UK and US announce new energy partnership

The UK and US will work together to increase energy security and drive down prices, as part of a new energy partnership.

The UK and US will work together to increase energy security and drive down prices, as part of an initiative announced by the Prime Minister and US President Biden today (7th December).

Under the new ‘UK-US Energy Security and Affordability Partnership’, the UK and US will drive work to reduce global dependence on Russian energy exports, stabilise energy markets and step up collaboration on energy efficiency, nuclear and renewables. The initiative will be steered by a new UK-US Joint Action Group, led by senior officials from the UK Government and the White House.

This new partnership follows the Prime Minister and President Biden’s meeting at the G20 Summit in Indonesia, where they agreed to take forward work to address our short-term energy needs and spearhead efforts to speed up our energy transition.

Putin’s war in Ukraine has caused an international spike in energy prices. To help deal with the resulting rise in the cost of living, the group will work to ensure the market delivers sustained increases in the supply of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) to UK terminals from the US and will collaborate on energy efficiency measures. 

As part of this, the US will strive to export at least 9-10 billion cubic metres of LNG over the next year via UK terminals, more than doubling the level exported in 2021 and capitalising on the UK’s leading import infrastructure. This will be good for both UK and European partners as we look to replenish gas storage next year. To fulfil this shared objective, both governments will work to proactively identify and resolve any issues faced by exporters and importers.

The group will also work to reduce global reliance on Russian energy by driving efforts to increase energy efficiency and supporting the transition to clean energy, expediting the development of clean hydrogen globally and promoting civil nuclear as a secure use of energy.

The Prime Minister said:

Together the UK and US will ensure the global price of energy and the security of our national supply can never again be manipulated by the whims of a failing regime.

We have the natural resources, industry and innovative thinking we need to create a better, freer system and accelerate the clean energy transition. This partnership will bring down prices for British consumers and help end Europe’s dependence on Russian energy once and for all.

The partnership will build on the work of the UK-US Strategic Energy Dialogue led by energy ministers, with a focus on gas supply, energy efficiency, civil nuclear and clean energy.

On civil nuclear, the partnership will promote nuclear energy as a safe and reliable part of the clean energy transition. This includes deepening global collaboration on nuclear fuels and advanced nuclear technologies.

The partnership will also drive international investment in clean energy technologies, from offshore wind to carbon capture. This will complement the work the UK and US are doing together with G7 partners to support the use of clean and sustainable energy in developing countries through the Just Energy Transition Partnerships.

In tandem with shoring up security of energy supply, the group will exchange best practice and work on measures to increase energy efficiency and reduce demand for gas. It is already estimated that there could be an 8% reduction in demand for gas in the UK this winter. The Joint Action Group will explore policy solutions to enhance this efficiency, building on UK Government initiatives such as the Help to Heat Programme.

The initiative will pursue innovative energy solutions, such as the decarbonisation of the aerospace industry and development of sustainable aviation fuel technologies, collaborative efforts on electric vehicles, and Energy Smart Appliances.

We will also continue our close collaboration on Carbon Capture Usage and Storage, and progress the Clean Hydrogen Mission. The UK and US are already co-leads of the Hydrogen Breakthrough Agenda, a flagship initiative to push forward clean hydrogen internationally.

source

ABB E-Mobility and MAN take to next phase of electromobility

Electric vehicle charging solutions provider ABB E-mobility is combining with MAN to forge further into zero-emissions heavy vehicle production

Heavy vehicle brand MAN Truck & Bus and charging solutions provider for electric vehicles ABB E-mobility are combining to produce special technical features for transport moving forward.

On the site of the former Berlin Tempelhof Airport, in the presence of German Federal Minister for Digital and Transport Dr. Volker Wissing, MAN Truck & Bus had a near-series prototype of its upcoming electric truck driven in public for the first time.

A special technical feature of the trailblazing electric commercial vehicle, which will be launched on the market in 2024, is its capacity for future megawatt charging.

ABB E-mobility aims to bring megawatt charging technology to market maturity in the next three years and is combining with MAN to accelerate its electromobility phase.

The two companies are aiming for operational capability for heavy-duty long-haul trucking with daily ranges between 600 and 800 kilometres.

Both say they are signalling that the industry is ready to proceed, and that legislators must establish the policy framework for zero-emission road haulage.

"We need to decarbonize road freight transport to achieve our climate targets. To make this happen, we are focusing above all on the market ramp-up of climate friendly commercial vehicles and the development of a corresponding high-performance charging infrastructure," German federal digital and transport minister Dr. Volker Wissing says.

"The project we are supporting on high-performance charging for e-trucks on the A2 is providing important learnings. What is important now is to get more e-trucks on the road quickly. The partnership between MAN and ABB shows that we are on the right track."

During the minister's test drive in the MAN electric vehicle, MAN CEO Alexander Vlaskamp says the accelerating expansion of charging infrastructure is key to evolve transport and meet climate targets.

He says MAN is relying on battery-electric powertrains in all transport for future carbon-free commercial vehicle fleets due to its lower operating costs and better overall energy footprint.

"As part of the Traton Group, we are already participating in a joint venture with industry partners to develop and operate a high-performance public charging network with a target of at least 1,700 green electricity charging points across Europe," Vlaskamp says.

To enable long-distance daily ranges between 600 and 800 kilometres, the MAN electric truck, due to be launched in 2024, is already equipped with the technical prerequisites for future megawatt charging systems. ABB E-mobility, as a leading global provider of charging solutions, intends to bring such charging systems to market quickly.

"We aim to facilitate electromobility in all areas. At ABB E-mobility we have been working on developing the corresponding performance standards for many years," ABB E-mobility CEO Frank Mühlon says.  

