Renew 112 News test draft

 

Renew On-Line 112 Nov-Dec 2014

Test issue

 

UK news

Technology News 

UK Renewables  boom                

As reported at the 2014 All Energy Conference in Aberdeen, the prospects for most renewables in the UK are looking good. The conference focused on offshore wind power, the big hope (30GW?), but also covered solar, which the Solar Trade Association said had reached 4.7GW. DECC say PV is at 3.8GW. All Energy also covered renewable heat with ~ 20TWh said to be produced now, much of it from biomass, which also supplies about 17.5% of renewable electricity generation. Wave and tidal might ultimately produce much more. Next year All Energy moves to Glasgow.

For this years PDF files go to: www.all-energy.co.uk/en/Conference/2014-Conferend-Grid/

What next?

The CfD system will kick in- see below for the details: a £205m p.a cap. Competitive Contracts for a Difference, with annual contract auction rounds, will start up progressively and replace the old Renewables Obligation fully from 2017. Small solar projects (under 5MW) can continue to use the microgen Feed In Tariff, but large solar projects (over 5MW) will not be able to use the RO in the interim: they must use the CfD.                                                                     

Solar reactions  That led to a negative reaction from the Solar Trade Association: ‘only large scale solar, which was on track to being subsidy-free, is being exposed to this new Contracts for Difference system without having the back-up of the old scheme. The Government needs to fix that by guaranteeing a minimum amount of funds for solar. The solar industry is not  asking for special treatment – just a  level playing field for solar and for small businesses, who provide much needed competition.’                                                                                                                                                 The detailed financial allocations were also a problem for the STA: ‘Only £50m will be available per year for hydro, energy from waste, onshore wind,landfill gas, sewage gas  and large-scale solar. Even if all of this went to solar - which it won’t - this is only enough for 1GW of solar in this round, a considerable reduction on the current  market'                                                                             

 Overall it saw the limitations on solar as ‘an absurd decision that will ultimately hit energy bill payers across Britain. Solar is already cheaper than offshore wind; it will soon be cheaper than onshore wind, and it stands a realistic chance of being cheaper than gas by the end of the decade. But this is only achievable with stable Government support and a level playing field.’ 

Some bold claims although a quite strong case! And as STA says, PV is widely supported by the public, although large solar farms perhaps not so widely. 

Biomass CHP to go ahead

A new combined heat and power plant has been approved in North Wales. The wood-burning CHP plant is to be at Mostyn, on the Warwick Chemicals site on the Dee Estuary. Over 400 people concerned about the project's scale and impact on the  environment, signed a petition objecting to the plans and some held a protest at the site. But Flintshire planning committee voted to give the go-ahead for the plant to replace the firm's existing gas-fired boilers. It should start up in 2016, creating up to 20 full-time jobs. COSPP.com

Offshore Wind- cuts

Offshore wind is still expanding, with 3.7 GW in place and near 1GW likely to be added this year, including Gwynt y Môr (576MW) and West of Duddon Sands (389MW). All being well, similar amounts are expected in 2015 and 2016, taking the total to maybe 8GW. www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1301372/windpower-data-offshore-installations-2014-16  

However it’s not all going well, with several project set backs and cancellations. Dong Energy, in partnership with Centrica, was developing  the 2.2GW Rhiannon project off Anglesey, as the first phase of the 4.2GW Celtic Array in the Irish Sea.

But that's now been abandoned, since ‘ground conditions are such that it's not viable for us to proceed with the technology that's available at this stage.’ Much like the Atlantic Array off N. Devon, which RWE abandoned earlier. Centrica has been involved with several major offshore wind projects, but also has major fossil fuel interests, had recently called for the UK to hold back on building more offshore wind farms in the short-term:‘Offshore wind has the potential to be high regret because it is an expensive option that may not be needed until the mid-2020s, or at all if carbon capture and storage technologies become economically viable’. 

It seems to be divesting itself of risks! It had held the rights to develop the 580MW Race Bank project, but sold it to Dong in Dec. 2013. However it still operates the 194MW Lynn and Inner Dowsing and 270MW Lincs projects in the North Sea, and was involved, with Dong, in the 2006 90MW Barrow project.

