U.S., UK and EU to end public finance for fossil fuels

Coal-fired power plant (Source: change.org)

In late January, President Biden put out an executive order which directs federal agencies to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, including coal, and to spur "innovation, commercialisation, and deployment of clean energy technologies and infrastructure" (CleanTechnica). Biden has signalled that part of his administration's focus will be cutting off international public finance for new fossil fuel projects (Coal Wire).

This announcement from the United States (U.S.) comes on the heels of similar commitments from the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU). For example, it is estimated that the U.S. directs fossil fuel subsidies of around $20 billion per year of which 20% goes to coal and 80% to natural gas and crude oil. The EU fossil fuel subsidies are estimated to be around 55 billion euros annually (CleanTechnica).

If the US, UK and EU join forces to end the tens of billions of dollars per year in public finance for fossil fuels internationally they can work together to make this a reality by the UN Climate Summit in Glasgow this November (Oil Change International). This is huge!

References: 

- CleanTechnica: Biden orders end to fossil fuel subsidies, promotes equity for underserved communities, January 28, 2021 

- Coal Wire Editorial, 354, January 29, 2021 

- Oil Change International: http://priceofoil.org/2021/01/27/biden-order-international-finance/

- Biden's climate agenda: is this the beginning of the end for fossil fuels? BBC News, January 31, 2021.

Woolworths joins Renewable Energy 100 (RE100) and AGL joined EV100

Source: 'Solar Quotes' for Woolworths

 A growing number of companies worldwide are committing to 100 percent renewable energy by joining the RE100 membership list. Similarly, companies are joining the EV100 membership list when they commit to zero emissions transport by a certain date.

The Australian supermarket chain, Woolworths, has just joined RE100 by committing to 100 percent renewable energy by 2025. They will do this by adding solar panels to their buildings and by buying Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) possibly from solar farms, wind farms or stored renewable electricity. In doing this, they will reduce their greenhouse emissions and save on electricity costs. 

To date, there are 268 members of RE100 worldwide with 14 members from Australia. The Australian membership includes: Westpac, Suncorp, QBE, NAB, Mirvac, Macquarie, Interactive, Dexus, Commonwealth Bank, BINGO Industries, Bank Australia, Atlassian, ANZ, and Woolworths. 70 international companies operating within Australia are also members such as Apple, Facebook and Google.

The number of international companies that pledge to having fleets of zero emission vehicles is at 92 to date. Of those we have one that is Australian and that is AGL Energy which is to transition its fleet of over 400 vehicles to EVs by 2030.

References: 

- RE100 members: https://www.there100.org/re100-members  

- EV100 members: https://www.theclimategroup.org/ev100-members

A new way to have windows as see-through solar panels

 

See-through solar glass (Source: UbiQD)

UbiQD, a materials manufacturer in the US, developed a layer of nanoparticles glued between two layers of glass that can collect solar energy. The combination is transparent with a slight tint that can be brown, blue or greyish. It is difficult to distinguish these windows from traditional ones as seen in the image above. The innovation will help to collect solar energy in cities where rooftops are limited.

Two glass panels are glued together with a thin polymer which contains the nanoparticles known as quantum dots. These quantum dots are tiny semiconductors that manipulate light. They are non-toxic and relatively cheap to produce.

When exposed to UV light, the quantum dots are excited and release photons that travel to the edges of the window panel. The perimeter is fitted with solar cells which convert the photons into electrical current. These solar cells are within the window frame and therefore out of sight.

The efficiency of the most transparent windows is 3.6 percent. This may seem low but there are many windows on a skyscraper! However, windows can be custom-made to produce more power but transparency is reduced in a linear relationship. Windows of one square metre are soon to be tested in buildings in the US and the Netherlands.

References: 

- Nanoparticles turn windows into see-through solar panels. New Scientist, September 12, 2020, page 15. 

- Windows become transparent solar panels with added nanoparticles. UbiQD, September 7, 2020. 

- Journal reference: ACS Applied energy materials: DOI:10.1021/acsaem.Oc01288.

Nissan dealers in the UK to provide EVs with green-flash number plates

 

Source: CleanTechnica

“Nissan dealers [in the UK] are preparing for the arrival of a new kind of numberplate this autumn.

The plates are being brought in especially for electric vehicles and have an eye-catching green flash on the left-hand side to highlight the fact that EVs are emission-free.

As 70-plate models are introduced at Nissan dealers, trial green number plates have been fitted to show electric vehicle customers how they could look when they hit the road later this year.

