ENERGY

GL BAL
WINTER 2022
 Advancing a sustainable
energy future for all
We are advancing the world’s energy system
to be more sustainable, flexible and secure.

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ENERGY GLOBAL

CONTENTS WINTER 2022

03. Guest comment 36. Staying safe whilst subsea

Austin Harbison, Smart Technology Manager,
CRP Subsea, UK.
04. Location, location, location: Australia
Jessica Casey, Deputy Editor, and Abi Larkin, Editorial Assistant,
Energy Global, UK. 42. Taking the power back
Paul Cairns, Managing Director at MJR Power and
Automation, UK.
location, location, location: Australia
Jessica Casey, Deputy Editor, and
Abi Larkin, Editorial Assistant,
Energy Global, UK, look at the
48. Overcoming supply challenges with
collaboration
Australian renewables sector.

I
n September 2022, the Australian government
passed legislation with the aim of reducing carbon
emissions by 43% by 2030 and achieving net zero
by 2050.1 The country also has a Renewable Energy
Target scheme, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from the electricity sector, by encouraging
investment in renewable energy power sources,
including wind and solar farms, and hydroelectric
power stations.2 With Australia is an island nation and
Cerianne Cummings, Offshore Wind Market Director, Kent.
considered to have a generally hot climate, which
contribute positively to the likelihood of green energy
generation being achieved.
With concerns over climate change and global

52. Reshaping Kazakhstan's energy

warming ever present, it is becoming increasingly
important to reduce global emissions and improve the
sustainability of power supplies. In addition, Russia’s
recent conflict with Ukraine, and the subsequent
restrictions on gas supply to Europe, has meant many
countries have needed to find alternative sources

sector
of energy.
Australia did not escape the wider effects of this,
with the cost of oil, gas, and electricity increasing
significantly. But with Australia well positioned to take
advantage of natural resources, such as wind and solar,
renewables could help Australia to meet the demand of

Serik Shakhazhanov, Chairman of the Management Board of

domestic energy demand.
In 2021, 29% of Australia’s total electricity generation
was from renewable energy sources, including solar
(12%), wind (10%), and hydro (6%) – this share of

Eurasian Group LLP, Kazakhstan.

renewables was the highest on record, with the previous
peak being 26% in the mid-1960s.3

Wind
Wind generation in Australia grew 19% in 2021, and by
an average of 15% y/y over the last decade.3 The wind
industry has also experienced significant technological
advancements over the past few decades, especially
in regards to the size and generation capacity of wind

56. Enhancing resilience and stability

turbines. In the 1980s, wind turbines were approximately
17 m tall with a capacity of approximately 0.75 MW; the
latest generation of offshore wind turbines in 2021 were
up to 250 m tall, with a generation capacity of up to

04
15 MW.4
According to NOPSEMA, Australia’s offshore energy
regulator, a site is considered to be suitable for an

4
offshore wind project if:

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 5

Dr Carlos de Palacio, Renewable Segment Manager Grid
Integration, Hitachi Energy, Spain.

10. Global geothermal energy 60. A strong energy storage foundation

Dr Ellie MacInnes, Head of Geothermal, CGG, UK. Martin Vogt, CEO of MPC Energy Solutions

16. Geothermal: a baseload enabler for 64. Here comes the sun?
the digital world Mark Rowcroft, Development Director, Exagen, UK.
Taylor Mattie, Director of Geothermal Technologies and
Innovations, Baker Hughes, USA. 68. Striving for sustainable solar
Dongyoung Kim, Technical Assistant, Reddie & Grose.
22. Harnessing the heat beneath our feet
Karl Farrow, Founder and CEO of CeraPhi Energy, UK. 72. Fuelling North America's
Renaissance in anaerobic digestion
26. The evolution of geothermal Shawn Kreloff, Bioenergy Devco Founder and CEO, USA.
J. Gary McDaniel, CEO, and Jim Hollis, COO,
Geothermal Technologies, Inc., USA.
76. Global news
30. The heat pump way to more
sustainability
Rasmus Rubycz, Market Manager New Energy,
Atlas Copco Gas and Process Division, Germany.

Reader enquiries [enquiries@energyglobal.com] ENERGY

ON THIS ISSUE'S COVER
GL BAL
WINTER 2022

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science, sensing, and monitoring. Its unique portfolio supports clients
in efficiently and responsibly solving complex digital, energy transition,
natural resource, environmental, and infrastructure challenges for a more
sustainable future.
For more information, please visit cgg.com

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22AD-CC-626-V1_Corp-Geothermal_EnergyGlobal_Winter.indd 1 28.11.2022 15:56:20
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INTERNATIONAL
 COMMENT
Simone Accornero
Co-Founder & CEO, FlexiDAO
T
he energy sector is responsible for over three-quarters
of human-caused emissions,1 making decarbonisation
of our energy supplies the single biggest carbon dioxide
challenge our generation faces today.
Many of the perceivable solutions involve transitioning to an
electricity-based economy; for instance, updating to electric heat
and transport, or replacing natural gas with hydrogen produced
in electrolysers. Yet, pursuing these solutions will increase
demand for electricity and put more pressure on our power
grids, which are currently running on a mix of carbon-free and
carbon-intensive sources. For the electrification of our society to
truly reduce emissions, we need carbon-free electricity grids.
As some of the largest energy buyers, companies have
a crucial role to play in generating enough demand for
carbon-free electricity. Voluntary corporate procurement has
been critical in expanding the deployment and installation
of new renewable electricity so far. According to the
current, most adopted global carbon accounting standard
(The GHG Protocol), organisations can buy renewable
electricity to meet their annual electricity demand and claim
they are running on ‘100% renewable energy’ in their Scope 2
market-based emissions accounting.
Whereas market-based emissions accounting has provided
incentives for companies to act, the challenge is that it does
not consider the real locational and market constraints of
our electricity grids, nor the hourly or sub-hourly fluctuations
in where electricity comes from. ‘100% renewable energy’
claims do not mean that a business is running on carbon-free
electricity every hour of the day.2 To give an example, a Dutch
data centre consuming electricity throughout the day and
during the night could claim to be ‘100% renewable’ by covering
its annual consumption with electricity generated from a
solar plant in Portugal. There is no chance at all that the actual
electrons related to the volume of electricity (and the underlying
certificates as assurance) procured from the solar plant (which
will only be producing electricity when it is sunny during the
day) ever actually reach the data centre (which is on an entirely
different power grid to these electrons).
To remain credible and effective,3 Scope 2 market-based
emissions accounting needs to be modernised and adapted to
represent the current and future market reality. Market-based
accounting needs to reflect the physical constraints of the
power grid by imposing stricter requirements4 for quality
criteria with regards to location (production should take place
in the same or neighbouring power grid as consumption)
and time (production should take place in the same hour
as consumption).
As the rules of the energy game change to favour a more
granular, accurate, and data-led accounting system, the
right price incentives will be implemented to drive deeper
decarbonisation of our power grids. Many of the technologies
needed to fully decarbonise our energy grids – such as
long-duration storage – currently suffer from a lack of demand
driving down their costs and stimulating further adoption. If
businesses begin accounting for their actual electricity usage on
an hourly rather than annual basis, and focusing on the local
grids that businesses actually operate on, corporate energy
buyers will start to seek out these solutions for the times of the
day when they are currently reliant on fossil fuels, using their
purchasing power to much greater effect.5
References
1. ‘4 Charts Explain Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Countries and
Sectors’, World Resources Institute, (2020), www.wri.org/insights/4-
charts-explain-greenhouse-gas-emissions-countries-and-sectors
2. BJØRN, A., LLOYD, S. M., BRANDER, M., and MATTHEWS, H. D.,
‘Renewable energy certificates threaten the integrity of corporate
science-based targets’, Nature Climate Change, No.12, pp.539 – 546,
(2022), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022-01379-5
3. ELGIN, B. and RANGARAJAN, S., ‘What Really Happens When
Emissions Vanish’, Bloomberg UK, (2022), www.bloomberg.com/
news/features/2022-11-01/intel-p-g-cisco-among-major-companies-
exaggerating-climate-progress
4. ‘GHG Protocol to assess the need for additional guidance building
on existing corporate standards’, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, (2022),
https://ghgprotocol.org/blog/ghg-protocol-assess-need-additional-
guidance-building-existing-corporate-standards
5. ‘Advancing Decarbonisation through Clean Electricity Procurement’,
International Energy Agency, (2022), www.iea.org/reports/advancing-
decarbonisation-through-clean-electricity-procurement
ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 3
 location, location,
Jessica Casey, Deputy Editor, and
Abi Larkin, Editorial Assistant,
Energy Global, UK, look at the
Australian renewables sector.

I
n September 2022, the Australian government
passed legislation with the aim of reducing
carbon emissions by 43% by 2030 and achieving
net zero by 2050.1 The country also has a
Renewable Energy Target scheme, which aims to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity
sector, by encouraging investment in renewable
energy power sources, including wind and solar farms,
and hydroelectric power stations.2 Australia is an
island nation and generally considered to have a hot
climate – factors which also contribute positively to the
likelihood of green energy generation being achieved.
With concerns over climate change and global
warming ever present, it is becoming increasingly
important to reduce global emissions and improve the
sustainability of power supplies. In addition, Russia’s
recent conflict with Ukraine, and the subsequent
restrictions on gas supply to Europe, has meant many
countries have needed to find alternative sources
of energy.
Australia did not escape the wider effects of this,
with the cost of oil, gas, and electricity increasing
significantly. But with Australia well positioned to take
advantage of natural resources, such as wind and solar,
renewables could help Australia to meet the demand of
domestic energy demand.
In 2021, 29% of Australia’s total electricity generation
was from renewable energy sources, including solar
(12%), wind (10%), and hydro (6%) – this share of
renewables was the highest on record, with the previous
peak being 26% in the mid-1960s.3

Wind
Wind generation in Australia grew 19% in 2021, and by
an average of 15% y/y over the last decade.3 The wind
industry has also experienced significant technological
advancements over the past few decades, especially
in regards to the size and generation capacity of wind
turbines. In the 1980s, wind turbines were approximately
17 m tall with a capacity of approximately 0.75 MW; the
latest generation of offshore wind turbines in 2021 were
up to 250 m tall, with a generation capacity of up to
15 MW.4
According to NOPSEMA, Australia’s offshore energy
regulator, a site is considered to be suitable for an
offshore wind project if:

4 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022

location: Australia

5
 FFIt has high and relatively consistent wind speeds.
FFIt has an appropriate water depth.
FFThe site is either able to be connected to an electricity
grid, or is in a suitable location for the generation of
energy export products such as hydrogen and ammonia.5
As an island, Australia has some of the best wind
resources in the world. These are mainly located in southern
parts of the country, which is situated in the ‘roaring
forties’ – areas between latitudes of 40 – 50˚ south in the
Southern Hemisphere with persistent winds from the west.
The southwest of Western Australia, southern South Australia,
western Victoria, northern Tasmania, and elevated areas
of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland have good
wind resources.5
Many projects are being developed in these areas.
One such example is BlueFloat Energy and Energy Estate’s
proposed capacity expansion from 1.275 GW to 2.085 GW
of the Greater Gippsland offshore wind project. The project
is located in the Bass Strait off the coast of Gippsland in
Victoria, which was declared as the first area to be assessed
for suitability for offshore wind developments by the
Australian government in August 2022.6
In addition, BHP has signed a renewable power purchase
agreement (PPA) with Neoen that is expected to supply
70 MW of electricity to Olympic Dam and will support
Neoen in constructing the 203 MW Goyder South Stage 1b
wind farm. This wind farm will form part of the larger
Goyder Renewables Zone in South Australia – a hybrid wind,
solar, and storage project – and will introduce new renewable
generation into the South Australian electricity grid. Neoen
will also construct a large scale battery energy storage
system in Blyth to support the PPA and assist in improving the
stability of the South Australian electricity grid.7
These projects are just two examples of how Australia
is utilising its abundant natural resources; along
with the Australian government’s commitment to the
Global Offshore Wind Alliance (signed on Energy Day at
COP27 in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt,)8 this implies that Australia
intends to harness its offshore wind potential as a key part of
its future energy mix.
Solar
When people think of Australia, the sun generally comes to
mind, and is one of the main attractions for tourists visiting
the country. In fact, the Australian continent has the highest
solar radiation per square metre of any continent, and
consequently some of the best solar energy resources in the
world, receiving an average of 58 million PJ of solar radiation
per year – this is approximately 10 000 times larger than
its total energy consumption.9 However, Australia appears
to be endeavouring to make the most of what is available:
large scale solar farms are on the rise, with almost 7 GW of
generation connected to the electricity grid,10 and an increase
in Australia’s large scale solar energy capacity to a total of
5.8 GW across 80 projects, as of February 2022.11
6 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
Solar and battery storage
Several of the solar projects have been combined with
a battery energy storage system (BESS). BESS’s can help
renewable energy supplies effectively respond to energy
demands, even when the sun is not shining. For example,
Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. has recently announced a notice
of award from Meadow Creek Solar for the deployment
of a 250 MW/500 MWh BESS at the Meadow Creek
solar farm in Victoria. The BESS, being co-located with solar
photovoltaics (PV), will provide the resiliency and flexibility
of charge and discharge, essential to stabilising renewable
energy supply across the network as Australia adopts the
Australian Energy Market Operator’s Integrated System Plan.12
Also on the horizon is the Sun Cable project in the
Northern Territory, which, at 10 GW, will be the world’s largest
solar farm and will feature a battery 150 times larger than the
150 MW Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia.13,14 The
project is not expected to generate any electricity until 2026;
nevertheless, its continued development is a positive sign of the
important role large scale solar will play in Australia’s transition
to a renewable-fuelled future.
Solar and wind
Many companies are also utilising Australia’s solar and wind
in combination with each other. For example, Iberdrola has
chosen Australia for the company’s first wind-solar hybrid
plant in the world, Port Augusta. The renewable facility,
located in South Australia, combines 210 MW of wind power
with 107 MW of PV power. Comprising 50 wind turbines and
250 000 solar panels, the complex is the largest wind-solar
hybrid farm in the Southern Hemisphere and will prevent
400 000 tpy of carbon dioxide emissions.15 The fact that a
Spanish company has chosen Australia for its first solar-wind
hybrid plant is testimony to the resources available.
Another example of a solar-wind hybrid project is bp’s
Asian Renewable Energy Hub (AREH) in the Pilbara region
of Western Australia. The company will develop the project
in multiple phases, creating up to 26 GW of combined solar
and wind power generating capacity. At full scale, the AREH
will produce approximately 1.6 million t of green hydrogen.
From 1 July 2022, bp took a 40.5% stake and operatorship of
the AREH project and will develop the project in collaboration
with its project partners: InterContinental Energy,
CWP Global, and Macquarie Capital, and Macquarie’s
Green Investment Group.16
In addition, Fortescue Future Industries and Windlab are
to partner on a Super Hub which could generate more than
10 GW of wind and solar power and underpin the industrial
scale production of green hydrogen from purpose-built
facilities within Queensland.17 Green hydrogen is considered
by many as a possible solution for the decarbonisation of
many industries, including transport and energy storage.
This ‘Super Hub’ could be incremental in improving the
attainability of industrial scale green hydrogen, which has
been constrained by the lack of renewables available to
power the electrification process. The first stage includes
the 800 MW Prairie wind farm and 1000 MW Wongalee
project with construction, subject to approvals, expected to
 commence in 2025, with power anticipated to begin to be
produced by 2027.18
Hydropower
Australia has more than 100 operating hydroelectric power
stations, with a total installed capacity of approximately
7800 MW. They are located mostly in NSW and Tasmania,
where there is the highest rainfall and elevation,19 with most of
the hydroelectricity generated by Hydro Tasmania’s network
of power plants and the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme
in NSW.20
Particularly in Tasmania, hydropower provides much of the
state’s electricity. In fact, the abundance of hydropower assets
in Tasmania means that it is one of the few jurisdictions in the
world that gets all its power from renewable energy – in 2021,
approximately 99.9% of Tasmania’s electricity generation came
from renewables, according to the Clean Energy Council’s
Clean Energy Australia Report 2022.21
The importance of hydroelectricity to Australia’s net
zero goals is being demonstrated through the schemes and
investments that are being put in place. The Tasmanian
integrated hydropower scheme utilises hydro energy from
six major water catchments and involves 50 major dams,
numerous lakes, and 29 power stations with a total capacity
of 2600 MW.19 The Australian government is also making
targeted investments to help realise the significant potential
that pumped hydro can deliver to the market. The government
is supporting pumped hydro through:22
FFPartnering with the Tasmanian government to expedite
the 1500 MW second Tasmanian interconnect, known as
Marinus Link, through to a final investment decision by 2024.
FFMaking up to AUS$1 billion of low-cost loans available
from ‘Rewiring the Nation’ to eligible ‘Battery of the
Nation’ projects.
FFProviding additional equity to Snowy Hydro Ltd to
construct Snowy 2.0.
The biggest new hydro project is Snowy 2.0, a
2000 MW/350 000 MWh project currently under
construction in NSW. In 2020, the project received state
and federal environmental approval, both of which were
fast-tracked as part of the government’s COVID-19 recovery
efforts, a AUS$125 million transmission investment by
Clean Energy Finance Corp. and approval of a segment
factory, which will manufacture 130 000 concrete tunnel
segments for use during construction.19 Once complete,
Snowy Hydro 2.0 will provide more energy storage capacity
than all of the utility scale batteries in the world combined.23
Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has also
recently announced a plan to build the world’s largest
capacity pumped storage hydropower project in the north of
Queensland. The Pioneer-Burdekin project would provide 5 GW
of installed capacity and 24-hour storage, enabling flexibility
and security of the state grid. The project is part of the state
government’s wider energy plan to reach 70% renewable
energy by 2032 and 80% by 2035.17
8 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
Conclusion
Australia is not alone in adopting multiple sources of
renewable energy in order to cut greenhouse gases. It may
not be a solution that will happen in the immediate future
due to the time it will take for projects to be approved and
constructed; however, the projects that have been highlighted
are just some examples that indicate Australia is actively
working towards the Paris Agreement’s goals of limiting global
warming to 1.5˚C. With the increasing number of proposed
renewables project, it is no surprise renewables are expected
to supply 69% of Australia’s main electricity grid by 2030,20 and
with investment from both international and Australia-based
companies, it puts the country in good stead to achieve their
net zero goals.
References
1. ‘Australia passes a law for net zero emissions by 2050’, Reuters, (2022), www.reuters.com/
world/asia-pacific/australia-passes-law-net-zero-emissions-by-2050-2022-09-08/
2. ‘Renewable Energy Target Scheme’, Australian Government: Department of Climate Change,
Energy, the Environment and Water, www.dcceew.gov.au/energy/renewable/target-scheme
3. ‘Renewables’, Australian Government: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the
Environment and Water, www.energy.gov.au/data/renewables
4. ‘Offshore wind energy’, NOPSEMA, (2021), www.nopsema.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/
Offshore%20wind%20energy%20brochure_0.pdf
5. ‘Australia’, Asia Wind Energy Association, www.asiawind.org/research-data/market-overview/
australia/
6. ‘BlueFloat Energy and Energy Estate announce expansion of Greater Gippsland Offshore
Wind Project to 2.085 GW’, BlueFloat Energy, (2022), www.bluefloat.com/bluefloat-energy-
and-energy-estate-announce-expansion-of-greater-gippsland-offshore-wind-project-to-2-
085-gw/
7. ‘New wind and battery project in South Australia’, BHP, (2022), www.bhp.com/news/media-
centre/releases/2022/11/new-wind-and-battery-project-in-south-australia
8. ‘Australia signs with the Global Offshore Wind Alliance’, Clean Energy Council, (2022),
www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/news/cop27-energy-day
9. ‘Solar energy’, Geoscience Australia, www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/energy/resources/other-
renewable-energy-resources/solar-energy
10. ‘Solar energy’, Australian Renewable Energy Agency, https://arena.gov.au/renewable-
11.
energy/solar/
‘Solar Report Quarter 1, 2022’, Australian Energy Council, (2022), www.energycouncil.com.au/
media/nb0fjq2z/australian-energy-council-solar-report_q1-2022.pdf
12. ‘Energy Vault Issued Notice of Award From Meadow Creek Solar Farm for a 250MW/500MWh
Grid-connected Battery in Victoria, Australia’, BusinessWire, (2022), www.businesswire.com/
news/home/20221026005391/en/Energy-Vault-Issued-Notice-of-Award-From-Meadow-Creek-
Solar-Farm-for-a-250MW500MWh-Grid-connected-Battery-in-Victoria-Australia
13. ‘Large-scale solar’, Clean Energy Council, www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/resources/
technologies/large-scale-solar
14. Hornsdale Power Reserve, https://hornsdalepowerreserve.com.au/
15. ‘Iberdrola starts up the world’s first wind-solar hybrid plant in Australia’, Iberdrola, (2022),
www.iberdrola.com/press-room/news/detail/iberdrola-starts-up-the-worlds-first-wind-solar-
hybrid-plant-in-australia
16. ‘Renewable energy hub in Australia’, bp, www.bp.com/en_au/australia/home/who-we-are/
reimagining-energy/decarbonizing-australias-energy-system/renewable-energy-hub-in-
australia.html
17. ‘World’s largest capacity pumped storage hydropower project to be built in Queensland,
Australia’, International Hydropower Association, (2022), www.hydropower.org/news/largest-
capacity-pumped-storage-project-queensland
18. ‘Game changing North Queensland Super Hub to power green hydrogen with wind, solar’,
Fortescue Metals Group, (2022), www.fmgl.com.au/in-the-news/media-releases/2022/11/14/
game-changing-north-queenland-super-hub-to-power-green-hydrogen-with-wind-solar
19. ‘Hydro Energy’, Australian Government: Geoscience Australia, www.ga.gov.au/scientific-
topics/energy/resources/other-renewable-energy-resources/hydro-energy
20. ‘Hydro’, Clean Energy Council, www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/resources/technologies/
hydroelectricity
21. ‘Clean Energy Australia Report 2022’, Clean Energy Council, https://assets.cleanenergycouncil.
org.au/documents/resources/reports/clean-energy-australia/clean-energy-australia-
report-2022.pdf
22. ‘Pumped hydro’, Australian Government: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the
Environment and Water, www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/energy-supply/pumped-
hydro-and-snowy-20
23. ‘Here and now: The state of low emissions technology in Australia’,
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering, (2022),
www.atse.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/220711-ATSE-Explainer-energy-tech.pdf
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 t is generally accepted that a wide range of sustainable and integrated energy
sources are going to be needed to reach the greenhouse gas (GHG) targets set
by the world community at COP meetings, in order to prevent global
temperatures from rising to 2˚C above pre-industrial levels. To this end, the use
of solar and wind power has increased dramatically over the last few years, but
what happens at night time, when it is cloudy or the wind drops?
Step forward energy from within the Earth itself. Originating in the heat
generated when the planet was first formed and constantly regenerating through
radioactive decay, geothermal energy is always there and fully sustainable. It
has been used as a local heat source for millennia, as well as more recently to
generate electricity in places where there is a high heat flow close to the surface of
the Earth (Figure 1).
But accessing geothermal energy need not be confined to these regions – in fact,
there is potential for utilising it throughout the globe.

Heat from within the Earth

The temperature of the Earth’s subsurface rises with distance from the surface.
This gradual change, known as the temperature gradient, is usually approximately
25˚C for each kilometre of depth, increasing up to temperatures in excess of 900˚C
where rock may be in a molten state – magma. Near plate boundaries and volcanic
centres, such as the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, magma rises towards the surface where
it heats underground aquifers to temperatures of 350˚C or more and pressurised
water escapes in the form of geysers, hot springs, and steam vents. These surface
emanations have been utilised for decades in places such as Iceland, Italy,
New Zealand, and California, the US (Figure 2). Naturally occurring hydrothermal
fluids such as these can be used directly to heat buildings, greenhouses, and
swimming pools, or, where hot enough, they can be used to produce steam for
electrical power generation.
However, rather than rising to the surface, most of the heat remains locked
in the Earth, and this is where its potential as a global sustainable energy source
lies. Geothermal energy is now being developed in a variety of different geological
settings throughout the world; all it requires is a system by which fluids heated
within the subsurface can be accessed by drilling. These hot fluids may be naturally
occurring water or brine, in pores and fractures in permeable rocks. If the hot
rock does not contain enough natural cracks for the fluid to flow easily, it can be
artificially fractured and a fluid circulation system developed. Sometimes the rock
does not contain sufficient water to give commercially useful flow rates, in which
case additional water can be pumped from the surface into the hot dry, fractured
rocks, where it is heated by conduction. Once the hot fluid comes to the surface,
whether by pumping or under natural convection, it can be used to produce steam
for power generation, and in many cases the water cooled after use is pumped back
into the aquifer to create a circular system (Figure 3).
Historically, geothermal developments were located close to surface expressions
of natural hydrothermal geofluid circulation systems, often in igneous or
metamorphic rock areas. However, recent advances in technology give increasing

10
Figure 1. Pressurised water escapes in the form of a geyser, a common sight in Yellowstone National Park, USA. Image courtesy of
Greg Rhodes.

Dr Ellie MacInnes, Head of Geothermal, CGG, UK, looks at how

geothermal energy, with the help of geoscience, can be accessed
throughout the world – and how the add-on value chain is crucial to
economically exploiting the resource.

