Energy Sector News

[petit_bateau]

WTI $96.0
Brent $104.8

US offshore wind spreads south

US Expanding Offshore Wind to Gulf of Mexico and Southern Atlantic

US President Joe Biden has announced that the Department of the Interior is advancing the development of offshore wind areas in the Gulf of Mexico and the Southern Atlantic.

www.offshorewind.biz

Chinese solar bigs up

Chinese PV Industry Brief: China may install up to 100 GW of solar this year

The country added more than 30 GW of new PV capacity in the first half of 2022 and its cumulative installed solar power reached 340 GW at the end of June.

www.pv-magazine.com

Prefab carport solar shading

Australian startup unveils scalable shade solution for commercial applications

Canyon Solar has unveiled a prefabricated solar PV shade structure for commercial carport applications that it claims can be installed at least three times faster than traditional systems and outcompetes rooftop solar PV on a dollar-per-watt basis.

www.pv-magazine.com

UK-Germany 1.4GW gridlink

Project to build 1.4 GW high-voltage cable linking Germany with the UK moves forward

The European Investment Bank has agreed to provide €400 million ($406.5 million) in funds for the €2.8 billion project. Construction on the infrastructure should begin by the end of this year.

www.pv-magazine.com

Panels get bigger

Solar panel sizes continue to get larger and improve LCOE, says TrendForce report

A new report from the Taiwanese market research company shows growth in the production of modules over 600 W and increased format size. Cells and wafers are getting larger as well.

www.pv-magazine.com

Dark tankers are a thing

Dark Tanker Market Gets Competitive

Data from Vortexa, a platform in the energy industry, shows that Iran, Russia, and Venezuela are all vying to sell oil to Asia. According to the analysis, Russia’s growing exports...

gcaptain.com

Complicated sanctions

EU sanctions tweak to unblock Russian oil deals with third countries

Russian state-owned companies Rosneft and Gazprom will be able to ship oil to third countries under an adjustment of European Union sanctions agreed by member states this week aimed at limiting the risks to global energy security.

www.reuters.com

Big ticket items

Siemens Energy Secures Its Largest Grid Connection Order

Amprion Offshore GmbH has now commissioned Siemens Energy to supply the converter platforms for the DolWin4 and BorWin4 offshore grid connection systems.

www.offshorewind.biz

Political risk rising

Italy’s loss of Mario Draghi is a warning to progressives across Europe – and to the EU | Lorenzo Marsili

The prospect of the far right taking power underlines the failure of technocratic government – and the need for true alternatives, says Italian philosopher Lorenzo Marsili

www.theguardian.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $98.2
Brent $106.5

Russia cuts Europe gas, Europe response, nothing unexpected, various takes

Russia’s Gazprom to make drastic cut to Europe’s gas supply from Wednesday

Zelenskiy accused Moscow of ‘gas war’ after Russian state-controlled energy company says it is halting a turbine due to its ‘technical condition’

www.theguardian.com

Eurozone crisis in reverse as southern states scold Germany over gas

Analysis: Southern European countries were unwilling to sign up to homogenous 15% cut in gas

www.theguardian.com

Europe agrees emergency gas curbs, Kyiv says Russia supply curbs are 'price terror'

European Union countries bracing for further cuts in Russian gas supply on Tuesday approved a weakened emergency plan to curb demand, after striking compromise deals to limit reductions for some countries.

www.reuters.com

Back to black? Germany's coal power plan hits hurdles

High coal prices, supply bottlenecks and aged plants are posing a challenge to Germany's plan to increase electricity production from hard coal-fired power plants to compensate for declining gas deliveries, according to operators and industry experts.

www.reuters.com

Russian gas flow too low to fill Europe's storage

Russia's cut in supplies through its main gas pipeline to Germany will leave countries unable to meet goals to refill storage and Europe's biggest economy faced with rationing industry to keep its citizens warm during the winter months.

www.reuters.com

diesel impacted

Europe's diesel drivers bound for more Russian price pain

Diesel drivers in Europe, already contending with record high prices, are in for even more pain at the pumps compared with those who rely on gasoline.

www.reuters.com

Russian attack

The Ukrainian-Russian cyber war no one speaks about

The boss of Ukrainian energy company DTEK confirmed that the utility had been a target of substantial cyber attacks in Ukrainian-Russian war.

www.smart-energy.com

US LNG on a roll

The United States became the world’s largest LNG exporter in the first half of 2022 - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

World PV gangbusters

Weekend read: Global module demand to hit 240 GW in 2022

Despite polysilicon shortage-induced high module prices, the market saw strong demand in the usually slower summer season this year, due to the global race to net-zero emissions. Corrine Lin, chief analyst at PV InfoLink, expects demand to reach 240 GW, with China and Europe set to contribute...

www.pv-magazine-australia.com

Russian economy badly affected

Russian Economic Impact Slide Deck - August 2022 v6.pdf | Powered by Box

yale.app.box.com

from

Business Retreats and Sanctions Are Crippling the Russian Economy

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters into its fifth month, a common narrative has emerged that the unity of the world in standing up to Russia has somehow

papers.ssrn.com

China hot

Blackouts in China as heatwave pushes electricity usage to record levels

High temperatures expected to continue for at least another week with more than 300 cities forecast to reach 35C

www.theguardian.com

Australian battery project

Australian Capital Territory charges ahead with Canberra’s 250 MW big battery project

