Energy Sector News

[mspohr]

Here's an idea.

Skyscrapers would be energy storage device with new breakthrough method

Skyscrapers as energy storage devices work well since they are located in urban settings and do not need many changes to make the system work.

interestingengineering.com

The expenditure for installing these systems would include autonomous robots, some easily transportable weights, and little changes to the elevator systems. These would still be comparatively smaller than setting up battery storage for the grid.

While capital expenditure would be less, the issue that sticks out is the operational expenditure. The researchers note that skyscrapers are notorious for their rents, especially the top floors and the parking lots, the two places needed to maximize the storage potential of such a system.

Since buildings are not built in a singular design or simultaneously, one could need to analyze a structure on a case-by-case basis to determine how much weight can be stored on the top floors without risking the system's structural integrity.

Nevertheless, the researchers estimate that the energy storage cost for such a system would vary between US$21-128, which is still cheaper than the $345 per kWh that is needed for battery systems, New Atlas reported.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $118.3
Brent $119.3

Gulf of Thailand naval base .... anyone fancy another slice of salami ?

China to begin construction of PLA military base in Cambodia this week, Western officials say

The establishment of a Chinese naval base in Cambodia is part of Beijing’s strategy to build a network of military facilities around the world in support of its aspirations to become a true global power, the officials said.

www.smh.com.au

Long boring and important (part 2)

Challenges TSOs Will Face: Weakening Grid Stability

This is the second deep dive in a series on the five challenges TSOs will face in 2022 and beyond.

www.tdworld.com

US solar tariffs

US government set to pause new solar tariffs for two years

The White House is expected to announce a 24-month tariff exemption on solar modules manufactured in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, while also invoking the Defense Production Act as a means to accelerate American manufacturing.

www.pv-magazine.com

Polish solar

Celebrating ‘golden decade,’ Poland set to reach 12 GW of PV capacity in 2022

Solar power is the main driver of renewable energy development in Poland, which is on track to achieve 20 GW of PV capacity by 2025, according to a new report. Regulatory changes and rising electricity prices led to a "spectacular success" for the country's PV industry in 2021.

www.pv-magazine.com

Triple junction for 'vehicles', most likely extra-long endurance high altitude UAVs

Sharp achieves conversion efficiency of 32.65% in flexible, lightweight solar module

The new prototype uses a triple-junction compound design, which sandwiches the solar cell between layers of film. The module is expected to be used in a variety of vehicles, an application that demands high efficiency and lightweight construction. Its conversion efficiency bests that of a...

www.pv-magazine.com

China/UK

Chinese Company Plans to Open Offshore Wind Foundation Factory in Europe

Dajin Offshore Heavy Industry, which just announced that it signed a contract for the supply of monopiles for the UK's Moray West project, plans to open a manufacturing facility in Europe that would produce both fixed and floating foundations for offshore wind projects.

www.offshorewind.biz

UK/China

Ocean Winds Orders Moray West Monopiles from Dajin Heavy Industry

Ocean Winds has contracted China-based Dajin Heavy Industry for the supply of 48 XXL monopile foundations for the Moray West wind farm offshore Scotland that will comprise up to 85 wind turbines and two substations.

www.offshorewind.biz

my patch

SSEN’s US$5.7 Million Upgrade Boosts Power Supplies for 160,000 Dorset Customers

A substantial program of works by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) to upgrade and enhance power supplies across two Dorset towns has been completed on time and...

www.tdworld.com

heat pumps r EU

Ditching gas boilers for heat pumps will take EU “well beyond next winter”

To quit Russian gas, the EU Commission wants to ban fossil fuel boilers by 2029. Some experts are pinning new hopes on geothermal heat pumps.

www.energymonitor.ai

and

France is the biggest market for heat pumps in Europe - Energy Monitor

Despite the Ukraine War, gas still dominates in Europe. It remains to be seen whether heat pumps, led by France in 2020, can change that.

www.energymonitor.ai

not just a UK issue

Net-zero aviation: should the UK restrict flying?

UK aviation has failed to get a grip on its soaring emissions. Demand reduction policies may now be necessary for net-zero aviation.

www.energymonitor.ai

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $120.6
Brent $121.6

Global economic slowdowns now

UK to be major economy worst hit by Ukraine war, says OECD

Thinktank forecasts UK growth to slow to standstill in 2023, as impact of conflict felt

www.theguardian.com

or

Global Economic Prospects June 2022

Compounding the damage from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has magnified the slowdown in the global economy, which is entering what could become a protracted period of feeble growth and elevated inflation, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects...

www.worldbank.org

USA is at war apparently

Biden invokes Defense Production Act to boost domestic manufacturing in clean energy, grid sectors

The White House also aims to spur up to 100 GW in solar purchases via federal, state and local joint procurement.

www.utilitydive.com

Energy security is in

The New Energy Order

Governments will transform energy markets.

www.foreignaffairs.com

which is why ....

