Energy Sector News

[traxila]

Yes.

I can be emphatic in my answer because I have designed (and built) these systems for many years, and they are scale-neutral. Actually scale is to an extent advantageous.

Whether it would be economically sensible is a different matter. As I have often pointed out to clients, getting the last 10% or 2% or 1% of fossil fuels out of a system is very expensive and often not economically justifiable.

For a large country the existing fossil fuel generators on the electrical grid (esp any 'simple' gas turbines) can be used to provide quick-response reserve so as to get to (say) 90% more easily than trying to get to 100%.

One should try to keep a sense of balance in these things.

*** BUT *** for a country to go fully renewable energy, as opposed to 'just' a fully renewable electricity grid, then they would also need to switch all of their vehicles to BEV and build a certain amount (less than you'd think) of extra renewables generation and grid infrastructure. Also all the heating/cooling in buildings would need to shift across to electric heat pumps. Again that can be done, and could be done by 2035, but does increase the economic challenge.

Some countries are making good progress - take a look at Fig 2 in this. Personally I'd ignore Norway as it is somewhat hypocritical to be claiming to be running your country on 75% renewables when th eentire economy depends on pulling fossil fuels out of the ground. But as you can see good progress is being made.

Share of energy consumption from renewable sources in Europe

The share of energy consumed in the EU during 2022 generated from renewable sources was 23%. This increase, from a level of 21.9% in 2021, was largely driven by a strong growth in solar power. The share is also amplified by a 2022 reduction in non-renewable energy consumption linked to high...

www.eea.europa.eu

In fairness to Norway, they are only doing what the world as a whole should be doing. Taking the profits (industry and modern civilization, not XOM's earnings) from fossils, which the entire world runs on, and switching to renewables. Is there any other way to manage this?

Norway's hypocrisy could be singled out if they do not finish the job at home and then not go out of their way to help do the same elsewhere.

 

[petit_bateau]

In fairness to Norway, they are only doing what the world as a whole should be doing. Taking the profits (industry and modern civilization, not XOM's earnings) from fossils, which the entire world runs on, and switching to renewables. Is there any other way to manage this?

Norway's hypocrisy could be singled out if they do not finish the job at home and then not go out of their way to help do the same elsewhere.

Except that they are pulling more dino-juice out the ground than is needed just for their own needs.

I am all in favour of the concept of fossils as a transition fuel. But I am not so in favour of giving over-credit to a country like Norway for being c. 70-80% renewables when the sum ignores the massive impact of their fossil exports. Add that factor back in and (guess) they'd collapse to (say) 15%.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $91.8/bbl
Brent $97.0/bbl
NL TTF gas €157MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

Calm down everybody

Power restored on Danish island; outage was 'local fault'

A power outage briefly hit the Danish Baltic Sea island of Bornholm Monday

abcnews.go.com

But get the evidence

Nord Stream investigation finds evidence of detonations, Swedish police say

A crime scene investigation of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines from Russia to Europe found evidence of detonations, strengthening suspicions of "gross sabotage", Sweden's Security Service said on Thursday.

www.reuters.com

Saudi has friends

Saudi Aramco to maintain full oil supplies to Asia in Nov despite OPEC+ cuts

Saudi Aramco has told at least seven customers in Asia they will receive full contract volumes of crude oil in November ahead of the peak winter season, several sources with knowledge of the matter said on Monday.

www.reuters.com

DUNC backlog sharply down, new well rate barely trembles
Number of drilled but uncompleted U.S. wells continues to decline from record in 2020

UN agrees aviation net zero for 2050

UN body reaches long-term aviation climate goal of net zero by 2050

Decision described as a compromise by several European countries who wanted a more ambitious target

www.theguardian.com

Nuclear down trend

‘Technology geriatrics’ will not ensure survival of nuclear power, says analyst

The latest World Nuclear Industry Status Report shows that nominal net nuclear generating capacity fell by 0.4 GW between 2020 and 2021, even though six new reactors were switched on throughout the world last year. This brought the share of nuclear power in the global electricity mix to below...

www.pv-magazine.com

UK pretty much tries to ban solar ! (these Cons are utter fossils)

Ministers hope to ban solar projects from most English farms

Exclusive: Environment minister seeks to expand definition of prime farmland in drive for productivity

www.theguardian.com

Norway TLP floater test

Bluewater to Test Its Tension Leg Floating Tech Offshore Norway

The Marine Energy Test Center (METCentre) and Bluewater Energy Services have signed an agreement for a berth option to deploy an innovative floating wind system offshore Norway.

www.offshorewind.biz

Australian floater grows

Australian Floating Offshore Wind Project Grows in Size

BlueFloat Energy and Energy Estate, the developers of the Hunter Coast floating wind farm offshore Australia, have expanded the size of the project from 1.4 GW to 1.65 GW and released the visual simulation for it.

www.offshorewind.biz

Hydrogen matters

The Hydrogen Stream: South Korean scientists achieve photocurrent density of 19.8 mA cm−2 in PEC cell for water splitting

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology researchers have unveiled designs for advanced solar hydrogen production systems to broaden the application of LC biomass. Mitsubishi has started building the world's first validation center for hydrogen-related technologies, while Fortescue...

www.pv-magazine.com

EU solar dreamtime

German big grid battery

Large-scale battery to support German power network

An energy transmission system operator (TSO) has announced plans to install a 250 MW battery project in Kupferzell, Germany, in order to transmit wind power from the northern part of the country to the south.

www.pv-magazine.com

Another flow battery

Zinc-cerium redox flow battery for renewable energy storage

Scientists in Hong Kong have designed a redox flow battery with electrolytes made of zinc and cerium. They claim to have solved the incompatibility issue posed by these two elements. The device achieved a record average Coulombic efficiency of 94% during cycling.

www.pv-magazine.com

Easing off grid

Storage could reshape solar market in MENA

Waleed AlHallaj, the head of business development for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at JinkoSolar, recently spoke to <b>pv magazine</b> about the prospects for the regional energy storage market. He said that storage systems have already penetrated markets with weak grids, such as...