The Australian Capital Territory government has firmed its commitment to deliver one of the largest battery storage systems in the Southern Hemisphere to support Canberra’s energy grid and the continued uptake of renewables with funding allocated in the upcoming budget to progress the Big...

www.pv-magazine.com

mmmmm.....Belgian retrospective

Belgium’s Flanders region wants to retroactively cancel green certificates for large PV systems

The retroactive measure should affect PV systems totaling more than 500 MW. The Flemish government claims the cancellation of the green certificates may help save up to €1.2 million, while the local renewable energy association ODE Vlaanderen is ready to question the legal underpinning of the...

www.pv-magazine.com

World nuclear report
-Nuclear generation increasing by 100 TWh to reach 2653 TWh in 2021, meeting 10% of the world’s electricity demand.
-Reactor performance improved, with the average capacity factor of the world’s operating nuclear reactor rising to 82.4%, up from 80.3% in 2020.
-Construction started on ten reactors in 2021, six of which are being built in China

World Nuclear Performance Report 2023 - World Nuclear Association

The World Nuclear Performance Report 2023 edition provides an up-to-date picture of the nuclear power sector, both for generation of electricity from reactors in operation today, and reactors currently under construction.free and paid-for publications.

www.world-nuclear.org

 

[petit_bateau]

Agreement on operation of Belgian reactors expected by year-end : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News

The Belgian government and Electrabel have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent on continuing negotiations on the feasibility and terms for the operation of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 for a further ten years. The two sides aim to agree a binding legal agreement by the end of December.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $95.3/bbl
Brent $104.5/bbl

Russian stupidity accelerates the energy revolution ...................

First they cut ammonia production, from fossils

Focus: BASF readies more ammonia production cuts in gas supply crunch

Germany's BASF , the world's largest chemical company, is cutting ammonia production further due to soaring natural gas prices, it said on Wednesday, with potential ramifications from farming to fizzy drinks.

www.reuters.com

Then they build a renewables ammonia plant

The Hydrogen Stream: Construction begins on world’s largest integrated green hydrogen, ammonia plant

In other news, German energy company Uniper said it will test a new salt cavern built for hydrogen storage, while Serbia and Hungary signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on renewable hydrogen.

www.pv-magazine.com

EU rationing

What will gas rationing mean for the EU’s energy future?

The EU is preparing to introduce gas rationing if Russia shuts off the gas taps. It is likely to burn more coal - and invest in renewables.

www.energymonitor.ai

Bigwind offshore reality

First Foundation Stands at World's Largest Offshore Wind Farm

Installation of the 277 wind turbine foundations has started on the 3.6 GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm which is being developed 130 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast, the UK.

www.offshorewind.biz

US wind-battery rolls out

Hybrid wind+storage project now operational in Texas

Enel Green Power brought online a 350 MW wind farm paired with a 137 MW/204.6 MWh battery storage facility in Throckmorton County, Texas.

www.renewableenergyworld.com

Polish hydro-battery proposal

Polish utility PGE wants to couple 200 MW/820 MWh of battery storage with existing pumped-hydro facility

The project is located 10 km from the Baltic Sea, where PGE is planning to build offshore wind farms with a total capacity of 3.5 GW.

www.pv-magazine.com

Germany pays to save

Germany earmarks up to $14 billion to make buildings more energy-efficient

The German government plans to earmark 13 billion to 14 billion euros ($13.17 billion-$14.18 billion) per year in subsidies for renovations to make buildings more energy-efficient, the economy ministry said on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com

Chines solar juggernaut

Chinese PV Industry Brief: GCL Tech starts production at polysilicon fab in Leshan, Jolywood expands backsheet capacity

In other news, Shuangliang secured a large wafer deal from the Chint Group and Tongwei raised the prices of its solar cells.

www.pv-magazine.com

Eskom finally asks for many hands to save light

South Africa to introduce feed-in tariffs for rooftop PV

The country's troubled power utility Eskom is currently developing the new incentive scheme. President Cyril Rampahosa said the program may also include some unspecified tax incentives.

www.pv-magazine.com

Supply chain frenzy

Where there's muck there's brass ... and critical minerals

Scandium sits in the shadows of the periodic table. Even by the esoteric standards of other critical minerals, the soft, silvery metal with the atomic number 21 is something of an enigma.

www.reuters.com

People care

Most of the world is worried about climate change - Energy Monitor

A majority of people in over 200 countries are worried about climate change and say it should be a priority for governments, a survey finds.

www.energymonitor.ai

African gas bridge fuel debate

Gas in Africa: Still a 'transition fuel’?