There are of course still many projects backed by other companies in the pipeline, e.g. E.ONs 700MW Rampion project off Sussex has got the go ahead. But as the Telegraph noted, the new CfD cap (see below) may face them with problems: ‘There are five offshore wind farms with planning consent that are likely to want to secure a contract, plus a further six projects which are still in the planning system. One of the projects with consent is ScottishPower's East Anglia proposal, which has capacity of 1.2GW and therefore appears unable to secure full funding for the entire project this year.’ It quoted RUK’s Gordon Edge view that the £155m pa allocated to ‘Pot 2’ CfD projects would fund just one typical 500MW offshore wind farm, ‘ significantly less than we need’. DECC had indicated that there was ‘around £1bn potentially available’ for further projects up to 2020-21, but did not specify when this would be allocated, beyond £50m next year. The Telegraph concluded ‘The budget post-2020 is yet to be set but at a minimum will have to expand to accommodate new nuclear plants, the first of which could start generating power - and therefore using up susbidies - from around 2024.’ We can expect further head to head collisions!  www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/10989789/Offshore-wind-farms-in-doubt-as-subsidy-pot-can-fund-just-one-project.html   

Maybe the Green Investment Bank can help a bit? www.scotsman.com/business/management/green-bank-ready-to-pump-500m-into-renewables-1-3452640

Public like Renewables not shale gas

79% in DECC’s latest public opinion survey backed renewables, but only 24% supported shale gas and 36% nuclear.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/342426/Wave_10_findings_of_DECC_Public_Attitudes_Tracker_FINAL.pdf

CfD Round 1   
Following on from the eight successful projects (out of the 57  initial applicants) in the ‘early’ interim round, October saw the start of the assessment process for the first full round of projects, competing for support under the new Contracts for a Difference system, but with the overall cash allocation now significantly constrained- see below for CfD details. With the Renewables Obligation support ending for new projects in 2017, the CfD will soon be the main support system for renewables (and nuclear!) in the UK, although small projects can still get support under the Feed In Tariff (mainly PV) and the Renewable Heat Incentive. There are also small RD&D grants available for some projects from DECC, EU regional funding and support from the Technology Strategy Board, which has now been rebranded as Innovate UK. Here are some marine examples:                                    

Big tidal steps   

The 400MW Meygen tidal stream project on Pentland Firth has got £10m from DECC for the 6MW first stage, backed by Atlantis.

www.renewableuk.com/en/news/press-releases.cfm/world-s-largest-tidal-energy-project-to-be-built-in-the-uk                     

Tidal Energy Ltd have installed a 400kW 150 tonne ERDF backed demonstration prototype of their Delta Stream sea-bed mounted turbine in Ramsey Sound,

Pemrokeshire, for a 1 year trial. If all goes well, a 10MW scheme, with up to 9 turbines is planned off St Davids Head. www.tidalenergyltd.com                         

But sadly, Marine Current Turbines, now owned by Germany’s Siemens, has suspended development of the 10 MW tidal array planned for the Skerries off the NW coast of Anglesey, N Wales. It was to have 5  MCT 2MW SeaGen turbines. This follows the withdrawal in June of a £10m Marine Energy Array Demonstration Fund grant. Will the Kyle Rhea project on Skye be OK? www.marineturbines.com/

*A new IRENA Ocean energy report says UK projects in the pipeline might deliver 100MW of tidal stream and 30MW of wave capacity by 2018, but adds ‘UK government aspirations in 2010 for 1-2 GW of marine energy by 2020 were downgraded to 200-300 MW the following year. More recently the emerging industry consensus appears to be that a more realistic figure of approx. 150 MW in the UK by 2020 is to be expected.’ But much more (GWs) later.   

Two blades good? Dutch firm 2-B Energy is to build a full-scale version of its two bladed offshore wind turbine (pic) in 2016 at the Methil demonstration site off the east Scottish coast -if planning approval is given. The 6MW turbine has a lattice-type full jacket tower, which extends right to the seabed and a helicopter landing pad. But first, in 2015, 2B will build an on-land prototype in the Netherlands, with a grant from the Scottish Investment Bank and £2.7m from DECC. The Methil site is also to host Samsung's 7MW prototype offshore turbine.