Biden pauses new tariffs on solar imports for 2 years

President Biden will reportedly pause for two years any new tariffs on solar modules imported from four Southeast Asian countries.

www.renewableenergyworld.com

ugh, hydrogen cartridges

The Hydrogen Stream: Hydrogen cartridges for daily life applications from Toyota

Toyota starts testing hydrogen cartridges for use in mobility, household applications in Shizuoka Prefecture. Meanwhile, China's Shaanxi Normal University designed an aerogel method to substitute platinum with ruthenium in electrocatalytic water splitting, the US Department of Energy (DOE) is...

www.pv-magazine.com

clearly Toyota can't find a better use for its batteries

Toyota unveils 8.7 kWh battery for residential applications

The battery has a rated output of 5.5 kW and can be installed in outdoor environments. It is equipped with a hybrid power conditioner, a DC-to-DC converter, and a vehicle power supply adapter with a maximum output of 1.1 kWh.

www.pv-magazine.com

solar on canals really is a thing

Project to deploy 160 MW solar array on Spanish canal moves forward

The regional administration of Navarra said it is now developing the first 9-km portion of the 198-km solar plant that is planned to be deployed on Spain's largest artificial irrigation canal network.

www.pv-magazine.com

US LNG is go to Europe

U.S. liquefied natural gas exports to Europe increased during the first 4 months of 2022 - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

 

[mspohr]

Energy security is in

The New Energy Order

Governments will transform energy markets.

www.foreignaffairs.com

They acknowledge market failures...

But in addition to economic nationalism and deglobalization, the coming energy order will be defined by something that few analysts have fully appreciated: government intervention in the energy sector on a scale not seen in recent memory. After four decades during which they generally sought to curb their activity in energy markets, Western governments are now recognizing the need to play a more expansive role in everything from building (and retiring) fossil fuel infrastructure to influencing where private companies buy and sell energy to limiting emissions through carbon pricing, subsidies, mandates, and standards.

Three market failures in particular reveal the need for a bigger role for government in the effort to achieve the dual goals of enhanced energy security and a timely transition to net-zero carbon emissions. First, the private sector lacks sufficient incentives to build the infrastructure and other assets that most countries need to ensure their energy security. Second, market forces alone cannot encourage the building of the infrastructure required for a more orderly energy transition—infrastructure that by definition may be obsolete before private companies have achieved a full return on investment. And third, private firms and individuals lack strong enough incentives to curb emissions whose costs society bears.

 

[nativewolf]

US utility-scale solar sets record: breaks 50 GW of instantaneous generation

The EIA’s monitor of hourly utility-scale electricity generation for the lower 48 states has recently seen the solar fleet break 50 GW of generation on Sunday and Monday of this week for the first time.

pv-magazine-usa.com

The graphic showing production is pretty neat, shows how well wind and solar complement each other.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $121.7
Brent $123.3

Opec is tight

Oil prices face big volatility as spare capacity dries up

After more than a year of pressure from the United States and other top oil consuming countries, OPEC+ finally agreed to accelerate oil supply increases last week to tame runaway fuel prices and slow inflation.

www.reuters.com

EU MEP votes 1 out of 3
- yes to ban 100% of ICE sales by 2035
- think again other stuff (i.e. don't water down ETS, CBAM, social funds, etc)

MEPs reject key EU climate proposal after aims watered down

European parliament defeats centre-right lawmakers’ attempts to weaken climate target

www.theguardian.com

EU perfect is enemy of good, type stuff (both pro and anti use this tactic)

EU faces legal challenge over plan to fast-track gas projects

NGOs argue priority list was drawn up without consideration of methane emissions

www.theguardian.com

JohnKempReuters Europe gas chartbook

https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/lbpgndalavq/EUROPE%20GAS%20STORAGE%20AND%20PRICES%20(JUN%202022).pdf

Houston LNG export goes bang

Freeport LNG plant blast adds to strain on global supplies

Freeport LNG, operator of one of the largest U.S. export plants producing liquefied natural gas (LNG), will shut for at least three weeks following an explosion at its Texas Gulf Coast facility, raising the risk of shortages especially in Europe.

www.reuters.com

Chinese solar

Chinese PV Industry Brief: Polysilicon price exceeds $40/kg, another 5 GW of cell capacity comes online

Longi commissioned a 5 GW solar cell factory in Ningxia Province and Gokin Solar announced plans to build a 50 GW ingot factory in Sichuan Province. Furthermore, PV equipment manufacturer Jinchen supplied 2 GW of production lines to Adani Solar in India.

www.pv-magazine.com

Italian solar

Italian government expects 3.37 GW of new solar capacity for 2022

The Italian Minister of Economic Development, Roberto Cingolani, expects around 5.1 GW of new renewable energy capacity to be connected in Italy this year. This impressive growth should be triggered by more favorable permitting processes.

www.pv-magazine.com

12MW Chinese typhoon resistant (this is a big deal)

MingYang Rolls Out First 12 MW Typhoon-Resistant Offshore Wind Turbine

MingYang Smart Energy has produced its first MySE 12 MW hybrid drive offshore wind turbine at the Guangdong Shanwei manufacturing facility in China. The model has been designed to withstand super typhoons of 78.82 m/s.