The world is facing climate catastrophe. But given development needs, would it make sense to develop gas assets in Africa?

www.energymonitor.ai

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $98.9
Brent $107.7

UK squeeze

UK energy bills forecast to hit £3,850 as Russia cuts gas supply further

Consumers also warned bills of more than £3,500 a year could last ‘well into’ 2024

www.theguardian.com

EU prepping

EU prepares public opinion for winter gas siege

European Union policymakers have started to prepare the public for siege conditions this winter if gas supplies from Russia are completely cut, an effort to demonstrate diplomatic resolve as well as avoid panic later in the year.

www.reuters.com

JohnKempReuters gas storage chartbook

https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/gdpzylledvw/EU%20AND%20GERMANY%20GAS%20INVENTORIES.pdf

Russia cutting

Russia cuts gas flows further as Europe urges energy saving

Russia delivered less gas to Europe on Wednesday in a further escalation of an energy stand-off between Moscow and the European Union that will make it harder, and costlier, for the bloc to fill up storage ahead of the winter heating season.

www.reuters.com

US mowing

Solar-powered electric lawn mowing

Perhaps in anticipation of California’s coming ban on small combustion engines, battery-powered electric lawn mowers have begun to appear in the market. At least one model is equipped with built-in solar power.

www.pv-magazine.com

Storage arbitrage

Battery systems on the U.S. power grid are increasingly used to respond to price - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

Fraccers maxed

Limited frack supply could hamper U.S. crude oil output

Demand for hydraulic fracturing equipment is quickly outpacing supply, executives said this week, setting the stage for a new obstacle to U.S. oil and gas production growth.

www.reuters.com

Battery forecast

Battery market forecast to 2030: Pricing, capacity, and supply and demand

We used data-driven models to forecast battery pricing, supply, and capacity from 2022 to 2030. EV battery prices will likely drop in half. And the current 30 gigawatt-hours of installed batteries should rise to 400 gigawatt-hours by 2030. With such changes, how should a utility prepare?

www.esource.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $98.5
Brent $103.8

Manchin u-turn scarcely conceals businesss-as-usual support for fossils and legacy ICE imho

Manchin agrees deal on major Democrat domestic bill | First Thing

Joe Biden urges Congress to pass measure that took ‘extraordinary effort’ to achieve. Plus, US centrists to launch new third political party

www.theguardian.com

and

In the wake of West Virginia v. EPA, the US needs to step up climate action

The EPA is still authorised to reduce emissions from power plants. But the US government must act now to get on track to its climate goals.

www.energymonitor.ai

and

US to extend Investment Tax Credit for solar at 30% to 2032

As written in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the tax credit will begin at 30% and step down to 26% in 2033 and 22% in 2034.

www.pv-magazine.com

in crisis, opportunity

It is time for Europe to turn the tables on the Kremlin's gas playbook

The EU needs to accelerate the phase-out of Russian gas in Europe and concretise largely theoretical “solidarity" agreements.

www.energymonitor.ai

and

If Putin is using gas prices to fight Europe, how can it fight back?

Analysis: in this massive hybrid war, Europe is preparing its defences before winter and hoping sanctions bite

www.theguardian.com

and

EU gas solidarity complicated by lack of fuel sharing deals

The European Union clinched a deal this week to cope with a gas supply crisis, but to make it work member states need to establish bilateral pacts to share gas and, right now, most have no such agreement in place.

www.reuters.com

and

Keep calm and cut the air con - Japan's energy saving is model for Europe

As Europe braces for energy shortages from Russian gas cuts, Japan's own energy crisis a decade ago offers survival lessons to households and businesses - such as dimming the lights and taking the stairs.

www.reuters.com

Down ?

PPA prices in Europe decreased by 11% in June

The rise in gas and electricity prices was not reflected in PPA prices in June. The war in Ukraine continues to prevent the signing of PPAs and has caused prices to rise in most European markets, with Pexapark's Pexa EURO index posting an overall decline of 11.3% month-on-month for June.

www.pv-magazine.com

Food suffers

Could the climate crisis mean a new era of higher food prices?

Various factors are inflating the cost of food now but might the climate crisis mean shoppers have to get used to a new era of higher prices?

www.energymonitor.ai

Fuels strong

U.S. fuel demand remains strong, despite recent data -refiners

Demand for transportation fuels remains strong despite mixed signals from inventory data collected by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. fuelmakers said on Thursday.

www.reuters.com

Heat pump stuff

UK startup develops high-temperature heat pump that produces steam from waste heat

FutraHeat has designed a heat pump that can operate at reduced speeds without oil, recover waste heat from as low as 70 C, and deliver high-grade heat up to 150 C. The electrically powered heat pump utilizes waste heat from all sorts of industrial processes, including drying, distillation, and...

www.pv-magazine.com

Rehabilitating

Saudi crown prince bears green energy gifts to Greece, but little action seen

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince traveled to the Greek capital of Athens this week, representing his first official trip to Europe since the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. His visit was marked by the signing of several agreements between the two countries and some big statements...

www.pv-magazine.com

15MW axial flux wants investors

15 MW Rare-Earth-Free Offshore Wind Turbine Seeks Path to Market

GreenSpur Wind, the UK-based company that has developed a new generator for the global offshore wind market, and Niron Magnetics, the US company pioneering the world’s first high-performance, rare earth-free permanent magnets, have announced a milestone in developing a new, lighter...

www.offshorewind.biz

coal up

Global coal demand is set to return to its all-time high in 2022 - News - IEA

Global coal demand is set to return to its all-time high in 2022 - News from the International Energy Agency

www.iea.org

 

[petit_bateau]

