‘Photovoltaics can change the earth’s ecology’

With the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss growing, the realization of global sustainable development has reached a crossroads. As the only solar energy company invited to attend the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), LONGi firmly believes that photovoltaics can change the earth’s ecology and contribute to biodiversity protection.

“Climate change has an all-round impact on biodiversity, and unreasonable energy development modes represent a key factor leading to climate change and increasing biodiversity issues,” said Li, going on to add that LONGi is a staunch supporter of climate action, in the belief that photovoltaics plus energy storage can be a powerful weapon to mitigate climate change. The company has taken the lead in promoting the reduction in cost and increase in efficiency of photovoltaic products, reducing the cost of photovoltaic power generation by more than 90% over the past decade, providing technical support for the achievement of carbon peak and neutrality goals.

LONGi launched its “Solar for Solar” concept in December 2018, based on manufacturing photovoltaic products driven by photovoltaic power generation, with the objective of extending the role of PV in ecological restoration. The concept had originated in Yunnan Province, where LONGi was the first PV company to establish a base, going on to play a leading role in the development of the province’s new energy industry.

In 2020, LONGi successively joined RE100, EV100, EP100 and Scientific Carbon Target (SBTi), becoming the only Chinese solar technology company to join four international initiatives at the same time. The company’s Baoshan production base, in effect the first “Net-zero Plant”, was also a concrete implementation of the four initiatives, and can be viewed as the starting point for “Net-zero LONGi”.

Yunnan is the province with the most abundant green energy in China. Installed capacity  accounts for 85%, with power generation from green energy reaching 90%, laying a very solid foundation for building a net-zero plant.

“We are planning on two years to achieve zero emissions within the operational scope of the LONGi Baoshan base by purchasing green power, energy-saving technological transformation and carbon emission offset measures.” Li divided the realization of the “Net- zero Plant” into four steps: Firstly, ensuring that 100% of the Baoshan base utilises green power throughout the year; secondly, completing the production technology transformation of the base’s carbon deposition materials to significantly reduce natural gas leakage; thirdly, promoting green production in the base and, finally, purchasing Chinese Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) to offset carbon emissions that cannot be completely eliminated.

 

Li concluded: “LONGi will always be a defender of and contributor to ecological harmony, sparing no effort to achieve net-zero targets, promote global energy transformation and join hands with partners from all walks of life to jointly realize this vision.”

SOURCE LONGi Solar

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Wind Power Needs Political Will Power

Rebecca Williams, Director of COP26 at GWEC, commented: “We already have the tools and the technology we need to tackle climate change. What we don’t have yet is the unprecedented political will we need to make this happen.

 

The wind energy sector has released a manifesto at the BNEF London summit calling on governments to “get serious” about the energy transition and work with the private sector to rapidly scale up wind and renewable energy installations.

Wind energy is one of the fastest growing energy sources in the world, with a record 93GW of installations in 2020. However, current growth rates are falling behind a net zero trajectory and will only put us on-track for 43% of the wind capacity required by 2050, according to leading international energy institutions IRENA and the IEA. To get on-track, annual wind energy installations worldwide must quadruple within the next decade.

More than 90 of the world’s leading wind energy companies, led by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), including manufacturers, supply chain actors, investors and industry bodies from around the world have united to support this Manifesto. The eight actions being called for include:

  1. Increase wind power ambition and reflect this in updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), comprehensive national climate strategies and long-term energy plans.
  2. Commit to rapid phase out of coal-based generation now.
  3. Design and implement energy markets for the future.
  4. Implement streamlined and sensible permitting schemes for renewable energy projects to accelerate deployment and minimise project attrition.
  5. Initiate plans to rapidly build out clean energy grids and charging stations for electric vehicles.
  6. Develop cohesive and inclusive policies which dedicate public resource to the people-centred shift to a net zero economy.
  7. Align national and regional finance flows with benchmarks for a net zero, 1.5°C-compliant pathway.
  8. Advance voluntary cooperation on carbon pricing under articles 6.2 and 6.4 of the Paris agreement.

The renewables industry is already delivering decarbonisation of the global power sector. Wind power helps the world avoid 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions annually and already provides more than 1.2 millions jobs around the world, while transforming economies and communities for good.

But the industry requires supportive policy frameworks to grow more rapidly. The Manifesto urges governments to work with industry to enact a shift in energy and economic policymaking to a “climate emergency” approach.

