With legislation increasingly tough on coal-burning plants, many are switching to renewable fuels to ensure longevity. But supply chain issues may prevent some plants from undertaking the conversion process. Tim Probert profiles the UK’s Tilbury power station, a 1960s coal plant which has become the world’s largest biomass plant, and talks to Drax about the … Continue reading
Last night I enjoyed the spectacle of a shale gas public relations car crash in the charming West Sussex village of Balcombe. Last year shale oil and gas firm Cuadrilla Resources obtained a license to commence exploratory drilling at Lower Stumble, 1 mile south of the village. Since then, a hardcover surface has been prepared, … Continue reading
Rough Guides has published a new book titled The Rough Guide to Community Energy. With financial backing from retailer Marks & Spencer and distribution by energy efficiency pressure group 10:10, the new book is being distributed for free to encourage Britons to launch carbon-cutting and renewable-energy projects in their local communities. The Rough Guide to Community Energy is … Continue reading
Shale gas has been called a game changer in the US but Europe will have a tough job emulating the US’ success, writes Tim Probert. This article first appeared in the December issue of The Energy Industry Times. There is no question that shale gas has been a ‘game-changer’ in the United States. From virtually … Continue reading
Cuadrilla Resources, Britain’s first shale gas exploration license holder, claims a 500 square mile area around Blackpool, Preston and Southport contains enough methane to meet national gas demand for at least 50 years and create thousands of jobs. Proponents say Cuadrilla’s resource is revolutionary, opponents say shale gas is unnecessary. Who’s right? Tim Probert digs … Continue reading
Swedish power utility Vattenfall has abandoned a planned 500 MW carbon capture and storage (CCS) plant at Jaenschwalde, Germany, expected to cost €1.5 billion, after the German federal government rejected a bill allowing underground carbon storage. The 500 MW CCS demonstration project was to utilize a new 250 MW Oxyfuel boiler and see another 250 MW … Continue reading
The Caprivi Link ensures reliable power transfer capability between the east and west of the Southern African Power Pool. Tim Probert takes a first-hand look at the link, which is ABB’s first HVDC Light installation built with overhead lines and is also the highest rated and longest system of its type currently in operation. This article … Continue reading
The average EU Allowance (EUA) price in the third phase of the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) will be €12/tonne, predicts Thomson Reuters Point Carbon. The most depressed price levels will probably be seen in the 2013-2015 period when the average price of EUAs could drop to as little as €10/tonne before rising … Continue reading
Ever wondered how much it costs to boil the kettle when making your cup of tea? Well, Andrew Moir of bigmouthmedia has been in touch to let you know. Working with price comparison site Confused.com, bigmouthmedia came up with this graphic, comparing each of the Big Six’s prices with those of Europe (as of November 2011) to show the annual … Continue reading
Namibia will tender in January a $1 billion, 800 MW combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant project as part of a novel gas-to-power project which will be the southern African nation’s largest ever engineering project, according to head of state utility NamPower. The integrated $2 billion gas-to-power Kudu project, equivalent to 15 per cent of … Continue reading