Gazprom suspends gas supplies to Latvia
The state-owned firm on Saturday [30-Jul-22] suspended gas supplies to Latvia following tensions between Moscow and the West over the conflict in Ukraine and sweeping sanctions against Russia, reports AFP. Gazprom said on Telegram: "Today, Gazprom suspended its gas supplies to Latvia... due to violations of the conditions.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $98.6
Brent $104.5

Another link in the shipping chain : Suez hydrogen

The Hydrogen Stream: $8 billion green hydrogen facility near the Suez Canal

Egypt is taking several steps to support renewable and hydrogen projects, aiming to produce 42% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Meanwhile, a team of researchers led by UCLA developed a method for predicting platinum alloys’ potency and stability; Iberdrola and bp are working...

www.pv-magazine.com

Doing solar business in China not always easy

Manz exits solar business

The German PV equipment manufacturer said it will discontinue all activities in the CIGS thin-film area after writing off €23.2 million due to a failed fab project in China.

www.pv-magazine.com

Solar treadmill continues scaling

The PV industry needs 12 times more polysilicon production capacity by 2050

New research from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) predicts cumulative polysilicon demand of 46-87 Mt will be required to achieve 63.4 TW of PV installed by 2050.

www.pv-magazine.com

Big Indian solar 57GW

India’s cumulative installed PV capacity tops 57.7 GW

Rajasthan (14.4 GW), Gujarat (7.8 GW) and Karnataka (7.6 GW) are the Indian states with the largest amount of solar power.

www.pv-magazine.com

Do you feel lucky ?

The weekend read: The return of global PV manufacturing

A successful initial public offering on the Istanbul stock exchange this year proved that a business model with an emphasis on solar cell and module manufacturing outside of China or Southeast Asia can find the backing of institutional investors. The landmark finance deal gives fresh shine to...

www.pv-magazine.com

French 480MW offshore mostly built ....

Saint-Nazaire Entering Home Stretch

56 out of the 80 GE Haliade 150-6MW wind turbines have been installed at the 480 MW Saint-Nazaire wind farm site offshore France with the first 25 per cent of the wind farm already commissioned in mid July.

www.offshorewind.biz

.... and 2GW more for French coast of NORTH Atlantic

France Selects Offshore Wind Areas in South Atlantic

The French government has selected the areas for the implementation of two offshore wind farms off the coast of the South Atlantic following a public debate.

www.offshorewind.biz

But Ireland wants 7GW

Ireland Raises 2030 Offshore Wind Target to 7 GW Through Agreement on Sectoral Emissions Ceilings

The Irish Government has increased the country's offshore wind target for 2030 from 5 GW to 7 GW after reaching an agreement on Sectoral Emissions Ceilings that set maximum limits on greenhouse gas emissions for each sector of the Irish economy to the end of the decade.

www.offshorewind.biz

OPEC seeks relevance

OPEC secretary general says Russia's membership in OPEC+ is vital for success of agreement

OPEC's new secretary general said that Russia's membership in OPEC+ is vital for the success of the agreement, Kuwait's Alrai newspaper reported on Sunday, quoting an exclusive interview with Haitham al-Ghais.

www.reuters.com

Shuttering US refineries

Lyondell eyes 'very large' investment at Houston refinery site after closure

Chemical maker Lyondell Basell Industries is considering a "very large investment" at the site of its Houston refinery after it permanently stops refining crude oil by the end of 2023, Chief Executive Peter Vanacker said in a conference call on Friday.

www.reuters.com

New England catches duck curve (and with 4h storage see where this can go ..... for 9m of the year)

Small-scale solar is changing hourly utility electricity demand in New England - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $93.3/bbl
Brent $99.3/bbl .......... dipping again below $100 ......... can you say recession ?

Gazprom gas going

Gazprom daily gas output in July lowest since 2008, analysis suggests

Output last month of Russian firm was down 14% on June, sharpening fears Moscow could provoke energy crisis in Europe

www.theguardian.com

Funnily enough German solar rising

Germany deployed 3.8 GW of PV in first half of 2022

In June alone, new PV systems totaling 612 MW were connected to the German grid. The country’s cumulative operational PV capacity reached 59.9 GW at the end of June.

www.pv-magazine.com

Bill rising

Energy bills in Great Britain ‘could hit £3,600 a year this winter’

Government’s £400 discount not enough to offset soaring bills and households may need more help, says analyst

www.theguardian.com

India rationing

India's GAIL rationing gas as former Gazprom unit cuts supplies

India's largest gas distributor GAIL (India) Ltd has started gas rationing, cutting supplies to fertiliser and industrial clients after imports were hit under its deal with a former unit of Russian energy giant Gazprom, two sources familiar with the matter said.

www.reuters.com

Another day another battery product

New residential lithium-ion battery from China

Chinese manufacturer Bslbatt has unveiled an upgraded version of its residential battery. The device has a storage capacity ranging from 5.12 to 12.8 kWh and is reportedly able to provide steady operation for up to 6,000 charge cycles.

www.pv-magazine.com

Boring vital grid stuff

MISO Approves 18 Transmission Projects in US Midwest, Integrating More Renewable Energy

These transmission projects will integrate about 53 GW and create more than 200,000 jobs.

www.tdworld.com

More boring vital grid stuff

US solar sector prepares to meet smart inverter requirements

As several US states will soon require smart inverters for new distributed resources, and more are considering such a requirement, nearly all manufacturers will be delivering smart inverters that meet a new industry standard by August 2023, finds an analysis by the Interstate Renewable Energy...

