Energy Global - Winter 2023

Winter 2023

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ENERGY GLOBAL

CONTENTS 03. Comment

30. Managing energy

Ratimir Brester, Product Owner, and Vivian Bullinger, Product Marketing Management, Solar-Log GmbH, Germany, explore energy management systems for increased grid stability as more sectors electrify.

04. A new renewable age for North America?

Christopher Colacello, Power and Renewables Analyst, BMI, USA, looks at the three key trends that will shape North America’s energy transition.

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WINTER 2023

34. Applying lessons learned from oil and gas to geothermal

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Tom Hultgreen, Principal Geologist, AGR Reservoir Management, and Øystein Andersen, VP AGR Software, outline why true reservoir reconnaissance and accurate drilling budget are crucial to securing geothermal spending.

38. Seis-ing up the subsurface

Nick Tranter, Head of Business Development, New Energies, STRYDE, discusses how new technologies can help aid the development of geothermal projects.

Christopher Colacello, Power and Renewables Analyst, BMI, USA, looks at the three key trends that will shape North America’s energy transition.

N

orth America is currently in the midst of an energy transition, led by the rapid emergence of the region’s renewables industry. Decarbonisation will define the future of the continent’s power sector growth, fuelled by government action to combat climate change and the energy industry’s ambition to capitalise on nascent zero-emissions technologies. Over the past years, the US and Canada have reaffirmed their commitments to climate action with economy-wide emissions reduction targets, as well as a host of supportive policies to accelerate the deployment of zero-emissions technologies at the national and sub-national levels. Governments in each market have set a target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, with interim goals set for 2030 of 40 – 45% reduction from 2005 levels in Canada and a 50 – 52% reduction from 2005 levels in the US. These targets and policies have set a path for North America to continue its power sector transformation and underpin BMI’s view that renewables will be the driving force behind the region’s power sector growth over the next decade. The renewables industry will play a critical role in North America’s energy transition, which requires a rapid acceleration of the deployment of solar, wind, and battery storage to meet decarbonisation targets. BMI believes that the competitive landscape is in the industry’s favour, as emissions targets and declining cost trends continue to make zero-emissions resources increasingly competitive in the North American market and reduce opportunities for investors in conventional energy sources. This will reshape the region’s energy mix over the next 10 years as increased investment flow to renewables leads to a sharp reduction coal-fired power and a stagnation of natural gas development.

North America’s renewables industry is set to transform the region’s power sector over the next decade, and BMI expects three key trends to characterise the sector’s next stage of development.

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42. Putting geothermal projects on the fast track 5

04

10. Big and small, to everything in between

Juan Matson, Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc., USA, details the versatility of battery energy storage systems.

14. Good things come in threes

Scott Childers, VP of Essential Power, Stryten Energy, identifies three battery chemistries that are powering the clean energy revolution.

20. Alternative storage

Randall Selesky, CRO at EnerVenue, USA, describes how lithium-Ion supply issues are accelerating the need for capable stationary energy storage alternatives.

Ted Moon, Tony Pink, and Alexis Garcia, NOV, makes the case for how resource management solutions developed for oil and gas can accelerate the commercialisation of geothermal projects.

46. The land of ice and fire: Iceland's renewable scene

Théodore Reed-Martin, Editorial Assistant, Energy Global, delves into how Iceland has harnessed its unique geology to create an impressive renewable scene.

52. Four strategies to cut turbine OPEX

Dylan Cronin, Director of Sales, Energy, vHive, considers four strategies to cut wind turbine operational costs in 2024.

56. Global news

24. Keeping an eye on the weather

Davy Theophile, Head of Renewable Energy at Vaisala, France, addresses how wind, solar radiation, and weather monitoring solutions can help propel the renewable energy industry forward.

Reader enquiries [enquiries@energyglobal.com]

ON THIS ISSUE'S COVER EcoFlow's PowerOcean DC Fit, an easy and unique PV-coupled retrofit battery storage solution, has been an eye-catcher since its launch in October 2023. It is designed for homeowners who want to add batteries to their existing solar panels. Thanks to its PV-coupling technology, the battery system can be directly connected to the solar panels without adding an additional storage inverter or applying for an on-grid permit.

Learn more about how it helps to simplify the installation process: https://enterprise.ecoflow.com/UK/solutions/home-battery/PowerOcean-DC-Fit Copyright © Palladian Publications Ltd 2023. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. All views expressed in this journal are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher, neither do the publishers endorse any of the claims made in the articles or the advertisements.

Winter 2023

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ere we are, Winter 2023, and the end of a year which has seen the continuation of companies, governments and countries announcing new technologies, the signing of project contracts, agreements for funding, collaborations, feasibility studies for new projects – the list of developments driven towards meeting climate targets for 2050 and the Paris Agreement goes on.

The importance of renewable energy was also echoed in the UK government’s recent Autumn Statement; sustainable energy is one of the key areas it will prioritise, with a number of ways laid out in which they will achieve this.

Firstly, the government will legislate for a new investment exemption for the Electricity Generator Levy (EGL), so as to support continued investment in the UK’s renewable generation capacity. This means that the EGL (which will end as planned on 31 March 2028) will not apply for new projects which make the substantive decision to proceed on or after 22 November 2023.1 The government has published a technical note on the exemption, and this will be legislated in an upcoming Finance Bill.

The role of offshore wind in the UK’s future energy supply was also a key point touched upon. To further accelerate the UK’s leading offshore wind deployment, the government will bring forward legislation to provide the Crown Estate with borrowing and wider investment powers – this will help unlock between 20 – 30 GW more of new offshore wind seabed rights by 2030. Moreover, the government and the Crown Estate are working together to bring forward additional floating wind in the Celtic Sea through the 2030s, which could see a further 12 GW of generation deployed, as well as the 4.5 GW round that is due to commence shortly. This has the potential to deliver £20 billion of direct investment from deployment in the area.1

And it is not just the UK that is ramping efforts to meet climate targets.

COP28 Presidency, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the Global Renewables Alliance have recently published a joint report that provides actionable policy recommendations for governments and the private sector on how to triple global renewable capacity while doubling annual average energy efficiency improvements by 2030.2 Meanwhile, BMI’s regional report (starting on p.4) looks at three key trends that will shape North America’s energy transition, with wind energy also crucial to its success in achieving this.

There is also an article from Energy Global’s Editorial Assistant, Théodore Reed-Martin, starting on p.48 which provides insight into a recent visit to Iceland, concentrating on how Iceland is effectively and efficiently generating green energy, along with a selection of articles from AGR (p.34), STRYDE (p.38), and NOV (p.44), covering how the geothermal sector can use lessons learned from oil and gas, to how new technologies can aid geothermal’s development.

As the year draws to a close, the Energy Global team would like to thank our readers and contributors. We look forward to continuing to provide you with current and information market news and developments as we move into 2024. Wishing all our readers a happy holiday season and New Year.

References 1.

‘Autumn Statement’, gov.uk, www.gov.uk/ government/publications/autumn-statement-2023/ autumn-statement-2023-html

2.

‘COP28, IRENA and Global Renewables Alliance outline roadmap at Pre-COP on fast-tracking the energy transition by tripling renewable power and doubling energy efficiency by 2030’, IRENA, (30 October 2023), www.irena.org/News/ pressreleases/2023/Oct/COP28-IRENA-and-GlobalRenewables-Alliance-outline-roadmap-at-Pre-COP

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2023

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Christopher Colacello, Power and Renewables Analyst, BMI, USA, looks at the three key trends that will shape North America’s energy transition.

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orth America is currently in the midst of an energy transition, led by the rapid emergence of the region’s renewables industry. Decarbonisation will define the future of the continent’s power sector growth, fuelled by government action to combat climate change and the energy industry’s ambition to capitalise on nascent zero-emissions technologies. Over the past years, the US and Canada have reaffirmed their commitments to climate action with economy-wide emissions reduction targets, as well as a host of supportive policies to accelerate the deployment of zero-emissions technologies at the national and sub-national levels. Governments in each market have set a target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, with interim goals set for 2030 of 40 – 45% reduction from 2005 levels in Canada and a 50 – 52% reduction from 2005 levels in the US. These targets and policies have set a path for North America to continue its power sector transformation and underpin BMI’s view that renewables will be the driving force behind the region’s power sector growth over the next decade. The renewables industry will play a critical role in North America’s energy transition, which requires a rapid acceleration of the deployment of solar, wind, and battery storage to meet decarbonisation targets. BMI believes that the competitive landscape is in the industry’s favour, as emissions targets and declining cost trends continue to make zero-emissions resources increasingly competitive in the North American market and reduce opportunities for investors in conventional energy sources. This will reshape the region’s energy mix over the next 10 years as increased investment flow to renewables leads to a sharp reduction coal-fired power and a stagnation of natural gas development.

North America’s renewables industry is set to transform the region’s power sector over the next decade, and BMI expects three key trends to characterise the sector’s next stage of development.

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5

The region’s inadequate grid infrastructure will be the main constraint to wind and solar growth, requiring the emergence of new zero-emissions technologies to facilitate the ongoing energy transition. Clean energy manufacturing will additionally play a key role over the next decade amid a push from governments to reshore renewable component manufacturing to capture economic growth and secure supply chains. This is all supported by policy that will catalyse non-hydro renewables expansion, as seen in the impacts to BMI’s wind and solar forecast after the implementation of the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Canada’s 2023 Federal Budget.

green hydrogen – are expected to emerge as enablers of decarbonisation amid rising grid bottlenecks.

North America’s existing interconnection capacity is insufficient to facilitate the demand from developers to connect new wind and solar projects to the grid. This issue will be exacerbated in the coming years as newly enacted policies accelerate non-hydro renewables growth and further strain already backlogged interconnection queues. According to analysis from the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, cumulative wind and solar capacity currently in interconnection queues across the US reached 294.9 GW and 932.8 GW in 2022, respectively. To put this into perspective, the US’ total installed New technologies emerge in response to wind and solar capacity was 140.9 GW and 114.5 GW during grid constraints that same year. Backlogged queues create considerable risks The next decade for the North American renewables sector for developers through costly project delays and thus threaten will differ from its first of breakout growth as the industry North America’s decarbonisation should these installations fail incorporates new technologies and adapts to new challenges. to connect to the grid.

While the previous 10 years of non-hydro renewables expansion Additionally, the region’s grid is currently not optimised for was defined by solar and onshore wind deployment, new the dynamics of non-hydro renewables generation. Intermittent zero emissions technologies – including battery storage and wind and solar generation peaks often mismatch those of demand, and the areas of highest resource availably tend to be far from highly populated demand centres. These dynamics and the region’s current insufficient energy storage and long-range transmission capacity result in high levels of wind and solar generation curtailments to balance the grid. California and Texas are two of the leading non-hydro renewable markets in the US, and their wind and solar expansions have been accompanied by growing curtailments. High curtailment is detrimental to the North American renewables industry as lost generation cuts into profit margins and adds uncertainties to project economics for investors.

While policy reforms to streamline interconnection processes and the construction of new long-range transmission capacity Figure 1. North America – share of total generation mix by technology (%) shows non-hydro is currently underway, the impact of these renewables gaining a share of regional power mix amid decarbonisation push. e/f = BMI initiatives will be realised over the longer term estimate/forecast. Source: EIA, IRENA, local sources, BMI. due to the timelines associated with regulatory proceedings, approvals, and construction.

This is where BMI believes battery storage will emerge in its critical role for the North American renewables industry, as the technology scales rapidly to mitigate grid constraints and integrate growing intermittent generation.

Battery storage deployment was limited up until 2021, but installations are expected to rise sharply during the next few years, supported by falling technology costs and expanding grid management use cases for developers.

Battery storage will not be the only new technology to emerge in the market to meet the industry’s challenges. As North America pursues green hydrogen development, the technology Figure 2. North America – installed wind, solar, and battery storage capacity (GW), with battery storage looking to emerge to manage grid constraints. e/f = BMI estimate/forecast. will enable further non-hydro renewables Source: EIA, IRENA, local sources, BMI. capacity growth by unlocking grid-constrained

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ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2023

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Figure 3. Improving policy landscape to accelerate North American non-hydro renewables deployment. Left hand side: US capacity addition forecasts (GW) and right hand side: Canada capacity addtion forecasts (MW). e/f = BMI estimate/forecast. Source: EIA, IRENA, local sources, BMI.

remains mostly based outside of the continent in Europe and Mainland China. Additionally, the wind industry has been pressured from rising commodity costs for critical inputs such as steel and elevated inflation, leading to higher project costs. This has more acutely impacted wind project development than solar, due to the technology’s higher material usage and exposure to increases in logistics, labour, and financing costs.

Recent clean energy policies have acted as industrial policies, with the aim to bring the manufacturing of components critical to the energy transition back to North America. The IRA includes advanced manufacturing incentives for solar modules as well as wind power and Figure 4. Solar to outperform wind in North American renewables landscape. battery components. The tax incentives so North America – non-hydro renewables capacity additions by technology (GW). e/f = BMI estimate/forecast. Source: EIA, IRENA, Local sources, BMI. far have succeeded in attracting reshoring investment, with American Clean Power regions and reducing curtailed generation. Green hydrogen will reporting that 52 solar panel production plants, 17 wind increase demand for wind and solar generation as production facilities, and 14 battery plants representing US$22 billion in scales up to advance the decarbonisation of industrial sectors investment have been announced since the IRA’s passage in and creates new offtakers for renewables developers.

August 2022. These investments will drive long term certainty for the North American renewables industry by reducing Re-emergence of North American reliance on imported components and increasing domestic manufacturing in response to disruptions supply. That said, BMI continues to expect the region to remain Outside of technology deployment, disruptive global events have exposed to supply disruptions in the near term before domestic highlighted the fragility of renewable energy equipment supply manufacturing capacity reaches scale. chains and forced governments to focus on strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity to mitigate future supply risks.