www.pv-magazine.com

Texas for Tesla VPP

Texas designing 80 MW virtual power plant pilot spurred by Tesla desire to aggregate Powerwall batteries

The project will initially qualify participating customers as aggregated load resources, meaning “it will look like demand response,” said Commissioner Will McAdams.

www.utilitydive.com

Rail sidings matter

Why rail sidings can transform German rail freight

The discussion around Germany’s carbon neutrality and modal shift to rail intensifies. Currently, the public discourse involving transport associations and governmental plans focuses on how rail sidings could help companies use more rail and provide capacity for more freight trains. Some...

www.railfreight.com

Do English locos dream of 61%, German ones already have it

‘Electrification Germany not fast enough, virtually nothing happened’

The electrification of the rail network in Germany is progressing slowly, while a clear target of 75 percent by 2030 is set. “Virtually nothing has happened in Germany since 2019. Just 61 percent of the rail network is electrified”, said Dirk Flege, managing director of the Pro-Rail Alliance...

www.railfreight.com

 

[nativewolf]

question on floating offshore wind: How do they plan to reduce the costs? I was looking at that project up in scotland and man...levelized costs look to be on par with nuclear. Very high. Capacity utilization was high but at such high costs. What's the plan to reduce that? Or is it just a reach for greater utilization capacity at any cost?

 

[petit_bateau]

question on floating offshore wind: How do they plan to reduce the costs? I was looking at that project up in scotland and man...levelized costs look to be on par with nuclear. Very high. Capacity utilization was high but at such high costs. What's the plan to reduce that? Or is it just a reach for greater utilization capacity at any cost?

Which of the projects were you looking at please ? Then I can comment specifically.

But in general it is just steady progress on everything:
- bigger turbines so $/MW and $/MWh reduces
- better turbines with greater performance (closer to Betz limit)
- taller turbines so hub windspeeds increase
- greater capacity factors in ever-windier offshore locations
- grinding down build costs with volume production
- grinding down install costs with volume projects
- grinding down softcosts with project standardisation
- grinding down financing costs with further acceptance of CfD mechanisms
- reduced O&M costs

There is no one magic bullet. This is the recipe that the wind industry has successfully used to bring down costs for onshore wind (to now being best levelised cost vs any alternative). It is so far working well as a recipe for offshore fixed wind and by no means plateauing yet. And although it is early days it is making progress as a recipe for offshore floaters. We have yet to see a dominant design for the floater/anchor section and I think that will emerge over the next ?? 5-years and when that becomes clearer it will greatly accelerate the learning curve effect. Also the floaters won't really be viable (imho) until the standard turbine is minimum 15MW each, preferably 20MW each.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $90.2/bbl
Brent $95.3/bbl
NL TTF gas €162MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

Wind turbine production record

Siemens Gamesa Offshore Wind Turbine Prototype Breaks 24-Hour Output Record

Siemens Gamesa's SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbine prototype has produced 359 megawatt-hours (MWh) within a 24-hour time period which the turbine maker said was the most power one turbine has ever produced over this duration.

www.offshorewind.biz

UK forgot to say

Kwasi Kwarteng’s secret meetings with Saudi oil firms revealed

Exclusive: Meetings while in Saudi Arabia undisclosed due to ‘administrative oversight’, says business department

www.theguardian.com

Gazprom throws FUD from 2015 around Nordsteam
(explainer : The object was a Seafox ROV which uses 1.4kg of explosives to detonate mines. The estimated explosives used to attack Nordstream was 100kg.)

Gazprom: NATO mine destroyer was found at Nord Stream 1 in 2015

A spokesperson for Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Monday that a mine destroyer discovered at the Nord Stream 1 offshore gas pipeline in 2015 belonged to NATO.

www.reuters.com

more info

https://twitter.com/x/status/1579733338042294272

GE wind woes, more info

GE begins restructuring its onshore wind unit to adjust for ‘market realities’

GE confirmed that it has begun to “streamline” its onshore wind operations after reports of hundreds of layoffs and falling revenues.

www.utilitydive.com

Sweating heat pumps

New refrigerant circuit for safer, more efficient heat pumps

Scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute ISE and a consortium of heat pump manufacturers have achieved a new efficiency record in their development of a low-refrigerant propane refrigeration circuit. The device has a heating capacity of 12.8 kW with only 124 grams of propane, amounting to a...

www.pv-magazine.com

Pushing down solar project costs

EU solar ‘big buyers’ initiative set to launch in November

The European Commission intends to help municipalities and public entities to buy rooftop PV systems. Its DG Growth initiative aims to make the public procurement of rooftop solar systems easier.

www.pv-magazine.com

DC scavengers

DC rooftop PV providing domestic hot water to residential building at 60 C

Domestic hot water, with a heating system powered exclusively by DC solar power, has now covered the needs of an apartment building in Linz, Austria, for a period of a year. The 14 residential units are each connected to their own 1.36 KW solar arrays.

www.pv-magazine.com

24 GW at a time in Bulgaria

Bulgarian grid operator reviewing connection requests for 24 GW of renewables

The Bulgarian grid operator says the nation urgently needs to expand its grid to accommodate planned renewables capacity. It is now holding meetings with potential investors.

www.pv-magazine.com

20 GW in Brazil

Brazil hits 20 GW milestone

Brazil has deployed 6.52 GW of cumulative utility-scale solar and 13.57 GW of distributed-generation PV projects below 5 MW in size.

www.pv-magazine.com

Dumping permits

Ireland introduces planning exemptions for rooftop solar

Ireland's new solar measures, first announced in June, are expected to facilitate deployment in the residential and commercial PV segments.

www.pv-magazine.com

 

[nativewolf]

Which of the projects were you looking at please ? Then I can comment specifically.

