South Australia aims for 500% renewables by 2050 and for all new cars to be electric by 2035

 

(Source bbc.com)

The South Australian (SA) government aims for more than 500 per cent renewable energy by 2050 as it aims to become a clean energy exporter both nationally and internationally. Almost under the same breath, the government also announced that it aims to ensure that all new car sales will be electric by 2035 as it wants to be a leader in the uptake of electric vehicles in Australia.

SA already has its electricity grid at 60% renewables and plans to expand that to at least 500 per cent. The government has a Climate Change Action Plan which includes at least 68 proposed activities for more renewables, clean transport and more resilient urban and rural communities. The state has an abundance of solar, wind and other resources. The green hydrogen industry is well on its way in Australia and SA plans to become a major exporter of green hydrogen and other low emission products.

The state Liberal government has also released its plan for electric vehicles (EVs). Firstly it will electrify all government fleets, taxis and ride sharing vehicles by 2030. By 2030, they want electric cars to be mainstream and for all new cars sold to be electric by 2035. There will also be fuel efficiency and quality standards introduced which will help EV uptake but there is also a plan to put a road user tax on EVs which will be a disincentive but will help fund the changes.

Read More: 

- South Australia aims for more than 500 pct renewables in new climate plan. RenewEconomy, December 16, 2020. 

- "Biggest change since Model T": South Australia wants all new car sales to be electric by 2035. The Driven, December 20, 2020.

First liquid hydrogen carrier ship launched in Japan paves the way for a clean hydrogen export industry for Australia

Liquid Hydrogen carrier ship (Source: Nikkei Asian Review)

With Australia having lots of potential for solar and wind electricity it is looking to a future of making renewable/clean hydrogen (H₂) from the electrolysis of water (H₂O). Hydrogen is a powerful energy source that can be stored, transported and used for electric cars, heavy transport, industry and even steelmaking. It will also be possible to repurpose natural gas power stations to burn clean hydrogen to make electricity (Dr Alan Finkel, Australian Chief Scientist, National Press Club Address).

The technology is now here for the safe storage of liquid hydrogen and the ability to ship it around the globe. So much so, the first liquid hydrogen carrier ship has been launched in Japan and will be used to take hydrogen from Victoria, Australia, to Japan starting in 2021. The hydrogen will be cooled to –253^oC, to reduce volume, and stored it in a vacuum-insulated, double-shelled tank. This ship is powered by diesel, but it is hoped that ships in the future will be driven by fuel cells powered by clean hydrogen. 

Although the first shipments will be carrying hydrogen made by heating water by burning coal (and capturing and storing the carbon dioxide), this ship will pave the way for more ships to carry renewable hydrogen from Australia to Japan, South Korea and possibly Europe. Other Australian businesses are looking to make hydrogen from renewable electricity, particularly solar. It is predicted that there will be near a $2 trillion market for clean hydrogen by 2050 (Dr Alan Finkel, Australian Chief Scientist, National Press Club Address).

Post script: Export of blue hydrogen project starts in Victoria. It makes hydrogen from coal and plans to capture the CO2 in empty natural gas caverns in Bass Strait. The project will not be commercialised if the carbon capture is not feasible. Hydrogen project fuels Latrobe Valley job hopes as coal plants close. The Sydney Morning Herald, March 12, 2021.

References: 

- Kawasaki Heavy launches world’s first liquid hydrogen ship in quest to establish greensupply chain. The Japan Times, December 13, 2019. 

– Launching the world’s first liquid hydrogen carrier ship. Premier of Victoria, December 12, 2019. 

– Nordic steel giant to use renewable hydrogen to produce fossil-free steel by 2026. Renew Economy, January 30, 2020. 

– Hydrogen fuel cell vessels destined for France and Norway. The Maritime Executive, February 25, 2020. 

– National Press Club Address: The orderly transition to the electric planet. Dr Alan Finkel, Australia’s Chief Scientist, Australian Government. February 12, 2020.

Australian billionaire to support world’s largest solar farm for export and local use

Source:RenewEconomy

Billionaire, Mike Cannon-Brookes, and other Australian entrepreneurs have confirmed financial support of a $25 billion dollar plan to build a 3,000km undersea cable to export solar energy to Singapore and to supply Darwin. The power will come from a massive 10GW solar farm and a potential 20-30GWh storage facility at Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia.

Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) outlined the project last month which quickly attracted the attention of investment heavyweights including Cannon-Brookes. An earlier BZE report, “10 Gigawatt Vision for the Northern Territory” also recommended the production of renewable hydrogen (along with solar electricity) for export with the potential of creating many jobs and earning the Northern Territory $2 billion in renewables export revenue by 2030.

Read More:
- Cannon-Brookes confirms investment in world’s biggest solar project. RenewEconomy, September 25, 2019.
- The 10GW solar vision that could turn Northern Territory into economic powerhouse. RenewEconomy, June 20, 2019.