The initiative was announced by Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, in June as part of a wider plan to drive a ‘green economic recovery’ after the turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic.” 

Read more: New Nissan plates to identify emission-free cars in UK. CleanTechnica, August 28, 2020.

Victorian town in bushfire zone adds solar and battery for community sports centre

Hepburn Sports Centre with Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance (One Step off the Grid)

The community sports centre of Hepburn, Victoria, has a solar and battery storage system which will reduce its electricity costs and emissions as well as supporting its role as a last resort community shelter in the case of a bushfire. Electricity power is one of the first supplies to be cut during severe bushfires. 

The Hepburn Recreation Reserve now has a 25kW solar system and a 13.5kWh Tesla Powerwall 2 battery. This system continues to operate when there is a grid outage. This large solar and battery combination will supply power day and night particularly in summer. Alone, the battery will provide power for a day and will be topped up quickly when it is sunny (a little slower if it is smokey or cloudy).

“The $31,818 cost of the solar and storage system was contributed to by the Hepburn Shire Council ($12,000), local community renewables outfit Hepburn Wind ($4,500), and the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance ($15,318) with $12,500 of that amount from a Bank Australia grant and $2,818 from the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy.” 

Read more: Solar and Tesla Powerwall offer Victorian town bushfire resilience. One Step off the Grid, July 24, 2020.

UK relaxes rules to allow more storage on the grid that makes way for “liquid air” storage

Highview Power cryogenic energy storage system

As the UK moves to net zero emissions by 2050 it is going to need much more battery storage to stabilise the grid as the number of solar and wind energy plants increase. So much so, the government is to relax the planning laws to make it easier to develop larger battery storage systems. The legislation will be introduced to remove barriers for storage projects above 50MW (megawatts) in England and 350MW in Wales. 

This will allow the UK company Highview Power (and others) to plan to build much larger electricity storage systems. Highview Power makes cryogenic storage plants that use [renewable] electricity to cool air to a liquid and store it in insulated tanks. The liquid air is then warmed by stored heat from the process to expand the gas 700 times to drive turbines which can add electricity back to the grid when required. 

The advantage of this system over chemical batteries is that it can be stored for days and can supply power for an extended period of time whereas chemical batteries can only supply power for a short period of time. Also, most of the materials and infrastructure needed are easy to obtain so the manufacture of this cryogenic battery is simple and possibly more sustainable (i.e. does not need rare metals). 

Video of Highview Power Cryogenic Energy Storage System 

Read more: 

- UK hopes to ramp up battery storage and boost renewables by loosening planning rules. CNBC, July 15 2020.  

– Highview Power to build Europe’s largest battery storage system. The Chemical Engineer, November 29, 2019. 

– Highview Power to build UK’s first “liquid air” energy storage facility. RenewEconomy, October 24, 2019. 

– Highview Power: https://highviewpower.com/.

Victoria making renewable electricity and heat from high strength organic waste

Image: Barwon Water

In south-west Victoria, Barwon Water is building two Renewable Organics Networks which will use high strength organic trade waste from the Australian Lamb Company (ALC) and Bulla Dairy Foods to make renewable electricity and heat.

The organic waste will be treated by Barwon Water to form biogas which will run turbines that create the electricity and heat for water. The waste at this point is used as a soil improver. 

Yes, burning the biogas has waste CO2 but it is CO2 from a renewable source not from fossil fuels - a complete carbon cycle is created. Otherwise the organic waste goes to landfill where it is covered by soil and in that anaerobic environment most of it decays to waste methane which is a 21 times stronger greenhouse gas than CO2.

The electricity will be used by Barwon Water to take it off-grid with the excess going to the main grid. The renewable hot water will go via a special pipeline to ALC where it will offset ALC's gas consumption by 21.4 terajoules per year.

"The project is expected to achieve a net production of 5.5 gigawatt-hours of renewable electricity each year – enough to power around 1,000 homes – around half of which will be used “behind-the-meter” to take the Colac Water Reclamation Plant off the grid." The generation of this dispatchable renewable energy in the form of hot water and electricity will result in a reduction in carbon emissions of around 6,300 tonnes each year.

Read more: 

- "Australian first" network to deliver renewable electricity and hot water from organic waste. One Step Off The Grid, June 12, 2020.

 - Barwon Water: https://www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/

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.

Bicycles in Amsterdam

Last year I was in Amsterdam and was intrigued by their bicycle culture, so I took a few photographs. To tell you more about Amsterdam’s bikes, here are some headlines from “19 interesting facts about bicycles in Amsterdam” (Amsterdam Hangout, September 2019): 

– 1. There are over 881,000 bikes in Amsterdam. 