www.pv-magazine.com

Japanese hydrogen chimera

Toshiba energizes PV-powered hydrogen refueling station in Japan

The system is reportedly able to refill about eight hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, each in three minutes. It is also able to supply electric power by using hydrogen produced with renewable energy within the station.

www.pv-magazine.com

Recycle-able blades in use offshore

World's First Wind Turbine with Recyclable Blades Starts Spinning Offshore Germany

The first Siemens Gamesa wind turbine equipped with the company's RecyclableBlades has generated first power at the Kaskasi offshore wind farm in Germany.

www.offshorewind.biz

Policy opportunities

https://www.bakerinstitute.org/media/files/files/25a5d7be/wp-mikulska-finley-energytransition-072922.pdf

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $93.8
Brent $99.8 .... still under a ton

EU at 67% gas

Weekly data: European gas storage is filled to 67%

European gas storage is up on last year but not on track to ensure security of supply in case of further disruptions to Russian imports.

www.energymonitor.ai

France full-ish

France will have filled up its strategic gas reserves by start of November -minister

France will have filled out 100 percent of its strategic gas reserves by November 1, government energy transition minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told C News TV, as European countries prepare for fewer energy supplies coming through from Russia.

www.reuters.com

US rise of gas

https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/zgpomgwjmpd/US%20GAS%20CONSUMPTION%20BY%20POWER%20GENERATORS.pdf

Greeks bearing gifts in EU

Ed's Note: Greece pitches new electricity market model

The Greeks went to Brussels bearing gifts in the form of a proposal and a letter that focus on the division of electricity markets.

www.smart-energy.com

- the important detail stuff

https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-11398-2022-INIT/en/pdf

CATL pauses

Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip Spurs Chinese Battery Giant to Pause Plant Debut

www.bloomberg.com

Capping oil profits the G7 way

G7 mulls options to restrict Russian oil profits

The Group of Seven (G7) wealthy nations is looking at blocking the transportation of Russian oil among other options to deprive Moscow of bumper revenues amid its invasion of Ukraine, unless it heeds a price cap.

www.reuters.com

Subsidy free wind flows

Subsidy-Free Offshore Wind Power Starts Flowing into Dutch Grid

The 1.5 GW Hollandse Kust Zuid – the world’s first subsidy-free offshore wind farm - has generated first electricity.

www.offshorewind.biz

Pivotal wind test

Floating Wind Turbine Prototype Ready for Installation

X1 Wind has laid the dynamic cable for its PivotBuoy floating offshore wind prototype, which is now ready to be installed at the PLOCAN test site off the Canary Islands.

www.offshorewind.biz

EU taxonomy stuff

Podcast: EU taxonomy vote explained, and leadership in nuclear : Perspectives - World Nuclear News

The vote favouring nuclear in the EU taxonomy was bigger than expected - Nucleareurope’s Jessica Johnson explains why. Jonathan Cobb crunches the numbers on the nuclear industry and the IAEA’s Lisa Lande discusses leadership and why it is so important in the nuclear sector.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

Ukraine nuclear for gas substiute

Ukraine offers to support EU as continent braces for gas crisis : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News

Nuclear power imported from Ukraine could avoid consumption of 5-6 billion cubic metres of gas in the EU this winter - more than one-tenth of the total reduction that EU countries agreed when an extraordinary session of EU energy ministers on the energy crisis was joined by their Ukrainian...

www.world-nuclear-news.org

Devilish partnership

Iberdrola and bp invest €1b in EV infrastructure and green hydrogen

Iberdrola and bp have announced a strategic collaboration to expand fast EV public charging infrastructure in Spain and Portugal.

www.smart-energy.com

Myth of DAC tries out reality, Iceland

Going giga: The race to scale up the direct air capture (DAC) industry

The DAC industry facility looks to scale up at a pace rarely seen in the history of commercial markets, with construction starting in Iceland.

www.energymonitor.ai

More CCS, Japan

Why Japan is pushing CCS in Southeast Asia

Japan is pushing carbon capture and storage (CCS) to cut emissions from existing assets and transition to net zero. Many are skeptical.

www.energymonitor.ai

10 x SMRs for 200MW

Last Energy agrees to build ten SMRs for Polish industrial zone : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

US small modular reactor developer Last Energy has signed a Letter of Intent with Poland's Legnica Special Economic Zone and DB Energy on the construction of a power plant consisting of ten SMRs with a combined capacity of 200 MWe. The agreement also includes a power purchase agreement with a...

www.world-nuclear-news.org

Gallium nitride for microinverter

Photovoltaic micro-inverter based on gallium nitride transistors

Scientists from France's CEA-Ines developed a 400 W micro-inverter with a power density of 1.1 kW/L and an efficiency of 97%. The device utilizes GaN 600V diodes and power transistors developed by CEA's electronic branch CEA-Leti.

www.pv-magazine.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $90.8
Brent $96.8

Doing without Russia

European energy without Russian gas

Scientists in Denmark have modeled the likely impacts of reduced gas supply on the European energy mix up to 2050. Their research finds that if the continent is to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global average temperature increase to 1.5 C, then gas consumption would need to be...

