Renewables
Solid capacity growth in China’s solar sector
Data recently released by the Chinese government indicates a rise in solar capacity in 2020 over the same period in 2019. According to the National Energy Administration (NEA), China added a further 18.5 gigawatts (GW) in the first three quarters of 2020, compared to just 16GW in 2019. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak during the early parts of the year, utility-scale projects installed made up 54 percent or just over 10GW and small-scale, on-site or off-grid solar capacity made up 46 percent or just over 8.5GW during the period January to September 2020.
World-leading $240 million hydrogen project launched, supported by $37 million upgrade to Pt Bonython jetty
South Australia’s intention to create a green hydrogen export industry has taken a big step forward, with the launch today of a world-leading $240 million hydrogen project. This project would be the largest green ammonia plant in the world, being sixty times larger than Australia’s largest electrolyser at Tonsley in Adelaide.
Tough decisions loom for Australian refiners
Operating refineries in Australia have been operating at loss level measures due to the impact felt nationally from the pandemic driven destruction demand, even as the country comes out of lockdown and government assistance begins to form. The GEI Data Warehouse is tracking four refineries in the country that are having to make hard choices on whether they keep operating, convert to terminal operations, or possibly shut in altogether.
Dominion Energy Proposes Largest Slate of New Solar Facilities for Virginia Customers
Dominion Energy Virginia proposed its largest slate yet of new solar projects as the company moves forward to provide customers with more clean energy. The nine solar facilities would bring nearly 500 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy to customers, enough to power around 125,000 homes at peak output. The proposal comes just months after enactment of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) and builds on what is already the third-largest solar portfolio among utility holding companies in the United States.
Transition to a clean European hydrogen economy starts in Den Helder
Building a blue hydrogen plant in the dutch northern coastal Den Helder region, could lead to a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions and make a European hydrogen network possible. The H2Gateway consortium has presented an exploratory analysis of the possibilities for the production of blue hydrogen in Den Helder in order to achieve a Dutch and European CO2free hydrogen economy.
The Netherlands: Hydrogen Land
Groningen, 30 October 2020 – Today, businesses and government bodies in the Northern Netherlands will present their investment plan for hydrogen in their region to various Dutch MPs. The plan includes investments totalling up to 9 billion euros and could secure some 66,000 existing jobs in areas like gas infrastructure and mobility and help create between 25,000 (in 2030) and 41,000 (in 2050) new jobs in areas like maintenance and operations.
NIPSCO Announces New Indiana-Based Solar Projects to Power 270,000 Homes by 2023
Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO), a subsidiary of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI), today announced that it will bring an additional 900 megawatts (MW) to Indiana with the Dunns Bridge I, Dunns Bridge II and Cavalry Solar Energy Centers as part of the company’s long-term generation strategy. NIPSCO has finalized three build transfer agreements with subsidiaries of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and the sun and a leader in energy storage. The solar projects are expected to begin construction in 2022 and expected to be operational in 2022 and 2023.
Hydrogen prospectus reveals future of South Australia renewables
The South Australia state government will today launch its hydrogen prospectus, detailing three hydrogen hubs to position the region at the forefront of global clean hydrogen production and exportation.
EGP expands wind portfolio
Enel Green Power (EGP) recently commissioned the final wind turbine at its 148MW Nxuba wind farm in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The 200 million euro, 47-turbine farm was one of the five projects awarded to EGP in the fourth round of the country’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) in 2015.
Solar power in charge across South Australia
In October, the Australian state of South Australia reported that for one hour on the eleventh of the month, 100 percent of its electricity was generated by solar power. South Australia being the largest jurisdiction in the world to do so. The power generated came from 77 percent rooftop systems and the remaining 23 percent from the states utility-scale solar projects.
Renewable refinery conversions increase across Europe
The energy transition continues across the globe as Preem AB of Sweden recently announced that it is indeed proceeding with its newly announced plan to convert the long-running Lysekil refinery into what is designed to become the largest renewable fuel facility in Scandinavia.
Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage: The technology helping us to bridge energy use from hydrocarbons to renewables
Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is a technology designed to capture almost 90% of CO2 left by the generation of electricity or the separation of hydrogen from hydrocarbons. While this technology is nothing new, the interest surrounding CCUS has gained momentum in recent months as hydrogen production has become a hot button topic around the globe. Why is CCUS of interest in the hydrogen community?
"Yes, Joe Biden really does want to end America’s oil and gas industry," says Gulf Energy Information CEO
The Biden energy plan has dire consequences for the oil and gas industry and the American economy.
Repsol announces plans to build the first advanced biofuels plant in Spain
Repsol of Spain recently announced its intention to construct an advanced biofuels plant at the company’s existing Cartagena facility site to supply transportation fuels with a reduction in emissions.
Electricity’s new king will be solar PV
The latest World Energy Outlook published in October from the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests that solar photovoltaic generation will be the largest source of power by 2040. Unlike other sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic the renewable electricity market has remained buoyant throughout 2020. The IEA suggests that renewables is set for rapid growth. In the Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS), renewables will rise by two-thirds between 2020 to 2030.