– 2. The number of bikes is four times the number of cars. 

– 3. Statistically, each resident of Amsterdam owns at least 1.5 bikes.

 – 4. The most popular type of bicycle on Amsterdam’s streets is the traditional Omafjets (see blue bike in photos). 

– 5. 35% of trips daily in Amsterdam are by bike. 

– 6. 60% of Amsterdammers use their bike every day. 

– 10. Amsterdam has a wide network of traffic-calmed streets. 

– 13. Amsterdam has currently over 400 kilometers of bicycle paths. (Read more from the hyperlink above.)

Big batteries may soon play a major role in Australia’s main grid

Ballarat's big battery (Source: RenewEconomy)

Stand-alone big batteries may soon be playing a critical role in eastern Australia’s massive electricity grid as recommended by the Australian Energy Regulator recently. The grid needs major upgrades as it transitions to a clean energy future.

The big batteries have been in Australia for less than three years with the big Hornsdale Tesla battery starting the trend and showing us that these batteries have many more features than just energy storage. This battery was followed by four others on the main grid at Lake Bonney, Dalrymple North, Gannawarra and Ballarat. 

These batteries have shown that they: allow the output of wind and solar to be “stored” and “firmed”; provide much needed competition in the frequency and ancillary services market; play a key role in grid security; reduce costs and improve reliability for off-grid iron ore mines; reduce overall grid costs; respond within milliseconds to power failures or peak demand; and cause power engineers to admit there is a smarter future than relying on ageing and slow responding coal generators (RenewEconomy).

Big batteries are therefore seen as ‘virtual transmission’ lines that can absorb excess solar and wind power at times of oversupply and instantly inject power at times of demand. This therefore reduces the need for extra poles and wires. Now they are ready for the next stage – playing a critical link in providing much-needed increased capacity between the various state grids. 

This is now the view of the Australian Energy Regulator, which has encouraged transmission companies to look into battery storage technologies as an option for the numerous grid upgrades that have been recommended by the Australian Energy Market Operator to ease the transition to a renewables-dominated grid. 

Read more: 

- “Big batteries get ready to play main role in next stage of clean energy transition.” RenewEconomy, April 1, 2020. 

- “Battery storage nearly there as smarter, cheaper choice for grid upgrades.” RenewEconomy, October 1, 2019.

Recaptured carbon dioxide may help us recycle batteries

Source: New Scientist

In a way that can assist with the recycling of metals from batteries, scientists from the University of Lyon, France, have come up with the chemistry to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air to extract the metals.

The process uses a mixture of polyamines which adsorb carbon dioxide readily. The scientists used carbon dioxide from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine to be fixated into a polyamine solution. As result, they gradually created a library of CO₂ loadings and solvents to assist with the precipitation of different metals.

They demonstrated that these metals could be extracted: lanthanum (La), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co). This shows that the three metal constituents of the La₂Ni₉Co alloys used to manufacture the batteries of electric vehicles can be separated and recovered by successive CO₂-induced selective precipitations.

This research shows that CO₂ can be captured sustainably as opposed to the capture and storage of CO₂ underground.

References:
- Captured carbon dioxide could be used to help recycle batteries. New Scientist, January 13, 2020.
-“Simultaneous CO₂ capture and metal purification from waste streams using triple-level dynamic combinatorial chemistry.” By J Septavaux, et.al. Nature Chemistry, 2020: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-019-0388-5

Could food ‘made from air’ let us ditch farms?

Source: New Scientist

A Finnish company called Solar Foods makes food ‘from air’. First, they used the electricity from solar panels to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The resulting hydrogen provides energy to bacteria which can extract carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrogen from the air to make protein-rich organic matter. They do this more efficiently than plants grown via photosynthesis and the food is grown in vats in factories that take up much less land area than contemporary farms.

Food production is inefficient as less than 0.5% of the light energy falling on a field gets turned into food. By contrast, solar panels convert around 17% of the light energy falling on them into electricity. Solar Foods says it can turn electricity into food, via hydrogen, with an efficiency of 20%. (New Scientist)

Farming and land clearance produce a third of all greenhouse gases. Also, the clearing of land for farming reduces habitat for our wildlife. This process could help reduce the need for extra farmland and even allow some farms to return native habitat for the rewilding of endangered animals. This could be a more sustainable way to feed our growing population.

Read more: Can we really save the planet by making food ‘from air’ without farms? New Scientist, January 10, 2020.