www.offshorewind.biz

It is all about the cells (btw nice to see Tesla getting simply normal industrial reporting - this article is worth a quiet read)

Insight: How a battery shortage is hampering the U.S. switch to wind, solar power

U.S. renewable energy developers have delayed or scrapped several big battery projects, scuttling plans to replace fossil fuels with wind and solar energy.

www.reuters.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $122.2
Brent $123.97 gotta get those decimals in

Angry lobbying by money peoples

The EU and UK’s plan to ban insurance for tankers carrying Russian oil is a bad idea

Leaders of the European Union and the United Kingdom agreed last week to seek a ban on all insurance for tankers that carry Russian oil anywhere in the world. Doing so might sound like a logical next step in tightening sanctions against Russia. But it is not.

www.piie.com

EU CBAM vote opinion

EU Parliament’s CBAM spat could delay a carbon border tax by years

MEPs have effectively killed legislation to establish an EU carbon border tax on imports from countries without stringent climate legislation.

www.energymonitor.ai

Another day, another flow battery

Redox flow battery based on ion-sieving sulfonated polymer membranes

UK scientists have designed a new type of aqueous organic redox flow battery based on ion-exchange membranes made of a polymer of intrinsic microporosity. The battery showed a very low-capacity decay rate of 0.0335% per day for 2,100 charge-discharge cycles.

www.pv-magazine.com

Long duration CO2 battery .... apparently works !

Large scale CO2 battery facility comes online in Italy

Energy Dome built its first pilot facility in the Italian province of Nuoro. It said the battery was performing under the expected standards for both long-duration and round-trip efficiency and that it plans to build another full-scale commercial facility with a capacity of 20 MW/200 MWh by the...

www.pv-magazine.com

Wind CCS in NL

Netherlands Eyeing Co-Location of Offshore Wind and CCS Projects

The Netherlands is looking into whether areas of the North Sea could be used simultaneously for offshore wind and carbon capture and storage (CCS) developments.

www.offshorewind.biz

Duplicitous coal

A US company is building a massive coal gasification plant in Indonesia

Air Products is building a coal gasification plant in Indonesia that will challenge the country's net-zero ambitions.

www.energymonitor.ai

Offhore Taiwan ..... 9.1GW in EIA is no weeny roast

Ørsted's Two New Offshore Wind Projects in Taiwan Move Forward

Ørsted's two new offshore wind farms in Changhua County, Taiwan, have passed the preliminary review of the Environmental Protection Agency.

www.offshorewind.biz

.... and another confused tidal journalist (as EDF said, "we never made the mistake of Rance again", go figure)

The mystery of the UK’s untapped tidal power - Energy Monitor

Only three large-scale tidal barrages have ever been built, and none of these are in the UK, the country with the greatest tidal potential.

www.energymonitor.ai

EDIT - add Ukraine grid

Electricity trade with Ukraine set for gradual reopening

Continental Europe’s transmission system operators (TSOs) have confirmed the technical pre-conditions for the gradual reopening of the trade.

www.enlit.world

 

[petit_bateau]

**** on the road, normal service resumes in a few days ****

 

[mspohr]

**** on the road, normal service resumes in a few days ****

Thank you for your service

 

[CorneliusXX]

**** on the road, normal service resumes in a few days ****

How will we know if the energy transition is completed in the next couple of days?

 

[ThomasD]

Biden did say he would end Fossil Fuels

 

[petit_bateau]

**** Apologies for service interruption. 5-day road trip completed, aka the quarterly migration. I will be so glad when I can do it in a Tesla. Bumper round up below. ****

WTI $115.2
Brent $118.3

JohnKempReuters inevitability of slowdown/recession chartbook (I agree)

https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/byvrjaoaave/OIL%20MARKET%20SPARE%20CAPACITY%20AND%20RECESSIONS.pdf

ECB tools at the ready ...

ECB pledges new crisis tool to help indebted southern states

The European Central Bank promised fresh support for the bloc's indebted southern rim on Wednesday, tempering a market rout that threatened a repeat of the debt crisis that almost brought down the single currency a decade ago.

www.reuters.com

Coal failure

Australia power market halted in dramatic move to avert blackouts

Australia's energy market operator took the unprecedented step on Wednesday of suspending the electricity spot market across eastern Australia to ensure it can keep the lights on, amid a string of outages at coal-fired plants.

www.reuters.com

Pakistan stressed

People in Pakistan urged to drink fewer cups of tea

Reducing consumption by one to two cups every day would help the economy, a senior minister says.

www.bbc.co.uk

EU getting there

Europe fills up on gas but race to replace Russia far from over

Even if Europe can fill its gas storage, Europe faces a perilous winter and governments will need to keep rationing plans to hand as they race to secure more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to keep pace with a rapid shift away from reliance on Russian fuel.

www.reuters.com

... as increasingly Russian gas isn't getting there

Russian gas flows to Europe fall, hindering bid to refill stores

Russian gas supply to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline fell further on Thursday and Moscow said more delays in repairs could lead to suspending all flows, putting a brake on Europe's race to refill its gas inventories.