Ben Backwell, GWEC CEO, commented: “Governments must respond decisively to the current climate emergency to ensure a viable future for current and future generations. Achieving a rapid transition from fossil fuels is a key part of the solution.

“This Manifesto sets out the meaningful actions that governments need to carry out to realise the energy transition. Governments need to aim higher and deeper – updating their NDCs to drive real change, cutting red tape and streamline permitting proceedures, and supporting vital investments in infrastructure. The recent volatility in global energy markets shows the importance of moving decisively to phase out of coal and other fossil fuel based generation and create energy markets which are fit for purpose for a clean and sustainable future.”

Rebecca Williams, Director of COP26 at GWEC, commented: “We already have the tools and the technology we need to tackle climate change. What we don’t have yet is the unprecedented political will we need to make this happen.

“Our Manifesto sets out eight clear actions policymakers and governments must take to seize the vast economic, environmental and social opportunities that wind energy provides, helping meet NDCs and achieve sustainable growth. World leaders gathering in Glasgow next month have a chance to get serious about driving the new era of renewable energy, not stifling it.”

About GWEC

GWEC is a member-based organization that represents the entire wind energy sector. The members of GWEC represent over 1,500 companies, organizations and institutions in more than 80 countries, including manufacturers, developers, component suppliers, research institutes, national wind and renewables associations, electricity providers, finance and insurance companies.

More: https://gwec.net/.

 

 

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PLAYING A BIG PART IN REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS

West Fraser – the fewer carbon emissions a building or building product creates, the better it is for the planet

West Fraser (formerly known as Norbord), the UK’s no.1 producer of engineered wood panels, is committed to playing a big part in reducing carbon emissions in all its manufacturing processes.

Being carbon neutral just wasn’t enough for the company; carbon negative was the goal. Today, West Fraser has been independently audited and verified so that all the portfolios of engineered wood panels have been certified as being net carbon negative.  This means that the company locks up more CO2 in the boards than it emits making them.

“We are committed to helping UK construction drive down carbon emissions; while also helping our customers comply with net zero targets” explains Andrew Francis, Sales Director, West Fraser.

West Fraser is a diversified wood products company with more than 60 facilities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe.  From responsibly sourced and sustainably managed forest resources, West Fraser produces lumber, engineered wood (OSB, LVL, MDF, plywood, particleboard), and other products including pulp, newsprint, wood chips and renewable energy.  West Fraser’s products are used in construction, repair and remodelling, industrial applications, papers, tissue and box materials.

West Fraser’s product range now holds a net carbon negative status, locking up more CO2 than it emits. Leading the way in tackling the issue of climate change, the company’s four European sites and three product ranges sequester a total of 1.1 million tonnes of carbon annually.

 

For further information call 01786 812 921 or visit Uk.westfraser.com

 

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MTX celebrates the expansion of Hillingdon Hospital

Following the Government’s drive to develop UK hospitals, MMC healthcare specialist, MTX, is celebrating the completion of its latest project at Hillingdon Hospital.

The plans to create a three storey, 2,400m2 solution at Hillingdon Hospital allowed for 70 new bed spaces across three wards, four private rooms, a nurse base, offices, interview room and clinical stores to be created at Hillingdon Hospital. The new facility provides a direct link to the adjacent two storey Nightingale Centre, that houses the Endoscopy Department, and the Acute Medical Unit.

The project was delivered using MTX’s fast-track construction methods. The modular build reduced build time by 50 per-cent and wastage by up to 60 per-cent, whilst still delivering high quality standards. This strategy has become increasingly popular within the healthcare sector, particularly given the growing demands placed on the NHS over the last year.

David Hartley, Managing Director at MTX, said: “We’re pleased to have completed our project with the team at Hillingdon Hospital. Utilising Modern Methods of Construction, the hospital has been able to reap the advantages of its extension much quicker and with less disruption to healthcare services than with onsite traditional building methods. Seeing the projects come to life and hearing the incredible feedback from the end users, makes the hard work of the whole team so worthwhile.”

A spokesperson for The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Through excellent planning and programme management, MTX has ensured we were able to make use of the new ward block with 70 additional beds within a well organised and respectable timescale, despite Covid-19 compliance conditions. They made the process incredibly easy, and the delivery was exactly what was promised.”

For more information about MTX Contracts, visit: www.mtx.co.uk.