www.pv-magazine.com

US rotates to renewables

The U.S. power grid added 15 GW of generating capacity in the first half of 2022 - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

IMF advice to Europe re poor

How Europe Can Protect the Poor from Surging Energy Prices

blogs.imf.org

Transmission is underrated

Regional and Interregional Transmission Have Significant Economic Value

Extreme conditions and high-value periods disproportionately boost the value of new transmission, but are not always adequately considered in forward-looking assessments.

www.tdworld.com

Storage going up

Global energy storage deployment may hit 500 GW by 2031

Wood Mackenzie said it expects the United States and China to represent 75% of global energy storage demand in a highly consolidated market.

www.pv-magazine.com

Juicy French solar tariffs

France publishes new FITs for PV systems up to 500 kW

France's new tariffs range from €0.1951 ($0.1984)/kWh for installations below 3 kW in size to €0.1068/kWh for arrays ranging in capacity from 100 kW to 500 kW.

www.pv-magazine.com

 

[CorneliusXX]

WTI $90.8
Brent $96.8

Doing without Russia

European energy without Russian gas

Scientists in Denmark have modeled the likely impacts of reduced gas supply on the European energy mix up to 2050. Their research finds that if the continent is to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global average temperature increase to 1.5 C, then gas consumption would need to be...

www.pv-magazine.com

US rotates to renewables

The U.S. power grid added 15 GW of generating capacity in the first half of 2022 - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

IMF advice to Europe re poor

How Europe Can Protect the Poor from Surging Energy Prices

blogs.imf.org

Transmission is underrated

Regional and Interregional Transmission Have Significant Economic Value

Extreme conditions and high-value periods disproportionately boost the value of new transmission, but are not always adequately considered in forward-looking assessments.

www.tdworld.com

Storage going up

Global energy storage deployment may hit 500 GW by 2031

Wood Mackenzie said it expects the United States and China to represent 75% of global energy storage demand in a highly consolidated market.

www.pv-magazine.com

Juicy French solar tariffs

France publishes new FITs for PV systems up to 500 kW

France's new tariffs range from €0.1951 ($0.1984)/kWh for installations below 3 kW in size to €0.1068/kWh for arrays ranging in capacity from 100 kW to 500 kW.

www.pv-magazine.com

That's an amazing French tariff. Should be plenty of money to be made.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $88.0
Brent $93.7

................................ because demand destruction is a thing : long but mild recession inbound

Bank of England hikes interest rates and says inflation will hit 13%

Base rate raised by 0.5 percentage points to 1.75%, as Bank says inflation will hit 13% in October

www.theguardian.com

Tesla annuals

2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders | Tesla

Tesla’s 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held on Thursday, August 4, 2022, at 4:30 PM Central Time.

www.tesla.com

summarised

2022 Tesla Annual Meeting of Stockholders – DBurkland.com

www.dburkland.com

Belief gap, I have one

Carmakers start to see weaker demand amid inflation squeeze

Carmakers are reporting lower demand in Europe and North America amid what analysts say is growing evidence that consumers are balking at higher prices and keeping their cash for necessities.

www.reuters.com

OPEC smidge

OPEC+ agrees tiny output rise in setback for Biden

OPEC+ is set to raise its oil output goal by 100,000 barrels per day, an amount analysts said was a setback to U.S. President Joe Biden after his trip to Saudi Arabia to ask the producer group's leader to pump more to help the United States and the global economy.

www.reuters.com

.... or is OPEC just holding back

Exclusive: Saudi, UAE save oil firepower in case of winter supply crisis

OPEC leaders Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates stand ready to deliver a "significant increase" in oil output should the world face a severe supply crisis this winter, sources familiar with the thinking of the top Gulf exporters said.

www.reuters.com

US gas LNG

U.S. regulator to allow Freeport LNG to resume partial operations in October

The second-largest U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter on Wednesday said it reached an agreement with a federal regulator that will allow it to resume some operations at its Quintana, Texas, plant in October.

www.reuters.com

EU gas at 70%

European gas storage on track to meet target but at a cost

European countries are on track to reach a gas storage filling target by the start of this winter, but the cost of replenishing stocks will be over 50 billion euros ($51 billion), 10 times more than the historical average of filling up tanks for winter.

www.reuters.com

EV mass adoption tipping point

Have booming EV sales crossed the mass-adoption tipping point?

The world could be nearing an electric vehicle sales tipping point, when volatile early adoption trends are overtaken by mainstream demand.

www.energymonitor.ai

Legacy matters

Caught By The Legacy Twins

It will be interesting to see how regulatory support will fare against the legacy twins, but there’s way too much capacity being wasted not to do something about it.

www.tdworld.com

US offshore

US West Coast offshore wind could take flight - with the right support

Promising tailwinds could unleash floating wind in California, Oregon and Washington. West Coast offshore wind can be a clean energy example.

www.energymonitor.ai

Pretty soon we start to see if hydrogen works

World’s largest underground hydrogen storage project

Mitsubishi Power Americas and Magnum Development are set to begin construction on a 300 GWh underground storage facility in the US state of Utah. It will consist of two caverns with capacities of 150 GWh, to store hydrogen generated by an adjacent 840 MW hydrogen-capable gas turbine combined...

www.pv-magazine.com

 

[RSpanner]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has directed the staff to issue a final rule that certifies NuScale’s small modular reactor design for use in the United States. The certification’s effective date is 30 days after the NRC publishes the rule in the Federal Register.