www.reuters.com

Electric bucket trucks are go

Xcel Energy is First in the U.S. to Add All-Electric Bucket Trucks to Fleet

First truck to arrive in Minneapolis in late June.

www.tdworld.com

US energy manufacturing independence, the mostly normal critical items

President Biden Invokes Defense Production Act to Accelerate Domestic Manufacturing of Clean Energy

DPA invocation will boost American production of the critical technologies necessary to lower energy costs, support the clean energy economy, and strengthen national security....

www.tdworld.com

and

Australia's Lynas gets $120 mln Pentagon contract for U.S. rare earths project

Australia's Lynas Rare Earths has signed a $120 million follow-on contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to build a commercial heavy rare earths separation facility in Texas, the firm said on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com

US solar, importers win for 2 years

Biden halts solar tariffs for two years. What’s next?

Paul Wormser and Christian Roselund of Clean Energy Associates joined <b>pv magazine</b> to discuss the moratorium on solar tariffs and other executive actions taken by the White House.

www.pv-magazine.com

US fraccers cautious

Focus: Drilling vs returns. U.S. oil producers' tradeoff as windfall tax threatens

U.S. oil producers profiting from sky-high prices are doling out billions to shareholders and building cash reserves, a strategy irking lawmakers and voters struggling with record fuel prices while winning over Wall Street.

www.reuters.com

US refiners grumpy

https://www.afpm.org/sites/default/files/2022-06/20220615%20POTUS%20Letter%20re%20Refining%20Capacity%20FINAL_AFPM_API.pdf

Hardening grid assets against severe weather events

A Decade after Superstorm Sandy, New Jersey’s Infrastructure is More Prepared

Ten years after Superstorm Sandy raged across the East Coast, PSE&G continues to protect customers’ utility service from the damaging impact of extreme weather by strengthening...

www.tdworld.com

Basquevolt 10 GWh battery target

Basque solid state battery initiative launched

Basquevolt is targeting production of 10GWh of solid state batteries for emobility, stationary energy storage and other applications by 2027

www.smart-energy.com

The hydrogen marketing is strong at the moment

Nuclear enabled hydrogen – how it helps to reach net zero

Nuclear enabled hydrogen is zero carbon, has low cost energy input, is large scale and offers co-location synergies.

www.smart-energy.com

and

How hydrogen can help decarbonise the UK's energy system

Celia Greaves, CEO of the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, is at the forefront of development of the country’s hydrogen industry.

www.enlit.world

and

Hydrogen at Risk of Being the Great Missed Opportunity of the Energy Transition

Hydrogen has a crucial role in decarbonizing the world’s energy system, but uptake will be too slow.

www.tdworld.com

and

U.S. DOE Announces First Loan Guarantee for a Clean Energy Project in Nearly a Decade

US$ 504 Million Loan Guarantee to Advanced Clean Energy Storage for World’s Largest Clean Hydrogen and Energy Storage Project in Utah

www.tdworld.com

and

The Hydrogen Stream: Project to produce hydrogen from waste plastic takes shape in the UK

In other news, Plug Power revealed plans to build a 35-ton-per-day green hydrogen generation plant at Belgium's Port of Antwerp-Bruges and UK researchers developed an artificial leaf device made from bismuth oxyiodide that is able to harvest sunlight to produce hydrogen fuels.

www.pv-magazine.com

and

World record in hydrogen combustion in micro gas turbines

Scientists in Norway have managed to run a micro gas turbine plant on pure hydrogen. They claim their experiment paves the way for the use of existing infrastructure to generate heat and power with the green fuel.

www.pv-magazine.com

and

Netherlands Eyeing Co-Location of Offshore Wind and CCS Projects

The Netherlands is looking into whether areas of the North Sea could be used simultaneously for offshore wind and carbon capture and storage (CCS) developments.

www.offshorewind.biz

and

The Hydrogen Stream: NREL shows off high-flow-rate hydrogen fueling

The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory has demonstrated high-flow-rate hydrogen fueling for heavy-duty vehicles, while France’s TotalEnergies has signed a deal with Adani Enterprises to produce green hydrogen in India.

www.pv-magazine.com

Wavy hands R us in UK

Energy transition analysis spotlights concerns for UK's net-zero ambitions | Enlit World

Study examines renewables, energy storage, hydrogen and carbon capture to identify challenges and opportunities.

www.enlit.world

above in stark contrast to 1 GW order for PV

Chinese PV Industry Brief: 1 GW TOPCon module supply order for JinkoSolar

JinkoSolar has scored a 1 GW PV panel order in China and Risen suspended a $758 million private placement of shares.

www.pv-magazine.com

Solar tiles at 14.9%

CIGS solar tile with 14.9% efficiency

Taiwanese manufacturer Eterbright has developed a CIGS solar tile with power output ranging from 26.5 W to 56 W and a temperature coefficient of -0.34% per C. The product is able to withstand a snow load of 5,400 Pa and a wind load ranging from 1,600 Pa to 2,400 Pa.

www.pv-magazine.com

more BIPV

New photovoltaic in-roof system from Switzerland

Swiss module manufacturer Megasol has unveiled a novel rooftop PV system in two variants -- full-black and translucent. The installation consists of vertical supports, a ridge profile, and solar modules.

www.pv-magazine.com

I guess this is VIPV

Vehicle integrated solar to power refrigerated trailers

German VIPV specialist Sono Motors has signed an agreement with French refrigerated vehicle supplier Chereau to develop refrigerated vehicles powered by an integrated solar array. The two companies will build and test a prototype vehicle, and begin to evaluate mass production. Sono estimates...

www.pv-magazine.com

MPPT of direct PV to thermal, is this a harbinger of trad thermal on the way out ?