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 11

 capability for finding hidden geothermal systems and for
accessing geothermal energy from sedimentary basins.
Geoscience has the answers
Since this energy is based within the Earth, geoscience is the
route to finding the optimum ways to access it. In order to
do this, it is important to understand not just areas of high
heat flow in the subsurface, but also how permeable and
porous the rocks are and whether fluids will flow through
them easily or if fracturing will be needed. Being able to
recognise how rocks respond chemically and physically to
heat and pressure, and how they change when fluids pass
through them, makes it possible to assess how easy it will
be to drill through them to access geothermal fluids.
Companies that have worked in the oil and gas industry
for many decades have built up a valuable and detailed
understanding of the Earth and its subsurface. One such
company is CGG, a global geoscience technology and
HPC leader that has been collecting and interpreting
geoscientific data for over 90 years. Its geoscientists
can draw on their knowledge, skills, and technologies to
bring valuable intelligence and capabilities to help better
understand and de-risk the development of geothermal
energy throughout the world. Over the last 20 years, for
example, CGG has undertaken more than 150 geothermal
projects, mostly applying geophysical technologies such as
analysis of magnetotellurics, gravity, and microseismicity
in traditional areas such as the ‘Ring of Fire’, but latterly
also helping companies explore and develop ‘hidden’
geothermal resources using these techniques (Figure 4).
Over the years, CGG geoscientists have collected
extensive databases of the important parameters
that need to be understood in oil and gas exploration,
and many of these, such as temperature gradients,
porosity, permeability, fluid chemistry, and flow rate,
are also essential for geothermal projects. All this data
has been merged with the company’s extensive seismic
Figure 2. The map shows the location of geothermal power plants, which are mostly concentrated around the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’. Sedimentary
basins are identified as areas of future geothermal energy growth.
12 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
library to develop a geoscientific understanding of the
Earth which can help identify new potential areas for
the development of geothermal energy projects. Using
this information, CGG recently completed a global
Geothermal Resource Assessment study that can be
used not only to identify and assess potential promising
geothermal energy sites, but also to analyse the nature of
the geothermal reservoir rock and provide information on
production and monitoring solutions (Figure 5).
Sedimentary basins have been a major focus for
the oil and gas industry, but they are of interest to the
geothermal industry, not only because over the years a
great deal of geological knowledge has been gathered
about them, but because, unlike volcanic areas, they
are often close to population centres and therefore any
geothermal resource developed in them will have a ready
market. The aquifers of the Paris Basin, for example, have
been providing district heating for over 700 000 people
for more than 30 years. However, key properties of the
producing layers, such as distribution of porosity and
permeability, which will identify the rocks with high rates
of fluid flow that will make future development of this
resource more effective, remain poorly understood. To
reduce this uncertainty, a recent study by CGG, using
established oil and gas techniques such as seismic
inversion and recently developed rock physics-guided
deep neural networks, was able to characterise the
reservoirs and guide the location and design of future
geothermal wells.
In oil and gas field areas, the percentage of water
co-produced from the subsurface reservoir increases
as the hydrocarbons are extracted. This water, which is
usually discarded or pumped back into the reservoir, can
be at temperatures high enough to be used directly for
heating or in some cases to generate electricity. There are
some technical challenges – the higher flow rates needed
for useful geothermal energy production may need a wider
IT’S NOT JUST
WHERE YOU LOOK,
IT’S HOW.

cgg.com/geothermal

Figure 3. Multiple geothermal energy uses and technologies dependent on the depth to reservoir, heat
available, and energy needs.
Figure 4. Geophysical 3D modelling delineates most prospective geothermal
reservoir zone.
diameter borehole, for example – but it is a promising and
potentially cost-effective development.
The geothermal value chain
However, accessing the natural heat of the Earth is not
just about producing heat to generate electricity; there
is abundant thermal energy in the fluid remaining after
driving the turbines. The value of this remaining thermal
energy varies with climate: 40˚C water would, for example,
14 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
provide much more additional
heating in the Arctic than in
the Tropics.
If the geothermal resource
is hotter than approximately
120˚C, it can be converted
directly to electricity using
flash, steam, or binary turbine
systems and supplied to the
grid. As the water cools, it can
be recycled, with cascading
uses as the temperature drops.
Geothermal fluids of less than
120˚C can be used directly to
heat or cool residential and
industrial premises, for some
manufacturing processes, and
in agriculture and fish farming,
all without access to a power
grid or without imposing extra
demand on an existing power
grid. Other uses for thermal
energy include drying industrial cement and aggregate
and for pulp, paper, and food processing.
Since approximately 40% of carbon released into
the atmosphere currently comes from domestic and
industrial heating and cooling, switching as much as
possible to geothermally sourced heat makes sense,
through individual ground source heat pumps and
on an industrial scale. China is a leader in the field of
geothermal direct heat; Sinopec Green Energy has built
719 heat centres in China and drilled over 700 wells. It
annually produces 15 MWe, and estimates it has saved
16 million t of CO2 emissions since it started in 2006.1
After passing through flash or steam turbines, the
steam is normally condensed to water for re-injection
into the reservoir to maintain geothermal fluid pressures
and flow rates. However, if alternative sources of
injection water are available, the condensate can be
used directly with minimal further treatment as potable
water. In coastal arid environments, geothermal energy
can be used in desalination plants, to preheat the saline
water prior to final desalination using gas, for example.
As with wind, solar, and nuclear, geothermal
electrical energy can be used to generate green
hydrogen through hydrolysis of fresh water. The
freshwater condensate from flash or steam geothermal
turbines provides a self-contained hydrogen-generation
system, whereas the other energy sources would need
an external source of fresh water – a potential problem in
water-stressed areas.
A potentially very important economic benefit from
geothermal projects is in critical mineral production. When
brines are trapped at high pressure deep in the Earth,
they often have high concentrations of minerals, including
critical elements such as lithium and manganese, as well
as rare earths, platinum group metals, and arsenic, all of
which are in high demand for the production of batteries
and electronics and the construction of wind and solar will be crucial. Having identified a promising area, the project
farms. If these critical minerals can be economically would progress to the appraisal stage, where, to understand
extracted and purified from the brines, geothermal the reservoir and predict what the resource will be, a detailed
projects would become more cost-effective at a wider knowledge of the rock properties is key. This is followed
range of locations. by the development stage, in which detailed 3D structural
Considerable research is being undertaken on this models based on seismic, other geophysical technologies,
idea in, among other places, the Salton Sea, a shallow, and well data are used to ensure optimum well placement
saline lake in southern California, the US, that lies on into the aquifer. Once a geothermal project is underway,
the San Andreas fault and is an area of high geothermal reservoir modelling tools and seismic are used to monitor
activity, where there are already a number of producing what is happening underground and to help to understand
geothermal power stations. Several of these are working the flow of the fluids in the subsurface.
on direct lithium extraction from the hot brine residuals Therefore, to ensure geothermal projects can take full
from the power plants, and it has been estimated that the advantage of the value chain and minimise subsurface
11 existing geothermal plants along the Salton Sea alone risks, it is vital that there is a good understanding of the
could have the potential to produce enough lithium metal subsurface using geoscience knowledge, including the
to provide approximately 10 times the current US demand. 2 databases, technologies, skills, and experience developed
Since at the moment the value of lithium is 6 – 8 times over many decades by companies, such as CGG.
greater than that of geothermal power, mineral extraction
from brines could be the key to making geothermal References
‘Who We Are’, Arctic Green Energy, https://arcticgreen.com/about/
projects more economic. A knowledge of the subsurface 1.
2. CARIAGA, C., ‘Entire US lithium demand can be supplied by Salton Sea geothermal
and constituents of geothermal waters may be key to plants’, ThinkGeoEnergy, (24 March 2022).
unlocking this promise, and
this can be provided through
CGG’s Lithium Brine Screening
study, which evaluated more
than 250 000 data points and
27 000 lithium measurements
to create a comprehensive and
consistent water chemistry
database, supplemented by key
engineering and geochemical
characteristics (Figure 6).
This cascading chain of
additional uses and products
is an important aspect of
geothermal projects, as they
can deliver more than electrical
energy alone. Figure 5. CGG’s Geothermal Resource Assessment (GRA) study draws upon CGG’s unique well, seismic,
and interpretation database and experience in over 150 completed geothermal projects.
Decades of cumulative
expertise
The capabilities, technologies,
skills, and understanding acquired
by CGG over many years is relevant
to geothermal projects because
the exploitation of a geothermal
project follows a similar trajectory
to that of an oil or gas discovery
and uses similar technologies.
Initially, research may be on a
global scale, aided by products
such as the global Geothermal
Resource Assessment study and
then, akin to the exploration phase
of an oil and gas project, it will
move to a more regional scale, Figure 6. CGG’s Lithium Brine Screening study supports client exploration for sustainable sources
where subsurface knowledge of lithium (and other critical elements) found within geothermal fluids. The map shows investigated
from CGG’s seismic databases screening locations for lithium brines.

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 15

16 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
Taylor Mattie, Director of Geothermal
Technologies and Innovations,
Baker Hughes, USA, explores
geothermal power in the context
of offtakers.

O
ne would be hard pressed to find an
industry today that is not actively working
to decarbonise and participate in the
global energy transition. While many
may focus on wind, solar, and battery storage as

17
 possible replacements for fossil fuels, other solutions are
often overlooked.
One such example is geothermal energy, which uses
the vast energy of the Earth in the form of heat for power
generation or heating and cooling. It has been used to
generate power for nearly 100 years and counting, and
Baker Hughes has been supporting this energy source in
various capacities for nearly half that period.
Using the heat generated within the Earth means
geothermal is always on, making it a baseload energy
source. Unlike wind and solar, it is producing energy more
than 95% of the time and is indifferent to the sun shining
or the wind blowing. Its continuity and reliability of supply
and availability are significant advantages. Consider too,
Figure 1. While many focus on wind, solar or batter storage, geothermal is often overlooked
as an alternative energy source.
Figure 2. Using the Earth’s own heat means geothermal energy is ‘always on’ and not
dependent on the wind blowing or the sun shining.
18 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
most geothermal systems today generate zero carbon
emissions and take up a fraction of the surface footprint
compared to wind and solar generation sites.
There are barriers to developing geothermal, however;
projects require high levels of up-front capital investment
– typically between US$2 – US$7 million per well. Even
though those costs can be recouped over the long term,
operators and investors want a quick payout or to reduce
costs and eliminate as many risks as possible. Developers
and investors want assurance that the energy produced
will be purchased if a geothermal plant is constructed.
This is known as the offtaker.
Geothermal and the digital world
In the past few years, however, a new type
of geothermal power offtaker is dawning
on the horizon: datacentres and crypto
farms. These differ from traditional power
and heat purchasers due to both the
massive volumes of energy required to
run them and the nature of the facilities
themselves. Here, geothermal is used as
a zero-carbon fuel and enabler for the
digital world. And the digital world is
energy-hungry.
Large datacentres being planned
today have power demands that can
range up to 300 MW, or roughly the
equivalent demand of 225 000 – 300 000
average households. Looking forward, the
trend is to further leverage economies of
scale and deploy even larger installations.
There are a number of operational
datacenters and crypto mining facilities
already using geothermal for their energy
needs – some of which were developed
with the support of Baker Hughes and its
bespoke technology portfolio.
Case study: Iceland and
El Salvador
As early as 2014, crypto currencies,
such as Bitcoin, were being mined in
Iceland, where the combination of
cool, year-round temperatures and an
abundance of geothermal energy create
ideal conditions for low-carbon power
and the need for server cooling. In fact,
so many datacentres are rushing to take
advantage of these conditions that some
in the tech industry are calling it a ‘digital
arms race’.
Baker Hughes is well-positioned
to assist in this effort, with an historic
presence in Iceland, in addition to a
portfolio of technology for geothermal
well drilling and construction. As part
of this portfolio, the company has
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 drilled a well for the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project 2,
which is the hottest and deepest geothermal well ever
drilled in Iceland.
While Iceland’s cool climate is highly advantageous
when it comes to cooling servers, it is not a requirement.
For example, on the opposite end of the spectrum, there
has been significant crypto currency mining in El Salvador,
powered by geothermal energy. Specifically in the region
around the Tecapa volcano, a number of Bitcoin mining
operations are active, using geothermal power produced
by the 109 MW Berlin geothermal field. In 2021, El Salvador’s
president announced a new project called ‘Bitcoin City’,
which will be developed at another volcano approximately
100 km from Berlin. The Berlin geothermal power plant
has been using a flash steam turbine from Baker Hughes
since 2004.
Utilising renewable energy
When considering the wider topic of using renewable
energy for datacenter or crypto farming, the key to
success is secure, reliable, and competitively priced power.
There have been some attempts at vertically integrated
wind, solar, or hydroelectric power plants for 100% offtake
for datacentres. But delivering this key element to the
Figure 3. Geothermal energy has been used to generate heat and power for more than 100 years.
20 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
table is difficult and costly. The capacity factor of these
technologies can barely reach 50%, unless a costly storage
system is built as well.
Since geothermal is a baseload energy source
with more than 95% capacity, a vertically integrated
power solution is highly attractive, as it can bring
competitive, consistent, renewable power to
the datacentre.
Baker Hughes has developed a unique geothermal
solution, as its modern technology and capabilities range
from reservoir engineering to an understanding of the
geothermal resource, to the drilling and construction of
wells, to accessing the resource, to the turbines needed
for power generation. This portfolio stretches across the
entire scope of geothermal project development and
minimises the cost, risk, and time required to get the
power or the heat online.
Conclusion
Overall, the use of geothermal for datacentres and crypto
mining is still considered new, but as more players in this
space work to achieve their net zero carbon emission
goals, this is an area of the market that is projected to
grow rapidly.
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Karl Farrow, Founder and CEO of CeraPhi Energy, UK, talks about the opportunity geotherm
and gas sector could be h

n these challenging and unpredictable times – climate

change, rising energy costs, financial instability, and the
uncertainty of the geopolitical landscape – the energy the
world uses and the security around this has become ever
more important.
Geothermal as an energy source has been available for
centuries, and is the only true baseload energy. Available
everywhere and anywhere – and with 99% of the Earth’s
volume having temperatures exceeding 1000˚C – geothermal
is a baseload energy, meaning it provides 24/7 energy and
can be viewed as one giant battery with enough clean
renewable energy to help meet the 2050 Paris Agreement’s
net zero targets, and to potentially last billions of years.

