Teesside is to be the site of the world’s largest new power and steam biomass plant as part of a new £424m project.

The project in Middlesbrough will have a capacity of 299 MW combined heat and power (CHP), enough to power at least 600,000 UK households.

Abengoa and Toshiba will construct the £424m power plant, which will use wood pellets from sustainable forest resources in the US and Europe.

The project developers say the fuel source will be in compliance with the UK’s incentives for renewable energy.

The technology currently helps provide around 7% of the UK’s electricity by integrating heat and electricity production into a single process.

The Abengoa/Toshiba project will help reduce the UK’s carbon footprint using the CHP technology, with Abengoa currently working on a further 215MW biomass plant in Belgium.

According to UK Government estimates to the European Commission, the Teesside CHP plant will save an estimated 32m tonnes of CO2 over its 30-year lifetime.

CHP potential

CHP technology saved the UK £250m in fuel costs in 2014, according to figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Industry body the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) said last month there was great potential for future savings from the technology. ADE director Tim Rotheray said: “There are hundreds more commercial and industrial sites that could benefit from generating their own heat and power locally by putting the right policy framework in place.”

The Green Investment Bank recently helped secure £30m in funding for a new community-scale CHP biomass plant in Sheffield. The project will provide enough power to the local area to heat 6,700 properties.

Biomass technology has come in for some criticism for its label as a ‘green’ technologywhich still releases carbon emissions. However the UK’s largest power plant Drax has moved to convert its coal burning facilities to biomass, with the company arguing reliable biomass facilities were needed to balance the UK’s supply of wind and solar power.

SEAI, the Marine Institute and Commissioners of Irish Lights deliver Ireland’s latest marine research environment

Tuesday 11^th August 2015: A significant piece of ocean research infrastructure was brought to fruition with the completion of the Galway Bay underwater ocean observatory over the weekend.  Through the combined effort of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), the Marine Institute and Commissioners of Irish Lights the final piece of equipment has been deployed to give researchers and ocean energy developers unique insight into the Galway bay marine environment.  The observatory is now entering into a commissioning period and is expected to be operational in the coming months.

The ocean observatory will enable the use of cameras, probes and sensors to permit continuous and remote live underwater monitoring. Data from the equipment will be fed via an underwater cable, which was deployed last April, to the Marine Institute where analysis will take place.  Data from the observatory will also be available online through the Digital Ocean Platform under development by the Marine Institute.

The equipment has been installed in the Galway Bay test site, which is an area 1.5km off Spiddal pier and is used primarily to test small scale ocean energy devices. This observatory equipment will allow ocean energy developers to monitor how their devices are performing in the ocean as well as give ocean researchers unique real-time access to monitor ongoing changes in the marine environment.

Also deployed at the test site this weekend was a novel mooring tether developed by an Irish company ‘Technology From Ideas’. This technology reduces the impacts of rough seas on moored devices, thus making them cheaper to design and construct. It also reduces need for excessive ropes and chains for moorings, which reduces impact on the seabed and the environment.  The development and testing of the mooring tether is being grant supported by SEAI.

Declan Meally, Head of Emerging Technologies in SEAI commented:  “We are seeing lots of great developments in Ireland’s marine and ocean energy research facilities. The new Galway undersea ocean observatory will strengthen our offering and greatly assist the testing of new ocean energy technologies. Also, in helping the development of support structures, such as moorings, SEAI is ensuring that the supply chain for the offshore energy renewable sector is simultaneously progressing.”

Peter Heffernan of Marine Institute commented that: “It has been great to get the support of SEAI and Commissioners of Irish Lights in deploying this equipment. While the Marine Institute team has been driving this project, we have greatly benefitted from the close collaboration of all partners including SEAI, SmartBay Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and Marine Renewable Energy Ireland (MaREI). This collaboration places Ireland on a stronger footing internationally as we work together to advance our marine research and development capabilities.”

