Renewables, Energy Storage, Hydrogen - January 13
UK AI Plan; Brazil sanctions offshore wind law; Hydrogen-battery air taxis; G20 coalition to boost RE investments;
Top 6 in this newsletter:
UK Unveils AI Plan with Focus on Sustainable Energy
Brazil sanctions law for offshore wind energy
Norway increases power line capacity with sensor technology
Hydrogen-Battery Air Taxi from Sambo at CES
15th IRENA Assembly focuses on accelerating renewable energy transition
G20 launches coalition to boost clean energy investments
Followed by News from Governments, company announcements, research & more.
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UK Unveils AI Plan with Focus on Sustainable Energy
(January 12)
The UK government announced a plan to unleash artificial intelligence across the UK, including initiatives to create AI Growth Zones, build a new supercomputer, and boost AI adoption in public and private sectors. The plan includes £14 billion investment from three tech companies (Vantage Data Centres, Nscale, and Kyndryl) and aims to create 13,250 jobs. A key focus is on sustainable energy for powering AI ambitions, with Culham, Oxfordshire, selected as the site for the first AI Growth Zone, leveraging the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority’s expertise in fusion energy.
Also see Matt Clifford’s Tweet Thread
UK Government | AI Opportunities Growth Plan
Brazil sanctions law for offshore wind energy
(January 11)
Brazil has sanctioned a law regulating offshore energy development, aiming to boost renewable energy generation, create jobs, and strengthen energy security. The law includes incentives for domestic industry and provisions for environmental protection and community consultations. Revenue from the initiative will be shared between the federal government, states, and municipalities, primarily funding research, innovation, and sustainable development.
Norway increases power line capacity with sensor technology
(January 13)
Norwegian SINTEF and Heimdall Power have developed "Neuron", a sensor-equipped device that increases power line capacity by up to 35 MW for some lines, and 40% on average. This reduces the need for expensive and controversial new power lines, enabling faster electrification and renewable energy connection, and potentially avoiding environmental impact from new constructions.
Hydrogen-Battery Air Taxi from Sambo at CES
(January 11)
South Korea-based Sambo+Mobility showcased its hydrogen-battery hybrid electric flying taxi, HAM III-2, at CES 2025. The two-seater aircraft has a 30-foot wingspan, 15-foot height, and weighs 1,875 pounds. It boasts a cruising speed of 110 mph, a range of 62 miles, and a maximum flight time of 40 minutes. Testing is expected to begin in early 2025.
The e-taxi uses electricity (from the battery) for the vertical takeoff and hydrogen from the fuel cell for flying.
15th IRENA Assembly focuses on accelerating renewable energy transition
(January 11)
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) held its Fifteenth Assembly session, focusing on accelerating the renewable energy transition. Discussions included SDG7 progress, renewable energy partnerships in Central Asia (APRECA), legislative pathways for tripling renewables and doubling energy efficiency, grid and storage solutions, clean cooking initiatives, Mediterranean energy transitions, risk mitigation instruments, a Global Coalition for Energy Planning, environmental impacts of renewables, empowering lives and livelihoods with renewables, community support for the energy transition, and a youth forum. Multiple MoUs were signed with SAARC and KAZENERGY.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
G20 launches coalition to boost clean energy investments
(January 11)
Brazil launched the Global Coalition on Energy Planning (GCEP), with IRENA as its secretariat. The coalition aims to accelerate clean energy investments in developing countries by promoting effective energy planning. Brazil's Minister of Mines and Energy mentioned leveraging up to USD 70 billion in investment.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
Saudi Arabia to Convene Global Mineral Sector at Fourth Future Minerals Forum in January 2025
Saudi Arabia will host the fourth Future Minerals Forum (FMF) from January 14-16, 2025, focusing on investment opportunities in the mining and mineral sector and sustainable development. The forum will include a Ministerial Roundtable with 100 countries and 40 organizations, aiming to create green metals hubs and promote responsible mineral production. The 2023 FMF saw 75 minerals deals worth SAR 75 billion.