What is geothermal energy, and how

does it fit into the energy mix?
To meet the Paris Agreement targets and set a global
warming target of 1.5˚C, global energy use must transition
from oil and gas to cleaner and more sustainable
energy sources.
Realistically, no one source of renewable energy
can completely replace the current energy supply from

22
mal presents as a viable and realistic part of the energy mix, and how the skill set of the oil
harnessed in this transition.

fossil fuels such as oil and gas – and it is a blend of all

energy sources that will enable this transition to happen.
But, what needs to be grasped is that geothermal energy
is always available, unlike solar and wind (which are
discontinuous and require ancillary systems to operate),
or biomass and hydrogen (which require feed stock from
fossil fuel or cultivated source, in turn having a damaging
environmental impact). Furthermore, a key benefit of
geothermal is that it provides heat directly.
Geothermal energy is heat created from radioactive
decay penetrating through the sub-surface of the earth.
Different geothermal technologies with distinct levels
of maturity exist. Technology for direct use including
district heating, geothermal heat pumps, greenhouses,
and other such applications are widely used and already
considered mature. Technology for electricity generation
from hydrothermal reservoirs has been used commercially
for more than 100 years, and is completely reliable. Yet,
despite the staggering amount of geothermal energy
contained within the Earth’s sub-surface, only 16 GWe of
energy is currently being commercially produced from this
source globally.

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 23

 Many of the world’s continents are already utilising
geothermal energy to meet their energy needs and there is,
undoubtedly, huge potential in this sector; however, the UK
and the world needs to ramp up use of this viable and
natural energy resource in order to remain serious about
hitting the global environmental targets.
Figure 1. Projected temperature increases.
Figure 2. The CeraPhi geothermal energy cascade.
Figure 3. The communication challenge for geothermal.
24 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
How can the transition be achieved?
There are two strands to energy transition:
FFThe movement of energy resourcing from
non-renewable energy resources to renewable
energy solutions.
FFThe repurposing of oil and gas wells for geothermal,
and the utilisation of an already highly-skilled existing
oil and gas work force who can seamlessly make the
transition into the geothermal energy space.
There are currently an estimated >20 million oil
and gas wells across the world, with an estimated
3.2 million located in the US. Many of these are end of
life and non-producing. Acknowledging there are some
differences between oil and gas and geothermal energy
production – geothermal requires deeper accessibility
and functions at higher temperatures – the expertise
and services from the oil and gas sector can access
it easily.
Couple this with the existence of an already
skilled work force, in the hundreds of thousands of
people who work in the global oil and gas sector,
and the geothermal energy industry has
a ready-made, hugely skilled work base
that already uses much of the technology
and work practices that would seamlessly
transition into this renewable energy space.
What does the future look like
for geothermal energy?
A huge challenge for the geothermal energy
industry is perception. Drilling in geothermal
needs to be looked at in the same way as
in oil and gas. The only difference being,
with oil and gas the requirement is to get
the resource as quickly as possible and then
shut down the field. Geothermal is about
getting the fuel for as long as possible, at a
lower but longer rate of return – a baseload
replacement for heat that can be monetised
with a bottom line of double digits.
Wider political and funding support
and a commitment to the development of
geothermal technology as a viable part
of the new renewable energy mix is also
much needed and – working with, and as
a founding member of the Geothermal
Energy Advancement Association (GEAA)
– CeraPhi Energy is already starting to
make significant headway accelerating the
development of geothermal solutions.
Similarly, the company is already
well underway advocating and initiating
the migration and application of oil and
gas expertise. Earlier this year, CeraPhi
appointed Petrofac to support it on a ‘first
of its kind’ study that will evaluate whether
oil and gas wells in the North Sea can be repurposed for
geothermal energy. The work on the Enquest Magnus will
determine whether heat from the wells can be used as a
direct power and/or as a heating or cooling for services
and utility.
The opportunities for geothermal energy as a viable,
clean, continuous, and secure part of the energy mix are
considerable. The resources are already there in the millions
of unused oil and gas wells across the world. The skill set of
oil and gas professionals is already there to draw on, with
engineering skills in well integrity management, root cause
analysis, corrosion and erosion, wellbore management,
fracturing, and stimulation of all areas of expertise
transferable to the geothermal energy sector.
and where retrofit architecture can be installed to
leverage some commercial return as opposed to a costly
well abandonment.
CeraPhi Energy is well positioned to advance the use
of geothermal energy both across the UK and the world
and to demonstrate the real viability of this energy source
as a key player in the energy mix. The company’s turnkey
capabilities and highly skilled team are already operational
on projects across the globe and continue to advocate
geothermal energy as the cleanest, cheapest, and most
efficient 24/7 baseload energy.

The technology
Technology is key in the production of geothermal
energy, and CeraPhi Energy are already well advanced
in the development and utilisation of it. One of these
technologies is CeraPhiWellTM, which enables the
recovery of commercially useable heat energy from
the sub-surface virtually anywhere in the world. A
downhole heat exchanger, CeraPhiWell is designed
to circulate proprietary working fluids, moving the
heat to the surface where it can then be processed
into direct heat or power use before being returned
to the well.
Additionally, the technology offers a ‘fall back’ for
those wells that fall short of production expectations
Figure 4. Temperatures per kilometre.

Figure 5. A geothermal hot spring.

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 25

J. Gary McDaniel, CEO, and Jim Hollis,
COO, Geothermal Technologies, Inc., USA,
discuss how geothermal energy has been
utilised over time, and how the development
in technology has aided with this.

use of geothermal energy is not new. People have been using

the hot water and steam emanating from natural pools and hot
springs for thousands of years for heating their homes, bathing,
and cooking. Of course, these uses were limited to areas having
hot springs. In more recent times, with the advent of modern
technologies, the use of geothermal energy has begun to
expand. In fact, although not widely used until the late 19th Century, the
world’s first district heating system was installed at Chaudes-Aigues,
France, in the 14th Century. Geothermal district heating systems are now
used in many places around the world.
The use of geothermal energy to produce commercial power first
occurred in 1911 in the very first geothermal power plant built in the
Devil’s Valley in the Larderello, Italy, dry steam field. This plant provided
electricity for the Italian railway system. In 1958, New Zealand’s Wairakei
power station became operational. This power plant was the first
in the world to make use of flash steam technology. Since the 1980s,
the use of binary and organic rankine cycle (ORC) power production
technologies has grown, especially when harvesting power from lower
temperature geothermal resources. Over the next couple of decades,
many countries including the US, Iceland, Turkiye, Kenya, Indonesia,
the Philippines, New Zealand, Italy, Germany, and Mexico, have invested

26
ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 27
 in geothermal power technologies. Today, a total of 17.4 GW of
electric power is generated from geothermal energy sources.
Generation one: Hydrothermal systems
Until recently, other than the use of modern technologies,
the harvesting of geothermal energy for heating and power
production has not changed all that much. Essentially, the
majority of the 17.4 GW of electricity that is being generated
around the world is still being done in areas where hot water
and steam are close to the surface. These are areas around
the plate boundaries, known for volcanic activity (such as the
Ring of Fire, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Iceland). These plants
take advantage of existing natural hydrothermal systems –
heat close to the surface (magma), underground fractures
(plumbing system), water (oceans) – bringing that water and
steam to the surface for district heating or to run power plants.
Figure 1. Existing geothermal power plants (2021) are geologically
and geographically very rare.
Figure 2. Hot dry rock (HDR)/enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)
system. Source: Department of Energy.
Figure 3. Heat transfer equation in HDR/EGS
28 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
All good, except for the fact that natural hydrothermal systems
are rare, representing only approximately 2% of the Earth’s
surface (Figure 1). While a great approach, this first generation of
geothermal energy is simply not scalable.
Generation two: Hot dry rock, enhanced
geothermal systems
Acknowledging this geographical limitation, and knowing
that basement rock is very hot, scientists and engineers began
working on creating an engineered system to harvest the heat
from hot dry rock (HDR). Such a system can be constructed
virtually anywhere. The deeper you drill, the hotter it gets. The
first enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) effort took place at
Fenton Hill, New Mexico, the US, with a project run by the US’s
federal Los Alamos laboratory. It was the first attempt to make
a deep, full scale EGS reservoir (Figure 2). Since then, billions of
US dollars have been invested in the development of EGS systems
in Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the US.
To date, this approach has proven unsuccessful. The reasons
are four-fold: (1) The water that is pumped into the injection well
sometimes finds its way into the HDR’s natural fracture system
and disappears; (2) The water that does make its way to the
production well leaches minerals from the rock, corroding pipes
and causing numerous maintenance and operational problems;
(3) The basement rock is very dense and cannot be adequately
imaged using existing technologies. Therefore, drilling operations
are often ‘wildcatting’, with drillers hoping to hit a suitable
fracture system; (4) Rock is an insulator, not a conductor. It has
a very low thermal diffusivity. Because the process is dealing
with rock, conduction is the only mechanism for heat transfer to
occur (Figure 3), as convection only occurs in liquids and gases.
Therefore, the geothermal resource is quickly exhausted as the
rate of heat extraction exceeds the rate of natural heat recharge
(conduction through the rock).
Much work is being done to address these problems. In the US,
for example, the Department of Energy has funded the FORGE
project which is looking to find solutions.
Generation three: Closed loop systems
In recent years, new technologies have been emerging which
address many of the problems in these second generation EGS
systems. These are the closed loop designs. There are several
companies commercialising closed loop systems, including
Eavor Technologies, GreenFire Energy, and Sage Geosystems.
All have a different approach, but all involve circulating a heat
exchange fluid in an underground closed loop system to harvest
the heat from the geothermal resource. With these systems, there
is no loss of water (circulation), there are no leaching/corrosion
problems, and imaging/wildcatting is not an issue. If used for district
heating purposes, these technologies are certainly up to the task.
What remains to be seen is how these technologies will be able
to overcome the problem of the exhaustion of the geothermal
resource that will occur due to the rapid heat extraction that is
required to produce economic power.
Generation four: Hot sedimentary aquifers
Hot sedimentary aquifiers (HSAs) have been used in various
places around the globe for district heating, but due to various
temperature and flow rate limitations, have found minimal use for
large scale power generation. However, recent advances in oil and
gas exploration and production technologies are about to change
this dynamic. Novel approaches to mining the heat from HSAs are
now being taken in an attempt to address the problems of the
first three generations of geothermal power production. Several
companies, such as Geothermal Technologies, Inc. (GTI) in the US
and DEEP in Canada, are working in the area and are bringing
these new technologies to bear. HSAs are an interesting geothermal
resource because:
1. HSAs are globally abundant, existing in many areas of the world
– solving the scalability problem of first generation geothermal
power production.

2. HSAs contain large volumes of hot water that can be harvested.

Figure 4. Illustration of Geothermal Technologies, Inc.’s
And, that water will not be wandering off through the natural GenaSysTM Convective Recharge.
fracture system – solving the loss of water problem. In fact, the
fractures will help with the circulation of water within the aquifer,
thereby bringing water/heat to the system from the far field.

3. The water in the aquifer is at chemical equilibrium with

the surrounding sandstone – eliminating the water
leaching/corrosion problem. The composition of the water
is constant and predictable, allowing for proper metallurgy
selection in the facility’s design.

4. The geology of these reservoirs consists of sandstones which

can be thoroughly imaged with the 3D seismic, passive seismic,
and electromagnetic imaging technologies that have been
developed for the oil and gas industry – solving the wildcatting
problem and enabling the placement of the wells in locations Figure 5. Key technologies incorporated in identifying optimised
GenaSys geothermal plant locations and optimising power generation.
for optimum system performance.

5. Water, being a liquid, allows for both convective and
conductive heat transfer. This combination maximises the
heat transfer within the system – eliminating the exhaustion of
the geothermal resource due to the convective recharge that
occurs (Figure 4).
Case study: GTI’s geothermal power
plant development in Colorado
GTI is currently developing a GenaSys geothermal power plant
within the sedimentary basin not far from the US city of Denver,
Colorado. Much is known about the subsurface geologic
formations from the decades of oil and gas exploration that
continues to this day. Beneath the oil and gas fields lies a
hot (approximately 135˚C), saline non-potable aquifer that is
contained within a permeable sandstone formation. GTI has
been able to repurpose many of the technologies developed
recently to explore for hydrocarbons. Proprietary technologies
have also been developed that are focused on optimising the
geothermal power system for longevity and for reducing the cost
of the electricity.
Some of the key technologies applied by GTI in the development
of the Denver-Julesburg Basin GenaSysTM geothermal plant are
summarised in Figure 5. Forward modelling that incorporates the
geoscientific data obtained from oil and gas developments and
other sources allows GTI scientists and engineers to optimise the
design of the underground power system. GTI’s forward modelling
efforts are coupled with proprietary machine-learning algorithms
that facilitate the fusion of multiple data layers that parameterise
the geology of the underground power system. GTI is in the process
of leveraging subsurface imaging technologies – both active and
passive seismic to not only better understand the subsurface
structure, but also the magnitude and velocity of the convective
heat recharge system.
GTI has secured the surface and subsurface rights to drill
and construct a power plant from a local landowner and is in the
process of receiving a permit from the State of Colorado to begin
drilling operations.
In addition to the application of geoscience technologies, GTI is
collaborating with many of the world’s experts from the oil and gas
industry, including Helmerich and Payne (H&P), an experienced and
technically advanced drilling company based in the US, and the
global oil field services company Halliburton who will lead the effort
of completing and instrumenting the wells in preparation for power
production. The above ground system will be provided by one of
the many ORC power generation system vendors who GTI is in the
process of vetting. Considering the permitting and construction
time, GTI expects to be making clean, baseload, economic power
by 2024 and supplying that power to either a local customer or to
the electrical grid that supplies Denver and its neighbouring cities
for decades.

