Plus: Painting one turbine blade black saves birds; Ginormous battery for $3B solar, wind farm
Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone has had an enjoyable summer, even if it has been in your back yard – something we’ve certainly been doing.
If you only have time to read a little, start with my comments. Scan the rest of the headlines at your leisure. Comments and feedback is welcome, as always.
I’m going to take a break – so watch for the next update on September 20.
Thanks,
Peter
Painting one of the blades on a turbine is believed to reduce “motion smear”, allowing birds to see the rotating blades. Image Credit: Statkraft
Observations, Comments & Questions
- One of the neatest things I came across was the story that painting just one turbine blade black provides enough of a visual cue to substantially lower the number of bird strikes – up to 70% less, a study suggests. Granted the results are from just one site, though an encouraging finding nonetheless. Black turbine blade ‘can cut bird deaths’ | BBC
- There is no shortage of blame being tossed around for the rolling blackouts in California. One contributing cause is the retirement of 9 gigawatts of natural gas-powered generating capacity, in favour of renewables. Another I’ve read about is the over-reliance on imported power from other states that becomes less available during heat waves. The BNN Bloomberg story (see Policy section) points to the need for over 12 gigawatts of battery storage at a cost of $19 billion. SO it not surprising then to see a couple companies team up to propose 2GW of battery storage for various California locations over the coming years.
- The first story under the Technology heading below offers an interesting way in which software is being leveraged to connect various other emerging technologies, such a “vehicle-to-grid” and smart charging – and doing it in such a way that can provide important services to the grid. I do wonder how many EV owners would sign up to a program that rewards them for off-peak charging AND making the battery in their vehicle available to provide power to the grid when demand is high. Anytime you add to the cycling times a battery is used, it factors into the lifespan equation – something an owner may be more cautious about, given uncertainties about resale value later in the life of the vehicle. Anyone have insights or experience in this space? Let me know!
Technology
New UK grid flexibility service combines vehicle charging, V2G and home batteries | RenewEconomy
London-based intelligent energy platform Kaluza has gone live with a new UK-first grid flexibility service which combines a range of smart home devices including vehicle-to-grid (V2G), domestic electric vehicle (EV) smart charging, and sonnenBatterie charging and discharging.
Power Sector To Spend $5 Billion on Software by 2025 | BloombergNEF
New BloombergNEF research shows that the power sector will spend $3.2 billion on software in 2020 to optimize the performance, costs and revenues of generation and grid assets. BNEF believes this will grow to $5.2 billion by 2025, driven by the sectors decarbonization mandate.
Hubject to offer automated B2B payment to solve ‘one of the biggest challenges’ in e-mobility | Current News
The Hubject interoperability platform is expanding to offer financial settlement services between chargepoint operators and e-mobility service providers, with Enel X chosen to enable this. Hubject’s platform enables interoperability between networks, with drivers able to access any of the charging networks signed up to the platform without needing memberships to the individual networks.
World’s Biggest Offshore Wind Farm Signs Deal to Sell Power | BNN Bloomberg
A giant wind farm being developed off the coast of the U.K. will sell some of its power to energy trader Danske Commodities A/S. Under the 15-year deal, the subsidiary of Equinor ASA will trade and balance power from 480 megawatts of the Dogger Bank wind farm, about 13% of its capacity. It’s the latest in a string of big private contracts for offshore wind farms that could be key to reducing the technology’s reliance on government subsidies.
Neoen files plans for $3bn wind and solar farm with battery 10 times bigger than Hornsdale | RenewEconomy
French renewable energy developer Neoen has filed its development application for the huge $3 billion Goyder South wind, solar and storage project in South Australia which includes a proposed big battery than it nearly 10 times bigger than the expanded “Tesla big battery” at Hornsdale.
First mover’ Key Capture Energy putting 200MW of LFP batteries online in Texas | Energy Storage News
Key Capture Energy (KCE) will build three large-scale energy storage systems (BESS) to participate in Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) energy markets, using a “custom solution” based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
2GW pipeline of California battery projects revealed by Capital Dynamics and Tenaska | Energy Storage News
Asset management firm Capital Dynamics has signed a deal with Nebraskan independent power producer Tenaska to develop nine battery energy storage system (BESS) projects located in California’s highest electrical load centres.