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THE DIGITAL APPROACH TO FIRE DRILLS

Ensuring efficient emergency evacuations in education

Fire drills are a vital part of fire safety. Procedures must be put in place and meticulously followed, in order to keep everyone safe in the event of an emergency. Most people have experienced the familiar fire drill in education environments, which typically interrupts the school day at least once a term, herding students out of the nearest fire exit and towards the designated meeting point in an orderly fashion. Amidst the organised chaos, fire marshals are eager to know – is everyone safe and accounted for, in record time?

Considered an inconvenience and an unwelcome interruption by many, alarm testing and evacuation practices can often be met with reluctant sighs, with many students and staff members dreading the thought of standing outside in all weathers, waiting for lengthy manual counting procedures to be completed. In today’s digitally advanced world, technology must hold the key to a better, modernised approach, providing peace of mind that everyone has been accounted for in a more timely and efficient manner.

Logistical challenges 

Whether it’s a practice run or a real life emergency, evacuation roll calls should be an orderly and well organised operation. However, if met with widespread apathy, fire marshals may struggle to ensure compliance. Hesitation and confusion surrounding the process can also cause significant delays if an effective registration system for staff and visitors is not in place, with no dependable structure implemented to ascertain exactly who needs to be accounted for.

Schools and institutions with a large cohort of students across age groups, a long list of staff members and visitors that change on a daily, or even hourly basis can be faced with various logistical challenges that make efficient roll calls exceptionally difficult to carry out in the absence of automation. The risk of miscounting, missing a visitor or simply taking too long to evacuate the building ultimately risks a potential disaster that could have otherwise been avoided.

An efficient and reliable student, staff and visitor management system is crucial in order to avoid inevitable human errors and mitigate disastrous consequences that put lives at risk. With a responsibility to protect the lives of everyone on site, it is vital that institutions implement an updated strategy, saving time and significantly reducing the margin for error in the event of an actual emergency.

Streamlined solutions   

Even with huge advances in the technology available to schools, businesses and organisations to assist them in streamlining their evacuation processes, the notoriously unreliable method of physical sign-in books remains popular in both workplaces and education. This method is undisputedly risky and often inaccurate, so how can fire marshals locate the necessary numbers and confidently account for everyone in a panic?

After research reported by the Fire Protection Association revealed that 66% of schools in England lacked adequate fixed fire protection measures, efficient emergency evacuations in education are more important than ever, with the fire brigade called to 2,300 school fires in England between April 2015 and April 2020. Statistics revealing the alarming regularity of fire related emergencies within schools alone should urge all institutions to evaluate their existing procedures and introduce new and improved systems that do not unnecessarily rely on human memory or pen and paper.

Ensuring safety 

In a digitally advanced society, there is no need to depend on the unreliable pen and paper sign-in books to keep everyone safe in the event of an emergency. The implementation of digital solutions, such as an app available to all nominated individuals, can provide an instant, real-time account of all personnel on site at any given time as integration with an existing Management Information System (MIS) can also be enabled. Immediate access to such information, including registration data from an MIS, ultimately enables the fire marshals to instantaneously view a full list that details every student, staff member and visitor via a mobile device, with no need to locate and collect physical records from another location.

Fire drills are a vital part of safety in all schools, universities and colleges, and staff members have a duty of care that means safety must be prioritised over convenience. However, this responsibility does not need to be viewed at a waste of time or an unimportant interruption. With smart, affordable and dependable technology, streamlined solutions can be put in place to ensure that everyone can be easily accounted for, which in turn speeds up the process of the undeniably essential fire drill and ensures that everyone is as safe as possible in the event of a real-life emergency.

Dan Harding, CEO, Sign In App 

 

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Gas Storage Project Gets Green Light Amidst Energy Crisis

A gas storage project, located off the coast of Northern Ireland, has been awarded a Marine Construction Licence, giving it the green light to proceed towards construction.

Islandmagee Energy’s gas storage project will initially unlock seven much needed gas storage caverns. Once constructed and fully operational, these gas caverns will hold around 500 million cubic metres of natural gas and provide security of supply during peak demand for up to 14 days for Northern Ireland.

The UK has one of Europe’s lowest gas storage capacities at just 1% of its annual demand in storage, leaving the UK much less resilient to supply issues than other European countries which hold as much as 20-30% of annual demand in storage. Once fully developed, the Islandmagee gas storage project will hold over 25% of the UK’s storage capacity.

John Wood, Group CEO of Islandmagee Energy’s parent company, Harland & Wolff, comments:

“This is good news for consumers and businesses in the UK who are currently experiencing distressing hikes in energy prices and fears of potential blackouts as gas and power grids face peak demand stresses during the winter months.