Photovoltaic water heater from Italy

Italian solar panel manufacturer Sunerg has developed an integrated photovoltaic water heater solution based on two resistances. The system relies on a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller and can work with a PV module with a power output of up to 450 W.

www.pv-magazine.com

Big modules increasingly mainstream (550W)

SDN launches 550 W solar module with 21.28% efficiency

The Korean manufacturer launched a new bifacial module based on M10 wafers and is planning to produce bigger modules based on M12 wafers starting from the third quarter.

www.pv-magazine.com

.... I'm not so sure about the agri solar thing

The weekend read: The dawn of deep green solar

The importance of biodiversity on solar farms is coming into sharper focus, due to the intersecting forces of sustainable finance and the UK Environment Act. These positive influences will likely change the way the industry and the public view solar farms, as they evolve into biodiversity...

www.pv-magazine.com

Solar league tables updated

Solar cell efficiencies at a glance – updated

A research group led by Professor Martin Green has published Version 60 of the Solar cell efficiency tables.

www.pv-magazine.com

India bigging up, note the Make In India is a given

General Electric to triple solar, battery production capacity in India

The US multinational will expand the solar and battery energy storage manufacturing capacity at its factory in Tamil Nadu to 9 GW per annum by the end of 2022. The factory manufactures the FlexInverter power conversion solution and the FlexReservoir utility-scale energy storage systems.

www.pv-magazine.com

and

Arctech starts trial operations at 3 GW tracker factory in India

The Chinese company's new manufacturing facility is equipped with fully automatic production lines and produces all major components for its solar tracker products.

www.pv-magazine.com

which is why

Tesla India policy executive quits after company puts entry plan on hold

A key executive who was leading Tesla's lobbying effort in India has resigned, weeks after the U.S. carmaker put on hold plans to sell electric cars in the South Asian nation, two sources aware of the matter told Reuters.

www.reuters.com

and

India to Open 4 GW Offshore Wind Tender This Year

India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will open the first offshore wind tender in the next three to four months to lease blocks off the state of Tamil Nadu, which can accommodate around 4 GW of offshore wind capacity.

www.offshorewind.biz

Phillipines big project

Prime Infra plans massive 3.5 GW/4.5 GWh solar-plus-storage project in the Philippines

Philippines-based Prime Infrastructure Holdings has unveiled plans to construct a massive solar farm and energy storage project featuring up to 3.5 GW of PV backed by up to 4.5 GWh of battery energy storage in the Southeast Asian nation.

www.pv-magazine.com

USA solar record

US utility-scale solar sets record: breaks 50 GW of instantaneous generation

The EIA’s monitor of hourly utility-scale electricity generation for the lower 48 states has recently seen the solar fleet break 50 GW of generation on Sunday and Monday of this week for the first time.

www.pv-magazine.com

USA weakness

U.S. Midwest may have summer power shortages for years

The power grid operator in the Central United States warned on Friday that problems it may experience keeping the lights on this summer could also occur during the summers of 2023, 2024 and beyond.

www.reuters.com

Japan intermittency

Japanese solar building up resiliency against curtailment

Mitsubishi and Japanese utility Kyushu Electric Power are teaming up to use more grid-scale storage, in order to reduce financial losses caused by curtailment.

www.pv-magazine.com

Indonesia cancelled ...

Chinese PV Industry Brief: Jolywood scraps solar plans in Indonesia

Jolywood has canceled a plan to invest in solar cell and panel production in Indonesia, while Hangzhou First Applied Material has said that it will invest $226 million in the expansion of its EVA film output capacity.

www.pv-magazine.com

Brazil 15 GW offshore

Ocean Winds Launches OW Brasil, Plans 15 GW of Offshore Wind

Ocean Winds has launched OW Brasil, its Brazilian arm working on development opportunities of offshore wind projects in the country, where Ocean Winds has filed for approval to investigate five project sites.

www.offshorewind.biz

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $118.5
Brent $120.9

Jaw jaw with refiners

U.S. energy chief to discuss record pump prices with refiners next week

U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm called an emergency meeting with refining executives for next week, a department spokesperson said on Thursday, as tensions between the Biden administration and Big Oil mount over soaring gasoline prices.

www.reuters.com

because

https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/gdpzygyorvw/US%20OIL%20REFINING%20SYSTEM.pdf

and the German version

Weekly data: Germany’s fossil fuel reserves could cover part of Russian gas shortage

