of the transition away from fossil fuels.

This is one of those stories, that could only emerge in the UK.

If you have the time, click on the link to the BBC article and read it in full.

I have a feeling, that the world will be hearing a lot about RheEnergise.

I asked Google AI, “How Much Energy Can A RheEnergise Battery Store”, and received this reply.

A RheEnergise system acts like pumped-storage hydro, using a dense fluid instead of water to store energy.

Planned commercial facilities are designed to store 2 to 16 hours of energy capacity, offering between 10 MW and 50 MW of power generation.

The exact energy storage figures for their deployments scale depending on the site requirements.

The breakdown of how these installations store and yield energy includes:

Commercial-Scale Capacity: A standard commercial site ranging from 10 MW to 50 MW will yield between 20 MWh and 800 MWh of total energy output (based on operating at full capacity for 2 to 16 hours).

The “Secret Sauce”: The system uses a proprietary fluid called R-19, which is 2.5 times denser than water.

This density allows the system to generate 2.5× more power and energy from the same physical footprint and vertical drop compared to traditional water-based facilities.

Real-World Pilot: The company operates a 500 kW demonstrator project at Cornwood near Plymouth, UK. This smaller test-bed, if run continually, generates energy equivalent to powering about 400 homes for an entire year.

Zero Seasonal Losses: Unlike chemical batteries (like lithium-ion) that degrade and lose charge over time, pumped hydro setups suffer virtually zero energy loss while the fluid sits idle.

 

June 12, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Energy Storage | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Future Of Drax Power Station

This first paragraph from the Wikipedia entry for Drax power station gives a factual  description of the power station.

Drax power station is a large biomass power station in Drax, North Yorkshire, England. It has a 2.6 GW capacity for biomass and had a 1.29 GW capacity for coal that was retired in 2021. Its name comes from the nearby village of Drax. It is situated on the River Ouse between Selby and Goole. Its generating capacity of 3,906 megawatts (MW), which includes the shut down coal units, is the highest of any power station in the United Kingdom, providing about 6% of the United Kingdom’s electricity supply.

This second extract from Wikipedia gives details of its current biomass contract and subsidy.

Drax’s subsidy scheme was scheduled to end in 2027, with Drax arguing for an extension to 2030. In February 2025, the UK government extended its operation from 2027 to 2031, but at a reduced 27% maximum load factor using 100% sustainable wood, so it would run “less than half as often as it currently does”, generally only at times of high electricity demand. Drax was given a contract for difference at £113/MWh in 2012 pounds, CPI inflation linked so about £155/MWh in 2025.

Note.

  1. Rishi Sunak’s Government extended the contract.
  2. It will now run on 100% sustainable wood, which includes sources like sawmill residues, forest thinnings and certain agricultural products.
  3. It has a similar type of contract to wind farms and energy storage.

I asked Google AI,”Does Drax Power Station Provide Grid Stability?, and received this answer.

Yes, Drax Power Station—along with its affiliated hydro assets—provides critical grid stability to the UK. As the UK’s power grid shifts toward intermittent renewables like wind and solar, Drax’s dispatchable generation and specialized system support services help maintain a secure electricity network.

The key stability services provided by the Drax portfolio include:

Inertia: Drax’s large spinning turbines and pumped hydro facilities provide vital inertia to the grid. This acts like a shock absorber, helping to control changes in frequency (maintaining 50Hz) and preventing power cuts.

Reactive Power: The facilities help manage voltage support and move power efficiently across different parts of the network.

Dispatchable Power: Unlike weather-dependent generation, Drax’s biomass and hydro plants can be ramped up or down on demand, providing firm capacity and flexible response to real-time grid needs.

Pumped Storage Support: Through its subsidiary Cruachan Power Station in Scotland, Drax operates a pumped hydro storage plant that actively balances supply and demand and holds specialized stability contracts with the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO).

So if you love or loathe the power station, it does a lot more than burn biomass to generate electricity.