But in general it is just steady progress on everything:
- bigger turbines so $/MW and $/MWh reduces
- better turbines with greater performance (closer to Betz limit)
- taller turbines so hub windspeeds increase
- greater capacity factors in ever-windier offshore locations
- grinding down build costs with volume production
- grinding down install costs with volume projects
- grinding down softcosts with project standardisation
- grinding down financing costs with further acceptance of CfD mechanisms
- reduced O&M costs

There is no one magic bullet. This is the recipe that the wind industry has successfully used to bring down costs for onshore wind (to now being best levelised cost vs any alternative). It is so far working well as a recipe for offshore fixed wind and by no means plateauing yet. And although it is early days it is making progress as a recipe for offshore floaters. We have yet to see a dominant design for the floater/anchor section and I think that will emerge over the next ?? 5-years and when that becomes clearer it will greatly accelerate the learning curve effect. Also the floaters won't really be viable (imho) until the standard turbine is minimum 15MW each, preferably 20MW each.

Hywind?

 

[petit_bateau]

Hywind?

That's basically one of the very first, largely intended to get the process going. As such this is much more costly than we would expect future ones to be. It is also intended to shock Aberdeen into realising that the UK offshore sector needs to embrace wind rather than hoping for any more oil & gas boomlets. That makes it quite political, and also quite exposed to what I consider to be the overly high UK offshore O&G cost-base as opposed to the renewables cost-base which is rooted in thrift.

To be honest I see very little long term domestic value capture going on in either UK wind or UK solar and pretty much all the opportunities to do so have been squandered. The US is doing far better in that regard, as are the main EU players, of course China, and increasingly India.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $88/bbl
Brent $93/bbl
NL TTF gas €158MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

OPEC back Russia, enters hot water with USA

Democratic senator threatens to freeze weapons sales to Saudi Arabia over support of Russia

Strong remarks by chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee indicate possible sea change in US policy

www.theguardian.com

and

Saudi Arabia will face ‘consequences’, says Biden, amid anger at cuts in oil output

Moves by Opec+ to reduce production seen as siding with Putin over the US just as midterms loom

www.theguardian.com

EU talking

EU countries eye deal on more energy measures within weeks

European Union countries will seek a November deal on more emergency measures to tackle high gas prices, officials said, although countries still disagree on what form those measures would take and whether they should cap gas prices.

www.reuters.com

Choking China

Choking off China’s Access to the Future of AI

Introduction On October 7, 2022, the Biden administration announced a new export controls policy on artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor technologies to China. These new controls—a genuine landmark in U.S.-China relations—provide the complete picture after a partial disclosure in early...

www.csis.org

Not yet thought to be sabotage

Oil pipeline to Germany partly shut after leak found in Poland

Cause of leak in Druzhba line, which supplies oil from Russia, not yet known, says operator

www.theguardian.com

ZPPN woes

https://twitter.com/x/status/1580099368367312898

and

Zaporizhzhia power supply restored, situation 'remains fragile' : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News

The International Atomic Energy Agency said Ukrainian engineers had restored external power to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, a day after it lost connection to the last operating power line, which had forced the use of emergency diesel generators.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

and

Grossi says IAEA considers Zaporizhzhia as Ukrainian : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News

The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, says that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is, according to international law, Ukrainian and its ownership is with Energoatom. He was speaking after talks with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

and

Ukraine, Russia and control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree to transfer Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to Russian control and oversight on Wednesday. But Ukraine calls it an illegal attempt to take control of the plant and says the Russian president’s decree is "null and void".

www.world-nuclear-news.org

and

Released Zaporizhzhia director general 'not returning to role' : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News

The International Atomic Energy Agency says it understands that Ihor Murashov, who had been director general at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, will not resume the role after his release from Russian detention. Energoatom's President Petro Kotin says administration of the plant was...

www.world-nuclear-news.org

Ukraine rail struggle now

Ukrainian grain reaches Spain by rail, but route is harsh and rocky

Spain is testing new opportunities, including rail, to secure its food supply chains. In that context, the Spanish Ministry of Transportation organised a pilot rail shipment for Ukrainian grain. The first train that travelled all the way from the Ukrainian border to the Can-Tunis rail terminal...

www.railfreight.com

but longer term better

How will Ukraine and Moldova join the TEN-T network?

The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) will amend the TEN-T proposal to extend four corridors to Ukraine and Moldova. Specifics on how they will be included were presented by Alberto Mazzola, executive director of CER, at a conference at the European Parliament in...

www.railfreight.com

Hungary to Trieste ... will affect Tesla

Hungary will build a new rail terminal…at the port of Trieste

The terminal, named Adria Port, will function as an import-export platform for Hungary. It will be built in the area where the Aquila refinery, which was closed in the 1980s, used to be. The total investment amounts to 200 million euros, 45 of which will be financed by the Italian Plan for...

www.railfreight.com

Peak fossils ?

Have we already passed peak fossil fuels?

2019 remains the record year for fossil fuel consumption. Might it turn out to be the year fossil fuels peaked?

www.energymonitor.ai

Europe heavy industry makes the switch

Data insight: Heavy industry gains ground in Europe’s corporate renewable PPA market

While the ICT sector is still Europe’s corporate renewable PPA leader, heavy industry is starting to catch up.

www.energymonitor.ai

0.5GW offshore Scotland

Scotland's Largest Offshore Wind Farm to Grow by 500 MW

SSE Renewables and TotalEnergies have received a go-ahead from the Scottish Ministers to increase the combined capacity of the remaining 36 wind turbines of the Seagreen offshore wind farm from 360 MW to 500 MW, bringing the project's total installed capacity to 1,575 MW.

www.offshorewind.biz

1.2GW offshore China

Hainan Province Approves New 1.2 GW Offshore Wind Farm in China

The development and reform commission of China's Hainan province has approved a 1.2 GW offshore wind farm proposed to be built by Shenergy.

www.offshorewind.biz

Siemens big beast blinks, emerges

Siemens Gamesa Starts Assembling SG 14-236 DD Offshore Wind Turbine Prototype

Siemens Gamesa has started the assembly process of the SG 14-236 DD offshore wind turbine prototype to be installed at the Danish national test center for large wind turbines in Oesterild. The SG 14-236 DD features a 236-metre diameter rotor, with a 43,500 m2 swept area, approximately the size...

www.offshorewind.biz

Greek success : first one hour, then one day, then one week .........