Germany plans to reopen idled power plants if Russia cuts off the gas supply. The fossil fuel reserve could cover part of the imports.

www.energymonitor.ai

Stable coal isn't

Australian power crisis eases as coal-fired plants crank up

Blackout risks eased in eastern Australia on Friday as about a third of the coal-fired generation that had been offline in recent weeks returned to service, but the market operator said the power crisis was not over.

www.reuters.com

Wooing Qatar

Exclusive: China firms in advanced talks with Qatar for gas field stakes, LNG offtake

China's national oil majors are in advanced talks with Qatar to invest in the North Field East expansion of the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) project and buy the fuel under long-term contracts, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

www.reuters.com

15MW cranes look like this

Bold Tern's New Crane Commissioned, Ready for 15 MW Offshore Wind Turbines

The new 1,600-tonne Huisman leg encircling crane on board Fred. Olsen Windcarrier's vessel Bold Tern has been commissioned, with the vessel now capable of installing wind turbines of up to 15 MW.

www.offshorewind.biz

Recycling PV

Recycling process promises ‘better than new’ silicon wafers

Scientists in China have developed a new recycling process for PV modules that can recover intact silicon cells from end-of-life products, and process them back into wafers. As part of the recycling process, the wafers are purified and surface-treated, making them suitable for integration into...

www.pv-magazine.com

Battery material supply ramp

Battery metals: How quickly can supply ramp up?

A couple of weeks ago, Goldman Sachs sent shockwaves through battery metals markets, issuing a prediction that cobalt and lithium in particular were due for a sharp price decline in the next two years. But London-based Benchmark Mineral Intelligence is loudly pushing back, outlining its reasons...

www.pv-magazine.com

Battery installs up

US grid-scale energy storage quadruples

Grid-scale and residential storage installations have set new records in the United States, despite supply chain concerns and pricing issues.

www.pv-magazine.com

Battery bonanza

Inflation bites at the battery storage bonanza

Dramatic growth in battery storage will be fundamental to the clean energy transition. Rising prices risk crimping that growth.

www.energymonitor.ai

Solar records keep breaking, this Portugal

Portuguese solar generation hit highest point ever in May

Solar generation accounted for a 8.2% of Portugal's total electricity production in May – a new record for the country.

www.pv-magazine.com

Nuclear strawclutching

'Megatonne' CO2 capture plant plan for Sizewell C : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News

A consortium hoping to use heat from the UK’s proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station to capture carbon dioxide from the air on a giant scale say they have successfully completed a research and development project and are ready to construct a demonstration plant.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

... is beautiful

'Beautiful nuclear' must be included in energy transition, says LucidCatalyst : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News

The priority for preventing irreversible climate change is decarbonisation, not the creation of energy systems which are 100% dependent on renewables, according to a new report from LucidCatalyst. It says expanding the use of nuclear energy could enable faster progress towards a sustainable and...

www.world-nuclear-news.org

... if on camera

Iran to remove monitoring cameras : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News

Iran has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that it will remove 27 cameras used by the agency to verify and monitor the country's implementation of its nuclear commitments under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

That floating thing again (aka project looks for place to happen)

Study examines option for floating nuclear power in Vietnam : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

A joint study by Vietnamese power engineering consultancy PECC2, Denmark’s Seaborg, designer of power barges using compact molten salt reactors, and manufacturer Siemens Energy looked at the case for floating nuclear power plants to provide electricity as well as hydrogen and ammonia production.

www.world-nuclear-news.org

The money is following the real solution
FDI in renewable and alternative power: The state of play

 

[mspohr]

Texas being roasted by record heat, but wind and solar are keeping electricity available and cheap

On Tuesday, south Texas set records for high temperatures. In many areas, this was not just a high-temperature record for the day, but an all-time record for any date before July. Add in extremely high levels of humidity, and Texas—along with a big...

www.dailykos.com

 

[petit_bateau]

The first test supply of Azerbaijani gas from Greece to Bulgaria via the Greece-Bulgaria connecting pipeline has started, BNR radio station reports.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $109.9
Brent $113.3

The first test supply of Azerbaijani gas from Greece to Bulgaria via the Greece-Bulgaria connecting pipeline has started, BNR radio station reports.

US FERC grid stuff quicker

FERC Plans to Accelerate Grid Connection to New Power Generation

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission this week issued a proposed role on solving “significant current backlogs” in grid interconnection queues.

www.tdworld.com

CIGRE is the big grid go to place

CIGRÉ Set to Open in Paris

This International Conference on Large High Voltage Electric Systems will be the first face-to face Session in CIGRÉ’s second century.

www.tdworld.com

EU grid storage assessment

Europe needs 14GW/year of energy storage – EASE

The European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE) assesses Europe’s storage needs around 200GW by 2030 and 600GW by 2050.

www.smart-energy.com

H2 storage cave

Underground rock cavern hydrogen storage facility inaugurated in Luleå

HYBRIT’s pilot facility for underground fossil-free hydrogen storage has been inaugurated at Svartöberget in Luleå, Sweden.

www.smart-energy.com

EU take 2 for ETS, CBAM, etc

EU carbon market reform: The Parliament's last chance

After a major setback last week, the European Parliament has one more shot to raise the ambition of the EU’s carbon market reform.

www.energymonitor.ai

Brexshit stuff in NI includes environment ...