Wind and nuclear outputs compete supplying near 15% of electricity each

At times earlier this year, e.g. in August, the output from UK grid linked wind turbines matched that from UK nuclear plants, though some on the latter were closed, while some local wind projects are not included in the data at www.edfenergy.com/energy/power-station/daily-statuses  and http://nationalgrid.stephenmorley.org/ The contest will continue as more renewables start up and when/if the Hinkley nuclear plant does too.

CfD allocation details   

Renewable energy projects are to compete for an allocation of over £200 million p.a, via the first Contracts for Difference. DECC says that at least a further £50m is planned for an auction round in 2015, with a total of around £1bn potentially available later for further projects, including Carbon Capture and Storage, up to 2020-21. See below
 

The European Commission has ruled that the UK CfD scheme for renewables meets EU state aid rules and can proceed as planned, including the CfDs for the 5 offshore wind farms in the early round. The Capacity Market was also approved. The Hinkley CfD too, though tbc.

CFD Budget Release for 2014 Allocation Round Total support payments available  p.a.
£m (2011/12 prices)	2015/ 16	2016/ 17	2017/ 18	2018/ 19	2019/ 20	2020/ 21
CFD Budget (2014 release)	50	205	205	205	205	205
Pot 1 (established tech)	50	50	50	50	50	50
Pot 2 (less established tech)	-	155	155	155	155	155

Pot 1 (established technologies): Onshore wind (>5MW), Solar PV (>5MW), Energy from Waste with CHP, Hydro (>5MW and <50MW), Landfill Gas and SewageGas                                                  

Pot 2 (less established): Offshore Wind, Wave, Tidal Stream, Advanced BioConversion, Anaerobic Digestion, Dedicated biomass CHP, Geothermal, Scottish islands wind.

DECC says that ‘We are not at present intending to release a further budget for biomass conversion’ i.e. beyond the funding that is already allocated under the first interim CfD. DECC won an appeal against the judicial review that forced it to rescind rejection of one of the DRAX biomass conversion projects. That would have drained money from the total available. All Pot 1 projects have to compete with each other, but Pot 2 projects don't face automatic contract auctions; wave & tidal stream projects get a 100MW guaranteed share. The first annual round process is now underway, having starting in Oct.

Strike Prices CFD Strike Prices (£/MWh, 2012 prices)
Technology	2014/15	2015/16	2016/17	2017/18	2018/19
Advanced Conversion Technologies*	155	155	150	140	140
Anaerobic Digestion >5MW*	150	150	150	140	140
Biomass Conversion	105	105	105	105	105
Dedicated Biomass (with CHP)	125	125	125	125	125
Energy from Waste (with CHP)	80	80	80	80	80
Geothermal (with or without CHP)	145	145	145	140	140
Hydro (>5 MW and <50MW)	100	100	100	100	100
Landfill Gas	55	55	55	55	55
Sewage Gas	75	75	75	75	75
Offshore Wind	155	155	150	140	140
Onshore Wind (>5 MW)	95	95	95	90	90
Solar Photo-Voltaic (>5MW)	120	120	115	110	100
Tidal Stream	305	305	305	305	305
Wave	305	305	305	305	305
Scottish Islands – onshore wind (>5MW)	-	-	-	115	115

 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-200-million-boost-for-renewables      *with or without CHP

Policy news

CfD gets the go head                                        

The European Commission has backed the UK Contracts for a Difference support system. EC Vice-President for competition, Joaquín Almunia, said, the system ‘would encourage all renewable energy technologies producing electricity to compete against each other for support beyond 2016. It is a fine example of how to promote the decarbonisation of the economy with market-based support mechanisms, at the lowest possible cost for consumers’. However the £205m p.a LCF cap (see above) was seen by some as over cautious. Renewable UK said it ‘risks being insufficient to drive industrialisation, competition and cost reduction.’ There were also worries that the CfD system would exclude smaller participants. See the Solar Trade Association’s comment earlier; they said the £205m cap could cut large-scale solar installations by about 65% to 80% next year. The Renewable Energy Association said ‘it is vital that the most cost-effective sectors - biomass, solar, onshore wind and established waste to energy technologies - are given sufficient budget to minimise short-term costs for consumers. While at the same time, CfDs must also foster those early stage technologies- geothermal, wave and tidal and advanced waste conversion - that will come down in cost as they mature, delivering low carbon energy security long into the future.’ It seems unlikely that they can do all of that unchanged - extra measures will be needed, like the ring-fenced 100MW for wave and tidal projects at the very least. Maybe the LCF needs rethinking.