EDF Renewables North America and Geenex Solar Transact on a 4.5 gigawatt (GWac) Solar Development Portfolio
EDF Renewables North America (EDFR) and Geenex Solar, LLC (Geenex), announced the close of an agreement of up to 4.5 gigawatt (GWac) pipeline of solar development assets throughout PJM. The pipeline acquisition brings to EDF Renewables the regional development expertise of Geenex, a leader of utility-scale solar development, while EDFR contributes with its financial and late-stage development expertise from a long-term owner and operator perspective. The transaction will accelerate EDFR growth in the PJM wholesale electricity market to meet the growing demands of corporate and utility customers seeking cost-effective renewable energy sources. The portfolio of project assets in the transaction exceed 20 solar projects in various stages of development. The first projects expect commercial operation in 2023 with other projects to follow.
TechnipFMC invests in McPhy and signed a MoU to accelerate green hydrogen
TechnipFMC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with McPhy, a leading manufacturer and supplier of carbon-free hydrogen production and distribution equipment, pursuant to which the two companies will jointly work on technology development and project implementation. TechnipFMC is also making an equity investment in McPhy.
Marathon begins permit approval process for Martinez renewable diesel conversion
Marathon Petroleum recently announced that it has begun the permit application process for the conversion of its idle Martinez refinery into a renewable diesel facility.
How to utilize solar potential
In an age where traditional methods of energy generation, such as burning coal and gas to generate electricity emit greenhouse gases, the energy transition movement has seen the need to investigate alternative or renewable energies. Wind and solar seem to be favored forms of alternative energies to be scaled up first.
As COVID-19 conditions persist, some struggling refineries are trending towards renewable diesel conversions to survive
With the continuing pandemic driven reduction in fuel demand, refineries in North America have worked to survive in ways ranging from reducing production, additional maintenance scheduling, and the permanent shutting in of some complexes altogether. But another direction has begun to persist in North America and abroad with the decision to convert aging refineries away from traditional crude oil production into renewable diesel plants.
Hydrogen in Asia-Pacific: Creating the model of green hydrogen import/export for the next decade
Australia, Japan, and South Korea are leading the way when it comes to hydrogen delivery. Both Japan and South Korea have long term plans for hydrogen utilization and the importation and exportation of green hydrogen plays a critical role in the roadmap for these nations. Australia’s heavy investment along their western shoreline of green hydrogen facilities makes them an excellent partner in fulfilling the future hydrogen needs of Japan.
Hydrogen’s growing influence in the US: How can the US take part in the global hydrogen industry
October 5, 2020 saw a major development in how the United States views hydrogen and its usefulness in clean energy and fuel cell transportation. With support from major global corporations including Air Liquide, Chevron, Cummins, Daimler AG, Microsoft, Nikola Motors, Plug Power, Shell, Toyota and many others, the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) released their “Roadmap To A US Hydrogen Economy”.
Siemens to build large CO2-free hydrogen production plant in southern Germany
Siemens Smart Infrastructure and WUN H2 GmbH signed a contract to build one of the largest hydrogen production plants in Germany. It will be built in Wunsiedel in the north of Bavaria. With a power intake of six megawatts in the initial development phase, the plant will run solely on renewable energy and will be CO2-free.
Japan’s offshore ambitions
Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG), a global investor and developer of green infrastructure assets, recently announced that it has formed a joint venture with Iberdrola, a global energy leader and the world’s largest wind producer.
Shape the refinery of the future through integration
The negative impact of fossil fuels on the environment has become widely accepted, and our global society has begun to focus on alternative fuels. The pollution of the local, regional and global environment has become a primary concern.
Renewable Energy Group announces plans to expand the Geismar biodiesel plant to 340 million gallons per year
The Renewable Energy Group (REG) of Iowa recently announced that it is planning a significant capacity expansion at its existing renewable diesel refinery in Geismar, Louisiana. This expansion will fundamentally increase annual capacity with an additional 250 million gallons at the site by the end of 2023.
REG announces major renewable diesel expansion in Louisiana
Governor John Bel Edwards and president and CEO Cynthia “CJ” Warner of Renewable Energy Group (REG) announced a minimum $825 million capital investment by REG to expand its renewable diesel refinery in Geismar, Louisiana.
Can ammonia be a future energy storage solution?
Ammonia is well known as a fertilizer. However, it is also a potential carbon-free fuel and an excellent solution for storage of renewable electricity, especially if the syngas needed for producing the ammonia is made by electrolysis
Brazilian developments in the biofuels market
Since the 1970s, Brazil has been a world reference in automotive biofuels, especially bioethanol produced from sugarcane. In 1973, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) forced a sharp rise in oil prices, triggering a massive slowdown in the country’s economic growth, which had been going through what was dubbed the “economic miracle,” with growth at an average of 12% of GDP. This study gives an overview of the biofuel sector in Brazil, along with the main business challenges and opportunities in this area.
Business Trends: The downstream dilemma: Past, present and future of downstream energy
The oil industry’s interest in the downstream segment of the business has known ups and downs. This article reviews the past, present and projected future of the downstream sector and its companies.