Good news for Greece as renewables fully power country for first time

Solar, wind and hydro made up almost 50% of the nation’s power mix in the eight months to August this year.

www.euronews.com

Bulgarian struggles

Bulgaria's stalled energy transition

Bulgaria’s slow energy transition – little renewables deployment and an embrace of natural gas – cannot be blamed on political instability.

www.energymonitor.ai

Mediterranean luvvy duvvy oil & gas

Israel and Lebanon reach ‘historic’ maritime border and gas fields deal

Israeli PM hails groundbreaking agreement that could boost natural gas production in the Mediterranean

www.theguardian.com

Why are the Cons so dumb on solar ?

Truss plan to block solar farms is deeply unpopular – so why is she so keen?

The PM has united unlikely forces in opposition to moves that make little sense and contradict her own policies

www.theguardian.com

and all renewables

Power giants to face ‘windfall tax’ after all as Liz Truss delivers U-turn

Prime minister accused of ‘another screeching U-turn’ having previously rejected calls to impose levy

www.theguardian.com

and

Solar could have reduced UK gas reliance, says Carbon Brief

Carbon Brief has estimated that the United Kingdom would have needed to import 20 TWh less natural gas this year if successive Conservative governments had not wound down the rewards for generating solar electricity.

www.pv-magazine.com

France sticks on nuclear

France looks into increasing uranium enrichment capacity : Corporate - World Nuclear News

The French National Commission for Public Debate has announced it is relaunching a consultation on the Georges Besse II uranium enrichment plant to consider increasing the plant's capacity from 7.5 to 11 million SWU per year.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

Hydrogen matters

The Hydrogen Stream: Hy24 closes world’s largest clean hydrogen infrastructure fund

The Clean H2 Infra Fund has closed with new investors to mobilize up to €20 billion ($19.4 billion) of investment capacity over the next six years for heavy mobility and energy-intensive industries. Toshiba has revealed new production tech for electrolysis electrodes that slashes iridium use...

www.pv-magazine.com

Russia-Iran rail

Russia to develop transport hub in Iran, rail investments on the agenda

Iranian officials are becoming more certain regarding Russia’s involvement in domestic infrastructure projects. Of course, Russia will not invest in Iran for the country’s sake but to develop the transport links spanning from its territory all the way to India. This time planning seems more...

www.railfreight.com

and

Azerbaijan sees more containers passing through in all directions

Azerbaijan is witnessing a major uptake in overland cargo transportation this year. This is true for cargo moving between east and west, as well as north and south. This was revealed by prime minister Ali Asadov during the 2nd Caspian Economic Forum in Moscow on 6 October. Azerbaijan is located...

www.railfreight.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $87.8/bbl
Brent $93.0/bbl
NL TTF gas €157MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

Saudi unfriends USA

Saudi Arabia is choosing friends on its own terms and Biden is not one of them

Reactions in Washington to slashing oil supply have not concerned Mohammed bin Salman; nor have the optics of indirectly boosting Putin’s war

www.theguardian.com

and explains why .........

https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2391943

91 GW -->> 185 GW of offshore floaters

Global Floating Offshore Wind Pipeline Doubles in a Year

The global pipeline of floating offshore wind projects has more than doubled in the past year from 91 GW to 185 GW, according to a report published by RenewableUK.

www.offshorewind.biz

ECT dyke starts leaking ... all EU countries are heading towards the exit but this is the first to actually pull the trigger

Spain to pull out of treaty protecting energy investments, Politico reports

Spain has started the process of withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty, a European treaty protecting energy investments, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing Spanish Energy Minister Teresa Ribera.

www.reuters.com

Hungary shows off new bessy mates

All rail leads to Budapest, but more capacity is needed

What started with a single train between China and Hungary, has turned into a high-in-demand service with three to four trains per week at peak times for Eurasian rail operator RTSB. The company is keen on running the China-Europe train via Budapest, but it needs more capacity on the network...

www.railfreight.com

9.5GW Egypt - Europe cable proposed

Subsea cable to bring wind, solar power from Egypt to Europe

Copelouzos Group plans to lay a submarine cable to link 9.5 GW of wind and solar power in Egypt to Greece's Attica region. The project was recently included in the Entso-E 10-year development plan.

www.pv-magazine.com

1GW hybrid Andorra

Endesa secures node to deploy 953 MW of solar-wind-storage in Spanish tender

Endesa's proposal for its Andorra energy hub in Spain is based on the hybridization of renewable technologies, storage and green hydrogen for the decarbonization of local companies.

www.pv-magazine.com

Chinese solar juggernaut

Chinese PV Industry Brief: Beijing, polysilicon suppliers discussing prices

The Chinese government has started talks with major companies about polysilicon costs and supplies. Datang has revealed the results of its latest 5.5 GW solar panel procurement tender, while Tongwei has announced its third-quarter financial results.

www.pv-magazine.com

Graphene battery ........

Shell becomes bulk buyer of Skeleton’s SuperBattery

Shell says it wants to use Skeleton Technologies' SuperBattery storage system in its mining division to electrify and decarbonize its off-road vehicle fleet. The fast-charging batteries are based on a patented curved graphene material.

www.pv-magazine.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $87.5/bbl
Brent $93.0/bbl
NL TTF gas €146MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

Natural gas futures linked to TTF, Europe's wholesale gas price, were trading around the €150 per megawatt-hour mark, a level not seen since early July, and on track for an almost 6% weekly decline, as abundant supplies of LNG, particularly from the US, helped countries fill storage sites ahead of the winter session. Europe's gas storage sites are more than 91% full, above the five-year average, while Germany's stockpile rate reached 95%. On top of that, forecasts for a milder winter, with above-normal temperatures during the peak heating season between December and February, could suggest lower heating demand. Still, TTF natural gas futures were more than four times higher than average for this time of the year, with risk remaining on the upside amid concerns about further supply disruptions, particularly those from Russia.

