Global Climate News - June 17-18
Solar + Wind auction price in India; Hydrogen power plants; Better electrodes for PEM electrolyzers; Canada's Blue Economy Roadmap; California funds Long Duration Energy Storage;
In this newsletter
Hydrogen and Synthetic Fuels
Making economical electrodes for PEM electrolysers
Liquid Air Energy Storage
Canada’s Blue Economy Roadmap
Top stories
Clean Energy Economics
INR 3.43/kWh (~$0.041/kWh) - lowest price of winning bid in the latest solar + wind hybrid grid-scale project in India. The tender set a minimum capacity utilisation factor of 30% for projects and requires them to be completed within 24 months of being awarded. Renewable Watch
Hydrogen and Synthetic Fuels
Finland-based Wärtsilä has developed an engine that can be used with natural gas and with 100% hydrogen as fuel. The engine is designed for the company’s hydrogen power plants, designed to operate similarly to natural gas-based power plants. The proposed power plant solution uses hydrogen, mixed with nitrogen for safety. This means a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system is needed to prevent NOx emissions, from this otherwise low emissions design. The system uses thermal (infrared) cameras and monitors for detecting hydrogen leakages, and a leak test using helium and nitrogen is performed prior to commissioning. Offshore Energy | Wärtsilä
Italy-based De Nora has developed Alkaline Water Electrolysis electrolysers that have lower power consumption and capex, approaching costs of hydrogen production similar to that for the currently dominant proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. Reuters | De Nora website
A 2500km green shipping corridor is being developed between Sweden and Belgium, connecting 9 other European countries. The corridor will support ammonia-fuelled vessels through refuelling hubs and charging facilities at port, and is planned for these vessels to operate from 2030. Offshore Energy
The Netherlands intends to set up a hydrogen network in the North Sea to store and transport energy harnessed from offshore wind farms. Gasunie, the company selected as the operator of the hydrogen network, is working on repurposing existing natural gas pipelines from transport of hydrogen, and on setting up a hydrogen market in the country. Gasunie Press Release
The Netherlands is also working on a marine vessel with a green hydrogen and ammonia production facility onboard, that is intended to use power from offshore wind farms. Offshore Energy
Toyota is set to test a hydrogen fuel cell prototype of its pick-up truck Hilux. Toyota Press Release
Making economical electrodes for PEM electrolysers
Sweden-based Smoltek has developed a carbon nanofibers (CNFs) fabrication technology for fuel cell electrodes that reduces the need for rare materials, like Iridium, in the electrodes by 50-70%.
Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers use platinum on the cathode side, and iridium (as iridium oxide) on the anode side as catalysts. Carbon materials are used as catalyst support on electrodes on which the catalysts, in the form of nanoparticles, are added. The carbon materials currently used as catalyst supports tend to have irregular porous structures. Smoltek uses a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process to make the carbon nanofibre catalyst supports with more controlled structures.
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a fabrication method where a precursor, typically a gas, is deposited on a substrate. On the substrate, it undergoes a reaction to form the fabricated material. One type of CVD that is particularly suitable for growing CNF is plasma-enhanced CVD or PECVD. In PECVD, a carbon-containing gas such as methane or acetylene, known as the process gas, is introduced into the reactor along with an inert gas. In the reactor gases are converted into a plasma, e.g., using AC or DC discharge between two electrodes. From the plasma, carbon is deposited on the substrate.
Then specific parts of the carbon fibres are coated with platinum and iridium oxide nanoparticles, with an aim to optimize the active surface area of the catalyst in contact with the membrane and water, and reduce the amount of catalyst material used. Another benefit of using carbon nanofibres as catalyst supports is their relative chemical stability in the reaction conditions of the electrolyser.