US regulators will certify first small nuclear reactor design

NuScale will get the final approval nearly six years after starting the process.

arstechnica.com

 

[RubberToe]

Anyone care to hazard a guess as to whether this will actually delay the first offshore wind farms using the Haliade-X?

GE loses patent case over Haliade-X offshore wind turbine tech

General Electric Co. lost a patent infringement case against Siemens Gamesa last month...

www.timesunion.com

 

[petit_bateau]

Anyone care to hazard a guess as to whether this will actually delay the first offshore wind farms using the Haliade-X?

GE loses patent case over Haliade-X offshore wind turbine tech

General Electric Co. lost a patent infringement case against Siemens Gamesa last month...

www.timesunion.com

I don't think so. I seem to recall posting the news of this a few weeks ago (yes - see US Jury Rules in Favour of Siemens Gamesa and Against GE in Patent Infringement Case ). The big players have sheafs of patents they battle over and generally come to sensible terms over (FRAND or equivalent). Their underlying aims are ordinarily to not be prevented in something, rather than to seek to gain advantage, i.e. protection against downside.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $88.0
Brent $93.8 ............. demand destruction on a roll

......but Russian differential narrowing

Russian crude prices recover on strong India, China demand

Spot prices for Russia's key export crude grade ESPO Blend to Asia have rebounded from all-time lows amid strong demand from top buyers India and China and easing concerns about possible sanctions, several traders said.

www.reuters.com

Water down, loads down

Rhine water level falls again in Germany, raising freight costs

Water levels on the Rhine in Germany continue to fall in hot weather, sending shipping costs higher because vessels cannot sail on the river fully loaded, vessel brokers said on Friday.

www.reuters.com

Energy is the new bread

How to respond to food and energy shortages – a short guide for policymakers

Ensuring an adequate supply of food at an affordable price has always been a fundamental responsibility of the state and in recent centuries that responsibility has extended to energy as well.

www.reuters.com

EU taxonomy will have global ramifications

The weekend read: How does the EU taxonomy set criteria for technologies to be labeled green and provide investors with a classification system?

Despite its faults and shortcomings, the EU’s Taxonomy Regulation is expected to support the energy transition and help redirect capital flows to renewables and green assets. Andreas Walstad examines how the taxonomy sets out criteria for technologies to be labeled green and environmentally...

www.pv-magazine.com

Politicians demand hydrogen shows real stuff

The Hydrogen Stream: Hyundai to export heavy-duty hydrogen trucks to Germany

Seven German companies have agreed to put 27 Hyundai heavy-duty fuel cell trucks into fleet service in the coming months. American Airlines has revealed an investment in ZeroAvia, while New Fortress Energy has invested in a 120 MW industrial-scale plant in Texas.

www.pv-magazine.com

Australian PV-H2

Australian solar park could generate hydrogen for less than $2/kg

A new study shows that hydrogen could be produced for as little as AUD 2.85 ($1.98) per kilogram, supporting Frontier Energy's plans to make green hydrogen from a 500 MW solar project it is developing in Western Australia.

www.pv-magazine.com

Solar profits

Chinese PV Industry Brief: Daqo’s profits soar by 341%

Daqo posted record revenue of CNY 16.3 billion ($2.3 billion) in the first six months of 2022, while Datang Group announced plans to build 5.58 GW of PV plants in China this year.

www.pv-magazine.com

0.6GW pumped solar in India

India’s solar pump capacity hits 691.4 MW under subsidies

The Indian government’s PM KUSUM Scheme supports farmers in installing standalone solar pumps and solarizing existing grid-connected agriculture pumps.

www.pv-magazine.com

0.5GW at a time

Wirsol secures approval for 445 MW solar-storage power plant in Australia

The Australian state of New South Wales has given the green light for another large-scale solar PV and battery project. German renewables developer Wirsol Energy has revealed that it has secured amended development approval for a 445 MW solar and energy storage hybrid power plant in the state.

www.pv-magazine.com

make that 4.2 GW at a time

US added 4.2 GW of solar in H1

The US Energy Information Administration expects 17.8 GW of solar capacity to be added to the grid by the end of this year.

www.pv-magazine.com

Battery research

High-performance aqueous calcium-ion battery

Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the United States have developed a special class of materials for bulky calcium ions, providing pathways for their facile insertion into battery electrodes.

www.pv-magazine.com

Solar robot

US fund invests in automated utility-scale solar installation platform

Terabase Energy has raised $44 million in a recent funding round to support digital and robotic platforms for the development of utility-scale solar power plants.

www.pv-magazine.com

Wind robot mk2

BladeBUG Armours Up for Offshore Wind Turbine Blade Walks

BladeBUG's six-legged robot that walks on wind turbine blades has been upgraded with a waterproof outer shell that protects it from harsh elements while it is carrying out inspection and maintenance work.

www.offshorewind.biz

SMR modular nuclear certification ..... aint't quick 2029

NRC to certify NuScale small modular reactor design for use in the US

The first small modular nuclear reactor design to be approved in the U.S. is expected to go online at an Energy Department laboratory in Idaho in 2029.

