ORSTED FACING £350M CABLE REPAIR BILL

The Danish wind power firm Ørsted has warned that up to 10 of its giant offshore windfarms around the UK and Europe will need urgent repairs because their subsea cables have been eroded by rocks on the seabed.

The renewables firm, which is behind plans to build the world’s largest offshore windfarm off the Yorkshire coast at Dogger Bank, told investors it might need to spend up to DKK3bn (£350m) over the next two years to repair the cables.

Ørsted has found that the rocks placed at the base of the wind turbine foundations to prevent the erosion of the seabed were responsible for wearing down the cable protection system which, in a worst case scenario, could cause the cables to fail - link

SHIPPING LOOKS TO HYDROGEN

The Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo launched its first steam-powered ship, the SS Leopold, on its maiden trip from Antwerp to Congo in 1895. 

Today CMB, the colonial-era group’s successor, carries commuters between the Belgian city and nearby Kruibeke on a ferry fueled by hydrogen.

“This is the fourth energy revolution in shipping—from rowing our boats to sails to steam engine to diesel engine and we have to change it once more,” said Alex Saverys, CMB chief executive and scion of one of Belgium’s oldest shipping families.

Shipping produces about 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and without action its contribution is likely to rise for decades as global trade grows. The International Maritime Organization, the UN agency that regulates the global industry, wants to at least halve its impact by 2050 - link - more like this - link

SIEMENS GAMESA TARGETS BALTIC SEA

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA sees huge potential for offshore wind in the Baltic Sea as the world’s largest producer of turbines at sea looks to take advantage of a jump in global demand.

The company estimates the capacity potential of the Baltic Sea at several dozen gigawatts by 2040, Pawel Przybylski, a regional head of offshore sales, said in an interview. Coal-reliant Poland, with the most ambitious targets in the Baltics, plans to install as much as 11 gigawatts by then amid rising pressure to cut carbon emissions.

“We’ll be looking at all the markets where we can expand, but surely the Baltic region is of a big interest for us,” Przybylski said.

Poland, the European Union’s largest eastern economy, is scrambling to rebuild its energy system as the rising price of carbon dioxide emissions are making its aging coal plants unprofitable. Offshore wind, as well as nuclear plants, gas-fired units and solar installations, are set to drive the change, which will be a part of 1.6 trillion zloty ($424 billion) clean economy transition project - link - more like this (Poland) - link

HELP BAN PFAS

A MESSAGE FROM FIDRA

We know that PFAS are used in UK food packaging. We also know that they spread from food packaging into our environment where they can cause harm. But what we don’t know, is how widespread their use is… that’s where you come in!

You can help us ‘Find the PFAS’ using this simple test. Anyone can do it, at home, with nothing more than some food packaging, a pencil and some olive oil. So why not give it a go today and let us know what you find!

For more information, you can check out the results to see where, and in what, other people have found PFAS so far.

INTERNATIONAL MOTHER EARTH DAY

Mother Earth is clearly urging a call to action. Nature is suffering. Oceans are filling with plastic and turning more acidic. 

Extreme heat, wildfires, floods, and hurricanes have affected millions of people.

We continue to face COVID -19, a worldwide health pandemic linked to the health of our ecosystem. For International Mother Earth Day (22 April), let's be reminded that we need a shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. Let’s promote harmony with nature - LINK

EARTH DAY LIVE

GEELY ZEEKR 001

Zhejiang Geely Holding, one of China’s biggest carmakers and the owner of Sweden’s Volvo Cars, has entered the fray against Tesla by launching an electric car it describes as a vehicle to excite rather than commute in.

The Zeekr 001 car, a four-door sedan with a driving range of 700km (435 miles), is priced at 281,000 yuan (US$43,098), a little higher than the Shanghai-made Tesla Model 3’s starting price of 249,900 yuan.

It will offer air suspension that automatically adjusts ground clearance, and frameless automatic doors that open when a passenger approaches, and close behind them - link

VEOLIA & SUEZ MERGE

French waste management companies Suez and Veolia have agreed on basic features of a merger after months of wrangling. The two rivals said they agreed on a price of 20.50 euros for one Suez share. 

Veolia's previous offer had been 18 euros. The new group is expected to have sales of around 37 billion euros. The groups want to draw up final contracts by May 14.

Veolia launched the battle for Suez in the summer. For the company, it is already the second attempt to take over Suez. In 2012, the takeover had failed due to antitrust concerns, among other things.

France's Finance and Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire expressed satisfaction with the agreement. "I am pleased that Veolia and Suez have reached an amicable agreement." This, he said, is in line with the desire expressed by the state from the outset. Competition, employment and good development of the companies are guaranteed, he said.

The agreement reached by the groups means that Suez's share capital is valued at around 13 billion euros. However, the company is also indebted to the tune of 10 billion euros. At the beginning of October, Veolia had already bought the energy group Engie's 29.9 percent stake for 3.4 billion euros - link - more like this - link

JAPAN DECIDES TO DUMP FUKUSHIMA WATER INTO THE OCEAN

Dumping 1.2m tonnes of Fukushima nuclear plant water into the ocean ‘unavoidable issue’.