Yvonne Shields CEO of Commissioners of Irish Lights who provided the ‘ILV Granuaile’ for deployment of the equipment confirmed that: “Irish Lights is delighted to step in and provide support where required for this project. The Granuaile is a world class service vessel that is primarily used to service Ireland’s network of offshore navigation and safety aids.  The vessel and crew are experienced in handling difficult sea conditions and Granuaile is ideally placed to assist renewable energy deployment around the coast”.

The Galway Bay ocean observatory is part of a larger collaborative project between SEAI, the Marine Institute, University College Cork (Marine Renewable Energy Ireland – MaREI), SmartBay Ireland and Dublin City University to upgrade existing facilities at the Galway Bay test site.  The overall project has been funded by Science Foundation Ireland and is due to be completed this year.

In association with Oxford University’s Department of Engineering Science, UK-based Kepler Energy has developed Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine (THAWT) technology, which can generate tidal energy in shallow water.

The horizontal axis turbine can be economically installed underwater at depths of up to 30m.

Once operational, it can eliminate expensive set-ups of large dams and barrages, and reduce unpredictability of the results, reports Reuters.

Testing of the second-generation tidal turbine has indicated that it has a higher potential than existing axial flow designs.

THAWT is equipped with carbon composite hydrofoil blades, and has been designed for use in shallower, lower velocity tidal waters, unlike convention propeller-type turbines, which have large blades that limit their deployment to waters of at least 30m-deep.

The design is claimed to be a modified version of the vertical Darrieus wind turbine.

Oxford University civil engineering professor Guy Houlsby was quoted by the news agency as saying: “The original Darrieus turbine has blades that are parallel to the axis of rotation, and that means that the loads in the blades are carried entirely by bending of the blades.

“That results in very high stresses.

“The re-design that we’ve done changes the blades so that they form this triangulated structure, and that’s a very stiff and very strong structural form. And that means that the loads in the blades are principally carried by axial forces and that means that the stresses are much lower.”

According to Kepler Energy, the turbine design has minimal moving parts in the water, with the majority of its parts being installed in dry columns, such as the generator and other electrical equipment.

Generating units of THAWT include two sets of blades set on three columns, with a single generator between them.

UK-based Kite Power Solutions (KPS) has started a £10m funding drive to support commercial development and deployment of its windpower technology in offshore waters.

KPS intends to deploy its patented 3MW power system in offshore waters for the first time by 2019.

The technology involves generation of windpower with the use of hi-tech flying kites. This KPS system involves two kites tethered with 500m to 750m long manmade fibres to a winch system that generates power as it spools out.

The kites are expected to reach speeds of up to 100mph in 20mph winds, which create tether tension and leads to spooling of the line from the drum that remains connected to an electricity generator.

KPS said that the technology is economical andoffers advantages of easier deployment and maintenance, free of government subsidies.

Kite Power Solutions founder and chief executive Bill Hampton said: “We will be able to compete with offshore wind and without subsidies by removing tonnes of steel from every MWh produced offshore.

“Quite simply, by removing the steel from clean energy you make it lighter per MW and thus cheaper, and with a lower carbon footprint.”

The firm intends to deploy the technology at around £50/MWh by 2020, which is much lower than the current prices of around £140/MWh charged for offshore wind installations.

30 July 2015, source edie newsroom – European offshore wind has set a record for annual capacity installation just six months into 2015.

According to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), offshore wind installations surpassed previous year-long records in the first half of the year, reaching more than 2,342MW.

This represents a tripling of grid-connected capacity compared with the same period last year, with total installed offshore wind capacity hitting 10,393MW across 11 countries.

The first half of 2015 has seen 584 wind turbines fully connected to the grid. The average machine size also rose from 3.5MW in 2014 to 4.2MW this year.

Long-term visibility
EWEA chief policy officer Kristian Ruby said: “It has taken the offshore wind industry just six months to set the best year the sector has ever seen in terms of installed capacity.”