"Megawatt charging will require new power technology with more than 1,000 volts, so systemic electrical safety and reliability are essential at these power levels and for the foreseeable use cases.

"ABB E-mobility is the ideal provider to take on these challenges, as we can significantly accelerate research and development based on our existing technologies. Our shared ambition is to bring this new technology to market within three years. In the past, such development phases have often taken much longer."

ABB says a binding and uniform standard is also crucial for the introduction of megawatt charging technology.

The E-mobility company says Germany could set benchmarks with than 20 partners from industry and science, including MAN and ABB, working on the high-performance charging project (known as "HoLa" in German).

The project is funded by the German government and is the world's first megawatt charging project. Two high-performance charging points with megawatt charging systems (MCS) are being built at four locations along the A2 federal highway. The project is intended to serve as the basis for nationwide expansion.

source

Cummins invests $24M in flow battery leader VoltStorage

Cummins has invested $24 million in Germany-based VoltStorage, a developer of stationary flow batteries. The company says that it has the largest fleet of operating flow batteries in the world.

Cummins is committed to developing a range of solutions that will enable our customers’ success as we advance our Destination Zero strategy and decarbonize our diverse markets. By investing in VoltStorage, we are taking steps to advance solutions focused on the grid and energy storage.

—Jennifer Rumsey, President and COO, Cummins

Headquartered in Munich, VoltStorage was founded in 2016 by Jakob Bitner, Michael Peither and Felix Kiefl. VoltStorage develops and produces commercial storage systems based on the particularly ecological vanadium redox flow technology for commercial and agricultural enterprises. In addition, the international research and development team is working on the low-cost iron-salt battery, the properties of which make it particularly suitable for ensuring base load capability for wind and solar farms.

With the development of the iron-salt technology, the company is setting new standards in the field of long-duration energy storage, offering wind and solar farms a highly cost-effective and resource-saving option for ensuring base load capability.

According to VoltStorage, Cummins’ investment will go toward developing larger-scale redox flow storage systems for commercial and agricultural enterprises and residential neighborhoods. In addition, product development of the iron-salt technology will be accelerated towards commercialization.

Iron-Salt technology is a highly temperature-resistant battery technology that can be used worldwide, even in climatically challenging regions. In addition, the storage system can be connected to existing infrastructures in a space-saving and decentralized manner, which additionally ensures the self-sufficient functionality of the storage solution and increases reliability.

The iron-salt redox flow battery unit is based on two battery half-cells through which liquid electrolyte is pumped in independent cycles. The half-cells are separated by a membrane and together form the full battery cell. The electrolyte is enriched with iron chloride.

During charging or discharging, ions and electrons are transferred between the two half-cells, storing, or releasing energy in the electrolyte. In the uncharged state, both cells have identical oxidation levels; charging leads to reducing the electrolyte in one half-cell and oxidizing electrolyte in the other. Within the negative half-cell, the iron in the electrolyte is deposited as metal on the electrode.

The battery capacity is dependent on the iron deposition: an increasing amount of iron deposition leads to a higher capacity. The reaction is fully reversible, and iron is re-dissolved in the electrolyte during discharging.

Finkley Energy works with Cummins and offers their products to customers for their projects and installations.

source

Battery player picks Netherlands for EU gigafactory

Eurocell intends to hit full capacity as early as 2025 supplying energy storage and emobility markets.

Anglo-South Korean battery company Eurocell has confirmed that it is in advanced discussions to build its first European gigafactory in the Netherlands, to supply energy storage and emobility markets in the region.

Eurocell intends to construct its new factory in two phases reaching full capacity as early as 2025.

The first phase will produce battery cells at scale by early 2023 for existing European customers.

The second phase, potentially on the same site, will be capable of producing more than 40 million cells per year by 2025.

Representing an initial investment of $800m rising to $2bn by 2028 to support the energy storage market in Europe, Eurocell said the gigafactory will create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, transferring vital skills from Korean battery experts, as well as boosting the economy in this strategic sector crucial to achieving the Netherlands’ and Europe’s net zero ambitions.

Eurocell will produce “production ready” technologies in just 12 months, “far faster” than other gigafactories, using its proven battery product which is verified and validated for scaled-up manufacturing.

Nick Clay, Chief Commercial Officer, Eurocell EMEA, said: “With rapid expansion plans in Europe, Eurocell is encouraged by the positive engagement we have had with both the Dutch Government and NOM investment and development agency for the Northern Netherlands over the last few months.

“As we enter the final stages of discussions, we are confident that we will be able to confirm the exact location of our first European Gigafactory in the near future.”

Eurocell’s batteries, developed in South Korea, can last “over 10 times longer” than conventional lithium ion cells, making them “far more sustainable, with no ‘end of life’ issues and perfect for ESS applications given it is also 100% safe”.

Finkley Energy supports the initiative and we are always ready to provide our customers with efficient battery solutions.

Finkley Energy provides engineering and distribution services to clients worldwide focusing on power generation, power supply, grid efficiency, infrastructure and industrial projects delivering high-quality products and solutions from the world’s leading manufacturers.

source

JDR secures final grant agreement for UK cable factory

JDR Cable Systems has reached final agreement under the UK government’s Offshore Wind Manufacturing Scheme on financial support for its new subsea cable manufacturing facility in the Cambois, Northumberland.

The agreement means JDR is on track to begin construction in summer 2022, with a planned opening in 2024.

The new £130m UK Export Finance Export Development Guarantee is set to create 171 high-quality local jobs on completion while safeguarding 270 jobs at JDR’s existing facilities, JDR said.

The new facility is the first stage of JDR’s plans to expand its product portfolio to support the growing global renewable energy market, adding high voltage export and long length array cables to its existing capacity and product capabilities, it added.