The Japanese Government decided on Tuesday to release 1.2 million tonnes of treated radioactive water from the No. 1 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, the epicentre of the 2011 Fukushima disaster, into the ocean.

The decision was made at a meeting of Japanese ministers, as the government of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga aims to speed up the decommissioning of the Tokyo Electric Power Company plant in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan.

Suga said at the meeting: “Disposal of ALPS treated water is an unavoidable issue in order to proceed with the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and achieve the reconstruction of Fukushima.” link - more like this - link

AXPO 76.4 MW PPA SIGNED (Siemens-Gamesa turbines)

Swiss utility Axpo Holding AG today (13th April) said it has struck two green power deals to buy electricity that will be generated by 76.4 MW of wind farms that are currently being built in Sweden.

Under a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) signed by Axpo Nordic AS, the Swiss group will buy and trade all of the electricity to be produced from a 60-MW wind farm owned by infrastructure fund Reichmuth Infrastruktur II KmGK. Called Hultema, the project was developed by Germany’s PNE Group and was recently sold to the Switzerland-based investor.

The construction of Hultema was initiated in February and is due to be completed in the middle of 2023.

The second PPA was signed with Hamburg-based Connected Infrastructure Capital GmbH (CIC), the owner of the 16.4-MW Norra Hunna wind project in Orebro province. Once up and running in the second quarter of 2021, the wind farm’s entire output will go to Axpo Nordic. The term of this PPA is also 10 years.

“Sweden continues to be an important market for wind energy and we continue to see an increasing interest from international investors active in our country’s merchant market without subsidies,” commented Tomas Sjoberg, managing director of Axpo Sverige, a unit of Axpo Nordic.

Axpo Nordic was set up in 2003 and operates in Northern Europe and the Baltic region - link

MICHELIN'S LE MANS FUEL CELL DREAM

French Nuclear Scheme Behind Green Hydrogen Theme Of Michelin’s Le Mans Fuel Cell Dream.

Michelin Group is leveraging its advanced materials expertise to make a pitch for green hydrogen and fuel cells, with 24 Hours of Le Mans for good measure.

The Intertubes are on fire with the latest news about Michelin Group, which is diving into the hydrogen fuel cell business. Actually that is not new news. Michelin announced big plans for fuel cells last year. 

What’s new is the company’s home nation of France, which is firming up plans to launch itself like a rocket into the global green hydrogen race and presumably taking Michelin along for the ride, with an extra boost from the iconic Le Mans 24-hour auto race and a nuclear power angle, too - link - more like this - link

12/04/2021 - LIFE BACK TO NORMAL

 

(IAN) OXFORD 148

Savile Road - link - more like this - link

(IAN) OXFORD 147

 

Percy Street - link - more like this - link

WIND TO WHISKY

Several Scottish companies have launched a plan to produce green hydrogen in Cromarty Firth using offshore wind power, part of which would then be used to power whisky distilleries in the Highlands.

The plan, involving the Port of Cromarty Firth, is part of the North of Scotland Hydrogen Programme which aims to produce, store and distribute hydrogen to the region, Scotland, other parts of the UK and Europe.

A feasibility study into this kick-starter Distilleries Project will begin this month and is due to be completed in June.

It is being privately funded by partners including ScottishPower, drinks giants Glenmorangie, Whyte and Mackay and Diageo and Pale Blue Dot Energy, who are also leading the project.

The power would be supplied from current and future wind farms off the coast of the Cromarty Firth, as well as onshore schemes, and fed to the hub.

”The delivery of green hydrogen to Glenmorangie, Whyte and Mackay and Diageo will give them the opportunity to decarbonise the heating of their distilleries and maltings, which are situated close to the Cromarty Firth.” Bob Buskie, Chief Executive of the Port of Cromarty Firth, said -

”This would be achieved by using hydrogen as a substitute for fossil fuels to create the energy needed to make steam so the distilling process can be achieved.” - link

BASE ONE PROGRESS

Enegix Energy is moving forward with plans to build a $5.4 billion facility off the coast of Brazil called Base One. 

And that’s news because the company claims that Base One will be the world’s biggest individual CO2 reducer by generating more than 600 million kg of green hydrogen per year by the time it’s fully operational in 2025.

Before we get too far down the PR rabbit-hole here, let me be the first to acknowledge that these are some pretty big claims being made by Enegix. To its credit, though, the Singaporean-Australian company is committed to using only wind and solar power — provided by the offshore wind experts at Enerwind — and has contracted for electricity from 3.4 gigawatts (GW) worth of solar and wind power capacity to produce that hydrogen.

The engineering behind Base One is also sure to be impressive, thanks to help from infrastructure engineering firm Black & Veatch, which also has plans involving the distribution of the hydrogen produced. Base One is a global venture, in other words, and it has some heavy hitters behind it - Link