A new way to make renewable hydrogen from seawater

How renewable hydrogen could be produced for export (From ABC News)

With our Chief Scientist suggesting Australia should enter the renewable hydrogen export industry (and other 'clean' H₂ industries) and innovations from CSIRO making that possible, the question is: where is all the water to make hydrogen coming from on this dry continent? The answer could be to make renewable hydrogen from seawater.

Making hydrogen from water using electrolysis powered by renewable energy is becoming a popular development as burning hydrogen in fuel cells to provide power emits only water vapour. However, the process needs purified water which is expensive to produce and freshwater is a valuable resource.

Stanford University, USA, has been working on using seawater to make hydrogen but the salts in seawater corrode the nickel anode during electrolysis. Now they have come up with a catalyst of carbonate and sulphate molecules with a high negative charge that greatly reduce this corrosion of the nickel anode, giving it a much longer life. Apparently this process is simple and affordable, which could assist the path to a renewable hydrogen export industry and an ample supply of 'clean' hydrogen for fuel cell electric vehicles and other fuel needs in regions where freshwater is scarce.

Read more:

- Seawater could bring breakthrough for hydrogen cars. Green Car Reports, May 21, 2019.

- A new way to generate hydrogen fuel from seawater. Stanford News, March 18, 2019.

- Briefing paper: Hydrogen for Australia’s future. Australia’s Chief Scientist, August, 2018.

- Renewable hydrogen could fuel Australia’s next export boom after CSIRO breakthrough. ABC News, May 12, 2017.

- Don’t write off hydrogen as a storage of renewable energy for transport. Using Renewables, October 24, 2017.

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.

Australia's chief scientist says we can be a world leader in energy storage.

Australia has the most MW of storage = navy bar graph (source RenewEconomy)

A new study led by chief scientist Alan Finkel has emphasized Australia’s role as a leader in the home battery storage sector, and says Australia can, and should, be a leader of energy storage of all types, including renewable hydrogen as an export opportunity.

The two most mature energy storage technologies in Australia are pumped hydro and lithium-ion batteries. There are other storage technologies being explored or adopted, such as renewable hydrogen, solar thermal, electrical thermal and flow batteries.

Battery technology is improving such that it can be used to provide back-up electricity if there is not enough power generation to meet demand. Batteries also play a crucial role in stabilizing the grid by helping to keep a constant frequency. Large-scale batteries and virtual power plants from home battery storage are starting to perform these roles.

One advantage of batteries is that once installed as small units they can be added to as needs and funds arise. Also, they can be installed close to where they are needed, reducing the transmission costs. In some cases, batteries can save investment costs by avoiding the need to upgrade power lines in cities and similarly support the large grid at its extremities without new lines.

Read more:
Finkel says Australia can, and should, be world leader in energy storage. RenewEconomy, July 6, 2018.
Taking charge: the energy storage opportunity for Australia. Office of the Chief Scientist - Occasional Paper, July 2018.
Also in this blog:
SA’s big Tesla battery goes full discharge (100MW) …... December 2017.
Australia’s biggest solar farm switches on …... (Including solar thermal storage). May 2018.
...Hydrogen as a storage of renewable energy for export. October 2017.
Australian virtual power plants to date.

Don't write off hydrogen as a storage of renewable energy for transport

Hydrogen Fuel cell electric car, Copenhagen (photo: Julie May) 

A number of car makers and industries are looking to use hydrogen as a renewable energy source but one of the challenges is transporting it over long distances. According to ABC News renewable hydrogen could fuel Australia's next export boom after a CSIRO breakthrough.

How renewable hydrogen is produced (From ABC News)

The Australian CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) has come up with a way to transport renewable hydrogen that has been converted to liquid ammonia (NH3) by ‘cracking’ the conversion of ammonia back to pure hydrogen at the destination making it ready to be used for transport.

There have been many improvements made in handling hydrogen as a 'fuel' such that it is no longer dangerous. For example, it is not burned as a fuel in a vehicle but used in a fuel cell to make electricity to drive an electric motor. Fuel cells use an electrochemical process to convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity and water. They have no moving parts and no open flames. See the simple illustrations in Team Macquarie: Hydrogen Myth Busters. Some advantages of hydrogen include a much faster time to refuel vehicles, a longer range between recharging and it is more applicable to larger forms of transport.

Some car companies are looking at hydrogen fuel cell vehicles such as General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes and possibly others. A good argument for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) vs battery electric vehicles (BEVs): Why the automotive future will be dominated by fuel cells. Of course there are arguments against FCEVs in favour of BEVs. It will be interesting to see what happens. All I know is that the battery in my plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) will not last that long and will need to be replaced after a few years!