Drax Power Station And Eastern Green Link Two

The Eastern Green Link Two web site is here.

This is the sub-heading

Eastern Green Link 2 (known as EGL2) is one of the most significant strategic energy infrastructure developments the UK has seen in recent years, connecting the north of Scotland to Yorkshire via the sea.

These two initial paragraphs gives more details.

EGL2 is a 505km electricity superhighway which will enable the transfer of power from Scotland to England (and vice versa) via a subsea cable. This two-gigawatt high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable is connecting Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and Drax in North Yorkshire and once operational, will carry enough electricity to power two million homes.

EGL2 will scale up the UK’s capacity to transport home-produced clean energy, predominantly from offshore wind, from where it is generated to where there is demand. By doing so it will increase the security, resilience, and stability of the UK’s transmission network.

EGL2 is the second of a planned seven interconnectors between Scotland and the South.

The first was the Western HVDC Link between Hunterston in Scotland and Flintshire Bridge in Wales, which became operational in 2013.

EGL2 will go between Peterhead in Scotland and Drax power station.

So electricity from Scotland will be able to replace up to two GW of the biomass, that Drax power station currently uses as fuel.

Drax And Solar Power

This Google Map shows Drax power station.

If Drax wanted to add solar power to the site, I’m sure it would be possible.

  • There is plenty of space.
  • There is a substantial connection to the electricity grid.

After the purchase of Bluefield Solar Income Fund, Drax probably are well-placed to develop as much solar-power as they need.

 

 

 

 

 

June 3, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Energy Storage | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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?

April 21, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage, Finance & Investment | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Liquid Air Alternative To Fossil Fuels

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC Future Web Site.

It is also one of the best articles, I’ve read on the economics of liquid-air energy storage.

This is the sub-heading.

An overlooked technology for nearly 50 years, the world’s largest liquid air energy storage facility is finally set to power up in 2026. It’s hoping to compete with grid-scale lithium batteries and hydro to store clean power, and reduce the need to fall back on fossil fuels.

These three introductory paragraphs add detail to the project.

As the world’s use of renewable electricity soars, surpassing coal for the first time, the need to store that energy when the Sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing is growing in step. While some turn to grid-scale lithium batteries and others to pumped hydro, a small but growing industry is convinced there’s a better solution still: batteries that rely on air.

Near the village of Carrington in north-west England, the foundations are being laid for the world’s largest commercial-scale liquid air energy storage facility, one of the first of its kind. The site will eventually become an array of industrial machinery and a number of large storage tanks, filled with air that has been compressed and cooled so much it has become a liquid, using renewable energy surplus to demand. The stored energy can be discharged later when demand exceeds supply.

If the project succeeds, more will follow. The site’s developers Highview Power are confident that liquid air energy storage will make it easier for countries to replace fossil fuels with clean renewable energy – though at present, the technology is expensive. But as the need for clean energy storage surges, they’re betting the balance will tip in favour of liquid air.

The BBC article, seems to have been written with input from Shaylin Cetegen, a chemical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who studies energy storage systems.

Topics discussed include.

  • The intermittency problem of renewables and how this gives problems for the stability of electricity grids.
  • The switchable nature of fossil-fuel power generation.
  • A big part of the solution is to store the surplus energy so that it can be released when it’s needed. Think of it like an electricity deposit account!
  • For decades, the main form of energy storage has been pumped hydro. In 2021, the world had 160 GW of pumped hydro capacity. The UK has a total of just 3 GW in Scotland and Wales! But more is on the way!
  • Recently, large-scale battery storage systems have risen to the challenge and installed capacity has risen from 55.7 GW in 2023 to 150 GW / 348 GWh in 2025.
  • The liquid air solution is then explained.
  • A grid-scale stop-gap, that is the 30 MW/300 MWh Manchester hybrid liquid-air battery, is then described.
  • In August 2026, the battery is set to begin operating.
  • An alternative way of stabilising the grid will be provided.
  • It will come online in two stages, says Highview Power CEO Richard Butland.
  • Then in 2027 the liquid air storage is expected to begin fully operating.

