Science and Technology:
¶ Larger off-shore oil and gas platforms use large amounts of energy. Those in the North Sea can typically consume power at a rate of 50 to 100 MW across a large range of processes, including oil separation, gas compression, wastewater treatment, gas lifting, and the ultimate export of oil and gas to shore. [Financial Times]
North Sea offshore rig. Photo by Hannes Grobe. Wikimedia Commons.
World:
¶ Toshiba Corp on Monday said it has started operations at a demonstration facility using renewable energy and hydrogen in the city of Kawasaki, Japan. Solar power is used in the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen, which is then stored and used in fuel cells to generate electricity and hot water. [SeeNews Renewables]
¶ BWE Partnership is aiming to start construction of Scotland’s first large-scale solar PV project by year-end. The 9.5-MW New Mains of Guynd plant will be sited on 50 acres of farmland in Carmyllie, Arbroath. BWE Partnership has a grid connection agreement with Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution. [reNews]
¶ The UK’s Labour party is launching its Green Plan today, which sets out details on the environment and climate change policies it will bring in if it takes power in the May polls. It intends to set a legally binding target to decarbonize the UK’s electricity supply by 2030 and pledged a million new green jobs by 2025. [reNews]
Palace of Westminster. Photo by Tony Moorey. Wikimedia Commons.
¶ When AGL Energy announced it was moving away from coal over the next three decades, it suggested the government help in the process. The Australian Industry Minister ruled out federal government funding closure of dirty coal-fired power stations, saying it would cost $3 billion for one station alone. [The Australian Financial Review]
¶ SunPower announced it has begun construction on the 86-MW Prieska solar power plant in South Africa’s Northern Cape province. Expected to be fully operational in 2016, the project will be the third solar power plant constructed by SunPower under the South Africa government’s renewable energy program. [Your Renewable News]
¶ TEPCO deployed a second remote-controlled robot last week after its first broke down. The robot detected lower radiation levels and temperature than expected, an indicator that cooling systems were working effectively, according to a TEPCO statement. Decommissioning is expected to cost $50 billion. [CNN International]
US:
Photo by Rob Hooft. Wikimedia Commons.
¶ The Detroit Zoo is headed for greener pastures with its plan for the first biodigester at a US zoo. The $1.1 million project will convert 400-500 tons of manure and other organic waste annually. The biodigester will save the zoo $70,000-$80,000 in energy costs and $30,000-$40,000 in waste disposal fees. [Crain’s Detroit Business]
¶ Georgia Power said on Friday it has commenced building the first of three 30-MW solar parks at US Army bases in its home state. It has started work on a solar PV facility at Fort Benning. The other two projects are to be located at Fort Gordon and Fort Stewart. All are scheduled for completion by the end of 2016. [SeeNews Renewables]
¶ SunEdison has signed an agreement with Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota in the USA to offset all college’s electricity use with solar energy. Not only will the college add to its already long history of environmental and energy efficiency efforts through the arrangement, the power bill savings will be huge. [Energy Matters]
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