Plants accumulating valuable metals, like nickel, can be farmed

This shrub oozes a green sap rich in nickel (Source: New Scientist)

Mining for metals is very destructive and expensive. For example, New Caledonia in the Pacific has rich deposits of nickel and its land has been ravaged by strip mining of the metal. However, some plants accumulate high concentrations of metals, such as nickel, possibly as a defence against pests. These plants are called hyperaccumulators and can be used to produce metals, perhaps reducing the need for mining. 

Nickel is an important metal for the making of steel and is used in many lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, phones and other consumer items. Demand for nickel and other metallic elements is expected to surge as they are needed for electric vehicles, wind turbines, magnets, lasers and other crucial technologies.

Hyperaccumlators have been found in areas where volcanic eruptions have brought the softened Earth's mantle, rich in metals, to the surface as ultramafic rock. The resulting soils have produced plants that accumulate metals such as cobalt, arsenic, manganese, zinc, nickel and other rare earth elements. 

As a result of finding these plants, farming has commenced and it is called agromining. Metal farms are now springing up in China, Europe and Malaysia. The ultramafic soils are poor for other crops, so are now given a more profitable use. In Europe, the nickel hyperaccumulator plant is related to kale. It is harvested, baled and burnt to release a nickel rich ash. The heat from burning is used to heat surrounding homes. The return per hectare is much greater than that for wheat.

Hyperaccumulator plants can also be used to rehabilitate old mining sites, such as in New Caledonia, as it is difficult to grow other plants there. Also field trials have been set up to test agromining production on old mining sites in China.

For more information see: How to grow metal. New Scientist, January 9, 2021, No3316, pp42-5.

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.

AGL Energy is to tender for 1.2GW of new battery storage by 2024

 

AGL's Nyngan Solar Farm (source: RenewEconomy)

AGL Energy of Australia plans to diversify its energy portfolio into clean energy options after receiving lower profits from its coal generators. It already has some large solar and wind farms and plans to add 1.2GW of battery storage to some of these renewable energy farms by 2024. 

AGL’s chief operation officer, Markus Brokhof, said “Although energy prices are lower, we still see an opportunity to invest as the composition of the portfolio shifts away from coal towards the new firmed renewable energy generation the market will need.” “AGL is to optimise dispatchable generation, support investment in firmed renewables and continue to invest in the accelerating emergence of batteries and other energy storage technologies.” 

Read more: 

- AGL targets 1.2GW of new battery storage by 2024, plans tender. RenewEconomy, August 13, 2020. 

- NSW to fund four new big battery projects as it readies to flick switch from coal. RenewEconomy, August 15, 2020. 

- AGL says batteries starting to compete with gas generators for peaking services. RenewEconomy, August 17, 2020.

 

ACT electricity prices to drop after going 100% renewable

Majura Solar Farm, Canberra. (Photo Julie May)

 ACT (Australian Capital Territory) households are set to enjoy an average 2.56 per cent drop in electricity prices from 1 July, after Canberra succeeded in reaching its 100 per cent renewable electricity target.

 

The territory has had a reduction in the wholesale electricity prices due to a 100 per cent transition to renewable electricity and the falling costs of renewable energy certificates. This will be passed onto the consumers with a reduction in their electricity prices.

 

The ACT officially received its transition to 100 percent renewable electricity in October 2019.  The price reduction will save the average household $43 on their electricity bills in a year.

 

Read more: ACT electricity prices to drop after reaching 100% renewable target. RenewEconomy, June 9, 2020.

Fukushima’s waste agricultural land to become huge renewable energy hub

Source: Nikkei Asian Review

In Fukushima, at the site of the nuclear reactor meltdown in 2011, the local Prefecture plan to convert the resulting unusable agricultural land into a massive renewable energy hub. The project is to have 11 solar farms and 10 wind farms over the large area which will produce 600MW of electricity for metropolitan Tokyo as the nuclear plant similarly did previously.

The project has the backing of the Japanese federal government. Work was due to commenced this January and is due for completion in 2024. It will help Japan reduce its carbon emissions.

However, Japan has a long way to go in the energy sector as it is hoping to restart many of its nuclear reactors, despite local resistance, and still relies on a lot of coal power so is a large importer of coal. (The Guardian).

Read more: 

- Fukushima to be reborn as $2.7bn wind and solar hub. Nikkei Asian Review, November 10, 2019.

- Fukushima to turn unusable farmland into wind and solar “mega park”. RenewEconomy, November 12, 2019. 

- Fukushima unveils plans to become renewable energy hub. The Guardian, January 5, 2020.

Australia's main grid 50% clean for first time and supplies 30% renewable energy for a week

Source: RenewEconomy

The growth in wind, solar and battery additions to the main grid, called the National Energy Market (NEM), in eastern Australia has grown rapidly this year, particularly rooftop and large scale solar. So much so that on November 6, 2019, in one trading period, the grid had just over 50 percent of demand as renewable electricity for the first time. This was mostly solar and wind power.

Then just a few days later from November 11-17 this large NEM, ranging from Queensland to Tasmania and South Australia, produced at least 30 percent renewable energy for the entire week. This included mostly solar, wind and hydro power.

I am assuming wind and hydro supplied 30% of the demand at night as it was a windy week and hydro is big in some states. Tasmania and South Australia reach at least 30% renewables most of the time and did export to the other states during this period and on November 6.

Read More:
- Australia’s main grid reaches 50 per cent renewables for the first time. RenewEconomy, November 6, 2019.
- Renewable energy supplies more than half of Australia’s national energy market for first time. ABC News, November 8, 2019.
- Renewables supply 30% of NEM demand over an entire week for first time. Renew Economy, November 20, 2019.