Policy support incentivises rapid Renewable energy supply chains have become increasingly renewables growth concentrated outside of North America, with Mainland China Policy has been the catalyst for the recent acceleration of dominating the current supply of solar components such North America’s renewable energy deployment, led by the US as cells wafers and polysilicon. The region’s reliance on with the passage of the IRA in August 2022. The legislation Mainland China exposed the North American renewables represents the US government’s renewed commitment to industry to supply shocks, demonstrated by the disruptions climate action and sets in motion the largest investment in seen from the COVID-19 pandemic. These disruptions led to a climate and energy spending in history by the US Congress, slowdown of solar deployment which policymakers must avoid with US$370 billion in incentives for the deployment and going forward if decarbonisation targets are to be met. Supply manufacturing of clean energy technologies. Most important chains are more diverse in the wind segment; however, it still to the renewables industry, the law extended existing clean

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energy production and investment tax credits and implemented new technology-neutral credits for zero-emissions electricity generation projects available through 2032. These tax credits are critical for the US renewables industry as their previous versions were a key driver of the sector’s historical growth and their extended and their modified versions will provide certainty for long term investment while also expanding the development of additional low carbon technologies.

The landmark legislation led to a positive shift in BMI’s non-hydro renewables growth outlook in the US, showing the importance of policy certainty for the renewables industry.

Previously, y/y capacity additions for solar and wind were expected to begin a long-term decline in 2022, as currently available federal incentives were phased out. In BMI’s updated outlook, growth is expected to accelerate once again toward the end of the decade as current supply chain and inflationary pressures ease and developers begin to take full advantage of IRA’s incentives. After the passage of the IRA, Canada followed suit with its own set clean energy incentives in order to remain competitive with the US in the North American renewables market. In August 2023, the Canadian government finalised its version of investment tax credits with the Clean Technology ITC, which provides incentives for solar, wind, geothermal, and energy storage projects. Similar to the US, BMI’s growth outlook for Canada’s renewables sector improved with the implementation of new tax credits owing to stronger expected growth in onshore and solar capacity.

Though BMI expects to see new technologies gain traction in the region going forward, solar and wind will remain the pillars of North American renewables industry. That said, it highlights a shift in development trends for the technologies as solar outperforms wind over the next decade. Pressures on the solar industry are expected to ease sooner and expanded deployment avenues such as distributed rooftop installations and solar plus battery storage will create additional opportunities for the technology’s growth. Wind will remain limited to large utility scale installations and continues to see upward pressures on development costs from elevated commodity prices and financing costs. This places wind power capacity additions at risk of delay and cancellation, particularly for the region’s nascent offshore wind sector.

Conclusion The next decade is critical for the US and Canada in achieving their decarbonisation targets. North America’s renewables industry must continue to drive the region’s energy transition with rapid wind and solar additions, as well as by bringing new technologies quickly to scale. In BMI’s view, the policy landscape has been set to drive these investments and this is reflected in our bullish regional non-hydro renewables forecasts.

The challenges will lie with integrating the vast amounts new renewable generation to the grid and ensuring domestic supply chains can withstand future disruptions to keep North America’s decarbonisation on track.

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Juan Matson, Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc., USA, details the versatility of battery energy storage systems.

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ith increasing urbanisation and greater demand placed on centralised power grids around the globe, there has been a growing focus on finding affordable, decentralised, and decarbonised power solutions to prevent interruptions, avoid shortages, and ensure power quality. For governments, utilities, commercial building operators, and industries in general, finding the solutions that help them move away from conventional power sources toward reliable and more renewable energies allows them to take control of their energy supply and reach net zero goals. This is where battery energy storage solutions (BESS) play an important role.

BESS are efficient, resilient devices that store electrical energy in rechargeable batteries for use at a later time, either at will or when requested to support peak demand.

The result of their integration reduces imbalances between energy demand and production. As a key component for improving reliability across a wide array of applications, BESS enable systems to offer more flexible, dependable, and sustainable power without interruption during instances of unpredictable energy supply or grid overload caused by high demand.

Market research from the Power Systems division of Rolls-Royce has shown that the global storage capacity of installed large scale systems will rise to more than 400 GWh by 2031 – a tenfold increase of the installed capacity in 2022 – according to various public and private sector analyses. BESS solutions will play a large part in helping both utility and demand-side users integrate renewables, reduce peaks, and maximise arbitrage in power markets.

The basics of BESS In the simplest terms, BESS work by accumulating electricity in electrochemical or mechanical batteries from any distributed power source – such as gensets using any type of fuel, the energy grid, solar panels, or wind turbines. Whenever the need arises, whether during peak power demands or

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Figure 1. A typical installation of a large scale battery energy storage system integration with renewables.

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during an interruption such as a power outage, the system will release the stored energy from the battery to provide power for a period of time.

A typical system is comprised of batteries and a power conversion system, often referred to as a BESS string, along with an electrical integration unit composed of step-up transformers and switchgear that creates what is known as a BESS base unit, plus a control system.

During charging, the conversion system converts the incoming electrical energy into a suitable form to charge the batteries. Whenever electricity is needed, the control system – which seamlessly integrates available assets and automates control of power generation, storage, and demand – determines the optimal time to discharge stored direct current (DC) energy. Then the power

Figure 2. Installation phase of Semper Power Project.

conversion system converts it back into alternating current (AC) energy.

Beyond the ability to store, optimise, and discharge during peak demand, BESS are fully scalable to meet the precise, unique needs of each application, offering users a completely modular, plug-and-play solution.

With proper planning to fully define the needed control, integration and scope specifics for each project, the systems can adapt to most use cases with low OPEX.

BESS of all trades BESS can be used for renewable energy integration, grid stabilisation, and backup power supply across various applications of all sizes, including for utilities, communities, manufacturing locations, agricultural sites, commercial buildings, stores and warehouses, schools, hospitals, hotels, and more.

To simplify, BESS solutions are mainly used across three application scenarios to cover any type of business, industry, or utility: > Front-of-meter applications which are integrated into the grid, providing energy to locations that require continuous, large scale, and long-duration power, and improve the renewable integration into the electrical network itself. They help to stabilise the grid by providing frequency regulation and balancing. > Behind-the-meter applications that are tied to the grid and directly supply on-site power to individual and medium-to-small scale facilities such as those in the hospitality, commercial business, education, medical, manufacturing, mining, and other sectors that are seeking to optimise power usage and to have a leaner overall electrification strategy. > Off-the-meter applications which work independently off the grid and are used for critical backup power during times of grid failure or as optimisers of primary power in remote areas without a present or stable grid. These applications are most often used to support mission critical, commercial, and industrial operations, as well as for municipal, school and healthcare locations.

Figure 3. The key to any BESS integration is the implementation of smart controls, such as the mtu EnnergetIQ, that optimises energy storage and distribution.

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When used for utility scale energy storage, large scale BESS can be deployed by utilities to store excess energy generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind farms, releasing stored energy during peak demand periods or when renewable generation is low. Some large industrial facilities also use BESS to help regulate their electricity consumption and avoid peak demand charges. In remote areas without access to the grid, or in emergency backup applications, they can be used as a key component of microgrid systems, allowing critical infrastructure centres to

stay powered during outages to ensure smooth and continuous operation.

Real world examples The wide range of uses for BESS can be illustrated by looking at two very different application projects recently taken on by Rolls-Royce Power Systems, which supplies power solutions for mission critical, standby and continuous applications, combined heat and power generation, and microgrids.

Case study: the Netherlands The company is currently in the final testing phase for its large scale mtu EnergyPack QG battery storage system for Semper Power – a Dutch developer and operator of energy storage systems for wind and solar farms, distribution grid operators, and industrial customers. Once commissioned in 2023, it will be the largest energy storage system in the Netherlands and one of the largest in the EU to date.

The project is an example of a front-of-meter grid scale BESS, with a capacity of 30 MW and a storage capacity of 60 MWh that will be used for frequency regulation and integration of electricity from renewable energy sources into the public grid. When fully charged, the system has the capacity to supply 8000 households with electrical energy for an entire day.

BESS solutions for larger utility, commercial and industrial applications use capacities ranging from a few megawatt hours to several gigawatt hours that can be scaled for specific needs. For example, the configured storage solution to meet Semper Power’s specific needs consists of 168 outdoor battery racks, seven inverters, and an intelligent control platform – called the mtu EnergetIQ – that integrates all assets and allows Semper Power to automate the control of power generation, storage, and demand.

For large utility scale installations, optimised augmentation strategies are simulated to achieve the lowest upfront CAPEX investment. In these cases, an optimised strategy maintains the required capacity and power throughout the project’s lifecycle. This outcome can be achieved in three ways: > Adding future parallel AC installations. > Consolidating older battery systems and adding new battery systems to the freed power conversion systems. > Adding future battery systems at a DC level.

The aforementioned methods each have their advantages and depend on the operational profile of the batteries, footprint, required power/capacity, technology changes and fluctuating commodity costs.

Case study: Small but still mighty In contrast, Rolls-Royce recently supplied six of its mtu EnergyPack battery storage systems – which are designed for customer applications that require lesser power and capacity requirements than large scale

ones such as SemperPower – for the Austrian electricity company, Verbund Solutions, and its e-mobility providers, Smatrics and Allegoan EV, to support six fast charging EV supercharger stations in Austria.

The load limitation of electric grids is often seen as the biggest barricade to the development and operation of EV charging groundwork, especially considering the specific demands placed on the grid for supercharging stations. Many local utility grids tend to reach overload when several EVs are being charged simultaneously in one place, or when high power is being drawn off by supercharger stations within a short span of time, such as busy locations like highway service areas and shopping centres. As the number of EVs in operation increases, the growing number of required supercharger stations is set to create stability problems for power networks when multiple customers request large ‘chunks’ of energy off the grid simultaneously.

BESS help overcome these challenges by supplementing grid power, especially during peak times, through what is known as battery buffering. Furthermore, the significant investment costs to increase the overall grid to accommodate this added demand can be avoided by implementing BESS to address the peaks.

Projects of this scale usually require BESS solutions that are designed for applications with power and capacity requirements between 500 KW and 1000 KWh. Such solutions can be used to support charging infrastructure at business and retail parks, taxi hubs, bus/fleet depots and more.

For the Verbund Solutions supercharge stations, each of the mtu EnergyPack systems deliver 500 KVA/550 KWh for performing peak shaving at times of high demand, helping to avoid the high network charges that arise during peak hours and protecting the stations from overload situations occurring on the local power grid. At each supercharger location, the simultaneous charging of up to four EVs (with 150 KW or two EVs with 350 KW) is possible without overloading the local utility grid. A central monitoring system controls overall operation of the supercharger stations by optimising power generation and deployment in accordance with their defined needs.

Conclusion These two Rolls-Royce project examples illustrate only a small sampling of the versatility and importance of BESS in the modern energy landscape. The global energy storage market is growing rapidly, with the boom in battery solutions being fuelled by the variety of benefits that come from storing power. BESS can be comparatively easy to install in most locations, can be flexibly expanded as required and are suitable for a wide variety of applications. Quickly storing and supplying excess electricity as they help to promote renewable energy integration and energy efficiency, BESS are a leading solution in the changing energy landscape.

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A

s the US and countries across the globe look to move away from fossil fuels and toward more sustainable sources of power, investments in clean energy generation are in the spotlight.

The International Energy Agency estimates low-emissions electricity technologies will account for more than 90% of power generation investment in 2023,1 and energy companies are

quickly improving their wind and solar capture capabilities. However, capture is only the first step in building a more sustainable, energy-secure future for the US. Governments must also invest in solutions to store clean energy, ensuring it is accessible 24/7, even when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing.

Recent initiatives, such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Invest and Jobs

Scott Childers, VP of Essential Power, Stryten Energy, identifies three battery chemistries that are powering the clean energy revolution.

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Act (IIJA), play a key role in expanding US energy storage capabilities. The IRA, for instance, provides US$60 billion in funding for clean energy research and infrastructure, including a tax credit for standalone and solar-powered storage technology – rather than requiring it be paired with energy generation technology to qualify.

For their part, energy storage system manufacturers are developing

a wide variety of battery technologies capable of short, medium, and long-term duration storage. They are finding new ways to expand the capacity of long-standing battery chemistries, taking advantage of today’s cutting-edge solutions, and investigating use cases for promising new technologies. A variety of battery chemistries will be needed to meet storage demand in the coming years –

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2023

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so vanadium, advanced lead, and lithium will each play a key role in the clean energy revolution.

This article will take a deeper look at each chemistry and its clean energy applications.

renewable generation, a process called energy shifting. These BESS must be able to discharge energy continuously for four to 12 hours at a time.

VRFB technology can meet that need, making them ideal for applications where energy security is critical, such as The future: Vanadium redox flow batteries military, telecommunications, and healthcare institutions, as A newer technology on the energy storage scene is the well as for utility grid support. vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB), which is a good fit for VRFB offers uses cases beyond energy shifting – for the longer durations needed by renewables. Often, solar example, energy resiliency and increased renewables panels generate more energy during the day than is needed, integration, as well as offering voltage support and frequency and the same is true of wind turbines at night. Rather regulation for the grid – and additional use case research is than risk either wasted energy or curtailment, renewable underway. Snapping Shoals EMC, a Georgia utility provider energy generators instead are using battery energy storage for some of the fastest-growing areas in the nation, is testing systems (BESS) that can hold energy when demand is VRFB and its ability to help the company store clean energy low and then discharge it when demand surges past for its 100 000+ residential and business customers.2 This demo project – a 20 kW, 120 kWh system – is proving the capabilities for VRFB technology in utility use cases such as energy cost control, peak shaving, and avoiding curtailment.

VRFBs have several key advantages over other types of BESS. For instance, VRFB systems support a near-limitless cycle life with proper maintenance and high-capacity stability, lasting more than 20 years without the electrolyte losing energy storage capacity. With such a long lifespan, these battery systems can match the lifetime of the renewables they are paired with, thus providing a sustainable energy storage solution for on-demand power needs.

Additionally, the electrolyte in VRFB systems is infinitely recyclable, which adds to its long-term Figure 1. The Stryten Energy Gen0 VRFB is in operation at the GridNXT Test Facility at advantage as a domestically available source of the Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC). The VRFB prototype has dispatched 30 MWh of energy over 1100 cycles. vanadium for generations to come.