EU gassing .... NL TTF on notice

EU leaders may back new gas price benchmark, document shows

European Union country leaders may support plans to launch a new gas price benchmark at a meeting next week, as they seek to curb energy prices for consumers and industries, a draft document showed.

www.reuters.com

Poland achieves what UK still can't do

Vestas Setting Up Assembly Plant for Flagship Offshore Wind Turbine in Poland

Vestas has announced plans to establish a new factory in Szczecin, Poland, which will assemble components for the company's flagship offshore wind turbine, the V236-15.0 MW model.

www.offshorewind.biz

56x in offshore wind .......

Offshore Wind Could Grow 56-Fold by 2050 and Significantly Contribute to Green Hydrogen Production, DNV's New Report Says

Offshore wind capacity could grow 56-fold until 2050, driven a growing need for decarbonisation and energy security, and decreasing costs.

www.offshorewind.biz

bottom-fixed and floating offshore wind levelised costs of energy (LCoE) are forecast to drop by 39 per cent and 84 per cent,

Switch faster to minimise inflation, now why didn't I think of that ?

Can renewables solve the inflation crisis?

Rising energy costs have been the main cause of rising inflation worldwide. Experts say the low-carbon energy transition could help.

www.energymonitor.ai

Microscope required to find Pakistan ambition

Pakistan approved 280 MW of solar in 2021-22

Pakistan’s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has published its annual report for the 2021-22 financial year. The regulator granted nine licenses for solar projects, totaling 44.74 MW of installed capacity, and 7,032 net-metering licenses for a total of 243.43 MW.

www.pv-magazine.com

908 MWh battery live in California

AES adds 908 MWh of battery energy storage in California

The company’s Luna (100MW/400 MWh) and Lancaster Area lithium-ion battery (127 MW/508 MWh) storage facilities came online in August and September 2022, respectively.

www.renewableenergyworld.com

US EIA forecasts rising prices

EIA raises retail electricity price forecast for this year and next, signaling more pain for consumers

Millions of lower-income families will face unaffordable energy prices this winter, and those relying on Social Security may be particularly vulnerable, warn customer advocates.

www.utilitydive.com

Electric boats, barges, ships

Can electric boats decarbonise shipping?

Electric boats are replacing diesel powerboats, but electric ferries and cargo ships are on the market too, bolstered by new regulations.

www.energymonitor.ai

and

新华全媒+丨江苏：纯电动货轮驶入内河带来产业与生态发展新空间-新华网

新华全媒+丨江苏：纯电动货轮驶入内河带来产业与生态发展新空间 ---没有发动机震耳欲聋的轰鸣，没有烟囱冒出呛人的黑烟，只在船尾多了3个集装箱大小的电池，载有数十个集装箱的电动船舶就能在长江和运河里破浪前行。

www.news.cn

Heat pump cost reduction (this for ease of scavengers)

Chinese manufacturer brings residential heat pump kit to Europe

Sprsun has developed a monobloc heat pump that is reportedly easier and faster to install. The product features a 3 kW/220 V electric heater, a water pump, an expansion tank measuring 5 liters, a three-way valve, and an 18 A AC contactor.

www.pv-magazine.com

Japan blinks ?

The awakening of shareholder climate activism in Japan

International investors join NGOs and local governments in shareholder climate activism in Japan, in a new era for corporate sustainability.

www.energymonitor.ai

 

[navguy12]

WTI $87.5/bbl
Brent $93.0/bbl
NL TTF gas €146MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

Natural gas futures linked to TTF, Europe's wholesale gas price, were trading around the €150 per megawatt-hour mark, a level not seen since early July, and on track for an almost 6% weekly decline, as abundant supplies of LNG, particularly from the US, helped countries fill storage sites ahead of the winter session. Europe's gas storage sites are more than 91% full, above the five-year average, while Germany's stockpile rate reached 95%. On top of that, forecasts for a milder winter, with above-normal temperatures during the peak heating season between December and February, could suggest lower heating demand. Still, TTF natural gas futures were more than four times higher than average for this time of the year, with risk remaining on the upside amid concerns about further supply disruptions, particularly those from Russia.

EU gassing .... NL TTF on notice

EU leaders may back new gas price benchmark, document shows

European Union country leaders may support plans to launch a new gas price benchmark at a meeting next week, as they seek to curb energy prices for consumers and industries, a draft document showed.

www.reuters.com

Poland achieves what UK still can't do

Vestas Setting Up Assembly Plant for Flagship Offshore Wind Turbine in Poland

Vestas has announced plans to establish a new factory in Szczecin, Poland, which will assemble components for the company's flagship offshore wind turbine, the V236-15.0 MW model.

www.offshorewind.biz

56x in offshore wind .......

Offshore Wind Could Grow 56-Fold by 2050 and Significantly Contribute to Green Hydrogen Production, DNV's New Report Says

Offshore wind capacity could grow 56-fold until 2050, driven a growing need for decarbonisation and energy security, and decreasing costs.

www.offshorewind.biz

bottom-fixed and floating offshore wind levelised costs of energy (LCoE) are forecast to drop by 39 per cent and 84 per cent,

Switch faster to minimise inflation, now why didn't I think of that ?

Can renewables solve the inflation crisis?