The cable manufacturer will also invest £3m into its existing facility at Hartlepool, with the installation of a new vertical layup machine (VLM).

The VLM is nearly double the weight capacity and increases production capacity at Hartlepool by approximately 25%, readying the facility for manufacture of array cables above its current 66 kV product range, with the addition of 132kV and 150kV cabling planned at the facility.

BEIS Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “Our offshore wind sector is a major industrial success story that delivers cheaper energy for consumers and high-quality manufacturing jobs across the UK.

“Investments such as this from JDR, with government backing, are exactly the kind which our British Energy Security Strategy will attract, while reducing our exposure to volatile global gas prices.”

JDR chief executive officer Tomasz Nowak said: “Since our initial announcement in September last year, the UK has redoubled its commitment to net zero having hosted COP 26 and reaffirmed the importance of building out the country’s renewable infrastructure and supply chain in light of the current gas and energy crises.

“Now more than ever it’s critical to push forward with the UK’s offshore energy ambitions and we are delighted to take this major step forward in delivering the new site at Blyth.”

Minister for Investment Gerry Grimstone said: "JDR's investment in Blyth shows how attractive the UK's renewable energy sector is, supporting jobs, growing the economy and levelling up the UK.

“Through our ambitious Energy Security Strategy this government is helping reduce our reliance on oil and gas, and bringing more clean, green power to the nation.”

Advance Northumberland chair Jeff Watson said: "This is a fantastic milestone for JDR Cable Systems investment into Northumberland.

“The new state of the art subsea cable production facility will lead to the creation of over 170 new green jobs in the County, solidify our status as a leading investment location in the UK for renewable energy as well directly contribute to the Governments net zero agenda"

JDR chief strategy officer James Young said: “The energy transition will only accelerate, meaning more power from larger turbines, installed farther offshore and with higher voltage subsea cables to connect them.

“The North East of England is the ideal base from which to serve the largest offshore renewable energy market in Europe, and we’re delighted to be able to announce these major investments in both Blyth and our existing facility at Hartlepool.”

source

1 GW UK-France link goes live and looks forward to Its first auctions

Getlink (Paris:GET) is proud to announce that ElecLink has successfully completed its full go-live preparations and is now able to launch its commercial operations in liaison with National Grid and RTE.

ElecLink, the 1GW HVDC electricity interconnector between France and the UK is green by nature, with no interference with the marine ecosystem. ElecLink will help promote security of supply, decarbonisation, and affordability of consumer energy bills.

The first power flow will be transferred over the 52km long cable installed into the Channel Tunnel on the 25 of May 2022, a world premiere.

Yann Leriche, Chief Executive Officer of Getlink, said: “The official launch of ElecLink’s activity rewards the dedication of the whole staff of the Group. Given the current unprecedented volatility and uncertainty in electricity prices in the UK and France the go live of ElecLink could not come at a better time for energy consumers across both countries.”

The world’s longest subsea cable will send clean energy from Morocco to the UK

A 10.5 gigawatt (GW) solar and wind farm will be built in Morocco’s Guelmim-Oued Noun region, and it will supply the UK with clean energy via subsea cables. The twin 1.8 GW high voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cables will be the world’s longest.

Subsea cable manufacturer XLCC is going to build a factory in Hunterston, Scotland, and its first output will be for the Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project. It will supply four 2,361-mile-long (3,800 km) subsea cables, with the first phase between 2025-2027 connecting wind and solar power generated in Morocco to Alverdiscott, North Devon.

This initiative is going to nearly double the world’s current production of HVDC cable manufacturing.

The world’s longest undersea cables will need 90,000 metric tons of steel, and XLCC signed the UK Steel Charter at Parliament this week, in which it committed to using British steel.

UK-based renewables company Xlinks is the project’s developer. The Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project, as it’s known, will cover an area of around 579 square miles (1,500 square kilometers) in Morocco and will be connected exclusively to the UK via 2,361 miles (3,800 km) of HVDC subsea cables. They’ll follow the shallow water route from Morocco to the UK, past Spain, Portugal, and France.

The project will cost $21.9 billion. Xlinks will construct 7 GW of solar and 3.5 GW of wind, along with onsite 20GWh/5GW battery storage, in Morocco. The transmission cable will consist of four cables. The first cable will be active in early 2027, and the other three are slated to launch in 2029. An agreement has been reached with the National Grid for two 1.8GW connections at Alverdiscott in Devon.

Xlinks says that the Morocco-UK Power Project will be capable of powering a whopping 7 million UK homes by 2030. Once complete, the project will be capable of supplying 8% of Britain’s electricity needs.

The project is expected to create nearly 10,000 jobs in Morocco, and 2,000 of those positions will be permanent.

source

UK to supercharge renewables in new energy security drive

The UK is to accelerate the construction of new wind and solar projects as part of a new British Energy Security Strategy that will be published this month.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the blueprint, being drawn up in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, will see the country "double down on new wind power and greatly accelerate the rollout of new offshore wind".

“We will do more to exploit the potential of solar power," added Johnson, writing in today's Daily Telegraph.

“Even in this country, solar power is remarkably cheap and effective. We will modernise our grid and our distribution networks.”

At the heart of the strategy is “green energy of all kinds”, said Johnson.

Johnson said the UK’s ambition to go for net zero “is not the problem”, adding that renewable power, which is getting more efficient, is a part of the solution.

The United States has announced a ban on imports of Russian oil and the UK will be doing the same, he stated, while adding the UK will work with the EU in its mission to rid itself of Russian hydrocarbons.

“Renewables are the quickest and cheapest route to greater energy independence.

