British Manor saves US$12,280 a year with biomass boiler

Barrington Court, Somerset, UK (photo: J May)

Barrington Court, Somerset, UK, now belonging to the National Trust, is saving 10,000 pounds per year (A$18,550, US$12,280) after replacing its oil boiler with a biomass boiler. The energy comes from burning wood pellets from local sustainable forests. 

The building is a very large 16^th century manor and a popular tourist attraction. Being an old building, keeping it warm in winter requires a great deal of heat. The oil boiler emitted a lot of fossil fuel CO2, so with these renewable wood pellets there is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. 

“Although wood does emit carbon dioxide when burned, it is considered close to carbon neutral as the amount it emits is the same amount as it has absorbed during its lifetime. It is a sustainable and renewable process so long as woodlands are allowed to regrow following harvesting and that the wood-fuel is not transported far. Even if you include the energy used to make a biomass boiler, using wood will emit 94% less [excess] carbon dioxide than oil.”  (Barrington Court, 2015). 

For more information: 

- Barrington Court, National Trust 

- Biomass boiler project, National Trust 

- Biomass heating system at Barrington Court, 2015. pdf

Norway to have commercial electric planes by 2030

'Alice' Israel's e-plane. (Source: Financial Times 17.06.19)

Norway’s northern most region is well suited for short-haul electric planes as there are 16 airports within a radius of 350 kilometres. A report launched by Avinor and the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority says that battery operated planes will be available before 2030 and well suited to this network of airports within the Arctic Circle. 

The world is facing a climate crisis and Norway has been a leader in reducing fossil fuel transport emissions by encouraging the uptake of electric cars. Now it is focusing on air transport and plans to be the driving force and arena for the development, testing and early implementation of electrified aircraft. Norway has an abundance of renewable electricity to charge the planes' batteries.

The goals are to have a commercial fleet of domestic electric planes operating by 2030 and to have all domestic civil aircraft electrified by 2040. 

Read more: 

- Electric aviation ready for take-off in Norway by 2030, report says. The Independent Barents Observer, March 8, 2020. 

- Norwegian authorities aim for electric aircraft debut by 2030. Flight Global News, March 9, 2020, 

- Commercial electric planes set to take-off in Norway by 2030. The Driven, March 13, 2020.

A trial to test "green methane" as a replacement for mains gas

Concept art for a renewable gas plant near Roma, Qld. (ABC News)

The Australian Federal Government will fund a trial of renewable methane production in Roma, Queensland. Natural gas, which is currently used for mains gas, is mostly methane. The process is to be powered by solar energy. 

Australian gas producer APA Group will develop a $2.2 million renewable methane demonstration project at the company’s Wallumbilla Gas hub near Roma in Queensland. Funds and collaboration will also come from ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency) and Southern Green Gas, respectively. 

The plan is to use solar PV to power the conversion of water into hydrogen using an anion exchange membrane electrolyser. Then the hydrogen would be converted into methane (CH₄) through a process that combines hydrogen (H₂) with carbon dioxide (CO₂). 

If successful, the project will be converted into a larger commercial-grade plant to provide emissions-free methane for mains gas and possibly for export. 

Read more: 

- Trial to explore “green methane” as replacement for mains gas. RenewEconomy, May 8, 2020. 

- “Coffee-table”-sized units to power new gas plant near Roma. ABC News, May 8, 2020.

"Mobility for Africa" providing EVs and solar microgrids

Mobility for Africa's Hamba electric three-wheelers, Zimbabwe (Mobility for Africa)

In Africa, the lives of the women have not changed much as they still need to walk large distances to obtain their daily requirements. A start-up called Mobility for Africa (MFA), with the help of sponsors, is trying to improve local mobility by piloting low-cost three-wheeler electric vehicles in the rural Wedza district of Zimbabwe. Along with the EVs, solar hubs are also provided where the people can charge their electric tricycles. 

MFA’s aim is to empower women and their families by providing this transport so they can easily get their produce to market and use the family services available in their local villages. The people can purchase the EVs through their financing system called PayGo; a pay-as-you-go system. 

The electric tricycle is known as the Hamba which means ‘go’ in the local language. The parts come from China and the plan is to assemble the EVs in Harare. Once the pilot has succeeded, MFA intends to extend the EV tricycles and solar microgrids to other parts of Africa. 

Read More: 

- Mobility for Africa shows how electric vehicles can transform lives where it matters most. CleanTechnica, May 11, 2020. 

- Mobility for Africa: https://www.mobilityforafrica.com/

Austria and Sweden are free of coal-fired power plants

Source: RenewEconomy

In April this year, Austria and then Sweden closed down their last coal-fired power plants. Sweden reached the target two years earlier than planned. They are the second and third countries to go coal-free in Europe, Belgium did so in 2016. 

Six more European countries are expected to follow suit by 2025 or earlier. They are France in 2022; Slovakia and Portugal in 2023; the UK in 2024 and Ireland and Italy in 2025. Five more countries are scheduled to join them by 2030, which is the necessary date for Europe to meets its UN Paris agreement. They are Greece in 2028; the Netherlands and Finland in 2029 and Hungary and Denmark in 2030. Discussions are underway for other European countries to join them. 

Read more: 
- Sweden exits coal two years ahead of schedule, Austria closes last coal plant. RenewEconomy, April 24, 2020. 
- Sweden follows hot on Austria’s heels to go coal free. Europe Beyond Coal, April 21, 2020. 
- Austria ends coal era and commits to more renewable energy. Bloomberg, April 17, 2020.
- Belgium says goodbye to coal power use. Climate Action Network Europe, April 6, 2016.