Rising energy costs have been the main cause of rising inflation worldwide. Experts say the low-carbon energy transition could help.

www.energymonitor.ai

Microscope required to find Pakistan ambition

Pakistan approved 280 MW of solar in 2021-22

Pakistan’s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has published its annual report for the 2021-22 financial year. The regulator granted nine licenses for solar projects, totaling 44.74 MW of installed capacity, and 7,032 net-metering licenses for a total of 243.43 MW.

www.pv-magazine.com

908 MWh battery live in California

AES adds 908 MWh of battery energy storage in California

The company’s Luna (100MW/400 MWh) and Lancaster Area lithium-ion battery (127 MW/508 MWh) storage facilities came online in August and September 2022, respectively.

www.renewableenergyworld.com

US EIA forecasts rising prices

EIA raises retail electricity price forecast for this year and next, signaling more pain for consumers

Millions of lower-income families will face unaffordable energy prices this winter, and those relying on Social Security may be particularly vulnerable, warn customer advocates.

www.utilitydive.com

Electric boats, barges, ships

Can electric boats decarbonise shipping?

Electric boats are replacing diesel powerboats, but electric ferries and cargo ships are on the market too, bolstered by new regulations.

www.energymonitor.ai

and

新华全媒+丨江苏：纯电动货轮驶入内河带来产业与生态发展新空间-新华网

新华全媒+丨江苏：纯电动货轮驶入内河带来产业与生态发展新空间 ---没有发动机震耳欲聋的轰鸣，没有烟囱冒出呛人的黑烟，只在船尾多了3个集装箱大小的电池，载有数十个集装箱的电动船舶就能在长江和运河里破浪前行。

www.news.cn

Heat pump cost reduction (this for ease of scavengers)

Chinese manufacturer brings residential heat pump kit to Europe

Sprsun has developed a monobloc heat pump that is reportedly easier and faster to install. The product features a 3 kW/220 V electric heater, a water pump, an expansion tank measuring 5 liters, a three-way valve, and an 18 A AC contactor.

www.pv-magazine.com

Japan blinks ?

The awakening of shareholder climate activism in Japan

International investors join NGOs and local governments in shareholder climate activism in Japan, in a new era for corporate sustainability.

www.energymonitor.ai

The story in the link in Chinese (after I ran it through Google Translate) reminded me of my first time on an electric ferry boat (about two months ago)…no noise, no vibration, no smell…just cruising along.

I hope to still be around when city traffic will be just as serene.

 

[ThomasD]

What ever happened to the large Solar Array in Ivanpah Ca?

 

[ThomasD]

Should the U S put economic sanctions on countries that buy Russian Oil

 

[petit_bateau]

What ever happened to the large Solar Array in Ivanpah Ca?

It was in production until recently (end 2020), and appears it still is running. I've not heard of it shutting down and the production data is still smooth

Ivanpah Solar Power Facility - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

3 Largest Solar Power Farms in the United States in 2022

Learn about the LARGEST solar power farms in the U.S. Know their locations, size, production capacity, and MASSIVE environmental and economic BENEFITS.

proesolar.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $86.4/bbl
Brent $92.5/bbl
NL TTF gas €131MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

Natural gas futures linked to TTF, Europe's wholesale gas price, were trading around the €130 per megawatt-hour mark, a level not seen since late June, as abundant supplies of LNG, particularly from the US, helped countries fill storage sites ahead of the winter session. Europe's gas storage sites are more than 91% full, above the five-year average, while Germany's stockpile rate reached 95%. On top of that, forecasts for a milder winter, with above-normal temperatures during the peak heating season between December and February, could suggest lower heating demand. Meanwhile, the European Union is due to propose new energy measures to tackle the ongoing energy crisis on Tuesday, including a range of options for natural gas price caps.
- see also

Analysis: Europe's energy security this winter? Depends on the weather

Early weather forecasts point to the risk of a cold snap that could temporarily hike demand.

www.reuters.com

and

EU leaders set to explore gas price cap options

European Union leaders meeting at the end of this week will explore a range of options for gas price caps, over which they have been divided for weeks, according to a new draft of conclusions for the Oct. 20-21 summit seen by Reuters.

www.reuters.com

But rail rumbles

CER throws the ball to von der Leyen’s court: “time for concrete energy measures”

After public requests, the European railway sector directly requested Brussels to take action against the electricity and energy crisis. With an open letter to the president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, CER called for “further extraordinary measures to safeguard rail as the...

www.railfreight.com

Forked tongue Mog

Rees-Mogg accused of grabbing absolute power over UK energy industry

Suppliers raise concerns that energy prices bill contains proposals for ministers to overrule independent regulator, Ofgem

www.theguardian.com

Wowsers solar growth implication - 80% - can you say boom'n'bust cycle ?

Global polysilicon capacity could hit 536 GW by end of 2023

Clean Energy Associates said in a new report that it expects polysilicon production capacity to exceed PV installations next year.

www.pv-magazine.com

and

PV production equipment sales soaring in Europe

According to VDMA, a German engineering association, there are now more orders coming in for German production equipment from Europe than from China. Nevertheless, shipments to Asia remain dominant.

www.pv-magazine.com

because

Wind, solar payback times under a year in some parts of world, says Rystad

Record energy prices, particularly in Europe, are driving demand for renewables and energy storage. That is changing the equation for utility solar and wind investment and shortening project payback times to under a year in some regions. Storage deployment, driven by recent policy developments...

www.pv-magazine.com

beware missing price signal

RE-Source 2022: EU clashes with corporates over power revenue cap

At RE-Source 2022, Europe’s business community warned the EU that its new revenue cap for power producers is bad news for renewable PPAs.

www.energymonitor.ai

Chinese tremor

Chinese PV Industry Brief: Canadian Solar suspends Shanghai IPO

Canadian Solar has suspended its plans to list shares in Shanghai, while polysilicon supplier GCL Tech has revealed plans to move from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to either the Shanghai or Shenzhen stock exchange. Trina and Longi have both reported solid financial results for the first nine...

www.pv-magazine.com

and

What has happened to China’s global coal financing?