“They are invulnerable to Putin's manipulations. He may have his hand on the taps for oil and gas. But there is nothing he can do to stop the North Sea wind,” Johnson said.

Johnson said it is “crazy” that the UK is importing oil and gas from Russia, when it has its own resources in the North Sea.

“It is time to give investors more confidence in British hydrocarbons … and we will need hydrocarbons to make hydrogen - the low carbon fuel that has perhaps the greatest potential of all.”

As well as mentioning blue hydrogen in his article, Johnson also said Britain’s energy strategy will include nuclear, including “small modular reactors as well as the larger power stations”.

“So now is the time to make a series of big new bets on nuclear power,” he said.

"Putin's strength - his vast resource of hydrocarbons - is also his weakness. He has virtually nothing else. Putin's Russia makes little that the rest of the world wants to buy. If the world can end its dependence on Russian oil and gas, we can starve him of cash, destroy his strategy and cut him down to size," added Johnson.

"We need to take back control. This month, I will set out a British Energy Security Strategy - how the UK will become more self-sufficient, and no longer at the mercy of bullies like Putin.

"At the heart of the strategy is green energy of all kinds."

source

Schneider Electric acquires renewable energy platform Zeigo to expand digital procurement capabilities globally

The acquisition will complement Schneider Electric’s portfolio of clean energy services and solutions and advance the company’s digital energy transformation ambitions.

“Zeigo is delighted to join forces with Schneider Electric to continue to accelerate the digital clean energy revolution,” said Zeigo founder and CEO Juan Pablo Cerda. “Together, we will bring innovative energy solutions to even more companies, to drive impact as they embark on their decarbonization journey.”

Renewable energy procurement surges as net-zero ambitions reach tipping point

Organizations face increasing pressure to decarbonize as climate risks and global ambitions for an equitable energy transition both accelerate. For the past 10 years, one of the most common and effective means for companies to begin to decarbonize has been utility-scale renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs). To date, organizations have voluntarily purchased more than 77 gigawatts of wind, solar, and geothermal power via PPA.

The demand for PPAs is expected to grow as net-zero ambitions accelerate globally. More than 2,000 companies have already joined the Science-based Targets Initiative with the intention of mapping their decarbonization aspirations to a 1.5 degree Celsius global warming threshold. A further 300+ corporations have joined the Climate Group’s RE100, committing to achieve 100% renewable energy in their operations. Taken in total, these commitments have led Bloomberg New Energy Finance to predict a shortfall in corporate renewable energy of 269 terawatt-hours by 2030.

Mind + machine approach advances the energy procurement process

Renewable energy procurement is time-consuming and complicated, requiring significant expert evaluation of projects and risks alongside the satisfaction of stakeholders up to and including corporate boards. By combining Zeigo’s AI capabilities with its existing best-in-class advisory services, Schneider Electric will deploy enhanced collaborative intelligence in the energy and environmental commodity procurement process, an ideal complement to existing Schneider Electric solutions for aggregation and digital platforms EcoStruxure™ Resource Advisor and NEO Network™

“As the world’s largest advisor to corporations on renewable energy procurement, we know that speed and complexity are two of the barriers that keep some corporations out of the PPA market,” said Steve Wilhite, SVP for Schneider Electric’s Sustainable Business Division. “By adding the Zeigo technology and team to our existing portfolio of services and solutions, we will be able to provide even greater value to our clients worldwide. My congratulations to Zeigo on this significant milestone.”

Schneider Electric’s command of renewable energy market continues

The acquisition of the Zeigo machine learning algorithm and 20-person team further contributes to Schneider Electric’s market leadership as the world’s largest and most experienced corporate renewable energy advisor. The company commands a leading market share in the US, Europe, Australia, and emerging geographies like Brazil and its global experts have supported the execution of more than 13,000 megawatts of corporate PPAs since 2014. Schneider’s team has also been responsible for the development of first-of-its-kind, best-in-class programs like the recently announced Energize consortium for the pharmaceutical supply chain. Schneider Electric itself was recognized in 2021 by the Corporate Knights Global 100 Index as the world’s most sustainable company.

ABB and UK Power Networks switch to a sustainable future

UK Power Networks has commissioned ABB to supply the world’s first 36kV medium-voltage double busbar AirPlus Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS).

It features AirPlus gas, which acts as an insulator between the electrical contacts with almost zero global warming impact.

As part of its Environmental Action Plan to pass on a sustainable planet for future generations, the UK’s biggest electricity distributor, UK Power Networks has announced plans to use AirPlus, ABB’s innovative sustainable alternative to SF6 switchgear, at its substation in Kent.

As Europe moves towards tighter regulation on the traditional gas (SF6,) used in switchgear, ABB’s AirPlus provides a compelling eco alternative. Unlike SF6, which is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 23,500 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2)), ABB’s AirPlus gas has almost zero global warming impact. It is designed to drive high reliability and fulfill upcoming environmental regulations for segments like utilities.

Commenting on the installation, Alessandro Palin, President of ABB’s Distribution Solutions division explained: “As part of our 2030 Sustainability Strategy, ABB is committed to helping customers and suppliers reduce their emissions.

“AirPlus is a key part of this strategy, and we are proud to work together with utilities such as UK Power Networks to make the switch to eco alternatives, that not only provide reliable power but will also protect our planet. A pioneer in this field, ABB has installed thousands of SF6-free solutions globally. Moving from SF6 to an SF6-free portfolio is an important milestone towards enabling a low carbon society.”

Transitioning to AirPlus will help UK Power Networks to achieve its sustainability targets, as it offers the same footprint and similar performance as an SF6 switchgear and operates at lower-tank pressures. The higher the voltages, the higher the pressure in the switchgear, but thanks to AirPlus, ABB’s switchgear can handle the pressure, having a safe low-pressure design with similar dielectric insulation benefits and footprint as an SF6 switchgear.

