Air-Powered Energy Storage Knocks Out Coal & Gas — Wait, What?
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on CleanTechnica.
After reading, this must read article, it could have had a title with Knocks Out Coal, Gas and Nuclear.
It makes a passionate article for Highview Power’s long term air-powered energy storage and other systems with a similar energy profile like Form Energy.
It also showed this good graphic from Highview Power, which shows how their system works.
This paragraph gives Highview’s view on what their CRYObatteries will do.
Grid operators are turning to long-duration energy storage to improve power generation economics, balance the grid, and increase reliability. At giga-scale, CRYOBatteries paired with renewables are equivalent in performance to – and could replace – thermal and nuclear baseload power in addition to supporting electricity transmission and distribution systems while providing additional security of supply,” enthuses Highview.
The author then chips in with the attitude of the US Department of Energy.
Don’t just take their word for it. The US Department of Energy is eyeballing long duration energy storage for the sparkling green grid of the future despite all the hot air blowing out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
In an interesting twist, the Energy Department’s interest in long duration storage was initially connected to its interest in at least preserving, if not growing, the nation’s aging fleet of nuclear power plants.
Will renewables be able to see off nuclear in a country with plenty of sun and/or wind like the United States?
Conclusion
With a lot of help from their friends in the long term energy storage business, the answer must be yes!
Nikola Badger
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Business Insider.
This is the sub-title of the article.
An electric pickup truck with a longer range than Tesla’s Cybertruck will soon be up for pre-order — check out the Nikola Badger.
From the picture in the article, it certainly seems to have the right style.
Could this be the vehicle that promotes the growth of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel in the United States?
But not just in the United States!
I lived in rural Suffolk for forty years and I can think of several people, for whom this truck would be the ideal business pickup, that gave the right image to their customers.
Hydrogen Infrastructure
A hydrogen vehicle is no good without infrastructure.
This is a paragraph from the article.
Nikola also announced that it is planning on opening 700 hydrogen stations in North America.
In Startup Nikola Bets Hydrogen Will Finally Break Through With Big Rigs, I said this.
They will also make their hydrogen filling station network available to car makes.
I think this is the way to go.
US Deployed 98MW / 208MWh Of Energy Storage During First Quarter Of 2020
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Energy Storage News.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Research firm Wood Mackenzie has held onto its forecast that the US will deploy around 7GW of energy storage annually by 2025 and found that 97.5MW / 208MWh of storage was installed during the first quarter of this year.
The United States may be led by a President, who doesn’t believe in global warming, but individuals and businesses in the country seem to believe in battery storage and the benefits it brings.
This is an interesting paragraph from the article.
The overall deployments were also down in megawatt-hour terms: 208MWh in total was a 43% decrease quarter-on-quarter and down 34% year-on-year. Wood Mackenzie found that this was due to a majority of front-of-the-meter projects coming online being short duration energy storage. This meant that FTM storage accounted for 13% of Q1 2020 deployments in megawatt-hours but for 22% of the total megawatts deployed.
Front-of-the-meter storage is mainly used to maintain supplies, when demand is going up and down like a yo-yo in an area. Companies like Gresham House Energy Sorage Fund seem to be funding these batteries in the UK. Gravutricity, Highview Power and Zinc8 also seem to be targeting this market.
Conclusion
It would appear that the energy storage market is healthy on both sides of the Atlantic
After Coronavirus, What’s Next? China: More Coal, US: More Oil, EU: More Renewables
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on CleanTechnica.
The title says it all, but read the article to get the detail.
Hydrogen Pilot Projects Could Eventually Boost Nuclear Plants’ Bottom Lines
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Energy News Network.
The article discusses in depth. how producing hydrogen can help to improve the economics of nuclear power plants in the Mid-West, with particular reference to a plant called Davis-Besse at Oak Harbor, Ohio.
Renewable Roundup: Big Banks Lining Up To Finance Big Batteries
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Red, Green and Blue.
This is the introductory paragraph.
We’ve reached a significant tipping point in how the battery storage market is financed, shifting from expensive private equity investments to ordinary bank finance. Which will be another factor leading to a terawatt of storage by 2040.
The article contains an impressive graph showing the growth of energy storage world-wide, broken down into China, United States and the Rest of the World, showing that by 2040, there’ll be that terawatt of storage.
There are also some stories of companies trying to get funding for battery projects in the United States, which enforce the message of the title.
But then, I wrote World’s Largest Wind Farm Attracts Huge Backing From Insurance Giant in 2018, where I said this.
Aviva will have a billion pounds invested in wind farms by the end of the year.
As ever, it looks like, it has taken longer for the penny to drop on the other side of the pond.
But at least it seems to have finally done so!
China And US Snub Global Talks On Vaccine
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times.
Judging by the list of those that turned up to the talks, the United States and China care less about the health of their people and the wider world than Saudi Arabia.
Global Oil Storage Close To Being ‘Overwhelmed’
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Ships, pipelines and storage tanks holding surplus oil could be “overwhelmed” within weeks as the coronavirus pandemic causes unprecedented drops in fuel usage, the International Energy Agency warned yesterday.
So what are we going to do?
I can’t see Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United States cutting oil production.
But that is what must happen!
The NHS And Prices For US Drugs
On the BBC’s Wake Up To Money this morning, an NHS expert; Helen Buckingham, from the Nuffield Trust, talked about the NHS and the prices for drugs, developed and produced in the United States. These are points Helen made.
- Various people in the US, would like the UK to pay the US price.
- The UK price is determined because the NHS is a bit customer and tends to buy centrally.
- In the US, it is illegal for hospitals and health organisations to deal as a group.
- Countries like Australia get their drugs at a good price from the United States under the recent trade deal.
Obviously, this is how I read, what Helen said, so if you’re really interested listen to the podcast.
Nothing Changes
The Americans never change, when it comes to the crimes and misdemeanours of their diplomats, forces personnel and their families in the United Kingdom.
Over the last few days, the case of the death of Harry Dunn, by a stupid driver reportedly on the wrong side of the road, has come to attention on the news.
Perhaps, twenty-five years ago, C and myself were at a dinner party given by a Chinese friend and we got talking to a retired Chief Constable from East Anglia, who C knew through various legal connections.
At the time, there had just been a fatal road crash involving a United States serviceman, near one of the many bases and there was a row going on, as the suspect had been whisked back home.
I remember the retired Policeman saying that it was always happening and justice was rarely seen to be done.
The Anonymous Widower 