Northern Ireland Protocol should consider environment, says Eamon Ryan

An all-island environmental standard could make the Northern Ireland Protocol “much less problematic”, says the Republic of Ireland's energy minister.

www.energymonitor.ai

O&G tries for geothermal relevance

“Supercritical” geothermal could power everything

Drilling deep enough would mean terawatt-scale power, but geothermal energy’s development is underfunded, say industry experts.

www.energymonitor.ai

Insurers ....

Net-zero insurance: insuring the energy transition

Insurers should use the levers they have available to help decarbonise the global economy, lest disgruntled shareholders force their hands.

www.energymonitor.ai

German gas --- switch to coal

Habeck: „Wir stärken die Vorsorge weiter und ergreifen zusätzliche Maßnahmen für weniger Gasverbrauch“

www.bmwk.de

Russian gas goes missing for Italy, not premeditated, honest

Italy's Eni faces a sixth daily shortfall of Russian gas supplies

A June 19 Reuters story on Eni facing a sixth daily shortfall of Russian gas supplies was incorrectly sourced and has been corrected

www.reuters.com

China bakes, can you say global warming

China power demand sets new records as heatwaves bake northern cities

Power consumption surged in Chinese provinces north of the Yangtze river due to warmer-than-normal weather, with regions like Henan, China's third-most populous province, being tested to meet record electricity demand.

www.reuters.com

Tesla fenced out in sensitice Chinese security zones

Tesla cars barred for 2 months in Beidaihe, site of China leadership meet

Tesla cars will be prohibited from entering the Chinese coastal district of Beidaihe, site of a secretive annual summer party leadership conclave, for at least two months starting on July 1, a local traffic police official told Reuters on Monday.

www.reuters.com

PPAs change

The weekend read: A fast-changing renewables PPA landscape

Power purchase agreements are ideal risk-management tools, given that electricity price volatility is the new normal and renewables uptake is a matter of urgency due to untenable Russian gas dependency. <b>pv magazine</b> sat down with Andy Sommer, team leader of fundamental analysis and...

www.pv-magazine.com

China at 361 GW solar cell capacity, world total is now 423 GW (I'm not sure I believe the world number as 3/4 are not believable in China)
Chinese PV Industry Brief: China’s solar cell capacity exceeds 361 GW

Getting legal details right can be tricksy

Spanish court orders Iberdrola to dismantle 60% of 500 MW operational PV plant

A Spanish court has ruled that Spain's largest operational PV project – the 500 MW Nuñez de Balboa solar plant – occupies a piece of land that was illegally expropriated. Project owner Iberdrola must now shut down a large portion of the installation.

www.pv-magazine.com

Another day another storage market prediction

Global energy storage market set for rapid expansion by 2025

Taiwanese analyst TrendForce said it expects global energy storage capacity to reach 362 GWh by 2025. China is set to overtake Europe and the United States is poised to become the world’s fastest-growing energy storage market.

www.pv-magazine.com

The way I read this, the flow battery technology pathway is deader than a dead thing

Lithium-ion vs. vanadium redox flow storage

UK scientists have compared the performance of lithium-ion storage systems and vanadium redox flow batteries for a modeled 636 kW commercial PV system in southern California. They have found that both technologies, coupled with an oversized PV array, could achieve a levelized cost of electricity...

www.pv-magazine.com

LG are going to have awful financials etc from the recall of what looks like all the NMC pouch cells worldwide, cars and stationary. Here in UK/EU they are paying installers on the following basis
- €80 for data validation of who has what installed at which sites
- €150 to do the in-person software update visit which includes capping cell charge & discharge limits
- €450 to do the cell module replacement
Looks to me that this is about a year of production going into the recall programme, including all the Bolts, the various VW, Kia, the LG/SolarEdge, etc.

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $111.8
Brent $116.0

Russian options include ceasefires, but also nuclear strikes

What If Russia Uses Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine?

A look at the grim scenarios—and the U.S. playbook for each

www.theatlantic.com

US grid under pressure

The Infamous Summer of 2022: North American Grids Tested

Much of the nation’s electric grid is stressed, and in many areas generation capacity is being stretched thin.

www.tdworld.com

US gasoline tax

Biden says decision on pause on federal gasoline tax could come by end of week

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday that a decision on whether to pause a federal gasoline tax could come by the end of this week, as the United States struggles to tackle soaring gasoline prices and inflation, now at its highest in 40 years.

www.reuters.com

Chinese coal

Quantity over quality - China faces power supply risk despite coal output surge

The world's top coal consumer relies on coal for 60% of its electricity.