Highview Power will make money by trading electricity, as pumped storage operators do.

The penultimate section of the article looks at the bottom line and comes to these conclusions.

Instead, she says governments could support the technology. In her study, subsidising the initial capital costs to set up the systems “could be a viable approach to achieve economic viability in the short term”, she says.

Furthermore, faster uptake of renewables would increase energy price volatility, making energy storage more economically viable.

Cetegen makes a final point in favour of liquid air energy storage: it’s cheap. Energy storage technologies are often assessed using a metric called the “levelised cost of storage”, which estimates how much each unit of stored energy costs over the lifespan of the project. For liquid air, this can be as low as $45 (£34) per megawatt-hour – compared to $120 (£89) for pumped hydro and $175 (£130) for lithium-ion batteries.

“While none of these storage methods are likely economically viable right now without policy support, liquid air energy storage stands out as a particularly cost-effective option for large-scale storage,” Cotegen says.

Ultimately, Butland expects electricity grids to rely on a mix of storage technologies. Pumped hydro is extremely effective and works for decades, but it’s location-dependent because it needs a water supply. Meanwhile, batteries are highly efficient and can be placed anywhere, but need to be replaced after about 10 years. Liquid air has the advantage that it can store energy for longer than batteries, with minimal losses.

As any country enters the green transition, its electricity grid needs to be remodelled to cope. “We’re rebuilding all grids globally, based on new generation,” says Butland. And that could well mean a lot of liquid air energy storage.

 

March 21, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage | , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Polanski And Farage Don’t Agree. But They Have More In Common Than You Might Think

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC, by Laura Kuenssberg.

It is very much a must read article comparing two of the most controversial party leaders in the UK.

This is the sub-heading.

One is a former stockbroker from the south who, by his own proud admission, loves smoking, drinking and women. The other’s a proud vegan, gay, northern former actor, who told me he’d never drunk a drop.

These first three paragraphs add detail to the story.

But the jubilant Zack Polanski and Nigel Farage have rather a lot in common.

Before you scream, burst out laughing, or think I have lost my marbles, of course, there are very big differences between them.

The Greens talk about a climate emergency. Reform UK calls the government green plans, “net stupid zero”.

This is Laura’s summing up of the Terrible Twins.

Their views on the cause of Britain’s pain vary wildly.

The Greens might point the finger at the super-rich, the “donor billionaires” they often cite. Reform often blames immigration, which they controversially characterise as an “invasion” of people arriving in the UK without permission.

But both parties feed off and stir up sentiment that’s felt by lots of the public: that Britain doesn’t work any more.

Whether it’s the new Green MP saying “working hard used to get you something” in her victory speech, or Nigel Farage repeatedly telling us “Britain is broken”, the same argument flows from both: that the country is in such a dreadful state that only new political saviours can fix it.

And both Reform and the Greens are willing to push the conventions of what traditional UK politicians would find acceptable – or what they believe would make them electable.

That’s not just about their image or the unstuffy ways they court publicity – Nigel Farage willingly going into the I’m A Celebrity jungle, or Zack Polanski being seen on a dance floor in campaign videos – but how they choose to focus on sensitive issues, where others might not choose to tread.

I would disagree that Britain is broken, but that it needs someone with sensible policies that everybody can get behind.

The Greens policies on the super-rich would drive anybody with ambition and money from this country and already countries like Canada are advertising for migrants.

With two immigrant lines, Farage is everything my father thought was bad about Oswald Mosley and his fascists in the 1930s. If a Reform UK Government started rounding up illegal immigrants on the streets, the violence would probable be enormous.

 

How Much Renewable Energy Will The UK Be Generating By 2030?

I have to admit, that whether you like the Tories or not, they have developed an energy generation policy and an energy relationship with Germany, that appears to be working and is allowing the current Government to do a bit of spending on defence and other needs.