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 29

 Rasmus Rubycz, Market Manager New Energy,
Atlas Copco Gas and Process Division, Germany, outlines the changing
energy landscape, focusing on the important role the heat pump plays
within the industry.

30 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022

F
or decades, it was almost a certainty: energy
was available when it was needed. The price:
negligible to acceptable. Be it coal, oil, or natural
gas, these cheap fossil fuel energy sources have
been powering production around the world since the
Industrial Revolution.
If one looks back at the history of the industries, the
last two centuries in particular have been characterised by
constant increases in the speed, efficiency, and capacity
of production. On the one hand, this development has
brought wealth and the convenience of a modern lifestyle
to many areas of the world. On the other hand, burning
fossil fuels to power modern industry is the main cause of
climate change, experienced in extreme weather, poor air
quality, and species extinction.
But something is happening, and not only since recent
climate demonstrations have put greater pressure on
decision-makers and supervisory boards. For the first time
in modern history, the goals of many politicians, industrial
decision-makers, and climate activists are narrowing:
“Things cannot stay the way they are” is the mantra.
Admittedly, the individual motivations may be different,
with one group more concerned about protecting the
planet, for example, and another more concerned about
the continued existence of a business or business model.
Whatever the reasoning, the aim is greater sustainability.
Energy independence
The most recent geopolitical developments of 2022 have
further revealed the dangers of countries depending on
fossil fuels for energy: the intensive interdependence of
the energy markets make fossil fuels highly susceptible to
international crises. Without a constant supply of energy
sources, the lights literally go out. This dependency
not only makes national economies vulnerable to
crises, but also, to a certain extent, it makes them
externally determined.
So, it is not just the idea of sustainability that is leading
to a rethink across many political parties; it is also about
efforts to minimise the effect of crises, volatile prices,
and imports.
Green hydrogen, widely praised as an energy
game-changer, appears in many industries as a simple
and pragmatic solution to help end dependence on
fossil fuel energy sources. However, it is produced from
electricity with high energy losses and requires greater
efficiencies before its wide scale deployment. Moreover, for
ordinary applications, heat pumps can do the job as good
as hydrogen, and increases in electrolyser efficiency will
not change this fact.
Of course, there are many industrial applications
for which hydrogen can be used sensibly – in particular,
applications that require high temperatures for
combustion, a direct chemical reaction, or for long-term
energy storage. Examples of this are in steel production,
cement production, the glass industry, or hydrogen as a
feedstock in the chemical industry.
Temperatures – only as high
as necessary
As well as these example industries, there is a lot of
energy demand below the high-temperature level. Still,
even low temperatures are generated with extremely hot
flames, something that is not technically necessary. In
paper production, the food industry, parts of the chemical
industry, and also district heating, temperatures of only
approximately 100 – 250˚C are required.
Reflecting the recognition that in many situations,
lower temperatures are sufficient to produce the required
energy or fulfil process needs, a technology that is now
almost a century old is gaining greater attention: the
heat pump.
Technically, heat pumps are comparable to the
working principle of a normal refrigerator: a liquefiable
gas, the so-called refrigerant, is evaporated in a cyclic
process at low pressure, compressed in a compressor,
and condensed at higher pressure. The cycle is closed
by a pressure reduction component, usually an
31
 expansion valve. During evaporation, the refrigerant
absorbs heat, such as from inside the refrigerator or from
a low-temperature environmental or process heat source.
The gaseous refrigerant condenses after compression at
high pressure and high temperature. In the case of the
refrigerator, this heat is released into the ambient air. With
a heat pump, this heat is used for something useful, such
as heating, district heating, or process heat.
COP, and getting the most from
the electricity
The magic of the heat pump lies in precisely this trick:
the heat is loaded into a refrigerant and raised to a
higher temperature level using additional energy. This
means that typically 2 – 4 kWh of heat can be pumped
with 1 kWh of electricity. This ratio of electricity used to
usable heat is referred to in technology as co-efficient of
performance (COP).
Electric heaters have a COP of 1, and the electrolysis
and combustion of hydrogen is typically 0.6, mainly due to
losses in electrolysis.
A heat pump, therefore, generates much more usable
heat from the same amount of electricity compared
to other technologies. Furthermore, no carbon dioxide
(CO2) is emitted if climate-neutral electricity from the
sun, wind, water, nuclear power, or other sources is used,
Figure 1. Cumulative amount and temperature levels of waste
heat/process heat demand in the EU. The total amount of available
waste heat adds up to 314 000 GWh/y. Data source: TNO 2021.
Figure 2. Basic principle of a heat pump. Here, a single stage,
subcritical cycle is shown. The co-efficient of performance
expresses the efficiency of the heat pump at given temperature lifts
and temperatures.
32 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
though even operated with electricity from efficient
gas- and coal-fired power plants may save CO 2.
Farewell to fossil fuels
While the technology has long lived in the shadows of
cheaply available fossil fuels, the current extremely high
fuel prices and the lack of security of supply in parts of the
world now finally seem to be setting the stage for the heat
pump’s grand entrance. It seems ironic that the first large
scale installations in Switzerland, dating back to 1938,
were installed with the same motivation of minimising
dependence on imported coal.
Several large Atlas Copco Gas and Process heat
pumps with turbocompressors have been in operation
in Scandinavia since the 1980s, which speaks for the
longevity of the technology. The heat source is cleaned
waste water from a sewage treatment plant, and the
heat sink is the urban district heating system. The systems
achieve thermal outputs of over 60 MW per unit.
Regarding CO 2 savings, heat pumps in industry offer
enormous potential: two Atlas Copco Gas and Process
heat pumps installed in Stockholm’s heating network,
each with 40 MW thermal output, save 90 000 tpy of
CO 2 emissions (compared to the previous use of heating
oil). To achieve a comparable saving in road traffic, it
would mean that the average Swedish gasoline-powered
cars would have to drive 500 million km fewer every year
(approximately 400 times to the moon and back).
The high impact areas of industry
There are five areas of production in particular that stand
out for the use of heat pumps: paper production, food
production, chemical/petrochemical, general production,
and the aforementioned production of district heating.
In these sectors, a large part of the required heat is
used at temperatures between 80 – 250˚C. At the same
time, low-temperature waste heat is available in all
production plants, which is rejected via cooling towers.
From an energy point of view, this conventional use of heat
is an open process that can be converted into an energy
circular economy by using a heat pump.
As well as from industrial production, there are more
heat sources that are readily available which may not
be immediately recognisable as such: municipal sewage
treatment plants and hydrogen electrolysis plants
represent a continuous flow of low-temperature heat that
can be made usable again (similarly, river and sea water).
Example: Chemical industry
Using an example from the chemical industry, the
possibility of seamless integration of a heat pump
into existing systems becomes clear. In the industrial
production of bioethanol, the ethanol/water mixture
obtained through fermentation is separated by a
multi-stage distillation at approximately 80 – 100˚C. The
distillation column is usually heated with low-pressure
steam, which is generated from natural gas in a power
plant or boiler. After separation, the purified ethanol
support@wesii.com

--- ---
 steam is condensed in a water-cooled condenser and the
heat is released into the environment via cooling towers.
However, if the heat of condensation of the ethanol
is transferred into the circuit of a heat pump, the heat
from the distillation can be fed back in as usable heat.
Figure 3. Heat pumps produce much more useful heat from the same amount
of electricity compared to electric heaters, or even hydrogen production
and usage.
Figure 4. Integrally geared turbocompressor as part of the industrial heat
pump for district heat generation at Hammarbyverket, Sweden.
34 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
Such a system with a temperature rise from 70˚C to 110˚C
may achieve a COP of 4, while thermal outputs of up to
approximately 50 MW can be achieved per machine.
Example: Food production
In the production of sugar, large amounts of heat
are required to first produce syrup and then crystal
sugar from the aqueous sugar extract of the beets or
sugar cane.
In conventional systems, the waste heat of the first
apparatus is already used several times to heat the
downstream processes, but eventually, it becomes
waste heat at approximately 50˚C, which can no longer
be used economically and is rejected via a cooling
tower. This lost heat must be replenished by fresh
energy, which is usually generated from fossil fuels.
A heat pump can be used here instead of the
cooling tower. Since the sugar production apparatus is
an expensive, specially manufactured component, the
heat pump has to meet the existing requirements for
the available heating medium, which is usually water
vapour at low pressure.
A heat pump with an oil-free integrally geared
turbocompressor can easily achieve the necessary
temperature rise from 50˚C to 140˚C to produce
the required steam at 2.5 bar. Due to the higher
temperature range, the COP is lower, but it still
achieves good values of approximately 3, depending
on how low the cooling water is to be cooled.
Example: Hydrogen electrolysis
No system has perfect efficiency, and this is especially
true for large scale electrolysis for the production of
green hydrogen. The prevailing polymer electrolyte
membrane (PEM) technology achieves 60 – 70%
efficiency. With a 100 MW electrolysis, approximately
30 MW waste heat is generated at a level below 80˚C.
In industry in particular, upcycling this waste heat
represents an easy way to exploit the full potential of
the hydrogen economy: on the one hand, replacing
fossil fuels with hydrogen where really necessary (such
as in furnaces, cement, and metallurgy), and on the
other hand, replacing fossil-fuel generated steam
with hydrogen ‘green steam’ from the waste heat of
the electrolysis.
Proven turbocompressor technology
The optimisation of industrial heat pumps
represents a system with a number of variables.
Larger outputs generally require high-performance
turbomachines, while continuously operating
production processes in industry require maximum
reliability and economy.
Integrally geared turbocompressors represent
a technology that has been tried and tested for
decades, and they can be ideally combined with the
above-mentioned requirements for performance,
reliability, and economy. Due to the possibility of
flexible arrangements of up to eight individual
compressor stages on a gearbox, there is the
possibility of multiple inter-stage cooling. The COP
benefits enormously, especially in the case of heat
pumps with a large temperature lift, but the setup
of the machine remains simple because only one
drive motor is required.
To compensate for fluctuations in heat
demand, the compressor stages can be precisely
controlled via inlet guide vanes. Due to this entirely
mechanical control, expensive power electronics
for speed control can be dispensed with in most
Figure 5. By combining heat pumps and steam compression systems, steam
cases. Especially in critical applications in large generation from even very low grade temperatures is possible.
production plants, a simple, mechanical power
and capacity control is usually a preferred option.

Customised systems welcome

However, the secret star of the heat pump is the
refrigerant. Without beneficial properties, no heat
pump can achieve high COP values. Many systems
with lower performance use components from the
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
industry, which is why established refrigerants
such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) of the latest
generation (such as R1233zee and R1234yf) are
also used here. Manufacturers promote these
refrigerants as a future-proof choice, with no
negative impact on the ozone layer and very low
global-warming potential. However, long-term
consequences, such as the environmental impact
of the degradation-product trifluoroacetic
acid (TFA), raise legitimate questions and
become more important given the normal service life of
Atlas Copco Gas and Process compressors is over 30 years.
With filling-quantities in the ton scale, the high price
of HFCs is accompanied by its high weight, while natural
hydrocarbons in the form of LPG are freely available and
at low cost.
Because of these points, Atlas Copco Gas and Process
heat pump compressors use natural refrigerants,
specifically hydrocarbons, water, inert gases (nitrogen
and argon), and carbon dioxide. Of course, machines
with HFCs and ammonia as the working fluids are
also available.
As an expert for turbomachinery in oil and gas
processing, the handling of combustible gases is an
everyday task for Atlas Copco Gas and Process that fits
into any machine concept without problems. A suitable
configuration can be created from the modular range of
machines for applications up to 500˚C, with the different
temperature ranges requiring different refrigerants
and designs.
Focus on the core know-how: Integrally
geared turbocompressors
Reflecting on one’s strengths is a good way to be
sustainable and successful in life. And true to this motto,
Atlas Copco Gas and Process focuses on the design and
Figure 6. Depending on the heat source and sink temperature,
Atlas Copco Gas and Process heat pumps can use a wide range of suited fluids for
the given application.
construction of the core component of the heat pump: the
centrifugal compressor.
This means that a strong engineering/EPC partner
is needed to build a complete heat pump system.
Based on many years of experience in working with
internationally active EPCs, Atlas Copco Gas and Process
selects the optimal partner depending on the
requirements of the project. For projects in Europe,
for example, it has an exclusive partnership with
EPC STRABAG Environmental Technologies.
Summary
There are three obvious reasons for using heat pumps:
CO2 emission reduction, cost reduction (fuel savings, CO2
emission certificates, tax breaks, and so on), and security
of supply.
The heat pump as an industrial technology has been
mature for decades, but it has existed for years in the
shadow of fossil fuels due to a lack of need. Now, however,
with sustainability demands and the price of fossil fuels, it is
fair to say that the age of the heat pump is beginning.
Regardless of the motivation behind the investment
decision for an industrial heat pump, in the end it is a
further step towards the decarbonisation of industry,
something that is urgently needed to meet the climate goals
of the Paris climate agreement.