The EC also supported the UK’s new capacity market, but that too has its problems. Being a market, it will mainly support fossil plants acting as ‘backup’ for variable renewables: http://projects.exeter.ac.uk/igov/lessons-from-america-capacity-market-details-and-demand-side-response/ Surely it should also support other grid balancing options, like smart grids. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-400_en.htm

DECC- bioenergy can be OK

DECCs new ‘Bioenergy Emissions and Counterfactual Model’ looks at the changes in the amount of carbon stored in forests in North America, when assessing the benefits and impacts of various bioenergy scenarios.  It’s very timely given that various UK green NGOs have taken strong stands against the use of imported wood from North America in large biomass conversion projects, claiming that the use of whole wood from forest reduces carbon sinks and can increase net CO2 dramatically- more so than burning coal. The DECC study concludes that ‘in 2020 it may be possible to meet the UK’s demand for solid biomass for electricity using biomass feedstocks from North America that result in electricity with GHG intensities lower than 200 kg CO2e /MWh, when fully accounting for changes in land carbon stock changes. However, there are other bioenergy scenarios that could lead to high GHG intensities (e.g. greater than electricity from coal, when analysed over 40 or 100 years) but would be found to have GHG intensities less than 200 kg CO2e/MWh by the Renewable Energy Directive LCA methodology’. But done right they say it can be fine. The Renewable Energy Association agreed: ‘Anyone using biomass in accordance with the guidelines set out by the UK government would be lower-carbon than other fuels.’  But DECC says the energy input requirement of power generated using N.American wood in the UK could be greater than from other options, including nuclear and wind, though the energy needed can be cut e.g. by reducing transport distances and biomass moisture content. Overall it sees some projects as viable: www.gov.uk/government/publications/life-cycle-impacts-of-biomass-electricity-in-2020  

New Transmission costs rules                                     

Ofgem is to change the way of calculating what generators pay to use the electricity transmission network. Generators in the south of England have in the past paid lower charges, and in some cases receive extra payments, since location there helped National Grid avoid investment in reinforcing the grid, and encouraged generators to be as close as possible to loads, reducing losses. But OGEM says, from 2016, ‘under the updated methodology, this gap between north and south charges will reduce’ and it will also ‘recognise that renewable generation uses the system less than traditional forms of generation and so imposes lower costs. The change will therefore more accurately reflect the costs that different generators put on the electricity network’.

With PV on roof-tops and the overall level low, and some renewables do use the grid less. But wind farms tend to be in remote sites and that input will grow. Transmission charges add ~4% to typical bills. The changes are meant to keep them low, but they may well rise, especially if decarbonisation (of heat & transport, as well as power) is achieved mainly via (green) grid electricity.  

These changes may reduce the curtailment payments (for surplus wind generation), but extra /better grid links are arguably what is really needed:  www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/11053385/11m-for-the-wind-farm-that-was-not-working.html

DECC is also looking to demand reduction measures to meet winter peaks, with a £20m pilot Electricity Demand Reduction project: a competition for funding for energy saving projects: www.gov.uk/electricity-demand-reduction-pilot That could take pressure off transmission. But active demand management may be better, certainly than paying coal plants to stay around to balance renewables! www.greenpeace.org.uk/newsdesk/energy/analysis/comment-how-industry-lobbying-uk-capacity-market-means-old-coal-plants-will-stay-system (Though DECC later blocked that)

See this good Green Alliance report: www.green-alliance.org.uk/kickstarting_negawatts.php    

Smart meters and your data! 

To protect consumers and ensure they have choices over who can access their energy data and for what purposes, the Government has set up a data access/privacy regulatory framework for smart meters: ‘Energy suppliers will be able to access their own customers’ monthly consumption data for billing and for the purposes of fulfilling any statutory requirement or licence obligations. Consumers will be able to choose whether or not to permit energy suppliers to access data on their daily or half-hourly consumption of energy. Network operators will be permitted to access monthly consumption data for the purpose of developing and maintaining efficient, co-ordinated and economical systems for the distribution of electricity and gas. They will also be allowed to access half-hourly data for regulated purposes, such as network design, but this data will be aggregated so that individuals cannot be identified from it. A consumer may choose to permit a third party signatory of the smart energy code (such as an energy service company or switching sites) to access their consumption data but this access will not be permitted without explicit consumer consent.’