Another major differentiator of VRFB is safety.

Thermal runaway is not a risk, and so there is no need to space out battery modules. Given its mostly aqueous nature, VRFB systems are flame resistant, and the electrolyte can be stored in large vertical silos for compact siting.

The next step toward making VRFB a leading storage solution will be continuing to build the technology’s US domestic supply chain.

Manufacturers have made this effort a priority, striving to set up the same type of circular economy that the industry uses for lead. For the VRFB at Snapping Shoals, the electrolyte was manufactured in Maryland, and the system was assembled in Georgia. The domestic vanadium energy storage industry is fast becoming scalable, domestically available, sustainable, safe, and resilient.

Figure 2. Stryten Energy specifically designed and sized this system for an initial evaluation phase with Snapping Shoals where the company will conduct long-duration testing that is six hours or more. Stryten intends to explore several business cases, including renewables integration, to identify those that are best suited for the VRFB’s unique attributes.

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The standard-bearer: Lead batteries For more than a century, lead has been the preferred chemistry for energy storage – and not just because of its plentiful deposits across the US, with approximately 280 000 t

Figure 3. VRFB technology is ideally suited to provide medium and long-duration energy storage to help ensure grid stability and facilitate increased utilisation of renewables for businesses and consumers across the US.

of recoverable lead produced in 2022.3 But it is not often that new lead is needed. There are American battery manufacturers that solely rely on recycled lead to produce new batteries, making these batteries highly sustainable with domestic vertically integrated supply chains.

Lead has a proven circular economy that produced more than three times as much reusable material as new lead in 2022 – approximately 950 000 t.4 In addition to recycling the lead itself, battery manufacturers have a well-established process of breaking down a lead battery’s components, retrieving the plastic chips, converting them into resin, and moulding the resin into new components. In all, the reclamation process enables manufacturers to build lead batteries made of 80% or more of recycled components.

This closed-loop supply chain, driven by recycling, can serve as a model for tomorrow’s energy storage systems such as vanadium and lithium, particularly as manufacturers look to reduce the risks of relying on foreign nations for critical storage components.

Lead BESS applications for clean energy grids run the gamut, from running fast response systems to grid support and load shifting. These systems can respond almost instantaneously for brownout and blackstart situations, or run as long as six hours to move peak solar generation into the evening hours. Although they are not as applicable as VRFB for durations longer than six hours, their impact on the clean energy transition cannot be understated.

The US government has taken steps to make the chemistry an even more attractive option for generators looking to grow storage capabilities within their clean energy infrastructure. Through the Department of Energy’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge,5 researchers are investigating strategies to bring the levelized cost of batteries and other storage technologies to the US$00.05/kWh target by 2030 – 2035. Out of 10 battery technologies analysed, lead has the potential to be an economically viable resource to help integrate renewable energy sources to the grid, at a fraction of the research budget necessary for lithium.

The trend: Lithium batteries Lastly, lithium batteries are well known in the energy storage market for their motive power and electric vehicle power capabilities, but they also have a place in clean energy grids.

Lithium uses include smoothing renewables or preventing

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surges and sags in power. These lithium energy storage systems typically have short to medium durations of 15 mins. – 4 hours.

This storage type, though present in the energy storage industry for years already, has a way to go to be as sustainably sourced and manufactured as lead, with a recycling rate much lower and with sourcing stretching across the globe to rely heavily on China. The US federal government, in conjunction with the private sector, are working on this issue, with the IIJA dedicating US$3.1 billion in funding to build more batteries and components in the US and shore up domestic supply chains. Additional federal investments of US$335 million are earmarked to solve the challenges of lithium battery recycling.

Vanadium, lead, lithium: A trifecta for clean energy storage The future is bright for clean energy investment and infrastructure – but generation alone is not enough to help the US increase energy resilience with sustainable power.

Now is the time to expand storage infrastructure, ensuring no solar, wind, or other types of clean energy captured goes to waste. A variety of energy storage technologies are needed to meet the demand. Lead batteries will lead the way with their well-established supply chain and domestic availability; energy dense lithium batteries will help store energy in space constrained places; and vanadium redox flow batteries will fill the need for long-duration energy storage, matched with a lifespan and storage capabilities of 20 years or more that can ensure energy resiliency and security for generations to come.

References 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

‘Clean energy investment is extending its lead over fossil fuels, boosted by energy security strengths’, International Energy Agency, (25 May 2023), www.iea.org/news/clean-energy-investment-is-extending-its-lead-over-fossil-fuelsboosted-by-energy-security-strengths ‘Stryten Energy and Snapping Shoals EMC Celebrate Installation of Georgia’s First Vanadium Redox Flow Battery System’, Stryten Energy, (2 August 2023), www.stryten.com/georgias-first-vanadium-redox-flow-battery-system/ GARSIDE, M., ‘Production volume of lead from mines in the United States from 2010 to 2022’, statista, (2 March 2023), www.statista.com/statistics/892365/leadproduction-volume-united-states/ ALVES, B., ‘U.S. volume of secondary lead recycled from scrap between 2010 and 2022’, statista, (17 April 2023), www.statista.com/statistics/209383/recycled-volumeof-lead-in-the-us/ ‘Energy Storage Grand Challenge’, U.S. Department of Energy, www.energy.gov/energy-storage-grand-challenge/energy-storage-grand-challenge

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L

ithium-ion (Li-ion) has been the most prominent battery chemistry deployed for stationary energy storage – but quickly evolving factors are fast-tracking the exploration of alternatives that will likely remain preferable across many use cases. Most pressing among these factors is a persisting lithium shortage, driven by the automotive industry’s rapid shift to Li-ion-guzzling electric vehicles (EVs) and an increasingly intense appetite for lithium resources in consumer goods. The related increase in materials cost has also

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increased scrutiny of Li-ion’s shortcomings: fire risk, long-term degradation, and environmental and recycling issues.

Both industry and government leaders now cite a market need for creative, safe, and cost-effective alternatives that are not dependent on Li-ion. US Senator, Joe Manchin, and bipartisan colleagues recently called for greater government investment in non-Li-ion energy storage technologies,1 while administration officials predict that companies offering Li-ion alternatives will hit the benchmark of 1 GWh in orders

in 2023. Prudent businesses and energy providers seeking more practical technologies for their stationary energy storage projects are already discovering an increasing group of promising options, from metal-hydrogen to sodium-ion to gravity-assisted battery systems.

While Li-ion will likely continue to be the standard for EVs, any of these other three battery technologies

have the demand, capabilities, and growing track record to take starring roles in near-future stationary use cases.

EVs running on Li-ion create a run on Li-ion resources, driving the stationary market to explore more fitting solutions As government requirements for zero-emission vehicles come into effect, and as automobile companies commit to bringing a wider selection of these vehicles to market, the demand

Randall Selesky, CRO at EnerVenue, USA, describes how lithium-Ion supply issues are accelerating the need for capable stationary energy storage alternatives.

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on lithium production increases and the mining industry responsible for lithium supply struggles to keep pace. Experts foresee this gap in Li-ion supply and demand lasting for years.2 However, there is a silver lining to this economic pressure on Li-ion supplies: the stationary renewable storage market will closely examine available emerging alternatives and, in many cases, find them superior across key variables. Until now, the stationary market has opted for Li-ion as the most available

and de facto technology, and not necessarily because it is particularly suited for all stationary use cases.

The market shakeout caused by this Li-ion supply disruption will likely result in more efficient and appropriate technology utilisation for energy use cases up and down the cleantech revolution, because Li-ion is an ideal fit for EVs. EVs are viable due to the high energy density Li-ion batteries provide. At the same time, Li-ion batteries feature a relatively short duration power supply and rather hefty operating expenses, two factors that are acceptable in EV use cases but more detrimental with stationary power applications. From an economic perspective, EV automakers will therefore remain able to pay the premium for Li-ion supply throughout the shortage, while organisations involved with stationary energy storage will be increasingly incentivised to pursue alternatives.

Li-ion’s shortcomings for long-term stationary storage

Figure 1. The company’s EnerStation houses stacks of the company’s energy storage vessel batteries.

Figure 2. The company’s storage vessels are designed to be easily stackable, configurable, and scalable to meet diverse energy storage use cases.

While Li-ion functions well enough in the moderate temperatures and environments that EV drivers generally live in, the technology has more difficulties operating under extreme temperatures and conditions. As extreme environmental conditions continue to expand their global reach, organisations must consider this limitation when planning stationary Li-ion deployments. At the same time (and relatedly), Li-ion presents real risks of fire and thermal runaway, requiring extremely careful planning, maintenance, and safety measures to guard against disastrous consequences.

A confluence of factors adds up to create another major issue: Li-ion batteries face finite lifespans because they are susceptible to long-term degradation, utilise toxic materials, and (as of yet) have no global standards for labelling their compositions or enabling recycling. By their nature, Li-ion batteries contain components that require advanced techniques to separate.3 For EV applications, Li-ion battery manufacturers are far more concerned with optimising for safety and battery life, with less immediate concern for recyclability. Without standardisation and recyclability-by-design, Li-ion recycling remains inefficient and costly. These factors increase the appeal of alternative stationary energy storage technologies that avoid toxic materials, use more easily separable components, are fully recyclable, and feature longer lifespans as well.

Metal-hydrogen battery technology offers a compelling Li-ion alternative

Figure 3. EnerVenue’s EnerStation is loaded for transport to a new project.

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Metal-hydrogen batteries directly address many of the concerns that Li-ion raises for stationary storage. These batteries utilise non-toxic, low-cost materials that carry zero fire or thermal runaway safety risks. Whereas Li-ion batteries can last a decade or two but display significant annual degradation that requires augmentation, metal-hydrogen batteries have tested lifespans of 30 years or more with almost no degradation, offering significantly greater cost-effectiveness the longer they run.

In a recent use case study demonstrating the promising appeal of metal-hydrogen for stationary energy storage, a major east coast utility had a test centre and small operational

system with a Li-ion battery solution that reached the end of its life and needed replacement. Instead of pursuing a new Li-ion installation, the utility chose to test a metal-hydrogen battery for energy storage. The utility is exploring metal-hydrogen’s capabilities in supporting a microgrid application, as well as traditional capacity-based applications, such as solar smoothing and peak shaving. The test will also demonstrate how installing, commissioning, operating, and maintaining metal-hydrogen batteries compares with Li-ion.

Another utility in the US Southwest has plans to test the technology for applications that address its most significant grid challenges. They have ordered a 25 MWh system to be cycled over four hours (a standard Li-ion application), but also at longer durations of up to 10 hours. The utility also plans to charge and discharge the batteries up to three times per day, using the flexibility afforded by the 2 – 12 hour capacity of metal-hydrogen batteries to address use cases that cannot be solved with current solutions.

As proven technology with battery chemistry adapted from orbital spacecraft applications including the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope, metal-hydrogen batteries have completed more than 200 million cell hours. They have demonstrated the ability to thrive at temperature extremes and complete 30 000 charge/discharge cycles with minimal degradation.

Metal-hydrogen batteries also succeed in large scale remote stationary energy storage environments such as wind farms, solar plants, and microgrids because they have no regular maintenance requirements due to their lack of moving parts.

One of the largest power producers in the US is also in the testing phase with a metal-hydrogen energy storage system, with the goal of replacing its Li-ion deployments with metal-hydrogen batteries. This testing illuminates how metal-hydrogen technology can be more frequently cycled (and with minimal degradation), setting the stage for the power producer to multiply its revenue streams by serving multiple markets at the same time. Metal-hydrogen’s ability to cycle as often as three times a day offers a valuable potential solution for smoothing out traditional morning and evening peaks in grid demand.

The initiative also prepares the power producer to meet an emerging challenge: locations where EVs are commonplace are now experiencing a third daily demand peak as consumers plug in their EVs to charge overnight (traditionally the period with the lowest demand). Considering that by 2030 over half of projected car sales in the US will be EVs, EV charging will be testing the grid in coming years just as Li-ion supplies are being tested now. The multiple cycles made possible by metal-hydrogen technology potentially offers tremendous peace of mind to grid operators when it comes to addressing this third peak on the horizon.

Sodium-ion batteries offer a direct Li-ion replacement Sodium-ion batteries operate similarly to Li-ion batteries, but represent a notable technology upgrade on several fronts.

Sodium-ion battery materials are far more environmentally sustainable and far less dangerous from a toxicity perspective.

They are also low-cost and more easily available. Factories that currently produce Li-ion batteries could relatively easily switch to sodium-ion battery production, enabling a rapid shift to this drop-in technology.

That said, sodium-ion is also projected to match or exceed Li-ion in energy density and performance. That means the technology could see future demand in the EV market as well, complicating its future as a stationary energy storage solution.

Gravity-assisted batteries offer a promising approach to stationary energy storage Gravity-assisted batteries store energy within the mass of suspended bricks made of composite materials, hanging from towers that can reach up to 500 ft in height. Utilising cranes, cables, and pulleys (along with software designed to orchestrate the apparatus), gravity-assisted batteries quite simply and elegantly store energy by elevating bricks and then releasing energy to the grid by lowering them.

These systems can move multiple bricks at once to capture or release energy stores as needed. They feature exceptionally rapid energy delivery and absorption speeds, with responses measured in milliseconds. Gravity-assisted batteries therefore excel in supporting use cases such as restoring a grid’s power following an outage, balancing out intermittent energy delivery from renewable sources to the grid, and quickly delivering backup energy on demand. These batteries also leverage commodity equipment, enhancing their affordability.

Gravity-assisted batteries do require a large physical space with which to operate. This makes them inappropriate for some urban locations, but ideal for remote use cases. Desert settings, closed mining and extraction sites, and brownfield or superfund areas are all well-suited locations. While this technology is thus far unproven at scale – and designs, as well as operations and maintenance costs, still have some question marks – gravity-assisted batteries have a vast potential for stationary use cases that is well worth exploring.

