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The Digital Revolution – Powering A Greener, More Efficient Grid
The clarion call from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its March 2023 Synthesis Report and the subsequent “Global Stocktake” policy statement have highlighted the imperative for accelerated global action towards reducing CO2 emissions.
Three Additional Geothermal Technology Companies Advancing DoD Energy ResilienceThe US Department of Defense is expanding efforts to enhance installation energy resilience using geothermal energy. Next-generation geothermal technologies show potential to produce onsite round-the-clock carbon-free energy year-after-year increasing resilience and eliminating the need for fuel deliveries during long-term power disruptions.
DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook includes analysis of China’s enormous green energy shift
According to DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook China, the country is establishing itself as a green energy leader with an unrivaled build out of renewable energy and export of renewable technology. On the other hand, DNV forecasts fossil fuels will still account for 40 percent of its energy mix in 2050.
Energy independence is a key motivation for Chinese energy policy, but it will be only partially achieved. The power sector is decarbonizing quickly by replacing coal with domestically sourced renewable energy, and domestically produced coal will largely be sufficient for the remaining coal demand segments by 2050. However, oil and gas usage will continue to rely on imports. Although oil consumption halves by 2050 from its 2027 peak, its use in petrochemicals and heavy transport (aviation and shipping) will remain lower and 84 percent of oil use will be met through imports. Natural gas consumption will remain high with 2050 consumption marginally below 2023 levels and 58 percent being imported.
Matrix Renewables Secures €179M for Construction Of 5 Solar Plants in Spain
Matrix Renewables, the TPG Rise-backed global renewable energy platform, and Banco Sabadell have closed a project financing of €179 million fully aligning with all Matrix ESG policies. The financing will be allocated towards the development and construction of five solar photovoltaic plants.
Solar data and software specialist Solargis is warning that India’s solar power industry is being significantly impacted by poor air quality during the Winter months, with new data from the company indicating that in January 2024, Northern India experienced the poorest air quality in decades, with some localities facing persistent fog or smog lasting up to 20 days.
Solargis’ Winter Solar Performance maps show that high aerosol levels are having a direct impact on the performance of solar projects in the region. Solargis’ monthly Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) map for January 2024 shows substantial drops – between 30 percent and 50 percent – compared to long term averages.
This continues a longer-term trend of Winter underperformance in Northern India, which has seen significant dips in irradiance occur in each of the last five Winters.
In addition to this recurring pattern of Winter underperformance in the North, operators in central India have faced a long-term trend of below average irradiance, stretching back over the past 6 years. Solargis’ 2023 Indian solar performance maps show a dip of between 1 percent and 5 percent compared to the average across central India – attributed in part to the prolonged monsoon season.
Vogtle Unit 4 Enters Commercial Operation in Georgia
Georgia Power stated Plant Vogtle Unit 4 has entered commercial operation and is now serving customers. The new unit, which can produce enough electricity to power an estimated 500,000 homes and businesses, will provide reliable, emissions-free energy to customers for at least 60 to 80 years. Vogtle Unit 3 entered commercial operation on July 31, 2023.
AGR Biogas to Install €25m Biogas Plant in Andalusia
AGR Biogas in Andalusia has begun contruction of the first biogas plant with biomethane injection in Andalusia. The project consists of an investment of approximately €25 million with €20 million provided by Project Finance, granted by ING Bank.
How a floating radar prevents birds and bats from colliding with offshore wind farms
The Hague-based company Robin Radar is offering a floating radar that prevents birds and bats from colliding with the turbine blades of offshore wind farms to wind farm developers all over the world in order to create eco-friendlier wind farms.
NREL Invites Robots To Help Make Wind Turbine Blades
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory have successfully leveraged robotic assistance in the manufacture of wind turbine blades, allowing for the elimination of difficult working conditions for humans and the potential to improve the consistency of the product.
Although robots have been used by the wind energy industry to paint and polish blades, automation has not been widely adopted. Research at the laboratory demonstrates the ability of a robot to trim, grind and sand blades. Those necessary steps occur after the two sides of the blade are made using a mold and then bonded together.
“I would consider it a success,” said Hunter Huth, a robotics engineer at NREL and lead author of a newly published paper detailing the work. “Not everything operated as well as we wanted it to, but we learned all the lessons we think we need to make it meet or exceed our expectations.”
The paper, “Toolpath Generation for Automated Wind Turbine Blade Finishing Operations,” appears in the journal Wind Energy. The coauthors, all from NREL, are Casey Nichols, Scott Lambert, Petr Sindler, Derek Berry, David Barnes, Ryan Beach, and David Snowberg.
The post-molding operations to manufacture wind turbine blades require workers to perch on scaffolding and wear protective suits including respiratory gear. Automation, the researchers noted, will boost employee safety and well-being and help manufacturers retain skilled labor.