However smart meters have been getting a very bad press, and the Public Accounts Select Committee produced a critical report on the planned smart meter roll out: only 3% consumer cost savings at best by 2030, with consumers being hit by the cost.

Energy saving working?

DECC says the costs of using household appliances has fallen by up to a half, due   to device efficiency upgrades/standards: www.gov.uk/government/news/dramatic-fall-in-cost-of-running-household-goods  But what about rebound effects? Won’t some of these savings be spent on using more energy? And what about basic house energy use/design? See: www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/energy-performance  and www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/energy-inefficient-dwellings 

DECC has tried to talk up the revised Green Deal: www.gov.uk/government/news/green-deal-home-improvement-fund-reaches-50-million-milestone-in-six-weeks

But tragically with take-up overwhelming expectations, the £120m Green Deal Home Improvement Fund ran out and was closed: www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/energy-bills/10989815/Green-Deal-cashback-scheme-shuts-with-immediate-effect-as-homeowners-exhaust-120m-fund.html   Maybe given that, and the ECO cut, the ESOS energy saving scheme is vital: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/energy-savings-opportunity-scheme                  

Scotland....stays                                                                                                                 The Scottish referendum decision to stick with the UK means that thing stay as they are for now, though pressure for change wont go away: http://realfeed-intariffs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/give-more-energy-powers-to-scottish.html                                              

 In the run up to the vote, Energy Matter posted a model of Scottish electricity production and consumption in 2020 compared with 2012. If the Scottish governments 100% renewables target was met, it foresaw a large electricity surplus over its needs of about 15 TWh in 2020, if it was independent, since England and Wales would not import it. So it might be just dumped. But surely that’s unlikely- England and Wales would need it! http://euanmearns.com/scotch-on-the-rocs/
In the run up to the vote, DECC also upped the ante with a proposal for CfDs for Ireland to use! But surely an independent Scotland could have used this provision too? www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/340932/DECC_Non-UK_CfD_August_2014.pdf                                                                                

 *A new free open access Open University course on Renewables§ has 3 videos on Scotland: http://vimeo.com/angeleye/review/81186362/bfdd3768eb 
 http://vimeo.com/angeleye/review/81186363/8255fac9b0

 http://vimeo.com/angeleye/review/81186361/465505a94b  
Also see this fun animation: www.scottishrenewables.com/renewablesinscotland   
 § www.open.edu/openlearn / Also see www.futurelearn.com/                    
   
Gas-fired heat pumps                                                        

At the World Renewable Energy Congress (WREC) at Kingston  University, London in August*, Prof. Bob Critoph, from Warwick University, argued the case for heat driven (particularly gas-fired) heat pumps. He noted that there were now 3 domestic systems on or very near to market (Robur, Vaillant, and Viessmann) with others under development. He said moving to an all-electric de-carbonised electricity grid would require a vast investment to perhaps triple the capacity of the electricity infrastructure, and whilst possible long term, that could not secure the emission reductions essential in the near term. Instead he proposed a mixed heating option, with both gas-fired and electric heat pumps, and also hybrids, being used well into the 2040s. New-build houses will he said be almost exclusively electric but older properties would either use hybrid electric heat pump-gas boiler systems, or gas fired heat pumps.

Shale gas gets a critical look  
Do we want 1000 wells p.a?                                       

Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) have produced a report reviewing current evidence associated with shale gas extraction by fracking, including environmental and public health aspects and socio-economic issues, drawing heavily on academic research.  It highlights major shortcomings in regulatory oversight of local environmental and public health risks; the potential for UK shale gas exploitation to undermine national and international efforts to tackle climate change; the water-intensive nature of the fracking process which could cause water shortages in many areas; the lack of evidence behind claims that shale gas will bring down UK energy bills; and concerns  that it will impact negatively on UK energy security. The report also points out that, despite claims otherwise,  evidence of local environmental contamination from shale  gas exploitation is well-reported in the scientific literature.  Although extrapolation from the experience in the USA (where most fracking has been carried so far) to the UK is not straightforward, there’s widespread concern even with strong regulation, over the safety of fracking. The report also highlights that local authorities and other regulators have undergone budget cuts, undermining  their ability to provide adequate regulatory oversight. Yet regulation is being presented as the way in which the process can be effectively managed to reduce the risks.