News from Governments
Taiwan Enforces Safety Regulations for Residential Lithium Batteries
(January 12)
Taiwan's Bureau of Standards, Metrology, and Inspection (BSMI) implemented mandatory inspections for residential lithium battery energy storage appliances and power conversion systems (up to 20 kWh and 20 kW, respectively) starting July 1, 2026, to ensure safety and reliability in line with the country's renewable energy goals. The regulations address thermal runaway risks and require compliance with standards for electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility, and grid connection safety.
Overseas Community Affairs Council, Taiwan
UK-Taiwan trade deal highlights renewable energy and net zero
(January 12)
The UK and Taiwan signed the U.K.-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) Arrangement, focusing on investment, energy and net-zero emissions, and digital trade. The UK's outgoing representative highlighted this as a key achievement, noting increased bilateral trade and collaboration on net-zero emissions, with over 100 British businesses contributing to Taiwan's offshore wind development.
Overseas Community Affairs Council, Taiwan
UK-China Economic Dialogue: Boosting Clean Energy and Sustainable Finance
(January 11)
The UK and China have agreed to further cooperation in clean energy, including strengthening the existing UK-China clean energy partnership. China announced plans to issue a sovereign green bond in London in 2025 to finance environmentally sustainable projects. Agreements are expected to deliver up to £1 billion of value to the UK economy.
Iran commits to removing bureaucratic hurdles for renewable energy
(January 11)
The Iranian government has committed to removing bureaucratic obstacles to renewable energy production and development in East Azerbaijan province. The government and private sector are cooperating to facilitate the growth of renewable energy projects, specifically solar power.
US Treasury and IRS Allocate $6 Billion for Clean Energy Projects
(January 10)
The US Department of Treasury and IRS announced $6 billion in tax credits for the second round of the Inflation Reduction Act’s § 48C Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit. This is in addition to the $4 billion allocated in Round 1. The program funds projects to expand clean energy manufacturing and recycling, critical materials processing, and reduce GHG emissions. Approximately 250 projects across more than 40 states received funding, totaling over $44 billion in project investments.
ACER launches electricity virtual hub price correlation simulator
(January 10)
The EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) has released a tool to simulate price correlations for electricity forward trading with potential virtual hub prices. The simulator helps inform the debate on whether regional virtual hubs are needed for forward markets, as proposed in ACER’s 2023 policy paper to further develop the EU electricity forward market. The European Commission will assess the need for these hubs and revise the Forward Capacity Allocation Regulation in 2026.
SIDS Energy Transition Progress Report 2023-2024
(January 11)
The SIDS Lighthouses Initiative report highlights significant progress in the energy transition among Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in 2023-2024. Key efforts included supporting SIDS in implementing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), promoting diverse renewable energy sources, expanding beyond power generation to other sectors, and fostering bankable projects with private sector engagement. Progress was also made in institutional capacity-building, enhancing synergies between renewables and energy efficiency, and linking energy efforts to key sectors like agriculture, health, and water. Strengthening partnerships and promoting socio-economic benefits remain central to accelerating SIDS' sustainable development and climate resilience.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
Renewable Energy Prospects in Central African Power Pools
(January 11)
The IRENA and CAPP partnership has produced a report on renewable electricity generation in African power pools. The study shows that renewable sources, particularly hydropower, can meet most projected demand to 2040 and highlights large untapped potential for cross-border electricity trade.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
Georgia to Establish National Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Agency
(July 01)
The UNECE, at the request of Georgia's Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, conducted a study on establishing a national energy efficiency and renewable energy agency. The study analyzed agencies in several UNECE member states and provided recommendations for Georgia, including strategic planning, technical expertise, data management, and international cooperation. The new agency is expected to implement energy policies, promote energy efficiency and renewable energy, and attract investments. A workshop was held in Tbilisi in June 2024 to discuss the study's findings.