She said: “To ensure healthy growth in the coming years, and to guarantee offshore wind energy plays its role in meeting the EU’s competitiveness, security and decarbonisation objectives, the industry needs long-term visibility.”

The first months of the year have seen the UK connect 140 new turbines, and 522 MW to the grid.

Germany connected 406 new turbines, adding more than 1,700 MW of new capacity.

Green infrastructure
Ruby said reforms were needed to the European electricity market, in addition to improving grid infrastructure to ensure the integration of wind energy.

Infrastructure developments are thought to be crucial for the UK’s green energy development, but integrating distributed power generation systems such as wind and solar power with large-scale generation plants has presented challenges.

Last year, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) found 80% of businesses felt a reliance on outmoded fossil fuel infrastructure raised concerns about the UK’s future energy security, affecting investment decisions.

Ruby added it was important EU member states met renewable energy commitments towards the end of the decade and called on them to “set out a clear game plan to meet Europe’s 2030 targets.”

Subsidy cuts
Recent cuts to the Climate Change Levy in the UK, which subsidised renewable energy generation, have put renewable energy investments at increased risk, according to analysts GlobalData. However, the renewable energy analysts estimate the changes will not overly damage the offshore wind sector, which is forcast to reach more than 23GW by 2025.

The UK and France are thought to be struggling to meet their 2020 renewable energy targets, according to recent progress reports. Binding targets require the EU to source 20% of their energy from renewable sources.

The UK currently generates 7% of its energy from renewable energy, however 2015 has seen the UK generate around 22% of its electricity from renewable sources, with a steady growth in biomass production and solar installations.

ScottishPower Renewables has started construction of the 239MW Kilgallioch wind farm in South Ayrshire, Scotland.

Estimated to require an investment of around £300m, the wind farm is expected to meet the energy requirements of around 130,000 households annually.

Construction is underway for development of 55km of tracks at the site, while 14km of existing forest track will be upgraded to connect the turbines at the farm.

Kilgallioch wind farm will be equipped with 96 Gamesa-manufactured turbines, and is expected to be fully operational within the initial half of 2017.

“Tens of millions of pounds will go towards supporting community projects in the vicinity of the wind farm.”

ScottishPower Renewables construction director Stuart Mason said: “Kilgallioch is a major renewable energy development and a significant construction project.

“As well as making an important contribution to Scotland’s carbon reduction targets, tens of millions of pounds will go towards supporting community projects in the vicinity of the wind farm.

“This will be ScottishPower Renewables’ second largest windfarm, and the third largest overall in the UK.

The firm currently maintains more than 1.5GW of installed onshore wind capacity in the UK, and aims to raise this to 2GW.

Kilgallioch project is located between the boundaries of South Ayrshire, and Dumfries and Galloway Council, covering an area of 32km².

Gamesa expects to start turbine deliveries in February 2016, with first power production scheduled from November 2016.

Enel Green Power has commissioned a biomass power plantEnel Green Power has commissioned a biomass power plant at the Cornia 2 geothermal power plant in Tuscany, Italy.

Said to be the first-of-its-kind, the 5MW facility will be fuelled by locally sourced forest biomass to heat the geothermal steam.

This will increase the energy-efficiency and output of the geothermal cycle by more than 30GWh a year, while eliminating 13,000t of carbon dioxide.

Steam entering the power plant is heated to temperatures of up to 380°C, which will increase the net electricity generation capacity.

“The plant has almost zero impact on the environment, and maintains total renewability of the resource and the cycle.”

Enel Green Power CEO Francesco Venturini said: “The integration of different technologies is a major step forward for the future of renewable energy.”

The company has invested more than €15m in the biomass project, which will support the region with up to 40 direct and indirect jobs.

Enel said the plant has almost zero impact on the environment, and maintains total renewability of the resource and the cycle.

The company operates a stillwater facility in the US that integrates the generation capacity of binary cycle geothermal technology with solar thermodynamic, and the Fontes solar facility in Brazil, which combines solar photovoltaic with wind, and uses a standalone solar photovoltaic plant.