The report noted that ‘Shale gas exploitation is likely to increase global carbon emissions’, not least since it  ‘will be additional to, not instead of, coal’. Whereas ‘The Tyndall Centre …concluded that the investment required to deliver 7-8GW of electricity generation capacity from shale gas would deliver 21GW or 12GW if invested in onshore or offshore wind, respectively. Bloomberg New Energy Finance calculated that… under most scenarios, electricity from shale gas is more expensive than from onshore wind’.

CIEH CEO, Graham Jukes, said: ‘The CIEH has consistently made the case for a full independent environmental impact assessment to be carried out on all shale gas extraction proposals before permission to drill is given. In the enthusiasm to exploit new sources of energy we must assess and ensure that there are no unacceptable adverse impacts on the environment or on the health of  people in the communities surrounding extraction sites. Despite central government encouragement for the process, local authorities should resist allowing shale gas extraction in their areas until they are satisfied on that point. We believe that there is currently insufficient evidence to provide such assurance for proposals in the UK and the precautionary principle should apply.’

SGR Director & co-author, Dr Stuart Parkinson said: ‘The evidence we have gathered shows that exploiting yet another new source of fossil fuels such as UK shale gas is likely to further undermine efforts to tackle climate change. We need to focus on low carbon energy sources, especially renewables, together with concerted efforts to save energy.’

 ‘Shale gas and fracking: examining the evidence’:

www.sgr.org.uk/pages/shale-gas-and-fracking-examining-evidence

By contrast, after leaving DECC, Prof. David MacKay said wind farms covered 700 times more land area/ kWh produced than shale gas wells: http://withouthotair.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/shale-gas-in-perspective.html

Green co-ops blocked                       

 The has blocked Financial Conduct Authority several new energy co-op applications on the grounds that they would not have enough ‘member participation’, despite having authorised previous ones (like Westmill) set up along similar lines. The problem seem to be that in most mutually owned investment co-ops in the energy field the members do not actually get serviced themselves with the power generated- it’s fed to the grid. FCA rules require a mutual to show participation  involving ‘buying from or selling to the society’, ‘using the services or amenities provided by it’ and/or ‘supplying services to carry out its business’. Energy4All, said this policy change had come ‘completely out of the blue’, but if energy co-ops spread, as in Germany, maybe the FCA wants to get their status clear.

www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/15/green-energy-co-ops-blocked-by-government-regulator

UK new energy jobs

Reply to a Parliamentary Question (7/7/14), by then Energy Minister Michael Fallon:

‘Investment in new, cleaner energy infrastructure through the government’s Electricity Market Reforms will help support up to 250,000 jobs by 2020. This reflects estimates of how many jobs could be supported by electricity generated using renewable, nuclear and carbon capture and storage technologies, and includes jobs in the relevant supply chains. In nuclear energy, we estimate there will be between 69,000 and 81,000 jobs by 2020. This is made up of 29,000-41,000 jobs across the nuclear supply chain at the peak of construction activity, from the 16GW of new build capacity industry is planning to build by 2030, in addition to the 40,000 people currently employed in nuclear energy. We also estimate that up to 200,000 jobs could be supported in renewable electricity By 2020. This estimate is based on the Renewable Energy Association’s estimate of employment in the sector in 2012-13, and a range of possible deployment levels in 2020 as set out in the Government’s Electricity Market Reform Delivery Plan. Within the carbon capture and storage sector, we estimate that around 8,000 jobs could be supported in the early stages of deployment by 2020.’  So the bulk by far are in renewables, and that’s ignoring solar/bio/geo heat. A CEBR report for the Solar Trade Association looks to a 60GW PV programme employing ~50,000 by 2030. http://goo.gl/376vmF

Election run up..                                                                     Climate policy may become an issue. UKIP says it will repeal the Climate Change Act and shrink the Dept. of Energy and Climate Change. The jobs issue  (see above) could become important in the election. The Campaign against Climate Change has a new edition of its ‘1 million climate jobs’ booklet: www.campaigncc.org/greenjobs#pamphlet 