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 35

36 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
 Austin Harbison, Smart Technology Manager,
CRP Subsea, UK, talks about the importance of safely
protecting subsea electrical cables in the shallow
waters of offshore wind farms.

s the world balances its transition from fossil

fuels to renewable sources of energy, the
changing tide of supply will inevitably lead
to unforeseen industry challenges and
failures, resulting in new approaches
and improvements to support further growth and
cost-effectiveness in these sectors. These
lessons must be learnt in order to see how
best to identify and adapt so as to
guarantee reliable energy supply and
security in the future.
Over 30 years ago, offshore
wind farms started to
emerge in Europe, with
slow adoption through
the turn of the
millennium,
to almost
meteoric
growth

over
the past
decade,
and ever more
coming online as
2030 comes closer.
Development focus has
led to great gains in the
most visible part (the turbine
and its blades), but as a result, is
the whole system being mistakenly
labelled a mature technology
not in need of further investment
and improvement?
As with any system, it is only as strong as
its weakest link, and some are beginning to argue
that its very connection to people’s homes might just
be that. Given the environment in which these systems
are immersed, and the unforgiving nature of coastal waters,
small risks are being exacerbated, but through the lessons of
failure, new approaches are uncovered to mitigate, analyse, and
eliminate them.
To facilitate the world’s burgeoning thirst for renewable electricity,
submarine cable production has been increasing like never before to meet
with the demand for offshore wind, with the cumulative deployed length of
cables now exceeding the diameter of the planet, and an eight-fold increase
coming online within the decade. Thus, any risk to their integrity could impact the

37
 entire industry and, without cable redundancy on most
fields, any single point failure could lead to considerable
loss of power to homes and businesses.
Cable protection products
CRP Subsea has spent nearly half a century refining its
cable protection products, to either offset cable weights,
or to protect them from abrasion, overbending, and
fatigue. With over 100 000 buoyancy modules deployed
and over 300 km of cable protection supplied, the
product’s tenure is not in doubt. But these numbers, whilst
impressive, pale into insignificance when compared
with the lengths of cables now being deployed globally.
However, CRP Subsea’s focus is not the overall cable itself,
but arduous hot spots along it where, without additional
support, it may suffer catastrophic failure.
One such location is the transition of the cable from
the security of burial in the seabed toward its connection
Figure 1. CRP Subsea site in Skelmersdale, UK.
Figure 2. NjordGuard cable protection system.
38 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
to the turbine’s monopile. Cable management during the
installation of such inter-array cables sees great care
taken in the cable’s submergence and movement toward
its connection point, offsetting historical installation
failure risks. The cables are laid in such a way as to
eliminate overbending or stress – as they are pulled
toward the connecting turbine, they are provided with
protective cladding (which accurately controls bending
radii) as winches on the turbine pull them ever closer,
then upward into the turbine’s monopile without a kink.
This protective cladding generally meets the point of
entry of the monopile, which could be a cut orifice or
j-tube, where the cladding becomes permanently affixed
to the pile, permitting the subsequent cable to be hauled
through it without overbending. This cladding, evolving
to support safe cable installations, can then also be
used to strengthen the elevated section from the heave
and sway of waves and tidal currents as they accelerate
around the pile and over the sandbank. Thus,
the cladding, or cable protection system (CPS),
has a dual purpose: 1) to aid installation, and
2) to mitigate this hotspot’s operational response
to the hydrodynamic environment. The primary
goal of both purposes is to reduce overbend and
excessive movement.
Prior to the cable’s insertion into the pile,
a blanket of rock is laid to protect the pile’s
foundation from localised erosion, created
by the water currents accelerating around it.
This scour protection, which the CPS sits atop,
introduces the first operational risk to the cable’s
integrity: abrasion. The second most prominent
operational risk involves a slower, but no less
severe, deterioration. As the cable moves back
and forth in the water current, it undergoes
cyclic tensile strain, which will inevitably lead to
cable fatigue failure.
Overcoming operational risks
As initial CPS designs sought to reduce
overbending damage during installation, the
operational risks of fatigue and abrasion were
not as well understood; as such, the primary
component, seen in legacy CPS’, were static
bend restrictors, whose articulating form
would lock up at a designated curvature to
inhibit overbend. This product is commonplace
within oil and gas, where they are used to stop
overbending during installation, when cables are
lifted, or when they are pulled into a structure,
and have long proved effective. The difference
in this application is the operational phase of
such a system. If a cable sits within protection
that locks out at a curvature, it does not
dampen movement until it hits this hard-stop,
introducing an impact both to the cable and its
protection. Furthermore, its increased diameter
in the water current can actually double the
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 distance it travels, with predicted movement accruing over
10 000 km of travel back and forth. Unfortunately, this is
not the end of the story as the material property which
provides the strength to lock out at curvature makes it
more brittle and subject to increased abrasion.
Again, looking to the learnings from oil and gas, any
cable subject to dynamic loading will utilise a cone-shaped
system called a bend stiffener, which stiffens the cable
through the use of elastomeric (rubber-like) material.
This is selected as it dampens and inhibits movement,
acting against water currents, whilst also offering a more
streamlined profile than restrictors. Such products have
been deployed for decades on oil risers without failure.
Furthermore, its elastomeric nature greatly increases its
inherent abrasion resistance, with added sections being
designed with yet more suitability to combat abrasion as
it meets with the scour bed of rocks. This design is now
preferred across the industry, as it better manages both
installation and operational risks, with retrofittable variants
Figure 3. NjordGuard pull in testing.
Figure 4. NjordGuard scour protection sections awaiting collection.
40 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
of CRP Subsea’s bend stiffening design, NjordGuard, being
used to shore up legacy bend restrictor designs.
As wider appreciation of protection system types
take hold, so too does the response of the cable at this
location. One of the most vital aspects to any protection
system design is the predictive software used to determine
the extent of movement. Global analysis software,
originally designed to predict riser motions in deep
water, has been repurposed to predict cable movement
at wind turbine sites; but, as with any model, it is only as
good as the conditions and constraints placed within it.
Unfortunately, the company’s knowledge of these sites is
currently brought about by the costly findings of failure,
as locations prove to have more complex bathymetric
aspects, such as migratory sand banks, and more complex
hydrodynamic flow patterns, with individual idiosyncrasies
at each field and even each location, each one far beyond
the capability of modern analysis to fully predict. With
extensive and constantly expanding design cases seeking
to cover every eventuality, even the most
encompassing prediction is based on an
oversimplification of the field itself.
In an attempt to manage the almost
infinite variation needed in design, secondary
mitigation of rock dumping on top of the
CPS is re-emerging, firstly to shore up
current fields deemed at risk but also to
add perceived stability to new ones. This
method is not without its pitfalls; aside from
the cost of vessel mobilisation, it places
new risks onto the cables as heavy rocks
impact, compress, and shear them, further
restricting the ability for replacement. If they
are insufficient in suppressing the motion,
does that mean ever more rocks must be
dumped on to the site? What if the seabed
migrates, or the rocks bridge over the cable?
The biggest challenge here is the unknown or
unquantified effectiveness.
Looking once more to oil and gas, concrete
mattresses or rock dumping is seen as a
challenging mitigation to implement effectively,
coupled with the disadvantage of permanently
entombing the pipeline and potentially not
restraining tensile fatigue along the pipe’s axis,
as thermal cycling creates the caterpillar effect
of axial walking. The alternative here is axial
resistors (motion stabilisers) placed along the
length of the pipeline to increase soil adhesion,
gluing it to the bed, but in any event the biggest
challenge remains the unknown response
to mitigation.
If a Six Sigma improvement framework
is considered for a moment, such as DMAIC,
the problem and output to be achieved is
defined, it is measured by collecting data to
establish a baseline for improvement, the
data is analysed to understand its implication,
the process is improved, and controls are
implemented to sustain those improvements.
There is a well-defined problem to address,
with established software to aid root cause
identification, but there is little, if any, actual
field measurement to complete this analysis,
improve the company’s approach, or control it
by inspection. Offshore inspections identified
during initial risk assessments cover everything
from pile corrosion rate tracking to the
reliability and predictive maintenance of the
turbine machinery, with their mitigating backup
systems, controls, and omnipresent support
crews, but what of the cable itself? If movement
with associated abrasion and fatigue are the
emerging risk factors associated with long-term
cable integrity, inspections which merely check
the cables’ location every few years omit actual
measurement and eliminate the ability for the
industry to analyse, learn, and improve future
systems. If current inspections only identify Figure 5. NjordGuard monopile connection.
failures when it is too late, there needs to be a
push for data driven measurements based on
field accrued data or people will forever learn
by failure.
As with improvements in cable protection
devices, the ability to monitor is scaling to
meet this need, with further support from
operators, monitoring can be deployed by small
vessels and smaller remote operated vehicles
to capture key motion data, better informing
operators as to the health of their cables.
Subsea Insight, an independent subsea integrity
monitoring company, in collaboration with
CRP Subsea, have developed a fully-integrated
monitoring device for inclusion in CPS systems
to aid tracking and provide closed loop design
improvements to their products. Subsea Insight’s
products are also seeing deployment as a
retrofittable solution on existing fields at minimal
cost and impact, due to their ability to sequence
with typical site inspection schedules. This Figure 6. Motion stabiliser installation.
approach is providing billions of data points,
capable of correlating met ocean conditions to validation that what will be found is unknown. True subsea
responses and introducing data-driven models to predictive insight into systems should not be seen as arduous.
software, aiding in life expectancy calculations, whether on Indeed, Subsea Insight are actively working with partners
mitigated or unmitigated sites – not just capturing motion, to bring about resident autonomous vehicles which can
but also thermal changes and impact to marine ecologies. correlate met ocean data with cable monitoring hubs
to build quasi-real-time tracking of cable health, and to
The next phase identify at-risk locations where mitigation may be needed
The next phase of protecting subsea electrical cables in the future, allowing for efficient planning in the event
lies no longer with CPS or stabilisation approaches, but that some locations see more adverse conditions than
with the field measurements that can bring about a others. The industry has learned a painful lesson in the
conclusion to it; confirming life expectancy is equivalent past few years, but it must not stop learning about the
to the turbines they connect and enabling data guided environment in which it now wishes to place its energy
refinements to future systems. Just because there are infrastructure. The industry should not continue learning
questions on what the data will look like and how it will by trial and error, but by the data the current systems
be interpreted, this is not a reason not to monitor, it is can provide.

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 41

 he UK’s offshore wind industry is in a unique
position to act as a springboard for broader
maritime decarbonisation, being both a potential
producer and user of clean fuels.
Using clean energy is expected to make up a far
greater part of the maritime fuel mix of the future, whether
that be by directly using the cleanly generated electricity or
by converting this clean energy into combustible fuels, such
as green hydrogen.

Paul Cairns, Managing Director at MJR Power and Automation, UK, outlines how tech
marine and offshore energy sector.

Figure 1. MJR Offshore charging system.

42
 MJR Power and Automation – alongside a consortium
of partners – is at the very forefront in driving the transition
to utilise the energy generated by offshore wind farms and
create fuels for the maritime industry.