The double busbar design gives the additional benefit of reliability by reducing the risk of unplanned down-time and offering more flexibility in sharing the power load.

In addition to enhancing the collaboration with UK Power Networks, this contract confirms the acceptance of AirPlus technology as a reliable alternative to SF6 for utilities in the UK. A complete switchgear solution will be delivered to the company’s substation in Dartford, Kent, before the end of 2021.

Barry Hatton, Director of Asset Management at UK Power Networks, said: “We have clear goals to reduce the environmental impact of our operations and help enable the country’s transition to net zero carbon emissions, while maintaining reliable electricity supplies for more than eight million homes and businesses. Our new AirPlus switchgear supports our strategy and delivery of our Environmental Action Plan.”

ABB was one of the first companies to offer SF6-free switchgear solutions for MV ranges up to 40.5 kV, with the largest global installed base of over 5,000 ecoGIS switchgear installations since 2015.

source

UK Port Set for Revival with Plans to Recycle Old Rigs into Foundations for Floating Wind Farms

UK’s Ardersier Port, which was one of the largest oil rig fabrication yards in the world employing up to 4,500 workers, is now set to be transformed into Europe’s first fully circular energy transition facility where old oil rigs will be recycled to make foundations for floating offshore wind farms in a move expected to generate thousands of jobs.

The unused Ardersier Port located 14 miles east of Inverness stretches at over 400 acres and, with more than a kilometre of quayside, it is the largest brownfield port in the UK. It is now being transformed into an energy transition facility by its new owners as the work on a GBP 20 million (EUR 23.5 million), nine-month ‘capital dredge’ is about to begin, expected to remove 2.5 million cubic metres of sand.

The port is owned by Steve Regan, a former chief executive of civil engineering firm Careys, and business partner Tony O’Sullivan, who purchased the site earlier this year but the acquisition fee was not disclosed. They set up Ardersier Port in May and registered the business in Fraserburgh.

Over the next five years, the port’s owners will deliver an oil rig decommissioning facility and a waste from energy recovery facility. They will also deliver a GBP 300 million green steel plant, powered by offshore wind and energy from waste, a concrete production plant utilising dredged sand from the port and by-products from the steel plant and energy from waste facility, as well as a dedicated floating wind hub for concrete floating wind foundation manufacturing.

This, according to owners, will create the largest floating wind foundation fabrication, manufacturing and assembly facility in the UK – in an offshore wind market predicted to deliver 29,000 jobs and GBP 43.6 billion to the UK economy by 2050.

source

Rolls-Royce mini-nuclear power plant design gets UK state backing

An industrial consortium led by Rolls-Royce, the UK aircraft manufacturer, and the British taxpayer will jointly pump £ 405 million into the development of a fleet of mini-reactors as part of a new push into nuclear power designed to help the government to help meet its net zero carbon targets.

Rolls-Royce says it has obtained funding from the US energy company Exelon Generation and privately owned BNF Resources, an investment instrument backed by members of France’s rich Perrodo family and oil group owner Perenco. The three partners will invest a total of £ 195m in a new business, Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor, over three years.

The funding will result in a £ 210 million commitment from the government, which will be announced on Tuesday by Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

Kwarteng said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the UK to deploy more low-carbon energy than ever before and ensure greater energy independence.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson supported the new technology being developed, known as small modular reactors (SMRs), as part of his 10-point plan for a “green industrial revolution” last year.

The technology is seen within the government as a way to Strengthen Britain’s energy security, create manufacturing jobs and help meet Johnson’s “leveling” agenda designed to ensure that prosperity and jobs are more evenly distributed across the UK.

The government’s support for Rolls-Royce comes three years after the British engineering group threatened to close the SMR program unless it received a long-term commitment to the technology.

Other Western countries, including the US and France, are also striving for their own SMR technology for use in their domestic markets as well as a new source of exports.

SMR developer NuScale of the USA announced at the COP26 conference in Glasgow last week that it had entered into an agreement to build small-scale reactors in Romania. French President Emmanuel Macron last month allocated € 1 billion in state funds to help state-backed utility EDF develop its own SMRs by early next decade.

Rolls-Royce and its partners will use the initial funding to place its SMR design through the UK’s strict nuclear regulatory regime. The process is expected to take up to four years, but will keep the consortium on track to complete its first 470MW plant by the early 2030s. Each mini-power station will be able to generate enough low-carbon electricity for about 1 million homes.

Unlike full-scale nuclear power stations, the SMR would have a footprint of just two football fields. But the main difference is that the small, modular design makes it possible to build the parts in factories ready for quick assembly at the chosen location, which makes it much cheaper than the traditional large reactors.

Rolls-Royce estimates that at least 16 SMRs can be installed at operational and mothball core sites in the UK. As part of the development phase, it will also identify potential manufacturing sites for SMR modules.

The company has previously said it expects the first five SMR reactors to cost £ 2.2bn each, dropping to £ 1.8bn for subsequent units. It estimates that by 2050, the program could create as many as 40,000 jobs in the UK regions.

The group said the new venture would continue to seek further supporters. It said it was in talks with a potential fourth investor, which would increase the consortium’s commitment from £ 195 million to £ 250 million. Other companies, including Jacobs of the U.S. and the UK’s Laing O’Rourke, previously named as part of the consortium, will become supply chain partners, Rolls-Royce said.

source

GE to use 3D printing in Haliade-X production

GE has launched a research partnership to develop the world’s largest 3D printer to streamline the production of key components of GE’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.

GE is working with Fraunhofer IGCV and Voxeljet on the Advance Casting Cell (ACC) 3D printer project.