“With the current energy supply crisis, everyone now understands just how important gas storage is to secure supply and protect against extreme volatility in gas and power prices in the UK.

“We are delighted with this major step forward in the project’s journey, paving the way for the construction of our facilities. We look forward to playing a greater role within the energy sector and in securing a safer future for all.”

Islandmagee Energy also has longer term ambitions to store hydrogen.

John Wood further explains:

“Large-scale hydrogen storage will enable the UK to make the most of excess renewable energy as it transitions to net zero.

“The existing power grid cannot always accept all of the electricity generated from wind farms during periods of surplus wind power generation. It is during these frequently occurring periods that wind farms are temporarily scaled back as there is no way to store the excess electricity produced. Production of large-scale hydrogen and its storage is the long-term solution to this.

“Excess wind generated power can be used to produce green hydrogen which can then be stored in salt caverns for future use during peak demand periods.”

In addition to enhancing the security and flexibility of the UK’s energy supplies and supporting the transition to a net zero, the Islandmagee gas storage project will create long-term and high value employment and support investment into Northern Ireland.

During construction, 400 direct jobs will be created, as well as between 800 and 1,200 indirect jobs, expected to bring around £7 million into the local economy annually. It has also been estimated that during this stage that for every £1 million of capital expenditure, a further £2 million will be created in the economy per year; this means with 75% local content, the wider economy could benefit by around £400 million.

During operations, a further 60 direct jobs may be created, expected to bring in around £1 million into the local economy per year and between 120 and 180 indirect which would bring in a further £2-3 million every year.

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British Gas prepares for heat pump growth

British Gas has become the latest organisation to sign up to the UK’s main F-Gas register REFCOM as it seeks to keep pace with growing demand for heat pump installations.

The energy giant’s social housing subsidiary PH Jones maintains more than 195,000 homes across the UK. It supports 23 social housing providers, has carried out almost half a million service calls and installs more than 11,000 heating systems and 850 renewable projects annually.

A growing number of these installations now involve renewable systems with noticeable growth in heat pumps. It is actively recruiting to increase its team of skilled engineers and grow installation work backed up by ongoing expert service and maintenance.

With the social housing sector moving more quickly towards low and zero carbon targets than other parts of the residential market, British Gas said upskilling the PH Jones workforce was a priority.

“The industry is clearly suffering from an acute skills shortage, and it is crucial that large employers like us step up to address it,” said PH Jones director Matt Isherwood. “As well as bringing new engineers into the sector, we also need to upskill our existing workforce, particularly those already involved in boiler installations and other ‘traditional’ heating projects.

“They will be crucial to delivering high performing heat pump systems in line with the government’s ambitions, but the technology does require specialist skills. We recognise the importance of making sure everyone working for us is properly trained, accredited, and able to comply with legislation.

Credentials
“That is why we were very keen to become REFCOM members as it is the best way to demonstrate our credentials and support higher standards across the sector,” he added.

The government has set the industry the challenge of installing 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028 – an almost ten-fold increase on current rates – and the Climate Change Committee believes 19 million will have to be installed to meet the country’s net zero carbon emissions target by 2050.

PH Jones already has 11 F-gas qualified engineers and a larger team specialising in its renewables work. The agreement it has signed with REFCOM will allow it to eventually register many more certified operatives in line with its plans to expand its workforce.

Founded in 1963, it now employs around 600 staff. Its social housing and facilities management business was acquired by British Gas in 2011. It received a ROSPA gold medal in 2019 following five successive years of receiving the prestigious health & safety initiative’s gold award.

REFCOM is celebrating 25 years of helping refrigeration and air conditioning companies demonstrate their business and technical credentials and promoting higher professional standards of refrigerant management. Originally set up as a voluntary scheme in 1996 by a group of contractors who wanted to demonstrate their commitment to high professional standards and responsible refrigerant handling, it became the mandatory register for compliance with the European F-Gas regulation in 2009.

It recently recorded its 7,000th company membership, which represents an estimated 90% of the total number of firms operating in the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors.