Following China's pledge to end global coal financing there has been a collapse in energy funding, but no surge in support for renewables.

www.energymonitor.ai

Hydrogen nibbles

The Hydrogen Stream: UK consortium plans 10 MW offshore wind-hydrogen facility

A group of UK companies has started working on a 10 MW wind-to-hydrogen project, American Airlines has announced a new investment in hydrogen distribution, and ACWA Power has teamed up with South Korea's Kepco to develop green hydrogen/ ammonia projects in the Middle East.

www.pv-magazine.com

Hydrogen unwelcome

Sempra Energy hydrogen pipeline, blending proposals face opposition at the California PUC

“The commission should not be in the business of sanctioning aspirations and speculative ventures,” Utility Consumers’ Action Network said about the Angeles Link hydrogen pipeline proposal.

www.utilitydive.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $85.8/bbl
Brent $92.1/bbl
NL TTF gas €116MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

Natural gas prices in Europe fell for a fourth day on Tuesday, with front-month Dutch gas futures trading at €120 MWh, the lowest in four months

30% of Ukraine power plant destroyed by Russia (mostly using Iran drones)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1582285715970613248

EU talking ... still...

EU to propose extra energy measures, swerve immediate gas price cap

The European Commission is set to propose another set of emergency measures on Tuesday to tackle high energy prices, but draft proposals suggest they will not include an immediate cap on gas prices as EU countries remain split over the idea.

www.reuters.com

Europe LNG choked, and storage full ....... I wonder who is paying the demurrage and shrinkage ?

Dozens of LNG-laden ships queue off Europe's coasts unable to unload

Dozens of ships carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) circling off the coasts of Spain unable to secure slots to unload have prompted grid operators for the country to warn they may have to suspend loading to deal with this "exceptional situation".

www.reuters.com

Subsidy-free floaters Portugal

BayWa r.e. Unveils Subsidy-Free Floating Wind Project Offshore Portugal

BayWa r.e. has officially applied to secure the rights for an exclusive use of the seabed for a commercial-scale floating offshore wind project in Portugal, which the company said will be the first subsidy-free floating wind farm in the world.

www.offshorewind.biz

EU scenario tool

Ed's note: Planning for an integrated multi-energy system in Europe by 2050 | Smart Energy International

Areti Ntaradimou describes project PlaMES and how this project can assist with planning for an integrated, multi-energy system in Europe.

www.smart-energy.com

US nuclear hope

Fuel loading under way at Vogtle 3 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Workers have begun transferring 157 fuel assemblies into the core of the unit, marking a pivotal milestone towards the startup and commercial operation of the USA's first new nuclear units in more than three decades.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

... but stiff competition coming

Prospects for US solar electricity at $0/kWh

A new Credit Suisse report suggests that from 2025 through 2032, the United States could see solar and wind power purchase agreements regularly signed for under $0.01/kWh, due to a combination of manufacturing and project tax credits.

www.pv-magazine.com

Swedish nuclear hope

New Swedish government seeks expansion of nuclear energy : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News

Sweden's incoming centre-right coalition government has adopted a positive stance towards nuclear energy, calling for state-owned energy company Vattenfall to investigate the possible restart of Ringhals units 1 and 2, as well as to prepare for the construction of new reactors.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

Northern hope

Can Norway move from oil and gas supplier of choice to energy super basin?

Norway has responded to calls to raise output and has an opportunity to grow and consolidate its position as a super basin of the future – but there are headwinds.

www.woodmac.com

China-Europe-Africa train (sort of)

China launches first-ever intermodal service to Africa

China set in motion a new intermodal service connecting the country with Africa via Europe. The rail part of the service will run between Chengdu, in southwest China, with Hamburg, in Germany, via the China-Europe Railway Express. From there, goods are shipped to Casablanca, in Morocco, by sea...

www.railfreight.com

... but add this and almost true

Medway will reopen this Portugal-Germany line after ten years

Medway will launch a new rail connection between Portugal and Germany. Vasco da Gama is the name of the train that, in the first quarter of 2023, is expected to start running the line after a ten-year-long break. Do you want to read the full article? Thank you for visiting RailFreight.com...

www.railfreight.com

​

 

[nativewolf]

Could we see U.S. solar electricity for $0 per kWh?

A Credit Suisse report suggests that from 2025 through 2032, the United States could see solar and wind PPAs regularly signed for under 1¢/kWh, due to a combination of manufacturing and project tax credits.

pv-magazine-usa.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $83.7/bbl
Brent $90.7/bbl
NL TTF gas €113MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

Ukraine braced

Ukraine’s coming winter looks colder after Russia targets energy supply

Civilians likely biggest losers after Russia delivers rapid knockout to nearly a third of country’s power plants

www.theguardian.com

EU gas price stable for now, further EU studies ongoing

EU leaders still eyeing multiple gas price caps - document

European Union leaders meeting this week are set to endorse the bloc's latest proposals to curb energy prices, but pressure Brussels to go further and cap the price of gas used in power generation, according to a draft of their meeting conclusions.

www.reuters.com

US-Saudi stuff

The OPEC+ Phenomenon of Saudi-Russian Cooperation and Implications for US-Saudi Relations | Baker Institute

How durable is the Saudi-Russian relationship, and what are its implications for the longstanding energy-for-security arrangement between Saudi Arabia and the U.S.?

www.bakerinstitute.org

US SPR refill at $72

Biden Plans To Refill The SPR When Oil Prices Fall Below $72 | OilPrice.com

The White House has released a fact sheet that identifies a price range of $67-$72 as the point when the government will refill the SPR

oilprice.com

Renewables filling in the gaps

Solar, wind compensate for decline of hydro, nuclear in EU electricity output

E3G and Ember said in a new study that solar and wind have helped to mitigate the impacts of drought across the European Union, amid a 21% decline in hydropower generation and a 19% reduction of available nuclear capacity. Wind and solar generated a record 24% of the bloc's electricity from...

www.pv-magazine.com

That's a big blade

Goldwind's New Offshore Wind Turbine Smashes Rotor Diameter Record

Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind and China Three Gorges (CTG) Corporation held a ceremony in the Fujian offshore wind industrial park on 13 October as Goldwind rolled out the nacelle for its first 13.6 MW turbine that will have a rotor diameter of 252 metres.

www.offshorewind.biz

Japanese floater next step

Offshore Construction Starts on Japan's First Floating Wind Farm

Offshore construction has started on the 16.8 MW Goto floating wind farm offshore Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, the Goto Floating Wind Farm LLC consortium said.

www.offshorewind.biz

Fracking quakes in England

Fracking caused daily earthquakes at UK’s only active site

Exclusive: Lancashire site responsible for 192 earthquakes over course of 182 days in 2018-19, Lib Dem analysis has found

www.theguardian.com

Kaliningrad rail

Where does Kaliningrad traffic stand currently?