The challenge
Presently, most offshore wind turbines are maintained using
marine gas oil (MGO) powered vessels, most notably crew
transfer vessels (CTVs), which are calculated to contribute

hnology can revolutionise the future for electrification in the

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 43

 10 – 20% of the lifecycle carbon emissions of an offshore
wind project. Converting or replacing MGO-fuelled CTVs with
vessels powered by clean fuels is estimated to save between
1278 – 2500 tpy, depending on vessel type, of carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions, per vessel replaced.
With offshore wind farms typically chartering several
CTVs each, and the number of CTVs required to service
Figure 2. System overview with numbers.
Figure 3. On turbine power converter.
44 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
the industry set to grow rapidly over the next decade, the
industry must act now – and it is paving the way in doing so
– to significantly reduce its future increased emissions.
Addressing the challenge
The industry as a whole is very much focused on
accelerating the electrification of the marine and offshore
sector, which has seen industry-wide collaborations
formed to achieve decarbonisation collectively, with
widespread adoption of clean fuels on vessels, as well as
big industry players setting clear commitments to reach
targets of net zero by 2025.
One accessible route to reducing the carbon footprint
of offshore wind operations and maintenance activities is
through the adoption of electric CTVs (eCTVs). However,
this presents several restrictions, as limited battery storage
energy density severely reduces the operating capability
and range of eCTVs, thus limiting their adoption and the
decarbonisation of this area of the industry.
Having a method to charge batteries in the field
– ideally during periods that vessels would otherwise
be spent idle – will be a key enabler for the large scale
deployment of eCTVs and help achieve the carbon
emission reduction targets of the industry.
Taking the power back
As such, to meet the industry’s need to significantly
reduce its emissions, MJR Power and Automation has
successfully fast tracked the design and development
of an electrical vessel charging system following
the company being selected as winners of the
Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, receiving
funding from the Department for Transport (DfT), with the
scheme being delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
The company has led a consortium of partners
– ORE Catapult; Xceco; Artemis Technologies; and
Tidal Transit – each with expertise in their given field to
develop the first of its kind technology.
The charge points enable all eCTVs and other offshore
support vessels to connect in the field to a 100% green
energy source generated directly by the offshore wind
turbines for the efficient, safe, and reliable transfer
of power.
This new technology innovation – currently in final
stages of testing for deployment offshore – will break
down the existing range barriers and thus increase the
uptake by vessel owners and operators with transition
to fully electric and green propulsion systems, for retrofit
and new build vessels. In combination with other field
proven technologies, the charging system will be an
important part for government and offshore wind
owners and operators, to achieve their net zero maritime
operations targets, and switch away from fossil fuels.
The ability to charge when in the field will
significantly accelerate adoption of current
emission-free propulsion systems which will be a major
asset for the decarbonisation of the UK and global
maritime sector.
System overview
The technology accesses the infrastructure already in place,
including turbine platform and electrical power, to provide
renewable electricity to vessels. As an eCTV docks with
the turbine, a cable reel lowers down an electrical charge
connection which plugs in to the vessel and charges a
battery onboard.
Although some of the technology necessary for
this is relatively mature, significant technology gaps
remain to making offshore charging safe and practical.
MJR Power and Automation has successfully developed the
technology to fill these gaps and developed standards,
working practices, and procedures in order to safely carry
this out at sea.
The overview of the charging system shown in Figure 2
includes, but is not limited to:
FFOn turbine power converter – converts the wind farm
medium voltage AC power into DC power that is
compatible with the CTV propulsion and battery system
(see item 1 in Figure 1 and Figure 2).
FFOn turbine mooring/charging cable and connector
deployment system ‘reeler’ (see item 2 in Figure 2 and
Figure 4).
FFVessel connection and mooring system (item 3 in
Figure 2 and Figure 5).
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FFControl and safety system (item 4 in Figure 2 and
Figure 6).
Real-time control and safety system
The technology is linked to a real-time control system to
enable safe control and the charging from both the vessel
and wind farm control room operating locations, and is
designed to embed safety throughout the charging process.
The control and safety system has been developed
according to marine classification society rules and
standards, coupled with the company’s 25 years of
experience of designing and delivering safety and mission
critical systems to the offshore energy industry.
A real-time deterministic marine grade operating
platform is joined with the added functionality of a web
portal system used for the booking and monitoring of the
wind turbine charging system from the vessel, the wind farm
control room, and also via desktop access.
The control software has been developed for full
operational control of the charging system, reeler system,
and vessel connection system. The high-level functions of
the control modes are:
FFManual control.
FFFollow mode.
FFMooring mode.
 Throughout the process of charging the vessel battery
system, the vessel personnel have full visibility of the status
of both the charging and deployment system with the
operator control station that would be situated on the
bridge of the vessel.
Figure 4. On turbine mooring – charging cable and connector.
Figure 5. Vessel connection and mooring system.
Figure 6. Control and safety system.
46 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
Accelerating electrification
Through the adoption of such technology, it is estimated
that a single vessel switching from diesel to battery electric
propulsion will save 1278 tpy of CO2e emissions. As such, this
technology has huge potential to enable the UK’s marine
and offshore wind industry to seamlessly convert to electric
operation of its CTV fleet.
If 50% of the UK’s CTV fleet converted to electric
operation, this would eliminate approximately 131 100 tpy of
CO2. These figures are staggering and highlight that such
technology and adoption of it will be absolutely pivotal
in reducing emissions in the field and helping the UK to
achieve net zero targets.
The offshore charging solution will enable the
immediate conversion to electric vessels and the removal
of over 300 diesel-powered CTVs from UK coastal waters.
And with the ever-growing number of wind farms both
in UK waters and across the world, this will play an
integral part for owners and operators to meet their
emission targets.
Industry recognition
As part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition
Final Showcase hosted by DfT, Innovate UK, and
Innovate UK KTN, MJR Power and Automation showcased its
offshore charging system earlier this year amongst 54 other
projects from across the UK that also received funding at
Portsmouth International Port.
At this year’s Seawork event, the company secured a
highly acclaimed award and was announced as winners of
the Innovations Showcase Category for renewable energy in
recognition of its offshore charging system.
The business also received the accolade of the
Supply Chain Innovation Award at RenewableUK’s
Global Offshore Wind awards, as well as shortlisted for
the Technology and Business Innovation Award at 2022’s
Scottish Renewables’ Net Zero Transition Awards.
Next phase of development
With the offshore charging system scheduled to be ready
for deployment in the 1Q23, MJR Power and Automation
has been further awarded a second round of UK
government funding for development of its offshore
charging system technology, to allow the system to
further connect and charge service operation vessels and
platform supply vessels working in the field.
The Service Operational Vessel Offshore Charging
System project is part of the Clean Maritime
Demonstration Competition Round 2 funded by the DfT
and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
This second round of funding from the DfT will be
absolutely pivotal in supporting the decarbonisation
of marine operations. MJR Power and Automation will
work with their key partners, who are all experts in their
fields, and take the lessons learned from the first project,
applying extensive knowledge to develop this solution
and bring it to market, where there is already a huge
demand for it.
Global Publication

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Figure 1. Saint Brieuc offshore wind farm.

Cerianne C
Offshore W
Director, Ke
question: Could
delivery mod
global supply
the offshore w

48
 S
ince the Paris Agreement, global governments and leaders have
outlined, defined, and refined their net zero aspirations, targets,
and, more recently, frameworks. As a result, the last two years have
seen a significant increase in the number of global seabed leases being
awarded for new offshore wind farms or extensions to existing offshore wind farms.
Due to events in Ukraine, many countries are now accelerating their plans to move away
from dependency on other countries to supply their energy needs; notably both the UK and
the US have announced commitments to accelerate the installation of offshore wind farms in their
respective countries.
New leases have encouraged new offshore wind developers to move into the market. This,
alongside the accelerated commitments, means that the global offshore wind market is looking
to those with experience to help navigate these challenging demands. The world is looking at the
existing UK and European supply chain to share its experiences and lessons learned; to mitigate
repeated mistakes and to move the sector forward at the speed now required.
The recent GWEC report1 references analysis undertaken by the International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA) of the human resource requirements of the onshore 2 and offshore wind industry 3.
The analysis states that each offshore wind development requires 2.1 million person days of effort
for a 500 MW fixed bottom to move from the development stage through to decommissioning.
By comparison, only 144 000 person days of effort are required for a 50 MW onshore wind farm.
The environmental differences between onshore and offshore developments are clear. As a
result, offshore wind developments rely on the harmonious efforts across an extensive number
of independent organisations, all resulting in points of interface; developers, designers,
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), certifiers, marine warranty surveyors, fabricators,
installers, and operations and maintenance teams, to name but a few.
The last 20 years of offshore wind in the UK and Europe have demonstrated that
the overall success of a project is determined by how well aligned and managed
project interfaces are. There are a significant number of specialist companies and
organisations that need to align for each project to be planned, designed, fabricated,
installed, and operated. There is no time in the history of offshore wind that this
challenge has been more important to overcome than now.

Cummings,
Wind Market
ent, asks the
d collaborative
dels mitigate
challenges in
wind market?

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 49

 The increase in demand is putting significant pressure will bring. Perhaps the reducing cost base seen in offshore
on all parts of the existing supply chain, whether that wind is about to change?
is in the shape of available installation vessels, suitable In addition to mobilising the experience developed and
fabrication facilities, availability of component parts or gained in the last 20 years in the fixed bottom offshore
material, capacity and suitability of ports and harbours, wind industry, the global markets are in parallel pushing
or suitably qualified and trained people. It is no surprise forward with the more novel floating offshore wind.
that the market is heading towards colossal supply and Whilst floating wind is seeing similar challenges to fixed
demand challenges and the additional costs that demand bottom, there are a few differences; of note, different
manufacturing, assembly, and
wind turbine generator (WTG)
integration requirements. In
combination with the high
levels of uncertainty on hull
size, shape, and WTG size,
how does the supply chain
know where to invest? There is
some good work being led by
ORE Catapult Floating Offshore
Wind Centre of Excellence
to begin to address this, but
the reality is the floating
offshore wind journey is still at
the beginning.
So how can the offshore
wind market share the lessons
of experience, manage, and
provide the required resources
and meet the aspirations
and targets as set out to be
net zero?

Early supply chain

engagement
Most projects recognise the
need for early supply chain
engagement and alignment.
Identifying and agreeing project
requirements at the earliest
opportunity saves time and
money, reducing the number of
iterations and permeations. The
key is facilitating, co-ordinating,
and contracting parts of the
supply chain to come together
at the optimal time in the
developments programme.
In recent months, as a
direct result of the known
limitations in vessel availability
and fabrication slots, and to
mitigate potential programme
risks, many developers
are coming to market
before renewable energy
auctions have completed.
This approach has had
some limited success. Is this
Figure 2. Dudgeon offshore wind farm. Source: Smulders. engagement too early?

50 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022

 With a need to prioritise enquiries, the supply chain is
naturally focusing its efforts on those enquiries that will
have the most chance of leading to contract awards. All
enquiries require resources to be deployed at the supply
chains costs, and, whilst business models recognise the
need for the investment at the enquiry stage, the reality is
that parts of the supply chain no longer have the resource
availability to respond to the number of enquiries that are
being released into the market place.
Partnering
One solution that appears to be addressing some of these
challenges is partnering.
Those following the offshore wind media channels will
likely have noticed that frequent new memorandum of
understandings, partnerships, investments, or framework
agreements are being announced. Examples include:
FFSSE’s financial backing of the Port of Nigg
factory, Scotland.
FFØrsted’s commitment to EEW to develop a new
monopile production facility in New Jersey, the US.
FFImplenia and WindWorks Jelsa agreement to construct
floating concrete platforms.
These commitments have been required to manage
and share risk and provide confidence to the supply chain.
Appropriate risk allocation
All projects, developers, and businesses consider risk and
where risk should be allocated. It is taught that risk should
be allocated to those most able to mitigate and manage
risk. To date, it is easy to argue that this has not always
been the case in offshore wind. Each year, some company
annual financial reports record challenges that businesses
have seen in the offshore wind market and the impact
those difficulties have had on business performance.
People hear about claims that have been made resulting
in court cases when they could not be settled. With the
reduction in supply and the increase demand in the
market, now more than ever, businesses are assessing the
‘attractiveness’ of new contracts based upon the contracts
risk allocation. The supply chain is no longer willing to
agree to contracting terms that push all of the risk into
the market place. Now is a good time to review, assess,
and refresh contracting terms to ensure appropriate
risk allocation and the fair and reasonableness of the
contracting terms. Fair and reasonable contracting
mechanisms will facilitate true collaborative working.
True collaborative working
True collaboration requires those collaborating to be
committed to maximising joint performance in order
to achieve the same objectives; it takes significant
investments of time and effort but the potential rewards
from collaborative working are numerous. Collaboration
enables improved delivery of integrated services,
often with efficiencies and savings, allowing the sharing
of knowledge and information. It is worth noting that
separate organisations can maintain their independence
and collaborate.
Collaboration in the offshore wind market would
allow organisations with resources and expertise to offer
assistance to others with lesser experience. Interfaces
aligned to meet the same objectives will share and discuss
challenges and align on how to overcome the difficulties
to the benefit of the project as a whole; in the meantime,
educating and informing each other of different
perspectives. Collaborative teams become agile and bond
over shared goals. This is likely to lead to comradery,
increasing productivity, and perhaps, more importantly,
improving mental health in the world of work. Ultimately
this could also lead to accelerated project delivery and
improved resource retention.
It is therefore no surprise during this year that
there have been announcements encouraging
and supporting collaborative working; the
Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council’s Collaborative
Framework Charter is a demonstration of the commitment
of ScotWind projects to work collaboratively, and the
Global Offshore Wind Alliance from IRENA, GWEC, and the
Danish government, which is aimed at becoming the go-to
enabler for unlocking resources. Whilst these commitments
are being outlined and endorsed at the highest levels of
the offshore wind supply chain, now is a good time to think
collaboratively top to bottom, end to end.
Conclusion
In summary, if the global net zero and government
targets are to be met, and the Paris Agreement satisfied,
an environment needs to be cultivated that allows the
offshore wind supply chain to openly share the lessons of
experience, manage, and provide the required resources
to ultimately thrive and grow.
This will only happen if the sector and projects foster a
more transparent working environment.
Consideration needs to be given to: right time supplier
engagement, partnering to provide investment confidence,
appropriate risk allocation resulting in fair and reasonable
contracting terms, all of which will result in shared end
goals and encourage true collaborative working.
Collaborative working brings many benefits: shared
learning, increased productivity, and accelerated project
delivery. Many in the sector are realising that to meet
the worlds ever growing energy needs, collaboration will
be fundamental.
References:
1. ‘Global Wind Report 2022’, Global Wind Energy Council,
https://gwec.net/global-wind-report-2022/
2. ‘Renewable Energy Benefits: Leveraging local capacity for onshore
wind’, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), (2017),
www.irena.org/publications/2017/Jun/Renewable-Energy-Benefits-Leveraging-
Local-Capacity-for-Onshore-Wind
3. ‘Renewable Energy Benefits: Leveraging local capacity for offshore wind’, IRENA,
(2018), www.irena.org/publications/2018/May/Leveraging-Local-Capacity-for-
Offshore-Wind
ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 51
Serik Shakhazhanov, Chairman
of the Management Board of
Eurasian Group LLP, Kazakhstan, talks
about the ways in which companies in
Kazakhstan can support the government’s
commitment to carbon neutrality by 2060.