The UK continues to ‘mirror’ the F-Gas Regulation despite its departure from the EU, which means that all personnel carrying out installation, commissioning, decommissioning, repairing, maintenance, or servicing of stationary refrigeration, air-conditioning or heat pump equipment that contains or is designed to contain F-Gas refrigerants must hold the relevant designated qualifications.

www.phjones.co.uk/www.refcom.org.uk

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REFORMS NEEDED TO DELIVER ON ‘BUILD BACK BETTER’ AMBITIONS

GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY MUST ACCELERATE CONSTRUCTION REFORMS FOR THE SECTOR TO DELIVER ON ‘BUILD BACK BETTER’ AMBITIONS

Government and industry must work together to spur an improvement in construction buying habits if the industry is to successfully underpin the country’s long-term net-zero and levelling-up ambitions.

That is the view of CBI paper New Foundations, published today, which calls for reforms outlined in the 2020 Construction Playbook to be accelerated to enable the construction sector to fulfil its unique role in bringing ‘build back better’ aspirations to life.

It recognises the construction industry – which had already endured mixed financial fortunes pre-Covid – has been ‘drastically and permanently altered’ by the pandemic, and now sees spiralling costs and labour shortages adding further pressures.

But the CBI says an accelerated rollout of Playbook rules and enforcement can help ensure the sector remains robust to drive forward the success of UK plc and develop vibrant, prosperous places across the country.

New Foundations contains 17 recommendations for action, including:

  • Enhancing the Cabinet Office’s ability to identify and act on businesses’ reports of poor procurement practices.
  • Using the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review to ensure rapid rollout of public sector construction training materials and delivery.
  • Driving forward exemplar works under Project Speed to demonstrate how Playbook guidance can shape successful end-to-end construction projects.
  • Requiring public sector contracting authorities to commit to working alongside suppliers to manage risks more equitably.
  • Establishing a client leadership group to support the adoption of Playbook behaviours throughout the private sector.
  • Setting out a Playbook delivery plan at local authority level, including guidance on how rules should dovetail with devolved procurement policies.

The report also includes recommendations on the crucial issue of sustainability and calls for Government to ensure clear and consistent targets and reporting standards to build confidence for the sector and its investors.

Gregor Craig, chair of the CBI Construction Council and President & CEO of Skanska UK, said:

“The construction industry’s make-or-break role in building the foundations of a net-zero economy by 2050 means we must accelerate our response to the climate imperative. The impacts of the pandemic, new political priorities, and policy developments have created a period of disruption, and this change is the catalyst for permanent transformation in the industry’s business model – but we cannot do it alone.

“New Foundations sets clear priorities for action, from rollout of comprehensive public sector training to implementation of procurement reform and collaboration with industry to manage risk. But success relies on Government embedding the reforms detailed in the 2020 Construction Playbook at all levels – from the major departments and arms-length bodies, right through to local authorities.”

Matthew Fell, CBI Chief Policy Director, said:

“A thriving construction industry will be essential to the success of the UK in the coming decades. Not just in hitting net-zero and levelling-up, but in developing a world-class built environment: which is the foundation and the fabric of a modern, globally competitive and sustainable UK economy.

“All of this is achievable and should be the common goal for Government and private enterprise. But it is only through financial stability and a secure operating environment that business investment will create the technologies, innovations and skills to drive the transformation needed, at the pace needed.

“The industry’s response to the coronavirus pandemic shows what is possible when a sector pulls together in the same direction. A similar accord between the private sector and Government is needed now. If UK construction is to develop strong, new foundations on which to build back better and construct the future the country needs, it must seize this moment to change behaviours once and for all.”

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Japan goes back to the forest: but for fuel not construction

Despite a homebuilding industry that went into a virtual standstill during the pandemic, Japan last year used its highest rate of domestically produced lumber since 1972. The reason — they burned more of it for energy as part of a broader decarbonization drive.

But even with the 48-year high in lumber self-sufficiency, some in the industry are saying more needs to be done to boost Japan’s production to achieve an even higher level.

“We need to increase the use of lumber in order to promote the cycle between planting trees and utilizing them,” said an official at the Japan Federation of Wood Industry Associations. “We are hoping for new demand in fields like mid- and high-rise buildings.”

Domestic lumber made up 41.8% of the entire amount used in Japan in 2020 — a record year-on-year increase of 4 points. Total Japanese lumber production increased 0.5% in 2020 to 31.15 million cu. meters.

But production of lumber products used in construction materials plunged 10.3% to 15.8 million cu. meters. This largely stemmed from a 9.9% decrease in new homes that went into construction that year, to 815,340.

“The rise in Japan’s self-sufficiency rate is an irregular phenomenon,” said a sales representative at a lumber wholesaler. “It doesn’t feel like demand has grown as much as that figure suggests.”

