Germany is trialling free public transport in five cities to fight air pollution

Source: The Guardian

Although this is an old story, the German government did plan to trial free public transport in cities suffering from air pollution, as Angela Merkel’s administration scrambled to meet EU pollution rules and avoid fines. Severe pollution causes 400,000 premature deaths and leads to billions of Euros in health care costs each year across Europe. The intention is to encourage people to leave their cars at home, thereby reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions and particulate matter.

The plan was rolled out in five cities in the Western part of the country, which are Bonn, Essen, Mannheim, Reutlingen and Herrenberg (near Stuttgart). Also proposed are "low emission zones" for large transporter vehicles, increasing the number of electric-powered taxis and boosting incentives for electric cars in general.

Read more:
- German cities to trial free public transport to cut pollution. The Guardian, February 14, 2018.
- Germany is planning free public transit to fight air pollution. Global Citizen, February 14, 2018.
- Germany considering free public transportation to take on air pollution. DW, February 13, 2018.

State and territory governments lead the way on renewables and climate policy

Source: Climate Council

Federal climate and energy policy has made so many false starts this year that it’s out of the renewables race altogether. Instead, it’s Australia’s states and territories who are leading the way.

In brief:

• So far, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and South Australia (SA) are equal winners in 2018’s race, across a range of renewable energy measures – based on each state’s proportion of renewable energy, wind and solar capacity per capita, proportion of households with solar, and renewable energy targets and policies.
• Not counting Western Australia, all states and territories have now committed to renewable energy and/or net zero emissions targets.
• In Queensland, the aptly named ‘sunshine state’, 33% of all households have rooftop solar, closely followed by SA, at 32%.
• SA continues to have the largest amount of installed wind and solar capacity (1,831MW), closely followed by New South Wales (1,759MW) and Victoria (1,634MW). On a per capita basis, SA, the ACT and Tasmania are the leaders.
• By end 2017 Tasmania, with its ample supply of hydro, had the highest percentage of renewable energy with 87.4% (when it gets adequate rain), followed by the ACT with 46.2% and SA with 43.4%.
• The ACT is on track for 100% renewable electricity by 2020. SA is also on track for 73% renewable energy in two years.

Read more:
- States and territories lead way on renewables, climate. Renew Economy, October 16, 2018.
- Powering progress: states renewable energy race. Climate Council, 2018.

Country Victorian agribusiness turns to wind and storage for 100% renewable power

Source: RenewEconomy

Agribusiness company Nectar Farms last year announced a $565 million expansion of its new hydroponics business near Stawell in Victoria’s west, that will include a 196 MW wind farm and 20 MW of battery storage to make it 100 per cent renewable-powered.

In what is a unique project in Australia, Nectar Farms will expand its 10 hectare state-of-the-art hydroponic glasshouse and plant technology to 40 hectares to supply vegetables to local and international markets. The project is starting to provide much needed jobs in what was a country town with high unemployment.

Read more:
- Victoria agribusiness turns to 196MW wind farm with 20MW storage. RenewEconomy, June 27, 2017.
- Nectar Farms on 100% renewables: “Why would you do it any other way?” One Step off the Grid, June 28, 2017.
- Nectar Farms and Sundrop Farms are blazing a trail. RenewEconomy, March 21, 2018.
- Nectar Farms: http://www.nectarfarms.com.au/why-glasshouse-farming

Another big battery in Australia has changed our thinking about the grid

Source: RenewEconomy

We all know about the success of the big Tesla battery in South Australia. “But another big battery, the Newman battery storage project, installed just over a year ago in a private-only grid in the Pilbara serving mostly mining industry customers in Australia’s north-west is having just as profound an impact on the way people think about the grid…..

…..Like the Neoen/Tesla big battery, the Newman battery has shown that it is faster, smarter, cheaper, and more reliable than the fossil fuel generators around it…….In this instance, the battery has done what most experts thought it could not do – provide sufficient inertia to the local grid in the absence of thermal generators…..

…...And its speed of response has all but eliminated the supply interruptions that were relatively common in the small grid that relies on comparatively slow gas generators. And it has led to a significant saving on “back-up” gas generation.”