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this reply.

The UK government has set an ambitious target to reach 95% low-carbon electricity generation by 2030, aiming for a system driven by 43-50 GW of offshore wind, 27-29 GW of onshore wind, and 45-47 GW of solar power. This plan aims to dramatically reduce fossil fuel reliance, supported by 23-27 GW of battery capacity.

Key 2030 Renewable Energy Projections & Targets:

Total Clean Power Goal: The goal is 95% of electricity from low-carbon sources (renewables and nuclear) by 2030, up from roughly 74% in 2024.

Offshore Wind: Target of 43-50 GW, deemed crucial to powering the grid.

Onshore Wind: Target of 27-29 GW, with recent policy changes lifting bans to accelerate development.

Solar Power: Target of 45-47 GW, aiming to triple current capacity.

Flexibility: 23-27 GW of battery capacity and 4-6 GW of long-duration storage are needed to manage intermittency.

Challenges and Forecasts:

Shortfall Risks: While the government target is high, some projections suggest wind and solar may only account for 44% of generation by 2030, requiring significant acceleration to reach the 95% clean goal.

Investment Needs: Achieving these goals requires an estimated £48 billion in additional investment, on top of planned projects.

Progress: In 2024, renewable sources already hit a record of over 50% in certain quarters, with low-carbon sources overall (including nuclear) providing nearly 70% of generation.

My Thoughts

I will add some of my thoughts.

Electricity Demand: As I write, according to National Grid: Live it is 33.3 GW, which is met by with Production of 27.1 GW and Transfers of 6.2 GW.

Electricity Production: In 2030, I believe that if the UK has long-term battery capacity of something like 4 GW/40 GWh, that total UK electricity production could be upwards of 125 GW.

Hinckley Point C Power Station: This should add 1.6 GW in 2030 and 2031 to further boost UK electricity production.

Pumped Storage Hydro: In How Much Pumped Storage Hydro Will Be Operational In The UK By 2030?, I estimate that the Bank of England standard of energy storage, will add 5 GW of electricity production.

Highview Power: Highview Power are developing long duration liquid-air energy storage and have identified locations for sixteen 300 MW/3.2 GWh monsters.

Excess Electricity Production: This will be exported, either as electricity or after conversion to hydrogen. It will be a Magic Money Forest for the victor of the General Election in 2029.

If Hinckley Point C, the pumped storage hydro and Highview Power’s batteries work as their engineers hope, then the result of the next General Election will be predictable.

It is certainly, Kier Starmer’s to win, by getting the energy right!

Highview Power And The 2029 General Election

Every extra GWh added to energy storage has the following affect.

It will mean that more wind farms will not have to be switched in times of high wind and over production, as the electricity can be stored.

At the present time, there are four ways of storing energy.

  1. Turn it into hydrogen. But the Hindenberg did a good PR job for not using hydrogen.
  2. Store it in a pumped storage hydro system, but these have problems with their large land use.
  3. Store it in a large lithium battery, but these have problems  with fire risks and need a large amount of expensive lithium.
  4. Store it in one of Highview Power’s liquid air batteries.

I believe that Highview Power’s liquid-air long duration batteries, have several advantages.

  • They are built from readily available components.
  • They can be scaled to the need at the location, where they are installed.
  • A small one is 50 MW/300 MWh and a large one is 300 MW/3.2 GWh.
  • The batteries come with grid stabilisation and other features.
  • The batteries have a lifespan of greater than 50 years
  • The energy storage fluid, is captured from the air.
  • They are a product, that would be easy to finance in quantity.
  • Goldman Sachs is an investor.
  • A village with a power problem could fund a Highview Power battery and have a nice little earner, with perhaps a wind turbine on a nearby hill.
  • Centrica is an investor.

If a politician were to understand it, it could wind them the next General Election.

 

 

February 28, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage, World | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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