www.reuters.com

Russian oil

China May oil imports from Russia soar to a record, surpass top supplier Saudi

China's crude oil imports from Russia soared 55% from a year earlier to a record level in May, displacing Saudi Arabia as the top supplier, as refiners cashed in on discounted supplies amid sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

www.reuters.com

Zero sum LNG

Opinion: US LNG is becoming a zero-sum game

America is now a leading gas exporter, but the spoils of LNG dominance are coming at the expense of American consumers via higher gas prices.

www.energymonitor.ai

Climate change talks about money money

Finance, geopolitics cast shadow over climate talks - Energy Monitor

With the Paris Agreement rules in place, the UN climate talks are switching focus from process to implementation. But geopolitics and disputes over finance cast a pall.

www.energymonitor.ai

Another battery startup

US startup unveils non-flammable batteries for EVs, storage

Alsym will produce its new batteries – made of readily available materials, without lithium or cobalt – for electric vehicles, stationary storage, and marine applications.

www.pv-magazine.com

SE Asian renewables

The long read: Clear winds of renewables change

After a decade of under-delivering on its potential, there are changes afoot in Southeast Asia’s renewable energy development, says Assaad W. Razzouk, the CEO of Singapore-based developer Gurin Energy. Razzouk points to success stories in the region and notes that political will and clear...

www.pv-magazine-india.com

Every price spike leads to another renewables wedge

Australia's power crisis will lead to more solar and regulation

It defies logic that one of the world's biggest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal is struggling to ensure enough domestic supplies to keep the lights on, but that is Australia's current reality.

www.reuters.com

Heatwaves keep coming

Weather tracker: easing of Europe heatwave may be only temporary reprieve

Forecast models are already hinting at area of significant heat taking hold across Iberia next week

www.theguardian.com

 

[petit_bateau]

WTI $104.9
Brent $110.4

No more naivety over Russia

Russian invasion marks ‘end of European energy naivety’ says Ukraine electricity chief | Enlit World

Ukraine can play a key role in new geopolitical order and in sustainable energy transition says DTEK boss.

www.enlit.world

I wish there was a decimal point error in this, Japan

Japan allocates 153.7 MW in solar auction

Japan's latest procurement exercise was open to PV projects above 250 kW in size. The ceiling price was set at JPY 10 ($0.074)/kWh.

www.pv-magazine.com

No decimal error in China

Chinese PV Industry Brief: Trina to build 150,000 MT factory

Trina Solar has announced plans to expand production in northwestern China, while inverter manufacturer Sofar Solar is now moving forward with an initial public offering.

www.pv-magazine.com

US batteries up

US grid-scale energy storage installations break record

The US energy storage market has set a new record in the first quarter of 2022, with grid-scale installations totalling 2,399MWh.

www.smart-energy.com

Hydrogen fuel cells not dead yet

The Hydrogen Stream: Volvo starts testing fuel cell electric trucks

Volvo said it will offer fuel cell electric trucks by the second half of the decade, while an airport in northern Japan has started working on a feasibility study for local hydrogen production. Uruguay, meanwhile, has presented a new hydrogen strategy.

www.pv-magazine.com

Austria getting it

Austria added 740 MW of solar in 2021

Austria's cumulative installed PV capacity has now surpassed 2.78 GW.

www.pv-magazine.com

Patent wars in wind have a long history

US Jury Rules in Favour of Siemens Gamesa and Against GE in Patent Infringement Case

Wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa said it had received a favourable ruling against turbine manufacturer General Electric (GE) in a federal court in Massachusetts, USA.

www.offshorewind.biz

Floaters everywhere

Study Identifies 54 Potential Floating Offshore Wind Hot Spots

Offshore Wind Consultants (OWC) has developed a market study that has identified 54 territories as potential floating offshore wind markets.

www.offshorewind.biz

Actual report

Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence | ORE Catapult

ore.catapult.org.uk

Rivian ..... distraction

Rivian to use on-site wind to help power vehicle manufacturing

A 2.8 MW wind turbine will soon supply clean power to Rivian's manufacturing plant in Illinois.

www.renewableenergyworld.com

US modules

Solar developers commit to spending $6 billion on American-made modules

AES Corporation, Clearway Energy, Cypress Creek Renewables, and D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments have formed the U.S. Solar Buyer Consortium to support the expansion of domestic manufacturing.

www.renewableenergyworld.com

No such thing as cheap energy - £2.7bn cost estimate

https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-energy-supplier-market-Summary.pdf

China problems

China heatwaves drive up power demand to record levels, southern floods swamp cities

Heatwaves in northern and central China drove up electricity demand to record levels as millions switched on air conditioners to escape the sweltering conditions, while floodwaters in the south submerged villages and trapped city residents.

www.reuters.com

(snippet : I was told recently that SAIC have closed order book for now in UK on their MG brand of BEV due to being so swamped by demand)

 

[mspohr]

No such thing as cheap energy - £2.7bn cost estimate
https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-energy-supplier-market-Summary.pdf

No such thing as cheap fossil fuel energy.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

(snippet : I was told recently that SAIC have closed order book for now in UK on their MG brand of BEV due to being so swamped by demand)

Other manufacturers have done that. There have been waiting lists for a lot of newer EVs for at least 3 years.