More options make for a more robust renewable energy storage marketplace Li-ion paved the path to the current renewable energy storage landscape. Now, other energy technologies emerging as viable options for stationary use cases will empower organisations to avoid the fallout of the current Li-ion supply storage, as well as shortcomings in any one technological approach going forward. Backed by a flexible breadth of available options, future applications no longer have to use Li-ion by default, but will harness the ideal technology for the use case at hand.

References 1.

2.

3.

MURRAY, C. ‘Manchin urges investment in non-lithium energy storage, Jigar Shah predicts 1 GWh orders in 2023’, Energy Storage News, (7 February 2023), www.energy-storage.news/manchin-urges-investment-in-non-lithium-energy-storagejigar-shah-predicts-1gwh-orders-in-2023/ [accessed 08/07/23].

BOVE, T., ‘A top lithium expert agrees with Elon Musk that there’s not enough of the crucial metal to meet booming demand’, Fortune, (22 April 2022), https://fortune.com/2022/04/22/lithium-expert-says-supply-is-not-enough-to-keep-upwith-demand/ [accessed 27/06/2023].

WILLUHN, M., ‘The issues with Lithium-ion battery recycling – and how to fix them’, PV magazine, (28 October 2020), www.pv-magazine.com/2020/10/28/the-issues-withlithium-ion-battery-recycling-and-how-to-fix-them/ [accessed 22/06/23].

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Davy Theophile, Head of Renewable Energy at Vaisala, France, addresses how wind, solar radiation, and weather monitoring solutions can help propel the renewable energy industry forward.

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he wind and the sun – Earth’s most important and ever-present energy sources – are helping usher in a cleaner and more sustainable era of power generation. It is critical to effectively harness the immense potential of these renewable energy sources in order to stop relying on harmful fossil fuels and move the planet forward.

Given the intensifying consumer demand and global governmental prioritisation

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of sustainability, large scale renewable energy projects can create lasting societal change. However, the growing size and scale of modern wind and solar projects demand accurate resource monitoring to elevate wind and solar performance and make renewables more competitive, efficient, and sustainable.

Figure 1. WindCube Offshore integrated into floating LiDAR system.

Source: AKROCEAN.

Figure 2. WindCube installation for Basic Energy.

Source: Basic Energy.

Exploring how groundbreaking weather measurement technologies drive wind and solar energy advancement, it is important to highlight the pivotal role of accurate weather data in optimising efficiency, safety, and decision-making across the wind and solar farm cycles.

The significance of weather data in renewable energy With the renewable energy landscape transforming and powerful solar and wind technologies progressing, the success of this shift toward sustainability depends on accurate, reliable, and fully integrated solutions that provide users the scalability and data quality necessary to tackle today’s greatest energy challenges.

The weather plays a multifaceted role throughout the lifecycles of renewable energy projects – from development and operation to ongoing maintenance – influencing annual energy production, cost, supplier compliance, efficiency, and safety. Weather data informs ideal site selection, system design, and turbine or array configurations during development to optimise energy capture, maximise production, and ensure project bankability. It is key to assessing energy production assets’ performance and thus maximising production. Historical weather trends and patterns reveal the best locations for wind and solar projects, contributing to detailed resource assessments that determine expected power generation.

Reliable weather information remains vital for renewable energy projects. Wind behaviour, solar irradiation, temperature, precipitation, and other weather phenomena all affect wind and solar farm performance, turbine output and fatigue, as well as solar panel degradation.

Finally, as many are all too aware, severe weather events – such as lightning or extreme winds – can lead to safety hazards and downtime without proper monitoring.

Lightning strikes can damage equipment, endanger personnel, and even disrupt power generation.

From the performance and efficiency to the resilience and safety of wind and solar installations, Mother Nature’s impact on renewable energy projects is undeniable. In the face of increasing renewable energy penetration, accurate weather data helps inform decision-makers at every stage of the wind and solar lifecycles to extract maximum value from wind and sunlight.

How LiDAR propels wind measurement campaigns into the future

Figure 3. Vaisala AWS810 Solar Edition delivers PV industry stakeholders with accurate weather data with full compliance to IEC61724-1 standard.

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Recent wind industry evolution – aided by advances in wind LiDAR – has equipped developers, operators, and turbine manufacturers with bankable and accurate data for project financing, as well as wind farm output and performance predictions. Although remote sensing devices once struggled for wind industry acceptance, the technology’s increased accuracy, agility, and simplicity meet multiple needs and applications with proven deployments in diverse terrains and environments on and offshore.

LiDAR can precisely measure wind speeds and gusts at far greater heights than traditional tower-mounted

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anemometers. The technology maps wind direction and complex flow patterns across a site, detecting shifts at different locations and altitudes.

As the average hub heights and rotor diameters of wind turbines rapidly increase to meet greater turbine generation capacities, the inadequacy of meteorological masts (met masts) – an older, traditional method of measurement – is amplified. Met masts are too impractical, expensive, and error-prone for wind resource assessment (WRA), failing to reach the hub heights of today’s modern turbines. Worse yet, shorter masts rely significantly more on data extrapolation techniques that tend to introduce error and uncertainty. Met masts are also expensive to maintain and require working at heights; risks eliminated by modern LiDARs, such as Vaisala WindCube.

Thanks to these clear advantages, some forward-thinking organisations deploy LiDAR as standalone devices. Mainstream Renewable Power, for example, sought to demonstrate a given site’s generation and dependable revenue predictability using WindCube vertical profiling LiDARs from Vaisala. Used as a standalone measurement device due to its proven accuracy and reliability, the IEC-classified WindCube measures at heights up to 300 m with 20 simultaneous measurement heights. Facing dramatic changes in wind climate or unusual vertical wind speed patterns, Mainstream Renewable Power leveraged LiDAR to collect wind data at greater heights than met masts allowed. The resulting data sets removed the need for vertical met mast data extrapolation, improving energy yield estimation accuracy.

As flat, simple terrains become unavailable due to demand, more wind farm developers are seeking out more challenging locations in complex terrain, where LiDAR again proves itself as a necessary alternative to met masts.

LiDAR’s mobility and ease of deployment enable companies to take measurements in multiple locations during the WRA campaign, ultimately delivering a more comprehensive picture of wind conditions across sites with unique landscape features, such as hills, mountains, or forests.

Nacelle-mounted LiDAR is used for power performance testing, or so-called power curve verification, a contractual step to verify a turbine’s power output before wind farm commissioning. It provides wind measurements up to 700 m in front of the turbine and a greater understanding of how characteristics like atmospheric stability, shear, and veer can affect turbine performance over time.

Offering the wind energy industry a generational leap forward, LiDAR is now used in every wind energy-producing country and region across the world. As the quality and quantity of the technology’s data improve, LiDAR unlocks a deeper understanding of the wind to propel the renewable energy industry into the future.

The solar energy solutions lighting the way forward Humans have used the sun’s energy for thousands of years, but have only recently developed solar technologies

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efficient enough to overcome fossil fuel dependence.

Solar energy solutions empower stakeholders throughout the solar lifecycle by unlocking new efficiencies and making solar projects more competitive and profitable against competing energy sources. From prospecting and development to construction and commissioning to operations and life management, automatic weather stations equipped with solar irradiance sensors have emerged as indispensable tools in optimising the efficiency of solar energy projects.

Solar irradiance (or the intensity of sunlight hitting solar panels) lies at the heart of solar energy production.

Accurate solar irradiance data enables solar farm developers to spot the best locations and apply the most relevant designs, but also operators to forecast energy production, predict fluctuations, and adjust operations to make the most of changing light conditions. But solar irradiance is just one piece of the puzzle.

Modern automatic weather stations are equipped with an array of sensors to measure key weather parameters like wind speed, wind direction, ambient temperature, precipitation, photovoltaic module temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure, as well as global, diffuse, and ground-reflected solar radiation. This holistic approach to environmental monitoring helps companies evaluate impacts like cloud cover and atmospheric conditions to predict panel efficiency, gauge the potential for dust or dirt accumulation, and understand the cooling effects of wind on energy output.

The true power of automatic weather stations is not just in data collection but in data quality control.

By processing the information these stations gather, advanced algorithms identify patterns and anomalies that empower developers, O&M contractors, and asset managers to guide them towards their assets’ optimal performance.

Amid the escalating momentum of renewable energy projects, tech-driven solar energy solutions help convert sunlight into clean, efficient, and sustainable energy, paving the way to a brighter tomorrow.

Unleashing the power of technology The planet’s renewable energy revolution is driven by advanced environmental monitoring technologies that optimise wind and solar projects across their lifecycles.

Technological innovation has paved the way for a future where every gust of wind and every sunbeam fuels thriving sustainably.

Forward-thinking companies are fundamentally changing how the world is powered by optimising wind and solar farms based on the data-rich insights provided by LiDAR, automatic weather stations, and other environmental monitoring solutions. When every watt counts – and environmental stewardship is paramount – the transformative impact of environmental monitoring solutions can help chart a course toward a greener, more sustainable future for everyone.

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I

n the course of the energy transition, the global demand for electricity is increasing. The electrification of sectors, especially within heating and mobility, are two factors that play a decisive role in this. In order to meet the rising energy demand, the supply of electricity – ideally from renewable sources – must be expanded and the appropriate grid infrastructure must be in place. This poses some challenges for all parties involved, energy producers

and grid operators, which are solved with feed-in management and so-called energy management systems, among other things.

New requirements to ensure grid stability The electricity grid used to be a one-way street of a few central large power plants whose energy flowed to many consumers. Today, consumers have become

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so-called ‘prosumers‘ (producers and consumers) who both purchase and feed in electricity. The increase in generation plants has made the core task of grid operators – maintaining grid stability – more complex. In order for the interaction between the decentralised ‘prosumers’ to function smoothly and grid stability to be maintained, feed-in management is needed. This places controllability requirements on each ‘prosumer‘.

Ratimir Brester, Product Owner, and Vivian Bullinger, Product Marketing Management, Solar-Log GmbH, Germany, explore energy management systems for increased grid stability as more sectors electrify.

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Simple feed-in management – limited feed-in (x-%) The regulations or requirements of feed-in management differ in their complexity. As a rule, this means that the larger the plant, the more complex the requirements that the plant must fulfil. These requirements are implemented with the help of energy management systems, such as the Solar-Log energy manager.

A simple feed-in management system with a fixed power allocation, e.g. 70% of the installed power, means that the system automatically regulates itself to x-% of the system power. This measure ensures that in the event of an energy surplus, an excess of electricity does not flow into the grid and cause an energy overload. This can be implemented in very different ways, from direct x-% specification via control devices of the grid operator to independent regulation to x-% at the grid connection point, taking into account production and local consumption.

The latter has the charm that it covers the local demand for energy as best as possible with locally produced energy and thus relieves the grid not only in terms of feed-in, but also in terms of consumption.

A central function of the energy management system is therefore to limit the x % feed-in to the grid. In many countries, fixed or dynamic power limits are now prescribed. This limit can be flexibly set for different threshold values. In this way, different requirements (70% regulation, 50% or 60% regulation with storage promotion, 0% regulation in Spain, etc.) can be served.

In practice, a bidirectional measuring device is usually installed for this purpose, which records the energy flows

at the grid connection point and transmits this information to the energy management software (EMS). In practise, a controller responsible for the EMS evaluates this information and regulates the energy flow from a power source, for example the local photovoltaic (PV) system.

However, it can also happen that the grid operator sends a control specification via its controllers and regulates the system to this value. Depending on the size of the system and the installation location, the specifications can vary greatly, as the grids have grown historically.

Interconnection control – PV power plants The larger the PV plant, the more complex the implementation of feed-in controls becomes. Especially in PV power plants where many inverters come together, the demands on the EMS increase.

In order to reliably implement feed-in management for plants of such sizes, several energy management devices are linked together via an Ethernet network. Through this networking, the control signals of the grid operators can be exchanged among each other.

With Solar-Log, such complex architectures can be realised via the interconnection control principle. Here, the signals from the grid operator are received at the master EMS and distributed to the connected inverters via the slave EMS. For this system architecture, the Solar-Log System allows the master to be coupled with up to nine slaves in the network. By networking the EMS, complex requirements (several plant sections and feed-in points and many different inverter manufacturers) can be implemented.

By using the interconnection control license, it is also possible to divide the system for direct marketing. By using slave units, the system is divided into areas. A separate direct marketer can then be selected for each area. Any reduction commands from the direct marketers are prioritised with the commands from the energy suppliers and documented accordingly. This makes it possible to implement a wide variety of scenarios and react to the respective needs on site.

Peak load management (peak shaving)

Figure 1. Feed-in management means the controllability of decentralised generatin plants. There can be different gradations.

As can be seen in the picure, for example a reducition to 30% or even 0%.

Figure 2. Stucture of x-% feed-in control for PV systems with the Solar-Log energy management system.

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One area of energy management that is an essential part of reducing and making energy consumption more flexible is peak shaving.

Peak shaving aims to reduce short-term consumption peaks and increase the base load. Such consumption peaks are caused, for example, by machines that only run temporarily. If the capping of these peaks is successful, less generation capacity has to be kept in reserve, which in turn increases the plannability for the energy supply companies and reduces the costs for the consumer. This is because in some countries, higher prices are charged for these consumption peaks.

For the reduction of peak loads, controllable consumers and energy storage systems are primarily used. A distinction is made between controllable and

non-controllable consumers. Non-controllable consumers cannot be made technically flexible, neither in terms of time nor in terms of power. In the manufacturing industry, it makes sense to check whether organisational adjustments can avoid strong load peaks.

Controllable consumers are controlled by the energy management system in order to directly influence the current consumption. Depending on the consumer, the time of energy consumption and/or its amount can be varied.

Examples are wallboxes for charging electric vehicles or systems for heat or cold generation.

For non-controllable loads and to improve the operating phases of controllable loads, it is worthwhile to use an energy storage unit. This is discharged in phases of increased energy consumption and recharged when the base load is fallen short of. This leads to a normalisation of daily consumption.

extend to the provision of balancing power and other grid services.