Van Oord to install cables for Taiwanese wind farm
(January 13)
Taiwanese government aims to install 5.7 gigawatt (GW) of offshore wind capacity by 2025, with an additional 15 GW by 2035. Van Oord has been contracted by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) to install inter-array cables for the Fengmiao 1 offshore wind farm in Taiwan. The 500-megawatt wind farm will be a large-scale source of green electricity. Van Oord will deploy its cable-laying vessel Nexus to install approximately 64 kilometers of cables, starting in 2027.
Enoé Secures €42M for French Solar Power Projects
(January 07)
French company Enoé secured €42 million in funding for the acquisition and construction of 33.4 MWc of photovoltaic installations. This includes two ground-mounted solar power plants (20.5 MWc) and 65 rooftop solar power plants (12.9 MWc) on agricultural buildings. The projects will generate over 40 GWh annually, enough to power nearly 18,000 homes. Construction began in 2024, with completion expected between July 2025 and October 2026.
Huawei's Top 10 Trends for FusionSolar 2025
(January 06)
China-based Huawei Digital Power released the Top 10 Trends of FusionSolar 2025, predicting future trends in the PV and energy storage industry, including renewable energy generators accelerating PV to become the main energy source, all-scenario grid forming, cell-to-grid ESS safety, full-lifecycle intelligence, high frequency and density, high voltage and reliability, 100% renewable microgrid, PV+ESS+Charger+Load synergy, energy community sharing, and flexible adaptation to all business models. Steven Zhou, President of Smart PV & ESS Product Line, Huawei Digital Power, released the trends along with a white paper.
Research
E-Mobility: Tire Abrasion Forecast Model for Delivery Vehicles
(December 17)
German scientists from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM) launched the RAMUS project to investigate tire abrasion in electrified vehicles. The project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport with EUR 199,738, aims to develop a forecast model for tire abrasion, considering factors like vehicle weight and driving behavior. The research will help meet new Euro 7 tire abrasion limits.
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
TopMaterial enhances battery coating quality assessment
(January 11)
South Korea-based TopMaterial, a company specializing in secondary battery materials and equipment, has developed advanced quality assessment methods for battery coating products, including peel and wet adhesion tests. They are also expanding into LFP cathode materials and related businesses.
Improving Lithium Metal Batteries: Electrolyte Composition and Dendrite Growth
(January 11)
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have made progress in understanding lithium dendrite threads in lithium metal batteries. They found that batteries with 40% ceramic in their electrolyte had the longest lifespan, while performance decreased above or below this ratio. The study used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to observe dendrite development in real time.
EV Battery Cost Reduction and Government Policies
(January 11)
A study has investigated the role of learning-by-doing (LBD) in reducing electric vehicle (EV) battery costs, which have declined by over 90% in the past decade. The study found a learning rate of 7.5% after controlling for other factors. LBD magnified the effectiveness of consumer EV subsidies and generated complementarity among subsidies across countries. China’s local content requirement helped domestic suppliers but hurt consumers and foreign suppliers.
Automated Rotor Imbalance Monitoring in Wind Turbines
(January 10)
US-based SkySpecs has developed a new metric for automated rotor imbalance monitoring in wind turbines using high-frequency SCADA data. This allows for earlier identification of potential issues and improved operational decisions. The method involves spectral analysis of high-frequency rotor speed signals, focusing on the 1p component to assess imbalance. The metric is calculated at 10-minute intervals for compatibility with existing data.
Imec shows perovskite solar module stability
(January 07)
Belgian imec, in collaboration with the University of Cyprus and partners in EnergyVille, demonstrated long-term outdoor stability of perovskite solar modules. Mini-modules (4 cm2) retained 78% initial power efficiency after a year. Further testing will occur in various climates.
McPhy & University of Florence Partner on Green Hydrogen Technology
(December 19)
France and Italy-based McPhy Energy and the University of Florence signed a joint laboratory and research partnership agreement to enhance the performance and safety of McPhy’s green hydrogen production technologies. The collaboration will leverage UNIFI’s expertise to improve McPhy’s electrolyzer technology, including its latest generation of XL cells for a 4-5 MW electrolyzer launching in 2025.
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