The project will benefit from financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

The ACC 3D printer will be capable of printing moulds to cast components for the nacelle of the GE Haliade-X that can each weigh more than 60 metric tonnes, reducing the time it takes to produce this pattern and mould from around 10 weeks to two weeks.

In addition, the use of the 3D printer is expected to reduce the product’s carbon footprint by eliminating the need to transport the large parts from a central manufacturing location.

The partners expect to launch the project during the third quarter of 2021 with initial printer trials starting during the first quarter of 2022.

The project involves the development of a new, large format 3D printer capable of producing sand moulds for casting the highly complex metal parts of different shapes and sizes that make up an offshore wind turbine nacelle.

The modular 3D printing process, which is based on Voxeljet’s core “Binder-Jetting” technology, can be configured to print moulds for castings up to 9.5 metres in diameter and 60-plus tonnes.

Juan Pablo Cilia, senior additive design engineer at GE Renewable Energy, said: “The 3D printed moulds will bring many benefits including improved casting quality through improved surface finish, part accuracy and consistency.

“Furthermore, sand binder jet moulds or additive moulds provide cost savings by reducing machining time and other material costs due to optimized design.

“This unprecedented production technology will be a game changer for production efficiency allowing localised manufacturing in high cost countries, a key benefit for our customers looking to maximise the local economic development benefits of offshore wind.”

Voxeljet CEO Ingo Ederer added: “While offsite on-demand 3D printing provides many benefits for small quantities of cast parts, running a 3D printing system on-site leverages the technology to its fullest capacity.

“Given the demand for offshore wind turbines, that will help a lot to fulfil project schedules and high market demands.

“It is our mission to bring 3D printing into true industrial manufacturing and we are therefore very excited to be part of this groundbreaking project.”

source

National Grid looks to AI to improve solar forecasting in UK

National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) and the Open Climate Fix are partnering to develop a ‘nowcasting’ model for solar output.

The initiative is intended to improve National Grid ESO’s short term forecasting in solar generation caused by cloud cover and in turn to maintaining the balance in the grid.

Nowcasting involves a machine learning model to forecast the near future, minutes and hours ahead, and has historically found use in predicting rainfall.

Open Climate Fix, a greenhouse gas emission reduction product lab founded by former DeepMind researcher Jack Kelly, applies a similar approach to sunlight prediction with a machine learning model to read satellite images and understand how and where clouds are moving in relation to the solar arrays below.

Carolina Tortora, head of innovation strategy and digital transformation at National Grid ESO, says that accurate forecasts for weather-dependent generation like solar and wind are vital for operating a low carbon electricity system.

“The more confidence we have in our forecasts, the less we’ll have to cover for uncertainty by keeping traditional, more controllable fossil fuel plants ticking over,” she says.

“We’re increasingly using machine-learning to boost our control room’s forecasts, and this latest nowcasting project with Open Climate Fix will bring another significant step forward in our capability and on our path to a zero-carbon grid.”

Changes in solar generation are difficult for grid operators to anticipate owing not only to uncertainty in forecasts, but also uncertainty around the location of many solar panels, most of which are connected to regional networks.

While work is underway by National Grid ESO and the University of Sheffield to map Britain’s solar panels, previously there’s been no way to anticipate short term swings in solar generation caused by cloud cover.

With the increased certainty in solar forecasts that should result with Open Climate Fix’s nowcasting service, National Grid ESO should be able to reduce the availability of back-up generation and bring more efficiency to balancing actions.

National Grid ESO has previously reported a 33% improvement in the accuracy of solar forecasts with machine learning.

The ESO also has just launched another initiative using machine learning to more accurately forecast the day-ahead reserve requirements.

source

Amanda Levete designs world's first magnetised fusion power station for the UK

A prototype power plant designed by architect Amanda Levete's firm AL_A with a nuclear fusion reactor is set to be built in Oxfordshire, England.

Located on the UK Atomic Energy Authority's (UKAEA) campus in Culham, the Fusion Demonstration Plant will be used to prove the viability of Canadian energy company General Fusion's nuclear fusion technology as a carbon-free energy source.

A_LA said it will be the world's first nuclear power plant of its kind upon completion in 2025.

"We have really enjoyed working with General Fusion and their team of scientists on the design of the Fusion Demonstration Plant, and are particularly excited that the first of its kind will be built in the UK," the studio told Dezeen.

"This is a real statement of confidence in science and technology and its role in building our future. We look forward to continuing our work with General Fusion and UKAEA."

Nuclear fusion mimics how stars creates energy

In new visuals released by A_LA, the Fusion Demonstration Plant is shown as a circular building with a reactor wrapped by a viewing gallery at its centre.

Alongside it will be meeting rooms and educational spaces to cater to visits from scientists, politicians, investors and the public.

The fusion technology in its reactor will be used to combine atoms to generate heat, mimicking the way that the sun and stars create energy. This is different to traditional nuclear power stations in which atoms are split in two – a process called fission.

General Fusion specifically uses magnetised target fusion (MTF). This involves the injection of hydrogen plasma into a sphere of molten lead-lithium surrounded by pistons. The pistons compress the hydrogen until its atoms slam together and fuse to form helium.

This process creates a huge amount of heat that is transferred by the liquid metal to boil water, make steam and spin a turbine to generate electricity.

However, as the plant will be 70 per cent of the size needed for a commercial power plant, it will not actually be used to generate power.

MTF could help decarbonise power grids

As MTF only requires hydrogen as a fuel and its main waste product is helium, the Fusion Demonstration Plant demonstrates a carbon-free way to create electricity.

This means that if it proves to be viable, it could help play a key role in decarbonising the UK's power grid, which remains heavily reliant on burning fossil fuels.

