Top Climate Stories of the Week
Decarbonizing industries, transport, homes; Hydrogen and Synthetic Fuels; Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage; Renewables, Batteries, Critical Minerals
In this newsletter:
Decarbonizing industries, transport, homes
Hydrogen and Synthetic Fuels
News from governments
Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage
Renewables and Critical Minerals
Decarbonizing Industries, Transport, Homes
A major challenge in electrifying industries is that it’s difficult to achieve the high temperatures needed for many industrial process with electricity. US-based Electrified Thermal Solutions has developed a thermal battery, that is ‘charged’ using electricity and stores the energy as heat. The bricks that make up the battery can reach temperatures of 1800℃. The battery is discharged by blowing gas or air over the battery to retrieve heat. This gas or air can be used to heat any furnace, boiler, turbine or kiln. Electrified Thermal Solutions
UK-based Artemis Technologies is building an electric boat based on hydrofoil technology. California-based Navier is also working on a similar hydrofoil.
Heat pumps work in freezing temperatures too, according to a recent study of 750 heat pumps in the UK. Quick overview of how a heat pump works:
First, they absorb heat energy from the air via an evaporator which contains a cold liquid refrigerant. The refrigerant boils to become a gas at extremely low temperatures, often about -20C, meaning that even if the outside air temperature is as low as -10C it is still 10C warmer than the refrigerant.
The heat pump’s compressor then pushes the gas molecules together to raise the temperature of the gas. Pipes containing the hot gas are used to heat cold water, which then runs through a home heating system into radiators and underfloor heating pipes. The Guardian
Also read The Fascinating Science of Heat Pumps
US-based Boston Metal is has developed a way to make steel with much lower emissions. They use molten-oxide electrolysis (MOE) to convert iron ore to liquid metal, bypassing many steps in refining iron ore, including the use of coke (coal) entirely.
In the MOE cell, an inert anode is immersed in an electrolyte containing iron ore, and then it’s electrified. When the cell heats to 1600°C, the electrons split the bonds in the iron oxide in the ore, producing pure liquid metal. No carbon dioxide or other harmful byproducts are generated, just oxygen. Furthermore, MOE does not require process water, hazardous chemicals or precious-metal catalysts.
EU’s BioReCer projects aims to promote the use of bio-based feedstocks in place of fossil fuel feedstocks in industries. To enable this, BioReCer is working on a evaluation and certification scheme to allow tracing the origin of bio-based materials, such as from sewage sludge and urban organic waste). Innovation News | RioReCer
The UK is considering expanding its Emissions Trading Scheme (UK-ETS) to include energy from waste and waste incineration, and carbon removal using direct air capture and nature-based carbon removals. GOV.UK
Researchers at Cambridge (UK) are working on recycling Portland cement using Electric Arc Furnaces. Innovation News | Electric Recycling of Portland cement at scale
Hydrogen and Synthetic Fuels
The US will run its first pilot of a hydrogen-fueled passenger ferry later this year. The ferry has 360kW fuel cells and can carry 75 people. Offshore Energy
Croatia is setting up its first 100MW green hydrogen project using Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysers powered by solar energy, at the Rijeka oil refinery. Innovation News
Airbus is leading the GOLIAT project, that aims to “to demonstrate small-scale liquid hydrogen aircraft ground operations at three European airports.”
The group will support the aviation industry’s adoption of LH2 transportation and energy storage solutions by:
Developing and demonstrating LH2 refuelling technologies scaled-up for future large commercial aircraft;
Demonstrating small-scale LH2 aircraft ground operations at airports;
Developing the standardisation and certification framework for future LH2 operations;
Assessing the sizing and economics of the hydrogen value chains for airports.
News from governments
UK cut down carbon emissions by 15% more than its target during 2018-2022 as part of Carbon Budget 3. GOV.UK | Final Statement on the third Carbon Budget period (2018-22)
The European Council has adopted regulation setting internal market rules for natural gas and hydrogen.
It contains specific rules for the transport, supply and storage of natural gas and hydrogen.
The new rules call for integrated and transparent network planning across the EU, under the principle of ‘energy efficiency first’ and with a forward-looking approach. Gas and hydrogen network operators will prepare a 10-year EU network development plan. European Council
The UK is exploring a third large nuclear power station at Wylfa in Anglesey. GOV.UK
The US plans to establish research centres to look into heat monitoring and resilience. Smart Cities Dive | Govt Press Release
The US state of Minnesota has passed legislation on extended producer responsibility for packaging and paper.
Producers would be required to pay half of recycling costs come 2029, with that threshold ramping up in the years that follow, including to at least 90% by 2031. Waste Dive
Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage
Denmark-based DecarbonICE is working on transporting CO2 in solid form - as dry ice - which can be done at atmospheric pressure, unlike liquid CO2 which requires high pressure. Transport will be done via trucks and at the storage size, the dry ice will be converted to liquid CO2. DecarbonICE
The UK’s energy markets regulator, Ofgem, is running a consultation on CO2 transport and storage licenses. Ofgem | Ofgem - CO2 Transport and Storage Enforcement Guidelines (PDF)
Renewables and Critical Minerals
A wind power plant in Saudi Arabia set a record for producing power at the lowest per unit cost of 1.7 cents per kilowatt-hour ($0.017/kWh) EnergyWatch
Copper demand for electric vehicles and electricity grid expansion is fast exceeding supply. The IEA, in its Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2024, estimates that “anticipated mine supply from announced projects meets only 70% of copper requirements.” A key issue is the lack of high-grade ores (those with a greater percentage of copper in them).
Declining ore quality is the most critical issue for copper, resulting in increasing capital and operating costs. Operating costs have increased in most areas in real terms since 2020 with energy, on-site, treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs), shipment costs and reagent cost increases all being major drivers. Capital costs have also increased significantly for new copper projects. Recent brownfield projects have a capital intensity around USD 30,000 per tonne, whereas in real terms past brownfield projects initiated around 2017 were cheaper at around USD 20,000/tonne. Expansions are costing more due to having to go deeper and the need to mine more waste to maintain production levels from the declining ore quality. Greenfield projects also suffer higher costs due to the lack of high-quality resources, the need to comply with higher ESG standards, challenging geology, and higher labour and equipment costs. IEA
The US state of Minnesota has passed a bill to set up a regulatory framework for extraction of helium in the state, after a large helium reserve was discovered earlier this year. Unlike most sites where helium is found along with natural gas, Minnesota has reserves created from granite rock infusing with uranium and thorium.
More Interesting Stories
New ideas for recycling plastics by Innovation News
2 more states - Colorado, Vermont - in the US have passed legislation banning PFAS chemicals. The city of San Francisco has banned PFAS in firefighter gear. Manufacturing Dive
Biofase is making biodegradable cutlery using Avocado pits. (via @Rainmaker1973)
Using basalt rocks to capture atmospheric carbon by The Guardian
European scientists have developed a hydrophobic silicon oxide + titanium oxide coating for solar panels that reduces their reflectivity - allowing more light to be absorbed. pv magazine | Research in Elsevier Open Ceramics
WWF-Norway is suing the Norwegian Government for allowing commercial deep-sea mining for critical minerals. The Guardian
Construction has begun for the first power interconnector between Great Britain and Germany. Offshore Energy | Neuconnect Interconnector
You can find all previous posts of this newsletter here.
I’m the maker of Telborg.com and SummaryWithAI.com. You can find me on Twitter and LinkedIn.