Read more: The “other” big battery that has quietly changed thinking about the grid. RenewEconomy, October 15, 2018.

World’s first hydrogen trains have started service in Germany

The world's first (and second) hydrogen-powered trains have entered service in northern Germany. Two Coradia iLint trains, made by Alstom, have begun working a line just west of Hamburg. Until now, the nearly 100 km-long line has been serviced by diesel trains, but will now play host to near-silent engines.

The hydrogen tank feeds a fuel cell that generates energy, which is then pushed to an electric drivetrain. A very small battery helps maintain power continuity, as well as storing energy saved from regenerative braking.

Railways need a clean energy revolution and electrification is the obvious choice, but the costs are prohibitive, especially on regional lines that may not have the passenger volumes. Batteries have their own issues, with their heavy weight and high cost making it difficult, right now, to make them cost effective for heavy trains.

Hydrogen's strong energy density and relative ease of generation and transportation makes it ideal for heavy loads. And while its currently not a clean material in Germany the plan is to make H2 (via the electrolysis of water) from 100% renewable electricity in the future.

Australia with its ample potential for solar and wind energy could export renewable hydrogen to Europe (and other countries with less scope for renewable electricity) as CSIRO has come up with a strategy for the long-distance, bulk transport of hydrogen (see below).

Read more:
- World’s first hydrogen train takes to rails in Germany. The Driven, September 27, 2018.
- The world’s first hydrogen train is now in service. Engadget, September 18, 2018.
- Don’t write off hydrogen as a storage of renewable energy for transport. Using Renewables, October 24, 2017.
- CSIRO cracks barrier to export hydrogen fuel to power cars [and other transport]. RenewEconomy, August 8, 2018.

“Victoria announces microgrid grant, to power Latrobe Valley shift from coal”

Solar/Battery microgrid Kauai Is. Hawaii (source: Archinect News)

“Hot on the heels of its $1.2 billion pledge to dramatically boost rooftop solar uptake in the state, the Victorian Andrew’s government has launched a $3 million grant program to support the development of a renewables based microgrid project in the Latrobe Valley.

In a statement on Tuesday [August 22,2018], energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio announced the Latrobe Valley Microgrid Grant Program, to help accelerate the uptake of renewable energy in a region that is best known for being Victoria’s centre for coal-fired power generation.

D’Ambrosio said the initiative aimed to lower the cost of energy for local businesses, encourage new investment in the region and support its transition to a low-carbon economy. The minister said the successful microgrid project – which is described as a small network of electricity users with a local supply of power that can function independently of the electricity grid – could include virtual power plants and smart embedded networks, with renewable energy as the primary generation source….”

“….That project aims to use locally generated solar, battery storage, smart appliances and blockchain technology to buy and sell locally produced renewable energy to up to 200 dairy farms, more than 100 households and 20 local businesses.”

Read more: Victoria announces microgrid grant, to power Latrobe Valley shift from coal. One Step off the Grid, August 22, 2018.
See also in this blog: One way to reduce coal power could be for homeowners to join a virtual power plant.

Hyundai hydrogen electric fuel cell trucks to go to Switzerland

Hyundai's Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) - Source: The Driven

A fleet of 1,000 hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks forms the central part of a memorandum signed between South Korean car maker Hyundai and Swiss renewable resource company H2 Energy. The memorandum includes a reliable supply chain for renewable hydrogen and is in accordance with European regulations.

Featuring a two-panel parallel hydrogen cell system amounting to 190kW output, the FCEV trucks, being developed by Hyundai are expected to deliver 400km range from full. Eight large hydrogen tanks, that can be refuelled in as little as 7 minutes sitting between the cabin and the rigid body of the truck, will power the fuel cell stack.

H2 Energy will make the FCEV truck fleet available to Swiss customers starting with members of the Swiss H2 Association. Amongst the association’s members are hydrogen refuelling station operators, retailers and other H2 customers whose interests lie strongly in eco-friendly logistics.

Read more: Hyundai to send 1,000 hydrogen electric fuel cell trucks to Switzerland. The Driven, September 24, 2018.