Another benefit of using nuclear fusion to create electricity is that it creates very little radioactive waste when compared to traditional nuclear power plants that rely on fission.

"Fusion energy is inherently safe, with zero possibility of a meltdown scenario," explained General Fusion when the Fusion Demonstration Plant proposal was first revealed in 2020.

Fusion is a "limitless, low-carbon energy" source

The UK government has been investing in fusion technology over the past decade in the hope it could play a part in making the UK net-zero by 2050.

"This new plant by General Fusion is a huge boost for our plans to develop a fusion industry in the UK, and I'm thrilled that Culham will be home to such a cutting-edge and potentially transformative project," said science minister Amanda Solloway.

"Fusion energy has great potential as a source of limitless, low-carbon energy, and today's announcement is a clear vote of confidence in the region and the UK's status as a global science superpower."

However, the International Energy Agency recently said achieving net-zero by 2050 will be the "greatest challenge humankind has ever faced" and that many government pledges "fall well short" of what is required.

 source

Nissan unveils a £1 billion electric vehicle hub in the UK

As part of efforts to accelerate the transition to smart mobility, automaker Nissan has unveiled a £1 billion flagship Electric Vehicle (EV) Hub in Sunderland in the UK.

The facility will act as a technology hub the automaker will leverage to move closer to its carbon-neutrality goal and establish a new 360-degree solution for zero-emission motoring.

The EV and battery manufacturing facility, EV36Zero is claimed to be a world-first EV manufacturing ecosystem. The project has been made possible through a partnership between the automaker and battery manufacturer Envision AESC and Sunderland City Council.

Comprised of three interconnected initiatives, Nissan EV36Zero brings together electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery production, setting a blueprint for the future of the automotive industry.

More than 900 new Nissan jobs and 750 new Envision AESC jobs have been or will be created at the new plant, according to a statement.

Nissan will invest up to £423 million ($583 million) to produce a new-generation all-electric vehicle in the UK, for exportation to the European markets traditionally served by Nissan’s Sunderland plant.

Envision AESC already owns and operates Europe’s first battery plant in Sunderland, established in 2012 for the localisation of Nissan LEAF battery production. The factory’s UK team has nine years’ experience from supplying batteries to the Nissan LEAF and eNV200. Envision AESC will also invest £450 million ($620 million) to build the UK’s first gigafactory on the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP), adjacent to the Nissan plant, powered by renewable energy and pioneering next-generation battery technology.

Envision AESC will deploy integrated AIoT smart technology to monitor and optimise energy consumption, manufacturing and maintenance at its new gigafactory, enabling it to rapidly increase production and provide batteries to power up to 100,000 Nissan electric vehicles a year.

Nissan CEO, Makoto Uchida said: “This project comes as part of Nissan’s pioneering efforts to achieve carbon neutrality throughout the entire lifecycle of our products. Our comprehensive approach includes not only the development and production of EVs, but also the use of on-board batteries as energy storage and their reuse for secondary purposes.

“Our announcement today comes out of lengthy discussions held within our teams, and will greatly accelerate our efforts in Europe to achieve carbon neutrality. The experience and know-how gained through the project announced today will be shared globally, enhancing Nissan’s global competitiveness.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, adds: “Nissan’s announcement to build its new-generation all-electric vehicle in Sunderland, alongside a new gigafactory from Envision-AESC, is a major vote of confidence in the UK and our highly-skilled workers in the North East.

“Building on over 30 years of history in the area, this is a pivotal moment in our electric vehicle revolution and securing its future for decades to come.

“Commitments like these exemplify our ability to create hundreds of green jobs and boost British industry, whilst also allowing people to travel in an affordable and sustainable way so we can eliminate our contributions to climate change.”

source

Green energy companies now powering over 65% of UK households

In the UK, households with ‘green’ suppliers – those only offering electricity tariffs backed by Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGOs) certificates – increased from less than 20% in 2017 to 65% in 2021, according to a new study released by Cornwall Insigh.

This percentage would be even higher if green tariffs from suppliers that also offer standard non-green also or ‘brown’ supply were included.

Oliver Archer, a senior analyst at Cornwall Insight, said: “This boom in green tariffs is in part being driven by consumers doing their bit to reach net-zero with renewable credentials increasingly being factored into decision making when switching energy providers. For example, Ofgem’s Consumer Perceptions of the Energy Market survey showed that in Q119, 9% of respondents gave green energy as the main reason for switching supplier. In Q420, this had risen to 19%.  

“However, switching trends do not tell the whole story. Nearly 80% of the increase seen between 2019 and 2021 can be attributed to a few large suppliers re-branding as 100% green through 2019 and 2020. It is also difficult to tease out the relative contributions of price, service, and renewable tariffs to the fast growth of green challenger brands such as Octopus Energy and Bulb.

“The low price of REGOs has made it possible to be labelled a green supplier without heavily sacrificing on the main tool for attracting new customers – cheap tariffs. As a result, more than half the suppliers in the market are now green.

“Critics would say the current system makes it hard for consumers to understand which suppliers provide truly additional support for green generation. As green tariffs become more ubiquitous, the government plans to consult this year on reforms to give consumers more transparent information, including quantifying the additional benefit of tariffs marketed as green.”

source

Vestas to Produce 99 Seagreen Blade Sets in UK

Vestas will manufacture 99 out of the 114 V164 wind turbine blade sets for the Seagreen offshore wind project in the United Kingdom.

297 blades in total will be produced by Vestas in the UK for installation at the 1,075 Seagreen off the Angus coast by the end of 2022.

Production is currently underway for the Seagreen project at Vestas’ blade factory and R&D centre on the Isle of Wight.