www.utilitydive.com

 

[petit_bateau]

A useful book review for those taking the long view

Prediction, Prophecy or Speculation? The consequences of geopolitical navel-gazing when predicting future maritime developments

Published in The Mariner's Mirror (Vol. 108, No. 3, 2022)

www.tandfonline.com

Prediction, Prophecy or Speculation? The consequences of geopolitical navel-gazing when predicting future maritime developments (review by Duncan Connors)
[review of] To Rule Eurasia’s Waves: The new great power competition at sea by G. F. Gresh, Yale University Press, 2020, £24.99 (pb) 363 pages, illustrations, index isbn 9780300234848

 

[petit_bateau]

more flesh on hydrogen bones

ScottishPower to build £150m green hydrogen plant at Port of Felixstowe

Exclusive: plant at Suffolk port is slated to produce 100megawatts of power from 2026

www.theguardian.com

and these droughts are a sign of things to come

‘The new normal’: how Europe is being hit by a climate-driven drought crisis

Water shortages across the continent, from France through Italy, Spain and beyond, are creating a critical situation

www.theguardian.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $91.6
Brent $97.8

US pork voted through

Inflation Reduction Act could slash US emissions by 41% by 2030 - Energy Innovation

The bill’s $369bn of emissions-reductions provisions span from clean energy and electric vehicle tax credits to huge investments in domestic manufacturing of clean technologies and environmental justice.

www.energymonitor.ai

or

US Senate passes Inflation Reduction Act to energy industry applause

The Senate passed a budget measure to much applause that includes the largest investments in clean energy and climate change in US history.

www.smart-energy.com

or

US Senate passes Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: An industry reacts

Solar industry leaders weigh in on Senate passage of the IRA, the bill that carries $370 billion in energy security and climate spending.

www.pv-magazine.com

... meanwhile Iran nuclear talks (my take is only window of opportunity is immediately after US mid terms, so everything has to be ready just-in-case)

EU team submit ‘final text’ at talks to salvage 2015 Iran nuclear deal

Revival of agreement awaits ‘political decisions’ in Tehran and Washington after negotiators in Vienna agree text

www.theguardian.com

UK good example of domestic energy price impact (UK more exposed than most)

UK energy bills forecast to hit £4,266 a year from January

Government urged to announce more support for struggling households as Ofgem price cap expected to rise again

www.theguardian.com

or

Price cap forecasts for January rise to over £4,200 as wholesale prices surge again and Ofgem revises cap methodology

Our new forecasts for the January Default Tariff Cap have risen by over £6501, meaning a typical household is now predicted to pay the equivalent of £4,266 a year for the three months to March 2023.

www.cornwall-insight.com

Germany also suffering

German economy to lose $265 billion in added value due to war, high energy prices, study says

Germany's economy will lose more than 260 billion euros ($265 billion) in added value by 2030 due to the Ukraine war and high energy prices, spelling negative effects for the labour market, according to a study by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB).

www.reuters.com

India installing PV at rate of 20 GW/year

India installed 8.4 GW of solar in H1

India is expected to install 20 GW of new solar capacity in 2022, according to JMK Research.

www.pv-magazine.com

Fast payback

Study finds 100% renewables would pay off within 6 years

New research from Stanford University researcher Mark Jacobson outlines how 145 countries could meet 100% of their business-as-usual energy needs with wind, water, solar and energy storage. The study finds that in all the countries considered, lower-cost energy and other benefits mean the...

www.pv-magazine.com

.... but big oil ducks opportunity

Record profits give oil majors an opportunity to invest in the energy transition. They’re blowing it. - Energy Monitor

It’s okay to be outraged at the record-high profits oil majors are reporting. But the real cause for outrage is the ploughing of money back to shareholders or into new fields at a significantly larger scale than into clean technologies.

www.energymonitor.ai

Private cash finds opportunity unattractive as well ... at least in poor countries

How private energy investors are turning their back on Global South

Net zero will require massive investment – but World Bank data shows private infrastructure investment has been in steep decline since 2012.

www.energymonitor.ai

Thermal storage tries again (never really worked before, I've seen a few - to be clear interseasonal or long duration storage is nigh-on impossible, but shorter term buffering of district heating schemes works great)

Can thermal storage fire up the net-zero transition?

After almost a decade in incubation, thermal energy storage is finally coming of age to play its role in the net-zero transition.

www.energymonitor.ai

Another hydrogen offshore platform

Dutch Company Develops Offshore Wind-Powered Hydrogen Production Platform

The Netherlands-based engineering company Iv-Offshore & Energy has developed a platform that uses offshore wind energy to produce 85 kilotonnes of hydrogen per year.

www.offshorewind.biz

Drought expected to be lengthy

UK braced for drought conditions to last until October

Lack of rain could have dire consequences for farming and crop harvesting

www.theguardian.com

EU awkward squad Poland

Poland threatens to turn ‘all our cannon’ on EU in rule-of-law row

Ruling party steps up rhetoric by suggesting it could unseat European Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen

www.theguardian.com

EU awkward squad Hungary

Hungary tries to unlock funds frozen amid EU disciplinary process

Viktor Orbán has sent a top official to Brussels in effort to obtain Covid recovery funds worth billions of euros as deadline nears

www.theguardian.com