The Netherlands - Wind Power: 4 TSO's join forces for North Sea Power Hub - by M. Jonk and C van der Weijden

EU: A new wind power hub in the North Sea

Dutch state owned Gasunie has joined the consortium of Danish Energinet.dk and Dutch and German TenneT to study the possible development of a wind power hub in the North Sea. The power hub will consist of one or more large-scale artificial island(s) for sustainable energy supply in the North Sea near the Doggersbank.

The island should produce 100,000 MW of wind energy. It is expected to contribute substantially to achieving the agreed European targets set out in the Paris climate agreement. If the Paris targets are to be met, it is expected that an additional 180 GW offshore wind capacity will need to be developed. According to the four TSO's these volumes will require power-to-gas solutions as energy transport in gas-form is cheaper than transportation through the electricity grid.

The island is to be situated in a location with favorable winds and the possibilities of tie-ins to offshore wind parks. Power surpluses will be converted to hydrogen for large-scale transportation to shore or for storage purposes.

Gasunie will contribute its gas transport expertise and its expertise in the field of hydrogen conversion and gas storage. Gasunie an TenneT are already combining forces to develop a factory for the conversion of solar and wind energy into hydrogen in the Dutch city of Zuidwending. The hydrogen is expected to be used for municipal busses. If the North Sea Wind Hub is deemed feasible, construction is expected by 2030-2050.

EU-Digest

Alternative Energy:Wind energy execs predict European market future - strong growth ;predicted

Executives from Europe’s wind energy sector have come together during a meeting of the European Wind Energy Association in order to provide predictions concerning the future of the wind market. Europe has become a very active market for wind power, with several countries investing heavily in wind projects. Both offshore and onshore projects have managed to find traction throughout Europe and many countries are showing favor for these projects because of the economic opportunities they have to offer.

According to executives from the wind sector, advanced technology that does not rely on subsidies from European governments will soon become commonplace. Relying on subsidies has caused some stagnation in the wind sector because governments are not often inclined to show financial support for projects that are considered too innovative. Better technology could help make wind farms produce more electrical power more efficiently.

Executives suggested that more could be done with making offshore wind power more valuable as well. Many countries have begun investing in offshore projects, but these projects tend to be expensive and many governments have difficulty reconciling the expense of these projects with the energy they are able to provide.

Read more: Wind energy execs predict European market future - Hydrogen Fuel News | Hydrogen Fuel News

Recycling and Waste Management: EU recycling industry could create an additional 160,000 jobs by 2020

Recycling could create at least an additional 160.000 jobs in a circular economy say executives at WRAP a British advisory company which works with a wide range of partners, from major UK businesses, trade bodies and local authorities through to individuals looking for practical advice on recyclin.  They are funded by all four governments across the UK and the EU and run programs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life.

As a practical example of a circular economy - Norway, along with many other northern European countries, has built a network of cogeneration plants that produce heat and electricity from recycled waste.  Referred to as waste-to-energy facilities, the process is relatively simple.  Garbage is burned in a portion of the facility, creating steam, ash and flue gases.  The facility collects the steam and uses it to turn turbines, which generates the electricity used throughout much of the country.  The ash is trucked away to a landfill, while the remaining gases are either filtered and dispersed into the atmosphere, or collected and used for additional products like biofuel.

With a growing recycling infrastructure diverting more European waste from landfills, as well as systems R&D investments from integrated waste handling firms the EU could eventually be turning their waste into gold and jobs.

EU-Digest

Shale Gas: Ukraine’s shale gas output to reach 30 bcm in 5–10 yrs

Ukraine will produce 20–30 billion cubic meters of shale gas annually in the next 5–10 years, Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said Friday, as cited by RIA Novosti.  Ukraine is striving to increase its own production of natural and shale gas amid lengthy and fruitless negotiations with Russia over reducing the price of imported gas.

Azarov said that the government has set a task to cut purchases of expensive Russian gas as much as possible and stimulate local energy production.  “We used to buy 50 billion and 40 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia. We have decided to purchase 18 billion–20 billion cubic meters in the short-term. All the remaining volume will be replaced by our own production alongside a set of measures to cut gas consumption,” Azarov said.

He said that Ukraine was ready to consider importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Norway for its future terminal. “We expect that after the completion of the terminal, we will have the possibility to buy about 10 billion cubic meters of liquefied gas at current … spot prices, which are now about 60% lower than the Russian gas price,” Azarov said. “Here, we would cooperate with Norway, too.”
The LNG terminal costs 856 million euros, with 25% to be state-funded and 75% will be provided by private investors. The first stage of the terminal - with an annual capacity of 5 billion cubic meters of LNG - will be launched in 2016.

Read more: Ukraine’s shale gas output to reach 30 bcm in 5–10 yrs