The turbine manufacturer recently revealed that its 1,000th offshore wind blade produced in the UK– an 80-metre V164 blade – which recently rolled out of the facility is destined for Seagreen.

The V164 offshore wind blades are first produced at Vestas’ facility in Newport on the Isle of Wight, then painted and finished at Vestas’ painting and logistics facility – a decommissioned oil-fired power plant in Fawley, Hampshire.

The 1,075MW Seagreen project is currently under construction and is located 27 kilometres off the coast of Scotland in the North Sea’s Firth of Forth. The wind farm will feature 114 V164-10 MW wind turbines supplied by Vestas.

The project is a GBP 3 billion joint venture project between TotalEnergies (51 per cent) and SSE Renewables (49 per cent).

SSE Renewables is leading the development and construction of the joint venture project, supported by TotalEnergies, and will operate Seagreen on completion.

”This announcement is yet another example of how SSE Renewables and our partners TotalEnergies are working together with our supply chain to support the green recovery and create tangible opportunities through our Seagreen project for people across the UK,” Paul Cooley, Director of Capital Projects at SSE Renewables, said.

”The production in the Isle of Wight of turbine blades for Seagreen means that our construction activities on what will become Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm is delivering a real green boost for UK jobs.”

Seagreen will be Scotland’s largest and deepest offshore wind farm when complete.

First power is expected by early 2022 with the offshore wind farm expected to enter commercial operation in 2022/23.

Olivier Terneaud, Vice President Offshore Wind at TotalEnergies, said: ”TotalEnergies’ ambition is to become the responsible energy major and work with society to reach net-zero emissions. In the UK we will achieve this ambition by investing in renewable energy projects and by delivering them in a way that maximises opportunities for the country’s supply chain and workforce. Today’s announcement is a great example of how we’re working with our Seagreen partners to deliver on this ambition.”

To service the UK offshore wind sector, Vestas has ramped up its staff to now employ over 1,500 in production, blade technology research and development, construction, service, and other professional staff across the UK.

source

Plan to link offshore wind mega-project off Iceland to UK

Developer plans to deliver electricity from the initial 2GW offshore wind farm off Iceland to the UK grid by 2025.

A UK-US joint venture (JV) has announced plans to deliver output from a 10GW offshore wind project in the North Atlantic to the UK grid via high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine power cables. 

Hecate Independent Power Limited (HIP) – a joint venture of US renewables developer Hecate Wind and UK conventional power plants developer Independent Power Corporation – plans to invest £21 billion (€34 billion) to install fixed and floating turbines at several sites in the Atlantic Ocean.

The first phase of the project will be the 2000MW HIP Atlantic Phase 1, off the south and eastern coasts of Iceland. It is expected to cost £147 million and to be commissioned in early 2025, to coincide with the UK’s decommissioning of its last coal-fired power plants and historical nuclear power plants.  

HIP intends to secure an offtake agreement under the UK’s contract for difference (CfD) scheme, even though the project is located outside UK waters. Windpower Monthly has contacted the UK’s department of business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS) for clarification on whether this is allowed.

HIP has lodged connection applications with the UK’s National Grid for the first 4GW of grid connections with four 1GW wind farms. Electricity dispatch will be under the control of the UK electricity system operator, making HIP Atlantic the UK’s first offshore wind project in overseas waters, the developer added. No electricity from the project will supply Iceland.

HIP’s planned 10GW offshore wind cluster in the North Atlantic will be installed in a different meteorological catchment area from current North Sea and Irish Sea wind farms, providing a sufficient diversity of wind resources to ensure consistent electricity supply to the UK grid, it explained.

The developer plans to invest £200 million in a bespoke cable manufacturing plant in the north-east of England. HIP Atlantic has committed to maximising British content in every element of its equipment manufacturing and installation process. HIP claims the initial 2GW phase alone will result in 15,000 new jobs in the UK, as well as 500 jobs in Iceland. 

HIP intends to use UK-based HVDC cable-laying vessels for the project, allowing for connection points along the English coastline to tie into new hyperscale data centres being developed by large digital users of renewable energy. 

HIP Atlantic is finalising an institutional investment of ordinary equity capital into a project entity to develop its first two 1GW fixed-bottom offshore wind projects. Separately, it is working with investors to fund the HVDC cable manufacturing facility, and with ship owners to modify existing vessels to the size required to lay the long lengths of HVDC cable required.

source

UK: 60 Per Cent More Offshore Wind Projects Under Construction in 2020

Project capacity under construction in the UK increased by over 60 per cent from 4.4 GW in 2019 to 7.2 GW in 2020, the latter being almost 70 per cent of the existing operational fleet, according to the Crown Estate’s 2020 Offshore Wind Operational Report.

The offshore wind capacity under construction signals an extremely busy and significant period ahead, the Crown Estate said.

The UK offshore wind sector generated enough green electricity for 39 per cent of UK homes in 2020, up from 30 per cent in 2019. The UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) reported in March that offshore wind farms generated 40.7 TWh of electricity last year, up from 32 TWh in 2019.

Over 3,000 offshore wind turbines are now either in operation (76 per cent) or construction (24 per cent) in the UK.

Throughout 2020, the sector demonstrated its maturity and resilience, adapting quickly to ensure continuity of operations during extraordinarily difficult circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crown Estate said.

“This year’s Offshore Wind Operational Report illustrates a mature and robust sector which has its sights firmly set on increasing its contribution to the nation’s net zero ambitions”, said Adrian Fox, Head of Offshore Assets at The Crown Estate. “The sector has stepped up admirably during an exceptionally difficult year caused by the global pandemic, demonstrating its resilience and ability to reliably deliver clean energy to millions of homes”.

source