Enel Green Power develops projects based on renewable energy sources, with operations in Europe, the Americas and Africa.

German power equipment manufacturer Siemens has won separate orders for construction, installation and commissioning of turbines at three onshore wind projects in Ireland and Scotland.

Under the terms of the agreements, Siemens is responsible for delivering 52 units of its D3 direct drive wind turbines in total for the projects.

Two of the schemes in Ireland include the Raheenleagh project in County Wicklow, at 70km south of Dublin, and phase one of Galway Wind Park, which is near the city of Galway.

The third project, Aikengall 2, is located south-east of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Once operational, the renewable projects will have the capacity to power almost 100,000 households.

“Once operational, the renewable projects will have the capacity to power almost 100,000 households.”

Siemens has also signed long-term service contracts for the projects, where it will be responsible for five years of service at Galway phase one, ten years for Raheenleagh, and 20 for Aikengall 2.

Raheenleagh wind farm will have 11 installations of Siemens SWT-3.2-108 wind turbines. Coillte and ESB are the developers for the 35MW project, which is expected to operational from late 2016.

Siemens has scheduled the turbine installation to start next May.

For the Community Windpower’s Aikengall 2 wind farm project, the company is expected to deliver and install 19 of its SWT-3.2-113 turbines in early 2016.

The firm will install 22 of its SWT-3.0-101 direct drive wind turbines at SSE’s 64MW Galway Wind Park phase one, which has been scheduled for commissioning in early 2017.

RWE Innogy has officially started operations at the 295MW Nordsee Ost wind farm in North Sea Germany.

The offshore power plant is located nearly 35km north to Heligoland. It covers an area of 24km2 and has been built at water depths of up to 25m.

The wind farm is equipped with 48 wind turbines that can generate enough electricity to power 320,000 households per year.

German Minister of Economics Sigmar Gabriel said: “Offshore wind energy is a strategically important element of Germany’s energy and climate policy and is key to the success of the energy transition.

“Thanks to its continuous input into the grid and its high-electricity yields, offshore power generation makes a crucial contribution towards a diversified and reliable energy supply system.”

RWE has invested more than €1bn for the construction of the project, while a €50m contribution came from the European Union.

RWE will be responsible for operations and servicing of the facility for the next 20 years.

RWE CEO Peter Terium said: “The expansion of renewable energy is one of our main growth areas and offshore wind energy will play a vital role. RWE will become the third largest player in the European offshore market this year.

“And we are growing further: in only one month’s time, we will be commissioning another wind farm, Gwynt y Môr, located off the coast of Wales.”

Power-Technology

UK’s engineering firm Amec Foster Wheeler has completed construction of 250MW Copper Mountain Solar 3 project in Boulder City, Nevada, US.

The solar project is spread across nearly 1,400 acres of land and can generate enough renewable electricity to power 80,000 US households.

Cupertino Electric and Amec Foster Wheeler were the co-developers of the project, which is equipped with more than one million solar modules.

It represents the third phase of Copper Mountain Solar complex construction, which is jointly owned by Sempra US Gas & Power and Consolidated Edison Development (ConEdison Development).

Sempra US Gas & Power president and CEO Patti Wagner said: “Copper Mountain Solar 3 is our largest solar project to date.”

The entire complex can generate 450MW of renewable power, which is enough to meet the energy requirements of 142,000 homes.

Amec Foster Wheeler Power & Process Americas president Tim Gelbar said: “Copper Mountain Solar 3 is the culmination of hard work and a great partnership with Sempra US Gas & Power and Consolidated Edison Development.

“This is a significant project in the solar market and we are delighted to deliver this prominent project, which demonstrates our growing position in renewables and clean energy as well as our ability to leverage our global design, engineering, and project management expertise to deliver projects for our customers.”

Construction works for the project was initiated in 2013.

The development raises Sempra US Gas & Power’s jointly-owned operating solar power portfolio to 660MW.

Power Technology