Developments regarding rail freight traffic to and from Kaliningrad via Lithuania peaked during the summer, but the situation has stabilised. In the sanctions’ aftermath, volumes have dropped, payments must be taken care of by customers only, while strict controls apply on the borders. Do you...

www.railfreight.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $88.1/bbl
Brent $94.4/bbl
NL TTF gas €130MWh (EU Natural Gas - 2022 Data - 2010-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote)

Front-month Dutch gas futures surged 10% to €124 MWh on Thursday, edging up from a 4-month low of €107 hit on Wednesday, boosted by lower-than-expected gas output in Norway.

Ukraine suffers - curbs power usage
Ukraine will begin restricting electricity supplies across the country starting from 7am today in response to Russia’s strikes against its energy infrastructure. Ukrainians will now need to prepare for “rolling blackouts” and people will have to conserve energy, the deputy head of the president’s office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, warned. In a Telegram update posted late on Wednesday evening, he said: Starting from 7am to 11pm, it is necessary to minimise the use of electricity. This applies to residents of ALL regions of the country. If this is not done, you should prepare for temporary shutdowns.” The use of street lighting will be limited in cities and the country needed, he added, to be prepared for “a hard winter”. Ukraine’s national energy company also urged citizens to “charge everything” by 7am (4am GMT) on Thursday with outages of up to four hours at a time expected to affect the whole country. Phones, power banks, torches and batteries need to be charged, grid operator Ukrenergo urged.

Russia-Ukraine war live: Russian jet ‘released missile’ near British plane in international airspace; Ukraine restricts power use

UK defence secretary says Russian aircraft released a missile near a British jet over the Black Sea; Ukrainians prepare for hours-long power outages

www.theguardian.com

and

Ukrainians face first nationwide electricity outages after Russian strikes

Ukrainians faced their first large-scale nationwide disruptions to electricity on Thursday as officials sought to restrict supply to allow energy companies to repair power facilities that have been pounded by .

www.reuters.com

Tesla Q3 results

Tesla Investor Relations

Tesla's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. Today, Tesla builds not only all-electric vehicles but also infinitely scalable clean energy generation and storage products.

ir.tesla.com

EU discussions

EU leaders debate gas price cap as north-south energy rifts deepen

Ursula von der Leyen is holding off on proposing an EU gas price cap seemingly because Germany does not want it.

www.energymonitor.ai

and

Press corner

Highlights, press releases and speeches

ec.europa.eu

and

Rapid industrial electrification could avoid EU gas rationing

The European food, chemical and glass industries could evade shutdown orders if they electrify with heat pumps, according to a new report.

www.energymonitor.ai

on Russian tankers

Putin’s Looming Tanker Crisis

Will a Kremlin-Engineered Oil Shock be the Next Move in Moscow’s Expanding Energy War?

navigatingrussia.substack.com

Neterlands joins Spain and POland in quitting Energy Charter

Netherlands follows Spain in quitting Energy Charter Treaty

The Netherlands will pull out of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), which has come under fire for protecting investments in the oil and gas sector, the country's energy ministry said on Wednesday (19 October).

www.euractiv.com

CBAMs drive carbon markets, ... India .... your country will get one soon

India gets ready to launch a national carbon market

India's government has backed a national carbon market that will be key to decarbonise heavy industry and international carbon trading.

www.energymonitor.ai

Big solar, 260GW

Global installed PV capacity could hit 260 GW in 2022

The International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS) estimates that 173.5 GW of new solar capacity was installed in 2021, and that figure might rise to 260 GW in 2022. <b>pv magazine </b> spoke with the co-chair of the European Solar Manufacturing Council to look into...

www.pv-magazine.com

Small Arab toe in solar water

TotalEnergies, Marubeni switch on 800 MW of solar in Qatar

TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy, and Marubeni have switched on Qatar's first large-scale solar plant in Al Kharsaah, west of Doha. The Siraj-1 plant features 2 million Longi Hi-MO 4 bifacial modules mounted on single-axis trackers.

www.pv-magazine.com

Care with codes in USA

Xcel, First Solar, other clean energy companies warn building standard change threatens wind, solar projects

“The stated goal of FEMA’s proposal is increased grid reliability, but when you needlessly make it harder to build resilient clean energy, the obvious effect is a reduction in reliability,” the Solar Energy Industries Association CEO said.

www.utilitydive.com

Adriatic outlets even before the Brenner base tunnel is here

‘Ukrainian flows on rail are here to stay’

Even after the war in Ukraine ends and the country’s ports reopen, a substantial part of the grain and other cargo volumes will remain on rail tracks on their way to Central-Western Europe. This was the central takeaway of a roundtable discussion during the opening day of the RailFreight On...

www.railfreight.com

and

Baltic-Adriatic Corridor: the Pekel Tunnel is almost ready

The construction of the Pekel Tunnel in northeast Slovenia is almost complete. The tunnel, located north of Maribor, is built on the Maribor-Šentilj railway line, which is undergoing an extensive upgrade. This line functions as a border crossing from Slovenia to Austria, and it is part of the...

www.railfreight.com