Conclusion The interaction between feed-in management and EMS is crucial for the efficient utilisation of renewable energy.

Feed-in management regulates the feed-in to the electricity grid by optimising the production of renewable sources.

At the same time, the EMS integrates energy management strategies to control consumption. By precisely monitoring production and consumption, the system enables prompt adjustment. The result is a balanced grid that minimises peak loads. Seamless interaction between these subsystems promotes grid stability, optimises energy efficiency and facilitates the integration of renewable resources into energy management.

Peak shaving combined with e-mobility Peak shaving and e-mobility are two concepts that can be combined to improve grid stability and better manage demand during peak periods.

The energy management system already ensures that the PV system in combination with a corresponding battery storage system is used to reduce the connected load at the grid interconnection point and to avoid peak loads. Electric vehicles can also be integrated into this intelligent charging management system and controlled in such a way that they are preferably charged at times of low load. This helps to distribute the additional energy demand caused by electromobility and, in turn, to avoid load peaks.

A perfect team – for more growth Currently, the main motivators for the use of peak load capping are avoided costs for grid expansion and the reduction of grid charges. The optimisation is based on a Figure 3. Interconnection control for feed-in management at PV constant maximum load, which must not be exceeded. power plants.

The Solar-Log system follows this optimisation strategy. It allows the integration and control of various charging stations and battery storage units. Additional separating devices can be controlled via a digital output, which additionally prevents the feed-in limit from being exceeded.

Future developments will include further optimisation strategies. Deviating from the current basic load increase, dynamic load profiles can be used.

These are then based, for example, on the grid load or price signals that represent the ratio of generation and consumption. When PV systems are used, self-consumption can also be increased by adapting the charging and discharging times of the storage unit to the expected Figure 4. Building a peak shaving solution solution with e-mobility. generation. Other fields of application

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Tom Hultgreen, Principal Geologist, AGR Reservoir Management, and Øystein Andersen, VP AGR Software, outline why true reservoir reconnaissance and accurate drilling budget are crucial to securing geothermal spending.

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A

s the world seeks cleaner and greener energy sources to combat climate change, geothermal energy is forging its place amongst renewable solutions as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.

The advantages are obvious: there is enormous resource potential and – unlike the intermittency of wind and solar – geothermal is

a constant, stable source of energy, so is easier to predict and manage. It is also one of the most convenient and cheapest electricity sources available today.1 Therefore, enabling its application worldwide is essential to hasten the energy transition and reinforce energy security (Figure 1).

However, while operational costs are low and consumer prices competitive, it requires mammoth investment to explore and drill for

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geothermal resources, as well as construct supporting power plants and infrastructure: considerably higher than coal, oil, and gas power plants.

Overcoming the technological and commercial challenges requires urgent innovation and collaboration if geothermal energy is to play a credible and cost-effective role in a low carbon future.

Considering uncertainty in geothermal reservoir modelling Ranging from a few feet to several kilometres deep, geothermal wells – like oil and gas wells – are vertical or deviated and can be extended laterally over horizontal distances: up to about 1.5 km and dipping at angles of less than 45˚ as measured from the vertical. 2 Having a comprehensive and real-time view of a geothermal reservoir gives investors in-depth and live analysis of the drill site, its environmental make-up, how it might respond when work begins, pressure and temperature over time, and, perhaps most importantly, its possibilities and profitability.

Constructing such reservoir models is a multidisciplinary effort between the fields of geophysics, geology, petrophysics, reservoir engineering, and reservoir modelling.

Today, AGR, a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy and software provider, employs 3D and 4D static (or geological) and dynamic (or simulation) reservoir models to accurately deliver a complete view of reservoir’s potential with pinpoint accuracy.

The geothermal reservoir modelling process includes gravimetric, magnetic, seismic data, and well exploration and production data. These are analysed using both exploratory and confirmatory statistical methods and tools. Models typically show the crucial integration of the vital components and characteristics of the energy stored in the rock, and the fractures which form the connectivity or transportation ‘highway’ for energy in the reservoir.

In tandem, uncertainty and sensitivity reservoir analyses are also conducted to produce several stochastic

Figure 1. Illustrative summary of how geothermal energy works.

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model realisations using Monte Carlo algorithms.

The output can include uncertainty ranges – from the most optimistic to most pessimistic outcomes – for example, P10-P50-P90 (a 10% chance becomes P10, a 50% chance P50, or a 90% chance P90) volumetric figures, or Tornado diagrams as shown in Figure 2. This data guides and supports decision-making processes relating to geothermal reservoir development and management.

Unravelling the complexity: What sets geothermal wells apart from conventional oil and gas wells Rousing investor appetite and building trust in investment decisions is key to strengthening the business case for high-cost geothermal projects.

Geothermal wells have distinct differences in their design, function, and operation than oil and gas wells. Geothermal projects typically involve multiple investors and stakeholders. With multiple parties involved, decision-making can become complex and time-consuming. Each investor or stakeholder may want to have a say in project-related cost decisions, and achieving a consensus can be challenging.

All of this adds up to longer drilling days, operations in deeper and higher-temperature environments, and contend with low reservoir pressure, potential lost circulation, and more expensive equipment.

And because the value of heat is lower than hydrocarbon values, the sometimes-unclear economic case makes it harder to justify the green light for geothermal projects.

Probabilistic risk and reward analysis of geothermal wells AGR’s drilling software, iQx TM was utilised by RED Drilling & Services GmbH (formerly RAG Energy Drilling) to enhance uncertainty understanding and improve geothermal drilling time and cost estimation.

The Austria-based company switched from using a deterministic (Excel-based) approach to probabilistic well planning (often also called as Monte Carlo method). iQx was developed in the early 2000s to improve time and cost estimation modelling for any type of hydrocarbon well drilling. It has recently been redeveloped to be applicable also in geothermal well drilling.

RED’s switch from using a deterministic (Excel-based) approach to probabilistic was game changing as the software offers a more complete and accurate view of time, cost, and risk estimation.

By applying the iQx Monte Carlo probabilistic simulation methodology, the rig and engineering specialist, can offer clients an assessment of cost range that will enable more accurate project budgets and avoid overruns. This approach is a compelling part of the proposition for investors.

The software provides answers that are not easily found in other planning tools, which struggle to map out all possible outcomes and risks that can arise during well operations or identify why a well may be more or less expensive than planned.

Transforming geothermal potential with oil and gas technology One of Europe’s largest private developer of geothermal power plants in Germany, Deutsche ErdWärme, decision to adopt the iQx platform stemmed from the desire to leverage a proven system from the oil and gas industry to geothermal field. They firmly believe in the principle that “there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.” Their aim is to bring the benefits of digitalisation to the geothermal sector, which, at this point, relies significantly on manual processes for extraction planning and management.

The software was used to significantly streamline the well delivery process and estimate costs and uncertainties of the company’s first geothermal exploration well GN-Th-1, in Graben-Neudorf, in the South-West of the country.

In November 2022, drilling began on two wells,each to reach a depth of 3700 m to extract thermal water to generate electricity and heat for around 10 000 households.3 In 2023, the testing of the borehole near Karlsruhe, Germany, reached its completion and the outcomes of the geothermal drilling surpassed expectations. Consequently, the Graben-Neudorf-1 borehole holds the distinction of being the highest-temperature borehole (200˚C) in Germany at the depth of 4000 m.

One of the crucial benefits of the oil and gas proven technology was its capability to measure performance against initial estimates. The actual time and cost data collected during operations can be compared to the original projections modelled in the software, enabling the Deutsche ErdWärme drilling team to gauge the accuracy of their predictions. This performance evaluation is vital not only for internal purposes but also for keeping stakeholders informed about the project’s progress.

Another immediate benefit was recording and analysing experiences and the ability to identify what went well and what could have been improved during the drilling process. This self-assessment allows Deutsche ErdWärme to fine-tune their procedures, equipment, and ultimately enhance their capabilities for the next drilling in the project.

Furthermore, the data gathered is valuable for refining time and cost estimates for future wells and ensures that resources are allocated optimally.

The rise of geothermal energy Many experts and renewable authorities consider geothermal power as an essential component of the world’s green energy future but, according to IRENA, its growth has been somewhat measured at around 3.5% annually, 4 reaching a total installed capacity of approximately 15.96 GWe.

Figure 2. AGR employs gravity, magnetics and seismic techniques to identify and define geothermal resources.

Figure 3. Drilling site in Graben Neudorf, Germany.

Source: Deutsche ErdWaerme.

Its promise as a reliable, zero-emissions power source could be huge. A recent study by the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) estimates that just 6.5% of this potential has been tapped so far. 5 However, the cost of accessing deep geothermal energy remains exceptionally high and the rewards uncertain.

Dynamic reservoir modelling and probabilistic drilling time and cost estimation will deliver a more accurate method of assessing geothermal project potential, build greater trust in the investment community on the rewards and, ultimately, see more geothermal projects come to fruition. Thanks to learnings from the heritage in hydrocarbons, the whole lifecycle of geothermal extraction can be confidently mapped and monitored to ensure maximised production, optimum safety, and unlock new efficiencies all whilst minimising time, cost, risk and most importantly, environmental impact.

References 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

LI, K., BIAN, H., LIU, C., ZHANG, D., and YANG, Y., ‘Comparison of geothermal with solar and wind power generation systems’, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 42, (February 2015), pp. 1464 – 1474, www.sciencedirect.com/ science/article/abs/pii/S1364032114008740?via%3Dihub ‘Did You Know… geothermal wells can be highly deviated too?’, Utah FORGE: U.S. Department of Energy, (29 March 2021), https://utahforge. com/2021/03/29/did-you-know-geothermal-wells-can-be-highly-deviated-too/ ‘Webinar – Update and first findings of the geothermal exploration well GN-Th-1 in Graben-Neudorg, Germany’, ThinkGeoEnergy, (9 December 2022), www.thinkgeoenergy.com/webinar-update-and-first-findings-of-thegeothermal-exploration-well-gn-th-1-in-graben-neudorf-germany-dec-9-2022/ ‘Global geothermal market and technology assessment’, International Renewable Energy Agency, (February 2023), www.irena.org/Publications/2023/Feb/Global-geothermal-market-and-technol ogy-assessment ‘Geothermal Energy Pros and Cons’, Clean Energy Ideas, (15 October 2019), www.clean-energy-ideas.com/geothermal/geothermal-energy/geothermalenergy-pros-and-cons/

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T

he opportunity of the renewables industry is one that is only growing as the energy market puts sustainability at the forefront of its ambitions on an international scale. With minimal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollutants, the geothermal sector has shown to be heating up over the past few years, with the geothermal power market alone having a projected value of US$6.8 billion by 2026.

This sector, which harnesses the heat energy naturally found beneath our feet for both power generation and heating, has increased in significance over the past decade, with 2022 seeing the global geothermal power generation capacity reaching approximately 14.9 GW.1 Historically, countries like Germany have been making a significant commitment to the energy source for heating purposes, already operating 42 deep geothermal projects with another eight projects under construction or in the planning stages.2 The UK has also been developing its deep geothermal activity, with two headline projects ongoing in Cornwall (including the Eden Geothermal project), intended for the delivery of heat and power. Three other sites are also in use, providing water from geothermal springs and heat from shallower wells.3 Geothermal projects like these are key to the drive to net zero, opening the ability to rely on a more diverse energy mix while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As a clean source of power and heat and an important contributor to the UK’s zero-carbon future, geothermal energy enables new avenues for a cleaner future. However, challenges exist to enable these projects as developers can often struggle to raise project funding, conform with state regulations, appease local stakeholders, and pinpoint viable geothermal production locations, due to a lack of reliable subsurface data.

Despite the current activity to bring geothermal more readily into the energy mix across Europe, there is space for much more development across this sector. According to Phillippe Dumas, the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) lobby’s Secretary-General, geothermal energy is currently used in just 2 million home heating systems in the EU,

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Nick Tranter, Head of Business Development, New Energies, STRYDE, discusses how new technologies can help aid the development of geothermal projects.

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out of a potential 100 million.4 This means that there is a vast opportunity for geothermal, for both heating and power to expand its reach across the EU region.

Heating up for growth

Figure 1. STRYDE NodesTM are lightweight and easily deployed in urban and rural environments.

Seismic data is a key tool in locating geothermal sites, and is also used to de-risk drilling, with both 2D and 3D surveys being an established part of the exploration and development process, improving project success rates. However, many countries across Europe and in the UK have a distinct lack of seismic data, and that which has been acquired is restricted to focus on petroleum exploration, in areas with little overlap to geothermal needs.5 Due to the traditionally expensive equipment and activity required to gain knowledge of the subsurface in the run-up to drilling geothermal wells, the industry faces a challenge in developing new geothermal projects as operators are prevented from evaluating the subsurface potential due to the affordability of seismic data.

To access the seismic data that geothermal operators need, companies must adopt technologies that can deliver seismic insights whilst avoiding high costs and minimising the impact on the surrounding environments. This presents a difficult challenge to the industry, one which STRYDE aims to overcome with low-cost seismic data acquisition solutions.

Originally designed for the oil and gas industry, STRYDE’s technology and fast-track data processing services enable effective de-risking ahead of drilling operations, by providing operators with detailed images of the subsurface.

High-quality technology with low environmental impact

Figure 2. STRYDE Nodes deployed on the Eden Geothermal resulted in improved discussions for land access with minimal enviromental impact.

In a recent project in Europe, STRYDE’s technology was used to acquire a 3D seismic survey for geothermal exploration purposes. The survey covered 80 km2 of urban terrain, creating a high-resolution image of the underlying geology.

In a built-up area like the one encountered in this project, the small and inobtrusive nature of the technology, which is the world’s smallest to date, along with its ability to enable rapid field operations and minimised interruption of local urban life, is seen as a key enablement tool for future geothermal projects where geothermal energy will be used to heat and power urban communities.