Masdar Buys Into 1.6GW EDF Renewables Pipeline in One of the Year’s Biggest Deals | Greentech Media
In one of the U.S. renewable energy market’s biggest deals in a challenging year, Masdar is set to acquire a 50 percent stake in a 1.6-gigawatt portfolio of advanced wind, solar and energy storage projects from EDF Renewables North America.
Vestas lands contract to supply UK’s largest onshore wind farm in Shetlands | RenewEconomy
Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has secured its largest stand-alone wind turbine order in Europe to date, being selected by Irish company SSE Renewables to supply more than 100 turbines to the huge Viking Wind Farm in the UK.
Solar Panel Craze Leaves Australia’s Grid Scrambling for Backup | Financial Post
Australians’ fervent embrace of rooftop solar is forcing the grid to become more flexible. The shift has carved out daytime demand for traditional generation and caused bigger fluctuations in electricity use across the day, the Australian Energy Market Operator said in its annual report on the long-term outlook for the grid. With a number of coal power plants set to retire over the next decade, lithium-ion batteries, pumped hydro and improved transmission infrastructure will play a key role in filling the gap, it said.
Amazon Buys 1,800 Electric Mercedes Vans in Latest Green Effort | BNN Bloomberg
Amazon.com Inc. is buying 1,800 electric delivery vans from Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz, the retailer’s biggest commitment to date to cut the carbon footprint of its delivery operations in Europe.
Policy
California Doomed to Frequent Blackout Risk by Battery Shortage | BNN Bloomberg
As the threat of blackouts continues to plague California, officials are pointing to battery storage as a key to preventing future power shortfalls. But the Golden State is going to need a lot more batteries to weather the next climate-driven crisis—let alone to achieve its goal of a carbon-free grid.
UK government awards £1.5m for smart EV charging projects | Current News
The government has awarded over £1.5 million to two electric vehicle (EV) charging projects to help utilise electricity when its at its cheapest and help balance the grid.
Germany launches first ‘green’ bonds | Euractiv
Germany on Monday (24 August) announced details of its first “green” bond placing, tapping financial markets to fund environmental projects for the first time. The finance ministry said it would raise up to €11 billion in 2020 to support climate-related projects.
ADB approves USD 1 billion package for rapid transit system in India | LiveMint
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 1 billion (about ₹7,485 crore) loan to support the construction of the modern, high-speed Delhi-Meerut regional rapid transit system, a first of its kind in India.
Consumers
The Business Roundtable’s statement of purpose, one year on | Greenbiz
When the Business Roundtable updated its Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation a year ago this week, its members surely didn’t anticipate a global pandemic, a recession of historic proportions and a movement for racial justice becoming mainstream.Now that the business group’s statement has been stress-tested well beyond anyone’s expectations, it’s a good time to take a look at what difference it has made in its first 12 months.
Greening of Europe means more red tape for investors | BNN Bloomberg
Europe’s bankers and traders got plenty of slack from their regulators to weather the pandemic. For money managers, it’s a different story. The investing industry is facing unprecedented demands from officials in Brussels charged with putting the European Union’s policies to counter climate change into practice. Regulations will soon force asset managers to quantify and disclose how much their holdings degrade the environment — through carbon emissions, wastewater release and deforestation.
Electric cars: Xcel Energy sets goal of helping put 1.5 million vehicles on the road by 2030 | Denver Post
Xcel Energy wants to help put about 1.5 million electric vehicles on the roads by 2030. It has proposed investing $100 million in Colorado over the next three years as part of those efforts.
A $91 Billion Asset Manager Dumps Exxon, Chevron on Climate | Yahoo Finance
Norwegian life insurer Storebrand ASA has beefed up its climate policy, leading it to exit oil giants Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. and accelerate a full divestment from coal.
HSBC signs up for new $1bn natural capital investment fund | edie
HSBC has partnered with Pollination to launch what it is describing as the first large-scale investment fund focused solely on nature conservation and restoration. The fund, due to launch next year, will aim to raise $1bn to finance “a diverse range of activities that preserve, protect and enhance nature over the long-term, and address climate change”.