And Scotland is still at it, pressing for change and pushing ahead with its own ambitious green energy programme : www.localenergyscotland.org/challenge

That may lead to more pressure on the UK to do better- though the Conservatives seem wedded to limiting on-land wind.  Nuclear power may be an issue. If, as looks likely, the EC agrees to the Hinkley CfD, that sets a precedent for more projects.  Hitachi-GE’s ABWR has got draft  Justification approval for UK use- e.g. at Wylfa and Oldbury. That and the Hinkley/EDF project, could raise a lot of hackles. The Green Party has voted to maintain its opposition to nuclear. FoE too remains anti-nuclear, despite a BBC claim that it had changed its position: www.foe.co.uk/blog/nuclear-power-big-distraction

UK Nuclear News 

EDF safety changes    

EDF Energy’s application to loosen safety limits at its 1GW Dungeness B nuclear power plant in Kent has been approved by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). Nuclear radiation causes the graphite moderator bricks to degrade, with the current allowable ‘weight loss’ limit set at 6.2%. EDF Energy asked the regulator to extend the limit to 8%. ONR has said EDF’s application to loosen safety limits did not pose ‘any safety concerns’. A safety limit change would be required by the 30 year old nuclear plant in order to extend its lifetime to 45 years. In February this year EDF Energy applied for a 10 year extension for the plant to enable it to operate until at least 2023. However it’s the UK plant most threatened by flooding- on account of which one reactor was off-line for several months last year while sea defenses were upgraded. Let’s hope they did it right. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/exclusive-dungeness-nuclear-power-station-quietly-taken-offline-for-five-months-over-fears-of-fukushimastyle-flood-disaster-9200494.html

www.utilityweek.co.uk/news/change-to-dungeness-nuclear-safety-rules-approved/1026162

The Times (11/7/14) suggested that EDF would now be looking to the ONR to approve similar changes for other plants. It noted that ‘Heysham 1’s graphite in Lancashire is close to its 12% safety limit, having already lost 10.5% of its  weight. Hartlepool’s graphite has degraded the most, down 13.7%. It has the highest current limit of 17%.’ Prof. Steve Thomas, University of Greenwich, said EDF had given average weight loss figures, but this masked the fact that some parts of the graphite core had lost up to 40% of their weight. EDF said that it regularly removed samples of graphite for testing and was ‘extremely confident that we know how the bricks will behave’.

EDF took them both off-line for unrelated checks in August. They are still shut.

Nuclear Reliability ‘Nuclear can provide a continuous supply to the electricity grid’. So said Keith Parker, CEO of the Nuclear Industry Association, in a Guardian Blog. www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2014/jul/23/investing-new-nuclear-power-uk-carbon-energy Actually, the plant availability achieved by UK nuclear plants has not been good recently - it was only 65%, averaged across 2008-12 according to the latest Digest of UK Energy Statistics: overall plant load factors for 2008: 49.4%; 2009 65.6%; 2010 59.3%; 2011 66.4%; 2012 70.8%. As well as planned shut downs (e.g. for refueling) the Sizewell PWR has several long unplanned periods off-line and some AGRs were also shut down for some time, e.g. Dungeness (see above) due to flooding worries.. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/279546/DUKES_2013_Chapter_5.pdf

‘No risks’ Children, teenagers and young adults living near two UK nuclear plants since the 1990s are not at an increased risk of developing cancer, according to analysis of decades of data by Oxford University researchers. But it’s been claimed that, by looking at the wide range of 0-24 yr olds, this study may have averaged out the higher risks faced by 0-3 yr olds: exposures in utero can lead to leukemia at 1-3 yrs. www.nature.com/bjc/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/bjc2014357a.html

www.ianfairlie.org/news/comments-on-another-bjc-article/

£40m- a ‘bribe’ to consider waste? Scotland is excluded.

The government is to offer communities willing to consider hosting a high level nuclear waste disposal facility up to £40m, in a ‘no strings’ deal- they can back out and still keep the money. Up to £1m p.a. will be on offer to each community that participates in the early stage of the process, rising to £2.5m p.a. to each of them that then enters formal discussions, for as long as the community remains engaged in the process. 

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