This compares with the industry’s traditional and common use of cabled geophones to conduct land-seismic surveys, where the use of this technology is complex, expensive, and highly intrusive to the survey environments, requiring large crews and long project times. This has traditionally limited the ability of operators to acquire seismic data in these types of environments, resulting in not being able to afford to acquire seismic data, or having to compromise on the quality of the image acquired.

From urban to Eden Figure 3. STRYDE enables geothermal exploration on a global scale.

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STRYDE’s technology can also be utilised in more remote environments, enabling seismicity monitoring of existing geothermal activity to assure the safety and integrity of geothermal wells.

In a project conducted with the University of Oxford in the UK, STRYDE NodesTM were used to help Eden Geothermal with microseismic monitoring of water injection activity on a geothermal well. By developing an understanding of the impacts of water injection on the geothermal well, the data acquired

by STRYDE’s low-cost nodes was able to help analyse potential interactions with subsurface faults.

STRYDE’s technology was chosen for use on the UK site due to its ability to feasibly acquire a high-density subsurface data set required for high-resolution seismic data and informed decision-making.

The project’s survey site was a 3 km radius surrounding the injection well, which was located in agricultural terrain. Although this caused some challenges with gaining access to private land within the survey parameters, the miniature and nonobtrusive nature of the STRYDE Nodes that were going to be deployed on private land, resulted in conversations with 20 different landowners being far more straightforward than initially anticipated, with no objection to deployment of the nodes.

The nodal technology was deployed five days ahead of the injection operations commencing, to acquire a baseline dataset.

During node deployment, two small teams placed 450 nodes across the survey area in just 2.5 days. The speed of this deployment resulted from the lightweight and nimble qualities of the nodes. With the nodes being deployed quickly, planning, and logistical costs were also reduced, resulting in further cost savings and allowing the university to stay within the grant restrictions placed on the project.

Overall, a total of 28 days’ worth of continuous passive seismic data was recorded. This was enabled by the long-lasting battery of the node, ensuring that none of the nodes needed to be replaced throughout the duration of the data acquisition.

Insights for sustainability To harness the opportunity that geothermal energy has to offer across Europe and the UK, the industry must scale up its knowledge of the subsurface.

With STRYDE enabling over 25 new geothermal projects in the last 24 months, seismic equipment, such as that offered by the company, will give operators the knowledge and subsurface insights they need to de-risk and develop geothermal projects quickly and at a more affordable price point.

References 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

FERNANDEZ, L., ‘Geothermal energy capacity worldwide from 2009 to 2022 (in megawatts)’, statista, (14 April 2023), www.statista.com/statistics/476281/globalcapacity-of-geothermal-energy/ IVANOVA, A., ‘German govt plans measures to tap geothermal potential for heating’, Renewables Now, (14 November 2022), https://renewablesnow. com/news/german-govt-plans-measures-to-tap-geothermal-potential-forheating-804631 ‘New report assesses deep geothermal energy in the UK’, British Geological Survey, (17 July 2023), www.bgs.ac.uk/news/new-report-assesses-deepgeothermal-energy-in-the-uk/ JACK, V., ‘EU sees geothermal boom as bloc digs deep to replace Russian gas’, Politico, (4 July 2023), www.politico.eu/article/europe-geothermal-energy-boomeu-digs-deep-replace-russia-gas/ ‘Harnessing Earth’s Heat’, The Magazine of the Geological Society of London, (Autumn 2023), https://geoscientist.online/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GEO_ AUTUMN_2023.pdf

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The home for the latest LNG industry news, analysis, comment and events Visit our website today:

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Ted Moon, Tony Pink, and Alexis Garcia, NOV, makes the case for how resource management solutions developed for oil and gas can accelerate the commercialisation of geothermal projects.

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eothermal energy is both the largest potential source of renewable energy on earth and the one that is used the least.

The earliest applications – hot springs for local heating and bathing in ancient Rome, and the use of geothermal power plants for generating a few hundred kilowatt-hours of electricity in the early 1900s – only scratched the surface of geothermal’s potential as a reliable, carbon-free, always-on energy source.

Even today, conventional geothermal power production capacity totals roughly 16 GW worldwide, which is just 0.5% of electricity generation capacity from renewables.1 But now a combination of factors (technology advancements, societal demand for sustainable energy, and bi-partisan governmental support for renewable energy projects that promise long-term job growth) are aligned to take geothermal energy from a minority player to a mainstream provider of safe, reliable, and widely-available heat and baseload electrical power.

There is growing enthusiasm for enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), which inject water into dry geological formations at temperatures from 150˚C – 300˚C (302˚F – 572˚F) and bring the superheated water back to the surface for district heating and power generation. Groups like the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) see EGS production and superhot rock projects, which are a deeper and hotter extension of EGS (Figure 1), as viable means of expanding geothermal’s global reach by eliminating the need to tap into natural steam in shallow, lower-temperature reservoirs.2 These steam reservoirs are only located in select spots around the world, many of which have a long history of cultural significance to the region.

But despite EGS’ promise, the pace of commercialising EGS projects remains painfully slow. CATF points to a lack of engineering investments and limited engagement with an industry that has the people, technical know-how, and practical experience required to bring commercial scale EGS projects online in less time and at lower costs – namely, oil and gas.

CATF sees technology companies, such as NOV, as taking a critical role in applying proven oil and gas drilling, completion, and production solutions to advance EGS. NOV is uniquely positioned to take its 160 years of technology innovations developed for oil and gas and make the right engineering iterations to deliver for geothermal. And, just as importantly, the company has the necessary resource management and process implementation services to shorten the time to get commercial EGS projects up and running.

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NOV is actively working to resolve several challenges to shorten EGS’ commercialisation timeline and ensure reliable, long-term resource management for decades of steady geothermal generation.

Optimising drilling systems for higher rate of penetration and fewer trips The high cost of drilling, which currently represents more than half the cost of developing a geothermal project, is a major factor in the

slow pace of commercialisation. It is also slowing the progress of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Enhanced Geothermal Shot, an initiative to cut EGS costs by 90% to US$45/MWh by 2035.3 EGS drilling is so expensive due to the extreme environments and depths where the source rock is found. EGS reservoirs are drilled through granite formations 10 – 20 times harder than sidewalk cement and reach temperatures of 250˚C (482˚F) or higher. These conditions can quickly damage or destroy drill bits – adding time and additional trips to the surface to make repairs or replacements.

NOV’s ReedHycalog business unit developed the PhoenixTM series of high-performance polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits to withstand these conditions and drill farther and faster in hard rock. Drawing on extensive product development expertise and rapid prototyping capabilities at NOV’s Engineering, Research, and Development Test Centers in Texas, Phoenix drill bit specialists design, build, and test specific drill bits that last longer, increase rate of penetration (ROP), and lower overall drilling costs for a given geothermal application.

Case study: USA

Figure 1. Like EGS, superhot rock projects will use injection and production wells in direct-contact or closed-loop systems. But superhot rock wells will go deeper into hotter rock formations, bringing 5 – 10 times more heat to the surface. Source: CATF.

ReedHycalog tested its drill bit selection process in a well at the DOE’s Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) project in Utah. Initial discussions with the DOE on the nature of the geothermal drilling environment and anticipated challenges informed the optimal drill bit design for the well.

Advanced cutter testing and failure analysis from previous wells helped identify the most suitable cutter shape, diamond grade, bit body, and chamfer type for the specific rock composition and drive type. The resulting systematic improvements helped mitigate similar bit failure risks for more reliable drilling of longer intervals.

Based on this upfront drill bit analysis and design work, ReedHycalog built a 9.5 in. Phoenix TKC83 drill bit for the FORGE well test (Figure 2). This test well would mirror a previously drilled well with a 300 ft TVD offset, a 5˚/100-ft curve, and a 65˚ tangent to reach a target zone with a bottomhole temperature ranging from 220˚C – 230˚C (428˚F – 446˚F).4 Drilling followed a Limiter Redesign Workflow developed by researchers at Texas A&M University to identify and address factors that limit the efficiency of the well construction process.5 ReedHycalog stayed engaged during this workflow by analysing digital data and dulls daily and redesigning bits to redistribute cutter wear, increase aggressiveness, and make iterative changes to cutter grade and shape.

This process improved bit longevity and ROP while reducing drilling time and costs. While the previous well logged a total on-bottom time for the drill bit of 312.3 hours, the optimised Phoenix bit reduced the on-bottom time by 63% to just 115.6 hours.

In addition, the new bit drilled through 500 ft (152 m) of granite with an average ROP of 109 ft/h (33 m/h) without the need for replacement or repairs, proving that this optimised design workflow increases bit longevity and ROP to reach the target zone in less time.

Case study: New Zealand Figure 2. The 9.5-in. Phoenix TKC83 drill bit, custom-developed for the DOE’s FORGE well test.

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This same drill bit optimisation process helped reduce geothermal well construction costs in New Zealand. The country’s volcanic and interbedded formations create drilling challenges for conventional

roller cone bits that lower ROP and shorten bearing life, resulting in costly bit refurbishments.

ReedHycalog laboratory tested and custom-built a bit with new shaped-cutter technology and durable backup elements on an unconventional drill bit chassis. The result: a 16-in.

E1426 PegasusTM bit, which was a dual-diameter design with improved durability and reduced torque variation compared to conventional PDC and roller cone bits.

The drilling team successfully ran the new bit four times without repair – a feat other bits could not achieve in the volcanic formations. The ability to run the bit multiple times is critical in remote locations, as it avoids the time and costs of transporting a worn or damaged bit to a repair shop, replacing PDC cutters or secondary components, and shipping it back to the field.

The new bit surpassed the geothermal operator’s previous interval drilling length record by 233%, averaging a 13% higher ROP while significantly lowering the weight-on-bit requirements.

Compared to the average drilling cost for all other bit types, the new design reduced the drilling cost per metre by more than 50%.

Case study: Japan In Japan, ReedHycalog’s bit optimisation process helped tailor a bit design for a geothermal formation comprising pyroclastic, sandstone, siltstone, tuff, and andesite interbeds. An 8.5-in. matrix-bodied bit was designed with thermally resistant IONTM 4DX cutters in primary rows and ION 3D cutters in backup positions.

This design ensured sufficient cooling to maximise the cutting structure’s run life, saving 60 hours of trip time and US$254 000 in operating costs. On a cost-per-metre basis, the optimised bit saved the operator 49% compared to offset roller cone bit runs.

Case study: the Philippines ION cutters also helped improve drilling efficiency through a volcanic rock formation for a geothermal project in the Philippines.

A 12.25 in. matrix body bit design equipped with ION+TM Fortis ultrathick diamond, high-impact resistance cutters successfully drilled the interval at a higher ROP compared to roller cone bits while delivering a 30% lower cost per metre compared to a previous well.

Protecting downhole equipment from high-temperature, corrosive conditions Extreme downhole temperatures often exceed the design capabilities of bottomhole assembly tools and electronic sensors used for directional drilling applications. NOV has developed various products and services to manage high temperatures and keep downhole equipment cool, including mud coolers, insulating drill pipe coatings, and low heat coefficient coatings that maintain critical production temperatures while improving hydraulics, protecting against corrosion and mitigating deposits.

Additionally, NOV Tuboscope’s TKTM-Coatings and TM TK -Liner systems successfully address high heat and corrosion in geothermal heating applications. For example, a large greenhouse operation in the Netherlands deployed TK-Liner’s glass-reinforced epoxy liner system inside the production tubing of its geothermal district heating system. The liner’s enhanced thermal insulation properties helped ensure a reliable supply of geothermal heat to greenhouses throughout the winter,

with minimal heat loss. It also protected the carbon-steel tubing from corrosion and significantly reduced CAPEX costs by up to 80% compared to corrosion-resistant alloys like stainless steel or chromium tubing.

Effectively bringing geothermal heat to the surface and the facilities that use it Once the wells are drilled, they must be completed to maximise the delivery of geothermal energy back to the surface.

NOV Completion & Production Solutions takes a two-pronged approach to optimising the completion process for geothermal wells. First, the segment is working to raise the high-temperature performance capabilities of well construction equipment like completion strings, cementing equipment, fracturing tools, pumps, and downhole sensors. Second, the group leverages TK-Liner and TK-Coatings to help keep the wellbore, and the sensitive electronics and tools within it, cooler as the superheated fluid travels to the surface.

Once at the surface, fibreglass piping systems and internally coated steel tubulars transport the heated fluid to the facilities that will use it for district heating and power generation. Lighter and more corrosion resistant than conventional metallic piping, fibreglass systems offer a lower lifecycle cost and an efficient installation option. The insulated composite piping systems and coatings also minimise heat losses across large distances due to their low heat coefficients.

The company’s systems have a history of proven performance in geothermal applications worldwide. For decades, cities across Europe have implemented fibreglass piping in vast district heating systems to provide reliable heat to millions of homes.

NOV continues to provide piping systems and fibreglass tanks for geothermal production operations, supplying heat to power plants near California’s Salton Sea. NOV is also ready to supply field-assembled, large-diameter tanks for upcoming geothermal lithium extraction pilot plant projects.

Conclusion The company’s commitment to geothermal resource management to accelerate development and reduce costs is generating interest among geothermal developers in the US and abroad. CATF says that NOV’s proven ability to drill down to deep heat at a reasonable price is opening the door for dialogue with new geothermal operators in Europe. Seeing the successes at lowering development costs gives these operators the confidence to pick up the pace of their geothermal project developments.

