Low Carbon Energy

Hydrogen 'could provide half of the UK's net-zero energy demand'

Around 500TWh of hydrogen-generated power could be consumed annually in the UK by 2050 - equivalent to 50% of national demand, provided that is given support from government policy and large businesses. It could see up to 14 million hydrogen boilers deployed by 2050 and more than 75% of the UK’s heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) replaced or retrofitted with hydrogen-compatible technology, according to some research.

NGN gets green light for dummy hydrogen network trial.

Northern Gas Networks' plans to trial a dummy hydrogen network on a street of abandoned houses in the South Bank area of Middlesbrough has been approved. The gas pipes to the houses are still intact but are disconnected from the rest of the network.

Virtual Power Plants “Tesla” Generation Licence Update

Following on from our June market update where we reported Tesla’s interest in becoming a UK Generator, Tesla was this month granted an electricity generation licence in the UK, following its initial application last May.

Tesla is reportedly deciding whether to build a UK Gigafactory in Somerset, complete with onsite solar generation technology. It is unknown how many sites Tesla have identified, but the list is believed to include the Gravity industrial park, a ‘smart campus’ currently being developed near Bridgwater in Somerset. The 635-acre site is being built on the site of a former Royal Ordnance Factory and is intended to attract innovative technology companies.

Aside from selling excess electricity generated at the facility to the grid, the licence will enable Tesla to develop virtual power plants – digitally-connected networks of EVs, batteries and generation infrastructure. Tesla is centring its virtual power plant designs around its ‘Autobidder’ technology platform, which aggregates distributed energy and uses machine learning to balance the grid.

Open Networks

This week the ENA has updated their workstream on Open Networks which talks about commercial opportunities for Distribution Energy Resource. This is where generation at all voltage levels from all stakeholders can have a flexible contract to provide the electrical network with energy, this hopefully will encourage new markets.

This open network approach may provide commercial opportunities when considering Development master planning energy strategy.

 

Related Subjects