The supply of imported lumber also fell 15% to 43.3 million. Trading houses and homebuilders greatly scaled back on overseas purchases, while demand in the paper industry sank as well.

Rather than increased domestic production in lumber construction products — which has been a goal for the Japanese government — the rise in self-sufficiency was propelled mainly by growing demand for biomass fuel.

Biomass is considered a less carbon intensive energy source than fossil fuels, since it is made up of plants that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. Production of wood fuel, including for biomass power plants, increased 28.8% in 2020 to 8.93 million cu. meters amid a growing global push for decarbonization.

But the Japanese lumber market has changed drastically since the beginning of this year. A homebuilding boom in the U.S. has squeezed shipments to Japan, causing a so-called wood shock here. Japanese companies are now looking to domestic lumber to fill the gap.

A new law also entered into effect on Oct. 1, promoting the use of lumber not only in public buildings but in private-sector construction as well.

Japan currently has little excess supply of lumber. There is a shortage of loggers to cut trees and forest roads are not being built quickly enough. Processing plants will need time to expand capacity as well.

Log shipments to construction material factories in January-June came to about 62.5 million cu. meters, according to Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Although the figure increased 1% from a year earlier, it remains 7% below where it was for the same period in 2019, before the coronavirus.

Japanese cypress is now at its highest price in over 23 years, out of reach for many buyers, as the domestic lumber supply struggles to keep up. Expanding Japan’s production capabilities will be key for the construction sector to drive an increase in the country’s self-sufficiency rate.

 

Source: Nikkei Asia

 

 

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From Coalmine to Low Carbon Energy Provider

Local homes and businesses may soon be heated with geothermal energy in Seaham

Green energy springs from abandoned UK coalmine, by Olivier Devos

 

Dawdon coalmine in northeast England was abandoned three decades ago, but is being brought back to life as the unlikely setting for a green energy revolution.

The carbon-intensive colliery, near the town of Seaham on the windswept northeast English coast, hauled coal from deep underground until its closure in 1991.

Dawdon has long since flooded with water because part of the mine is below sea level, and is heated by geothermal energy.

Authorities now want to capture and harness this valuable and unlimited green energy source to power a new garden village development.

“The heat is basically coming from the ground,” said Durham County Council official Mark Wilkes, whose portfolio includes climate change.

Water deep inside the mine heats up underground to about 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit).

At the colliery’s entrance, where thousands of miners once rushed to work, the vast pipes of a treatment plant now suck up the equivalent of a bathtub of warm water every two seconds, which is used to heat up a separate water supply.

In turn, this water circuit is heated via a pump until it reaches 55-60 degrees Celsius.

The plant treats the highly acidic and ferrous water in order to prevent contamination of local beaches and water supplies.

Its heat will eventually power local homes, while the treated water is released back into the sea.

 

Industrial revolution turns green

“We are taking what was from the industrial revolution—and we’re using it for the green revolution,” Wilkes told AFP.

Heat from the water has so far only been used for the heating of the facility.

But in two years’ time the local authority will create a new village of 1,500 homes nearby—entirely heated by the plant.

“It is an unlimited source of energy: the water is coming through all the time,” added Wilkes.

“There are costs with the technology, but hopefully this will help to keep the cap on those costs going forward.”

This is the first geothermal project on such a large scale in Britain, and Wilkes hopes it could also heat nearby businesses.

Britain is heavily dependent on natural gas for electricity generation, although Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who hosts the COP26 climate summit next month in Glasgow, wants to shift all UK energy production to renewable sources by 2035 to help reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

The urgency of the move was underlined by a surge in gas prices last week to record heights, stoked by economies reopening after coronavirus shutdowns and fears of spiking demand in the upcoming northern hemisphere winter.

Durham County Council has yet to name the company that will operate and partly finance the Dawdon plant.

The geothermal heating will not be cost-free but authorities hope it will be cheaper than using gas.

 

Pretty low carbon

“The heat pump uses an electrical input,” said Charlotte Adams, manager for mine energy at the UK Coal Authority industry body, which oversees old mines.

“So it’s not carbon-neutral, but it is energy efficient.

“But as you can imagine, over time the carbon content of electricity is decreasing, as we decarbonise our electricity supply.

“So over time, you’re getting close to something which is pretty low carbon.”

The process is four times more energy efficient than a purely electric heating system, Adams said.

The Dawdon green energy project will cost between £12 million and £15 million, funded via government, the plant’s future operating company and property fees.

 

Source: TechExplore

 

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