References 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

‘Global geothermal market and technology assessment’, International Renewable Energy Agency, (February 2023), www.irena.org/Publications/2023/Feb/Global-geothermalmarket-and-technology-assessment HILL, B., ‘The carbon-free energy resource you’ve never heard of: superhot rock energy’, Clean Air Task Force, (12 July 2022), www.catf.us/2022/07/the-carbon-free-energy-resourceyouve-never-heard-of-superhot-rock-energy/ ‘Enhanced Geothermal Shot’, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy: Geothermal Technologies Office, www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/enhanced-geothermal-shot SUGIURA, J., LOPEZ, R., BORJAS, F., JONES, S., MCLENNAN, J., WINKLER, D., STEVENSON, M., and SELF, J., ‘Oil and Gas Drilling Optimization Technologies Applied Successfully to Unconventional Geothermal Well Drilling’. Paper presented at SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, UAE, (September 2021), https://doi.org/10.2118/205965-MS. DUPRIEST, F., and NOYNAERT, S., ‘Drilling Practices and Workflows for Geothermal Operations.’ Paper presented at the IADC/SPE International Drilling Conference and Exhibition, Texas, USA, (March 2022), https://doi.org/10.2118/208798-MS

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I

celand has recently garnered a lot of media attention, with the town of Grindavik being evacuated as magma-induced seismic activity ripped the town’s roads apart. Thousands of earth tremors were recorded as the Blue Lagoon tourist attraction closed, and workers tried to fortify the Svarsengi geothermal power plant. The root cause of this is a 15 km river of magma running underneath the peninsular that is slowly getting closer to the surface of the earth’s crust.

Though there was a brief lull in activity, the entire Reykjanes peninsular remains under alert as earthquakes have been creeping over magnitudes of three. Experts maintain that is not a case of ‘if’ but ‘when’ there will be an eruption, with the location most likely to be in the middle

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part of the dike between Hagafell and Sýlingarfell.1 Potential impacts on tourism, travel, energy infrastructure, and of course the township of Grindavik are still cause for concern.

Geological disturbances like this are not entirely unprecedented in the area, especially since the Reykjanes peninsular, dormant for 800 years, ‘woke up’ in 2021.

Iceland’s location on the mid-Atlantic ridge has made it a veritable hotbed of volcanism and geothermal activity, which stands in contrast to its cold and wet Atlantic climate. Despite its inherent risks, Icelanders have capitalised on the island’s unique geology and transformed it into a renewable powerhouse.

The government of Iceland have set ambitious targets in their green-transition. Unlike most countries, the country

aims to be at net-zero by 2040 instead of 2050. This commitment is self-evident in the energy economy wherein only 15% of baseline energy is produced using fossil fuels for the transport sector. Even more remarkable is the fact that over 99% of electricity is generated from green resources.

Iceland is both the largest green energy producer and the highest producer of energy per capita globally, producing an annual average of 55 000 KWh per person, which is almost 10 times more than the EU average.2 This report examines Iceland’s approach to energy generation, focusing on the extensive use of geothermal and hydropower resources, and how advanced these sectors have become to the point where developing a wind sector has become almost redundant.

Geothermal energy Geothermal activity is associated with active volcanoes where there is a source of heat in magma chambers a few kilometres from the surface of the earth. A source of water is also required to set up a hydroconvective system, and rocks have to be permeable enough for such water to seep through to the heated source. Once enough water is trapped in the rock, conductive heat transfer becomes possible, the water is then brought to the surface, cooled, and then dropped down to be heated again. This is a geothermal system.3 The mid-Atlantic ridge running through Iceland is conducive to an abundance of these geothermal systems.

The island is largely made up of basalt, a porous and

Théodore Reed-Martin, Editorial Assistant, Energy Global, delves into how Iceland has harnessed its unique geology to create an impressive renewable scene.

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2023

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permeable igneous rock, and active volcanoes. Icelanders harness the steam and water from these geothermal systems, using propellers to generate electricity and heat to warm their homes.

The geothermal resource has become somewhat intrinsic to the peoples’ way of life, with profound implications on their power, culture, and economy. In 2016, an impressive 65% of Iceland’s primary energy was sourced geothermically, and provided household heating for 90% of the population.

Outdoor heated swimming pools powered using geothermal

heat are common, and function as recreational spaces and communal hubs where people get together, showcasing the juxtaposition of hot and cold as central to the Icelandic lifestyle.

The economic impact has been equally as striking, as harnessing the geothermal resource for power generation saves the Icelandic economy ISK 9.5 billion/y (US$68 million). Of course, not all countries have the same extensive geothermal capacity as Iceland, however the Icelandic model shows just how streamlined and efficient geothermal usage can actually be. Numerous different power generators have managed to split the extraction into multiple revenue streams that function off each other’s waste.

HS Orka

Figure 1. HS Orka’s Svarsengi poweplant behind the Blue Lagoon.

Figure 2. ORF Genetics’ genetically altered barley greenhouse.

HS Orka’s Resource Park stands as an example of Icelandic geothermal efficiency, and has succeeded in transforming the extraction process at the aforementioned Svartengi geothermal powerplant into a multifaceted operation, generating eight or nine separate revenue streams. As the third largest energy producer in Iceland, and the largest privately owned one, HS Orka contributes to about 7% of the nation’s total energy production share. While electricity constitutes 80% of the company’s revenue, the extraction yields other valuable resources and profits, including hot water, carbon dioxide (CO2), geothermal water, lava-filtered seawater, cold water, electricity, and steam.

These ‘by-products’ of the energy generation process are incredibly versatile and have become the foundation for many other businesses. From the Blue Lagoon’s use of geothermal sea water in spas and hotels, to ORF genetics’ use of heat for genetically altered barley for cultured meat and human beauty products, the list goes on. A notable example is Carbon Recycling International’s converting of CO2 into renewable methanol, which is promising as it repurposes greenhouse gases (GHG) for more sustainable alternatives, which is important in combatting climate change (this was covered in greater depth in an article on the Energy Global website).4 Other interesting endeavours include Blue Lagoon R&D cultivating microalgae for cosmetic uses, and Matoka employing lava-filtered seawater for sustainable aquaculture.5 There are, however, still areas of untapped waste, namely silica. Geothermal water extracted from the ground carries mineral concentrations, with silica being the most common in Iceland. Concentrations typically range between 0.6 – 1.2 g/l of fluid, and can form silicates when combined with various metals, which causes scaling issues for extraction pipes. Silica can be used in health and skincare products as well as food supplements, and so this is another example of how waste can be used profitably for geothermal energy.3 While the energy produced in Iceland is not quite ready to be packaged up and exported just yet, the model provided by the nation can be helpful to others. Not only has Iceland managed to harness the geothermal resource for power, but it stands as an example of how versatile extractions can be.

ON Power Figure 3. ON Power’s Hellisheiði geothermal powerplant.

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ON Power is another company that has turned geothermal extractions into more than one source of revenue. The company

owns three powerplants. Andakílsá, a small hydropower plant with a capacity of 8 MW, and then two larger geothermal powerplants: Nesjavelli, with 120 MW of electricity production and 300 MW of total energy; and finally, Hellisheiði, which, using seven turbines, has a 200 MW thermal power extraction and 300 MW in electricity production. The latter of the three is of particular interest, not only because of its sheer size, but because it has attained a symbiotic relationship with numerous carbon management companies.6 While geothermal energy is considered a renewable source of energy, it does still emit CO2, albeit a natural emission.

Indeed, geothermal energy is calculated to emit 38 g/kW of CO2, which is small when compared to the 820 g/kW in coal usage, but emissions nonetheless.7 Conscious of this, ON Power has numerous carbon management businesses propped up around the Hellisheiði powerplant.

While this subject was covered in greater depth in the aforementioned article on the Energy Global website, it is worth briefly touching on here. Adjacent to the Hellisheiði power plant is the Climeworks carbon capture facility Orka, that has the capacity of capturing 4000 tpy of CO2, and runs entirely off geothermal energy. At the same time, Carbfix are currently sequestering 30% of the captured CO2 through carbonating the waste water of the geothermal process, and injecting it underground, where the gas reacts with basalts to form solid carbon underground – another example of how Iceland’s unique geology is utilised for climate-fighting purposes. This technology

Figure 4. Inside VAXA’s Spirulina-growing facility.

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is highly scalable with projections expecting to be entirely carbon neutral by 2030.4 Lastly, there is VAXA, who use the green energy, CO2, and cold and hot non-marine water to grow spirulina, which has numerous health uses.9 Exploits such as these show how Iceland’s renewable scene not only endeavours to slash emissions, but finds ways to repurpose or store that which has already been emitted.

Hydropower Iceland’s other main source of energy is hydropower. Contrary to popular belief it is hydropower, not geothermal, that produces the majority of the electricity in Iceland. While it only accounts for 27% of primary energy, this figure is considerably ‘beefed up’ when transferred to electricity: of the 18 798 GWh produced in 2015, 73% was hydroelectric.

Hydropower harnesses moving water currents to generate electricity, therefore, in order to generate electricity an abundant moving water supply, or a means to move water is needed.

Again, Iceland is benefited by its geology and climate, as it is home to numerous waterfalls, rivers, and glaciers. Moreover, the island is known for its high precipitation, and in 2022 Iceland had a mean precipitation rate of 1287.81 mm, whereas the UK, a renowned ‘wet’ country, only had 1123.79 mm that same year.9 Iceland has over 100 years in experience in hydropower usage, with the first station being built in 1904, and replaced imported coal for cooking needs in Reykjavik by 1937. It was in the 1960s that a serious phasing out of fossil fuel generated power was adopted. Presently there are 237 hydropower plants in Iceland.10 Hydropower utilises water without consuming it and produces no direct waste and the output levels of GHGs are low, though concerns rise when making the reservoirs, as it means repurposing large areas of land and redirecting water on a massive scale.11

Landsvirkjun’s Fjótsdalur hydropower plant One such example of the massive hydropower potential in Iceland is Landsvirkjun’s Fjótsdalur power plant. Landsvirkjun is the national power company of Iceland, and the largest energy producer in Iceland, generating 73% of the total share. Of the company’s 18 plants, 15 are hydropower, which amount to 92% of the company’s total electricity production, illustrating the importance of hydropower to Iceland’s energy economy.

Figure 5. Landsvirkjun’s Búðarháls hydropower plant (585 GWh/y).

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The aforementioned plant is Landsvirkjun’s largest one. The Kárahnjúkar dam built for the station commenced construction in 2003 and involved a process of five dams in two different glacial rivers, that created three separate reservoirs and flooded 440 000 acres of unspoilt highland territory. The station itself became live in 2007, and includes the use of six 115 MW Francis turbines that have an installed capacity of 690 MW and a generation capacity of 4800 GWh/y.12 While the stats are impressive, this was a cause of serious complaint amongst a lot of locals, and shows the sheer amount of land and water Iceland has sacrificed to generate this level of power.

Wind There does seem to be, however, one element that has not yet been utilised. When visiting Reykjavik, it is abundantly clear right away that the country has a lot of wind, and all the means to produce a robust wind sector. However, there are only two wind turbines on the whole island, which are owned by Landsvirkjun, and only used for research purposes; each turbine only has a capacity of 0.9 MW.13 It seems odd, however, since the geothermal and hydropower sectors seem to have electricity covered, the debate remains: do they really need it?

Perhaps the potential for wind energy in Iceland could present a possibility for future export ventures. Although the nation has currently satiated its energy needs through hydropower and geothermal means, the untapped wind potential could serve as a valuable resource in generating additional green energy. As advancements in energy storage technology continue, Iceland could look into the option of exporting wind-generated power, creating yet another lucrative revenue stream for the country.

Conclusion Iceland’s utilisation of geothermal resources and hydropower serves as an inspiring model for renewable energy. While there still remains vast amounts of untapped wind potential, is there really a need to build turbines if they already have their baseload energy covered? Icelanders have managed to harness the clash of active volcanoes with their expansive glaciers to turn the sparsely populated island into a renewable energy powerhouse, and turn their geothermal extractions into multiple revenue streams, and so it seems sufficient enough to not build a wind sector. Though of course, there is always the option of export.

Icelandic renewable endeavours show how the nation has maximised its unique geology to its advantage, and show case the potential the country has in climate-fighting initiatives.

This report will conclude on a poignant Icelandic anecdote. In 2019 the Okjökull glacier became the first of Iceland’s glaciers to disappear due to climate change. Next to the extinct glacier there is a monument bearing a poignant message titled ‘A letter to the future’ that reads “this monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you will know if we did it.”14 This foreboding message acknowledges the situation that we find ourselves in, and the steps that need to be taken – Iceland seems to be taking the message seriously.

References References available upon request.

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ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2023

Dylan Cronin, Director of Sales, Energy, vHive, considers four strategies to cut wind turbine operational costs in 2024.

T

he imperative to trim operational costs has never been more critical for wind turbine operators and owners. With the proliferation of larger turbines situated in increasingly remote locations, compounded by supply chain hurdles, escalating material costs, and ageing infrastructure, operational expenses have soared to unprecedented heights.

As the world stands on the cusp of 2024, asset owners and operators are at a pivotal juncture. The challenge before them is to meticulously optimise turbine operations, enhancing efficiency and financial viability while upholding meticulous maintenance standards.

The key to this transformation lies in the willingness to depart from entrenched manual processes and embrace the strides offered by technological advancements. It demands a shift in perspectives and a comprehensive approach to turbine management that integrates various technologies into cohesive workflows.

The digital transformation presents an extraordinary opportunity. Much like other industries, those wind farm owners and operators who have embarked on this digital odyssey are reaping immediate rewards in performance enhancements, increased efficiencies, and financial gains.

This is a new era, where avenues for cost savings are diverse, and digitisation stands out as the transformative force reshaping the game.

This article offer a glimpse into how wind farm stakeholders can strategically downsize operational costs in the upcoming year and beyond, paving the way for a future where efficiency and sustainability are one and the same.

Improve data acquisition with autonomous drone surveys Leveraging state-of-the-art drone technology, such as Autonomous Auto-DiscoveryTM, promises systematic,

ATEGIES TO NE OPEX

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efficient, and scalable turbine surveys. In just 30 minutes, inspections can be completed, eliminating the complexities of manual methods and significantly reducing downtime. The deployment of cost-effective, off-the-shelf drones connected to a robust software platform minimises the need for highly skilled personnel, dramatically slashing inspection times and costs.

way to monitor large scale wind farms and handle massive data sets, while offering actionable insights for swift field operations and preventing issues from escalating and turning into catastrophically costly problems.