Offshore Energy | Smoltek Whitepaper | Smoltek Website
Liquid Air Energy Storage
UK-based Highview Power has developed a Liquid Air Energy Storage System that can operate with constant cycling for 40 years. Excess energy is used to clean and dry air, which is then passed through a refrigeration system that cools and eventually liquefies it. When electricity is required, the liquefied air is allowed to expand, heated and pressurised, giving a high-pressure high-temperature gas that drives turbines to generate electricity.
Highview’s energy storage system can be scaled easily from 50 MW to several hundred MWs. The company has demonstration projects at various sites in England and Scotland, and is now setting up a 50MW/300MWh plant in Manchester.
Canada’s Blue Economy Roadmap
Canada has published a Blue Economy Regulatory Roadmap with initiatives across 5 areas - Marine renewable energy and environment protection, Marine spatial planning, Marine autonomous surface ships, Ocean technology, Sustainable fishing gear and practices.
This involves
Advancing marine renewable energy legislation and regulations in the offshore
Helping stakeholders navigate biodiversity protection legislation like the Fisheries Act and Species at Risk Act
Streamlining regulatory processes for permitting of major projects
Developing policy for Marine spatial planning
MSP takes into consideration all activities and partners in an area to help make practical and informed decisions about the management of our oceans, by looking at an ecosystem as a whole.
Key drivers of MSP are to sustain and enable blue growth in existing and emerging ocean sectors (e.g., fisheries and marine renewable energy), to protect and conserve areas of high biodiversity, to address conflicts and trade-offs in crowded ocean areas, and to maximize the use of ocean space to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Developing guidance on use of marine autonomous surface ships (MASS) in Canada and promoting research & development on these. The focus on MASS is driven by the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) initiative to develop a MASS code for regulating the operation of these ships.
The aim is to adopt a non-mandatory goal-based MASS Code to take effect in 2025, which will form the basis for a mandatory goal-based MASS Code, expected to enter into force on 1 January 2028. IMO
Currently, Canada has an interim policy framework for oversight of MASS ships and for the installation and operation of Autonomous Navigation Systems on board vessels.
Testing and validating ocean technologies (such as for control and navigation of autonomous marine ships, cleaning up of oil spills, preventing coastal flooding and erosion, measuring nanoplastics in seawater) in real world environments
Enabling better disposal and recycling of end-of-life fishing gear, and reducing use of plastics in making of fishing gear. It is estimated that ‘ghost gear’ - abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear - makes up 70% of macroplastic debris in oceans.
Innovation News | Canada Blue Economy Regulatory Roadmap
Top Stories
The US Department of Energy has announced $900 million in funding support for the development of third generation Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Innovation News | DoE Press Release
California is funding long duration energy storage projects based on flow batteries, thermochemical energy storage, carbon dioxide-to-carbon storage. New York has also invited proposals to award upto $5 million to long duration energy storage projects. Utility Dive
The UK has published a new blueprint to grow the fruit and vegetable sector. Under this, Controlled Environment Horticulture (CEH) business may be considered for “decarbonisation, waste heat and clean energy incentives”. The government will also look into co-locating CEH businesses with waste heat, waste CO2 and existing heat networks. GOV.UK
In Europe, about 60% of car registrations are for companies (corporate registrations). Recent analysis finds that companies continue to prefer plug-in hybrid electric vehicles over fully electric vehicles. Euractiv | Transport & Environment
Good read on the lithium industry in Argentina - ranked 4th on lithium deposits - by Climate Home News
New research estimates the potential for floating solar at 1302 TWh of annual generation on 67,893 lakes and reservoirs across the globe. pv magazine
Global heatwave update from The Guardian.
GIZ on the use of comprehensive datasets and AI for more equitable public administration in cities.
New lithium mining project on the cards in Serbia ET Energy
How water scarcity slowed down global shipping across the Panama canal by ET Energy
Update on discussions at the 60th biannual sessions of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies (SB60) at Bonn, by Carbon Brief
You can find all previous posts of this newsletter here.
If you’re finding this newsletter valuable, share it with a friend, and consider subscribing if you haven’t already.