No more third-party dependencies: Bring inspections in house Embracing the accessibility and efficiency of in-house inspections, empowered by autonomous drone software, is a game-changer. It allows operators to move away from reliance on third-party services, overcoming traditional challenges like scheduling difficulties and rising costs. In-house inspections powered by autonomous surveys allow the use of more affordable hardware and minimal training requirements, offering flexibility and cost-effectiveness, and putting control back in the hands of asset owners.

Data silos are a part of the old world. Opting for a cloud-based platform accessible worldwide breaks down familiar barriers between systems and stakeholders. The new approach to handling wind farm portfolios facilitates seamless data exchange through partner application programming interfaces, fostering collaboration with Internet of Things (IoT) and other existing systems. By creating a single version of the truth, stakeholders across departments and organisations can work collaboratively from the same data source, minimising lengthy cross-departmental processes and streamlining decision-making.

Artificial intelligence analytics for swift issue resolution

Unlock wind farms potential with digital twins

Harnessing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision algorithms is pivotal in identifying and categorising emerging maintenance issues. Todays’ analytics tools enable faults to be filtered by severity, type, and location, providing instant visibility into blade conditions. In fact, it is the only viable

These capabilities can all be grouped under a transformative technology that is already reshaping the wind turbine landscape – digital twins. These accurate digital representations of turbine data provide comprehensive insights that promote informed decision-making. Digital twins offer wind turbine stakeholders a unified view and understanding of their entire portfolio’s performance and an accurate dive-in to each asset.

By combining autonomous drone capture, AI and computer vision analytics, and a cloud-based platform accessible globally, digital twins become the vital key to dramatically downsizing wind turbine OPEX. This approach saves millions on overdue repairs, minimises dependency on highly-skilled human resources, and reduces costs associated with hardware investments.

Best-in-class Platform for Asset Digitisation in 2023 vHive has recently received the prestigious 2023 Frost & Sullivan award for Best-in-Class Software Platform for Asset Digitisation.

This recognition reflects the company’s commitment to innovation and customer-centric values. vHive remains fully dedicated to providing end-to-end digitisation solutions that transform the industries it operates in, improve decision-making, maximise productivity, and optimise asset value.

Figure 1. vHive’s Turbine Inspection Analytics.

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Create a single source of truth with one platform to rule them all

Seizing the opportunity As in many other industries, digital transformation is rapidly expanding in the wind industry. Those who embrace agility and data-driven approaches have a unique opportunity to reshape turbine farm operations, positioning themselves ahead of the curve and maximising returns on these massive wind farm investments.

The financial benefits of digitising wind turbines are already boosting bottom lines, marking just the beginning of this exciting digital revolution in the renewable energy industry, especially in the wind turbine sector.

Now is the time to seize this opportunity by digitising asset portfolios, adopting new practices, reinventing operational processes, and consequently, slashing associated costs.

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HYDROPOWER

GLOBAL NEWS Bilfinger supports hydropower plant expansion in Lithuania

B

ilfinger is supporting energy company, Ignitis Gamyba, in the expansion of the Kruonis pumped storage hydroelectric power plant (KPSHP) in Lithuania. The order is being realised in co-operation with technology group, Voith, and aims to strengthen Lithuania’s green and independent energy supply. The expansion of the hydropower plant is a response to the Baltic States’ plans to be integrated into the European power grid by the end of 2025, to reduce their dependence on energy imports and to systematically expand renewable energy sources. The order supports Bilfinger’s strategic goal to become number one in efficiency and sustainability for its customers.

The KPSP is located approximately 35 km east of Kaunas and 80 km west of Vilnius. Originally planned to operate eight pump turbines, only four machines with an output of 225 MW each went into operation after completion in 1992. Voith will now supply a new fifth pump-turbine unit, while Bilfinger is responsible for the construction of a new exposed pressure pipeline connecting the upper basin of the power plant with the lower basin and the pump-turbine.

A team from Bilfinger Industrial Services Austria is responsible for the entire value chain for the approximately 900 m long pressure pipeline with a diameter of 5250 mm, including engineering, fabrication, transportation, installation, corrosion protection, and commissioning.

The new plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2026.

KenGen’s Gogo hydropower redevelopment project gets green light

K

enya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) has received a landmark approval from the Cabinet to embark on the Gogo hydropower redevelopment project, heralding a new era of progress for Western Kenya and a significant stride toward clean energy.

This decision, made during a Cabinet meeting, chaired

by President, William Ruto, at State Lodge, Kisumu, brings a ray of hope to the people of Western Kenya, who stand to reap significant benefits from this project.

The Gogo hydropower redevelopment project, situated along the picturesque banks of River Kuja in Migori County, is a visionary initiative poised to elevate the dam’s electricity generation capacity from 2 MW to a robust 8.6 MW. Beyond its economic impact, this transformative endeavour aligns with Kenya’s commitment to clean energy and bolsters its efforts to achieve the 100% clean energy targets outlined in the global climate action agenda.

The existing power plant, with its origins dating back to 1958, has admirably served its purpose, but now suffers frequent breakdowns and the challenges of sourcing spare parts due to its ageing infrastructure.

With the Cabinet’s green light, the Gogo project is set to rejuvenate the reliability of power supply, while stimulating socio-economic activities across the entire Nyanza and Western Kenya Regions.

GE Vernova’s Hydro Power business to upgrade Cushman II hydropower plant

G

E Vernova’s Hydro Power business has been selected by Tacoma Power to refurbish two 27 MW/33 MVA turbine and generator units at the Cushman II hydropower plant, out of the three units installed at the site.

The scope of work includes the design, manufacturing, refurbishment, installation, and commissioning of two new generator stators and refurbishment of generator rotor poles, shaft thrust bearing, as well as two new turbine distributors and refurbishment of turbine runner and

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draft tube.

Located in Mason County, Washington, the US, the 81 MW Cushman II hydropower plant was commissioned in 1930, and can deliver enough renewable energy for about 40 500 homes in the Northwest.

The upgrade is expected to be completed in 2026.

The refurbishment/upgrade of the units will help increase availability and reliability for the power plant and deliver more renewable energy to the grid for another 100 years.

HYBRID

HYBRID

GLOBAL NEWS bp agrees to take full ownership of Lightsource bp

SUSI Partners to fund development of hybrid solar PV assets in Chile

b

S

p has agreed to acquire the 50.03% interest it does not already own in Lightsource bp, one of the world’s leading developers and operator of utility scale solar and battery storage assets.

Full ownership will now enable bp to further scale up Lightsource bp and create additional value by applying bp’s complementary capabilities and strengths – including in finance and trading – fully to the business. bp will continue to target double digit equity returns from this business.

In addition, bp intends to use Lightsource bp’s capabilities as a developer of cost-competitive utility scale onshore renewable power to help meet its own demand for low carbon power. This integration is expected to underpin and de-risk delivery of bp’s targets for its transition growth engines – in hydrogen, EV charging, and biofuels, as well as in power trading. bp has structured and priced the acquisition terms to be highly competitive, reflecting market conditions and with a consideration structure that is biased to performance. In time, bp may also look to unlock further value through bringing a strategic partner into the business.

The acquisition will be fully accommodated within bp’s financial frame and meet bp’s expectations for investment returns from renewables and power, unlevered and before integration benefits. Subject to regulatory approvals, the transaction is currently anticipated to close in mid-2024.

USI Partners, through its flagship Energy Transition Fund (SETF), is expanding its partnership with Chilean clean energy developer, BIWO Renovables, to develop two large scale, hybrid solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage projects with a combined generation capacity of 232 MWp and battery storage capacity of up to 900 MWh. The two designated projects are located in the Santiago metropolitan area and expected to start construction in 2025.

The transaction expands on an existing framework agreement between SUSI and BIWO for the development, construction, and operation of distributed solar PV and wind assets. The proven partnership arrangement will be maintained, with BIWO managing development, construction, and operation of projects and SUSI having developed the battery storage business case and overseeing financial structuring.

The expansion builds on a recent partnership achievement, which saw SUSI and BIWO securing project debt financing for a 107 MW distributed solar PV portfolio. While the two projects being developed under the new agreement are significantly larger in scale, they similarly reflect the two parties’ approach of developing generation assets close to large consumption centres to take advantage of better offtake conditions and reduced curtailment risk.

Diary dates Intersolar North America and Energy Storage North America 17 – 19 January 2024 San Diego, USA www.intersolar.us

All-Energy and Decarbonise 2024 15 – 16 May 2024 Glasgow, Scotland www.all-energy.co.uk

WindEurope Annual Event 2024 20 – 22 March 2024 Bilbao, Spain windeurope.org/annual2024

Global Energy Show 11 – 13 June 2024 Calgary, Canada https://www.globalenergyshow.com/

Solar & Storage Live Australia 2024 01 – 02 May 2024 Queensland, Australia www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/solar-storage-live-aus/

Global Offshore Wind 18 – 19 June 2024 Manchester, UK https://events.renewableuk.com/gow24

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2023

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GREEN HYDROGEN

GLOBAL NEWS Lhyfe awarded grant for first Spanish green hydrogen project

L

hyfe, a global pioneer in the production of renewable green hydrogen for transportation and industrial applications, announces the development of a green hydrogen plant (production capacity of up to 5 tpd) in Spain for which it has been awarded a grant of up to €14 million from H2 Pioneros.

This plant will be Lhyfe’s first green hydrogen production site in Spain, while seven sites are currently under construction in Europe. Lhyfe has about 200 employees dedicated entirely to renewable hydrogen production, with projects in 11 countries and a pipeline of over 10 GW in Europe.

The plant will be located in an industrial area in Vallmoll (Tarragona) and will address demand for green hydrogen from different industrial companies in the area.

Potential clients include companies active in chemical and others industrial sectors which aim at replacing fossil fuels (grey hydrogen and natural gas) currently used in their production process with green hydrogen, as well as transport or logistics companies looking to replace their fleet (trucks, forklifts) with less polluting vehicles like hydrogen-powered electric vehicles.

ACWA Power breaks ground on green hydrogen project in Uzbekistan

A

CWA Power, the world’s largest private water desalination company, leader in energy transition and first mover into green hydrogen, has broken ground on the first phase of a 3000 tpy green hydrogen project in Uzbekistan.

The event was attended by the Prime Minister, Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, the Ministry of Finance; Governor of Syrdarya region, Uztransgaz Chairman; and Mohammad Abunayyan, Founder and Chairman, ACWA Power.

The project will be developed in two phases. The first phase, a 3000 t green ammonia pilot project, is already underway following the signing of the hydrogen purchase and power purchase agreements in May 2023. Once the second phase is complete, 2.4 GW of wind energy will power the production of 500 000 tpy of green ammonia.

When completed in full, this will be ACWA Power’s second utility scale green hydrogen project after the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project in Saudi Arabia, which is a joint venture between ACWA Power, NEOM, and Air Products.

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GE Vernova and Next Hydrogen sign MoU

G

E Vernova’s Power Conversion business and Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to integrate Next Hydrogen’s electrolysis technology with GE Vernova’s power systems offerings to produce green hydrogen.

The process of producing hydrogen involves the separation of water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis, a process that requires a significant amount of efficient and reliable electricity. Green hydrogen is a gas that is produced using a process that generates little to no greenhouse gas emissions and serves as a component for eFuels and ammonia products. The integration of GE Vernova’s power conversion technology provides Next Hydrogen water electrolysers with direct current (DC) power sourced from renewable energy, including solar, wind, and hydro. GE Vernova’s Power Conversion will integrate DC power supplies along with power quality such as synchronous condensers, energy storage, motors and drives for compression and water, and controls with energy management.

In its inaugural phase, GE Vernova and Next Hydrogen plan to pioneer advanced power systems that align with the forthcoming generation of Next Hydrogen electrolysers, which are scheduled to launch in 2024.

THE RENEWABLES REWIND >

Nova consortium awarded €20 million in EU funding for Orkney project

>

Fugro selected by KREDO Offshore to support offshore wind development in South Korea

>

TotalEnergies acquires minority stake in Xlinks Morocco-UK power project Follow our website and social media pages for more updates, industry news, and technical articles.

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WIND

GLOBAL NEWS Moray West transition pieces arrive at Port of Nigg

Orrön Energy completes commercial handover of Karskruv wind farm

G

O

lobal Energy Group (GEG) has welcomed the first delivery of transition pieces (TPs) for the 882 MW Moray West offshore wind farm to the Port of Nigg in the Cromarty Firth. Ocean Winds, the 50:50 joint venture between ENGIE and EDP Renewables, is developing the Moray West project.

In total, 62 TPs will be delivered to Nigg on a rolling programme of delivery and installation, with GEG providing preassembly support services including craneage, logistics, mounting ancillary equipment, and inspection and repair support.

The first delivery to Nigg included two TPs for the offshore substations, allowing progress on the export electrical infrastructure to be made. As part of this critical infrastructure, GEG’s fabrication division completed the fabrication of two J-Tube cages, which will be integrated with the TPs and protect the cables coming from the wind turbines into the offshore substations, as well as the cables exporting the power to shore.

The delivery kickstarts the upcoming campaign to install all 62 TPs onto the monopile foundations, which are currently being marshalled and installed from the Port of Cromarty Firth. Following this installation, the Siemens Gamesa 14.7 MW turbines will be positioned onto each of the turbine bases.

rrön Energy AB has announced the completion and commercial handover of the Karskruv wind farm in Sweden. The wind farm will increase the company’s annual power generation to 1100 GWh, and deliver significant revenues from the SE4 price area. In addition, the company is reducing the 2023 guidance for CAPEX from €80 million to €75 million.

Orrön Energy has taken over the ownership and responsibility of the newly constructed wind farm Karskruv, which is situated in the SE4 price area in southern Sweden.

Karskruv has an estimated annual power generation of 290 GWh, which is generated from 20 Vestas turbines with a total installed capacity of 86 MW. The completion of the wind farm increases the company’s estimated annual power generation to 1100 GWh. The wind farm has been acquired from OX2 AB, who will remain responsible for the technical and commercial management. An availability warranty is in place from Vestas, which guarantees the availability of the turbines throughout their operational life of approximately 30 years and gives the company protection against downtime and outages.

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