or Reshaping Ka
t c
e rg y s e

z
n

kh
stan’s e

52
 n 2020, during the UN’s Climate Summit,
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced Kazakhstan’s
ambitious plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2060. While
governments around the world have been making similar
pledges in recent years, this target is particularly notable for a
country with significant fossil fuel reserves. Following Tokayev’s
announcement, Kazakhstan’s share of renewable energy is set to
increase more than twenty-fold from approximately 3% currently
to 70% by 2060.1 In other words, there is an expectation of a
considerable, tectonic shift in the composition of Kazakhstan’s
energy sector in the coming decades.
Kazakhstan’s carbon neutrality strategy
To achieve this, governmental bodies and ministries, in
collaboration with international experts and organisations,
have been developing a long-term strategy for achieving carbon
neutrality until 2060 – a framework with a clear pathway for
achieving decarbonisation, the energy sector transition, and the
development of clean technologies. Among the key measures
outlined in the strategy is a doubling of the share of renewable
energy sources in electricity generation; 100% electrification of
personal passenger transport; and the use of green hydrogen.
Put simply, the realisation of the strategy will bolster
market-focused and regulatory policies for renewable energy,
as well as attracting substantial public and private investments
to support these objectives. President Tokayev reiterated the
importance of mobilising investments during a meeting of the
Foreign Investor’s Council in June 2022,2 and announced that
the draft strategy was close to being finalised during the recent
Climate Dialogue Conference.3
Exploring renewable energy sources
The need to transition to net zero is clear. However, a key question
to address is: Which energy sources should the country prioritise
switching to? As highlighted by the team of international
researchers from Rystad Energy, Kazakhstan has been focusing
ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 53
 on wind and solar power, as well as looking into the potential of
green hydrogen.4 For example, the Svevind group of companies
signed a roadmap with Kazakhstan’s government last year for
30 GW in green hydrogen developments by utilising wind and
solar power near the Caspian Sea.
In September 2022, the UNDP and the government of the
Republic of Kazakhstan published a joint study funded by the
Global Environment Facility,5 which analyses the country’s
renewable resources potential and the opportunities for
renewable energy technologies in heating, cooling, and hot water
supplies in various geographical locations. The study provides,
among other things, an informative overview of the state’s policies
in the sphere of renewables and other sources, including solar,
wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass energy. Despite the great
variety of energy sources available to Kazakhstan, wind power still
remains high on the agenda, partly due to its economic feasibility.
The US Agency for International Development also explored
the potential of various renewable energy sources in Kazakhstan
in some depth in a 2020 report.6 The report claimed that whilst
hydro, geothermal, and solar energy each had their advantages,
wind energy has “the greatest potential among all [renewable
energy sources] in Kazakhstan.” This is because approximately
half of Kazakhstan’s territory reportedly has promising conditions
for producing wind energy. According to the aforementioned 2022
study, for a wind zone with a speed range of between 3 – 9 m/sec.,
the power potential is approximately 7466 GW.
Potential of wind power in Aktobe
According to the Kazakh Ministry of Energy, wind farms are now
responsible for generating 45% of the total renewable energy in
Kazakhstan.7 The 2020 and 2022 reports suggest that the greatest
potential for wind power is in northern and southern Kazakhstan,
as well as the Atyrau and Mangystau regions in the west. But what
about the neighbouring western region of Aktobe, a key industrial
area and the second-largest region in the country? After all,
Kazakhstan’s shift towards a fully sustainable energy landscape is
contingent on renewables being advanced and accessible across
the entire country.
At first glance, Aktobe may not appear to be the first choice
for developing a wind farm. According to existing research,5
it does not have regular wind speeds of above 7 m/sec. As
mentioned in a research paper on wind power generation in
Kazakhstan, “the winds around Aktobe City are strong, but
inconstant, with […] seasonal fluctuations and wind swings.”
This vast area is dominated by low and medium wind speeds,
according to a study by PB Power and Windlab Systems.5
Whilst these are valid concerns, it is important to also consider
the latest advances in wind turbine technology, which enable
wind power to be produced in more wide-ranging weather
conditions. Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) – a diversified natural
resources producer representing one-third of Kazakhstan’s metals
and mining industry – can attest to this. ERG recently announced
plans to invest approximately US$230 million in constructing
a large scale wind energy facility in Aktobe, which will have a
capacity of up to 155 MW, making it the most powerful plant in the
region. Named Khromtau-1, the wind power plant will extend over
150 ha., with potential to double generation capacity of the site in
the future. Construction of the plant is planned to start in 2022.
54 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
With regards to the weather conditions in Aktobe, ERG’s 2021
feasibility study confirmed the viability of installing the planned
capacity at the Khromtau site, located just east of Aktobe City.
The necessary power output can be generated using appropriate
engineering and technology to overcome the extreme continental
climate: The wind farm will be built with powerful IEC S-class
wind turbines, which have been specially designed to site-specific
conditions and wind regimes. The turbines will have been made
to consider the particular wind field parameters of the region and
will generate electricity in a range of weather conditions, with
wind speeds from 3 – 25 m/sec.
In doing so, the wind power plant is expected to reduce
carbon dioxide levels by approximately 520 000 tpy. It will supply
energy to ERG’s Donskoy GOK extracting and processing plant,
the largest industrial enterprise in the Aktobe region, and cover
its growing energy needs without relying on the region’s energy
system. Khromtau-1 will also supply energy to neighbouring
industrial facilities and the Aktobe region more widely, thereby
reducing Kazakhstan’s current usage of fossil fuels. After launching
this wind park in Aktobe, ERG plans to implement its know-how
and experience in green energy at its other sites of operations
in Kazakhstan.
Regulatory environment
It is worth noting that from 2026, Kazakhstan’s producers will have
to pay a carbon border tax when exporting into EU countries,2
which may affect the competitiveness of some Kazakh exporters.
That is to say, the Khromtau-1 project demonstrates how
technologies used in the renewable energy sector can minimise the
industry’s carbon footprint, provide energy security for the region,
and increase the competitiveness of the country’s products in the
international arena.
Overall, Kazakhstan has a favourable regulatory framework
for renewable energy projects, which significantly enhances
opportunities for development in this area. For instance,
government regulation allows for the annual indexation of prices in
the power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed by investors, which
takes into account inflation as well as the fluctuations in KZT/USD
exchange rate, providing cover against exchange risks.
Additionally, these PPAs for renewable energy projects are
signed for 20 years at the tariff proposed during the auction,
resulting in a very predictable rate of return for companies investing
in renewables. Moreover, the regulatory environment enables
contracts to be signed directly with major industrial or commercial
consumers committed to purchasing green energy. All of this results
in a healthy market to attract significant investment and innovation,
leading to the optimisation of all cost components and maximising
the opportunities created by the clean energy transition.
So far, ERG has identified other potential sites across
Kazakhstan for large scale wind and solar power generation
projects. These projects will be executed in the next 5 – 10 years,
with additional research and assessments taking place in 2022.
Technologies and emissions reductions
To achieve carbon neutrality and make the country’s
exports ‘greener’, businesses in Kazakhstan clearly need
to focus on emissions reductions as well as absorbing and
capturing technologies. One example of applying progressive
 technological solutions to reduce emissions and energy
consumption from conventional sources is using off-gases
produced by refining and manufacturing. For example,
major energy producer, POSCO Energy, has been successfully
implementing such an approach in South Korea for
years. By using off-gases from its steelmaking process, its
Pohang Off-Gas Power Plant reduces greenhouse-effect gases by
180 000 tpy and provides a viable and cheaper substitute for oil.
Could this technology provide an energy solution for
Kazakhstan? After an exhaustive feasibility study, ERG plans to
furnish its Aktobe Ferroalloys Plant with an off-gas fuelled power
station with a capacity of up to 100 MW. This will generate energy
using off-gas from its ferroalloy production process, thereby
reducing its energy use from conventional sources. Undertaking
substantial preparatory research is key for the successful
realisation of projects such as this. A thorough data collection and
viability analysis is being conducted for the potential conversion of
the boiler house at Aksu Ferroalloys Plant, as well as the possible
construction of a thermal power station, both of which will use
the off-gases.
As well as introducing off-gas power facilities at
existing operations, another energy solution for industry is
incorporating such facilities into their premises at the level of
planning. For instance, ERG is considering the development
of an off-gas fuelled power unit at its new Special Coke Plant
at Shubarkol Komir in Kazakhstan. The plant is scheduled
to be put into operation in the coming years and involves
collaboration between ERG and China Nonferrous Metal Industry’s
Foreign Engineering and Construction.
The home for the latest
renewables news,
analysis, comment and
events
The scene is set for Kazakhstan to become an increasingly
important player contributing to the net zero transition and
development of renewable energy sources. The recent UNDP
publication commended the country’s ambition to achieve
carbon neutrality by 2060 and highlighted the need for further
modernisation, diversification, and adaptation of ‘green’
technologies at its production facilities. Kazakhstan has a
history of successfully attracting major international investors
in its energy industry. With the help of national partners
and international organisations, now is the time to attract
similar investments and innovation to secure Kazakhstan’s
low-carbon future.
References
1. ‘By 2060, Kazakhstan will achieve carbon neutrality,’ Official Information Source of
the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, https://primeminister.kz/ru/news/
reviews/do-2060-goda-kazahstan-pereydet-na-uglerodnuyu-neytralnost-1103515,
(27 October 2021).
2. ‘President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev takes part in the 34th plenary session of the
Foreign Investors’ Council,’ Official website of the President of the Republic of
Kazakhstan , https://akorda.kz/en/kassym-jomart-tokayev-takes-part-in-the-34th-
plenary-session-of-the-foreign-investors-council-1054121, (9 June 2022).
3. SHAYAKHMETOVA, Z., ‘Officials, Experts Discuss Kazakhstan’s Draft Carbon Neutrality
Strategy’, The Astana Times, https://astanatimes.com/2022/10/officials-experts-
discuss-kazakhstans-draft-carbon-neutrality-strategy/, (11 October 2022).
4. KHOI LE, M., YEE CHEW, J., YU, D., R, P., and ITTAN, R., ‘A splash of Asian flair,’
Energy Global, Autumn 2021, pp.6 – 11, https://issuu.com/palladianpublications/docs/
eg10fhuwl, (19 October 2021).
5. ‘Potential analysis of introducing various renewable energy technologies, including
heating, cooling, and hot water supply in different geographical areas, taking
into account the resource potential,’ UNDP and the government of the Republic of
Kazakhstan, https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=260801
6. ‘Investor’s Guide to Renewable Energy Projects in Kazakhstan,’ USAID.
7. ARYSTANBEK, A., ‘New Wind Farm in Aktobe Region to Expand Kazakhstan’s Wind
Power Capacity,’ The Astana Times, https://astanatimes.com/2021/06/new-wind-
farm-in-aktobe-region-to-expand-kazakhstans-wind-power-capacity/, (18 June 2021).
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Dr Carlos de Palacio, Renewable Segment Manager Grid Integration,
Hitachi Energy, Spain, outlines the essential technologies needed to
integrate solar into the power grid.

T
he transition to a more sustainable energy future is well on its way.
Global electricity demand is expected to more than double in the coming 30 years, making electricity
the backbone of the entire energy system and accounting for more than half of total energy consumption
by 2050.1
Renewables are central to that transition, representing more than 80% of new power generation capacity
installed today.2 Of renewable energy sources, solar is the fastest growing, registering a 19% increase in capacity in
2021, equal to 133 GW.2 By 2050, solar is expected to account for approximately half of all electricity generation.

Power quality is key

With so much variable solar generation in the power system, the grid connections that transfer electricity from
the solar energy plants to the grid need to include additional power quality technologies alongside the traditional
combination of switchgear, transformers, as well as protection and control.
This is because of increased requirements for reliability and flexibility, as well as the need to provide services
to the power system that were previously provided by fossil fuel-fired power plants that some countries are
now shutting down. Previously, when renewables represented a small share of power generation, the quality
of that power was not critical; now, renewable energy plants need to operate with the same power quality as
traditional generators.
The technologies that are becoming more common in solar grid connections are static synchronous
compensators (STATCOMs), synchronous condensers, battery energy storage solutions, advanced energy
management systems, and modular prefabricated grid connections.
These technologies are already available. The benefits they provide are crucial for power system quality and
reliability. This includes better control of electrical parameters; improved voltage dynamic behaviour, frequency, and
active and reactive power; increased short-circuit levels at the connection point; adding more inertia to the power
grid; and faster, simpler, and more efficient grid connection solutions thanks to modularity and prefabrication.
In short, these technologies enable the power grid to become more resilient and operate in accordance with
compliance requirements.

Keeping the grid stable

The first group of requirements is related to inertia and short-circuit power. The inertia of the power system is
traditionally provided by large electrical generators. When traditional power plants close down, there are fewer
synchronous rotating masses in the power system, which weakens system resilience. In a weaker power system, the
frequency is less stable. This can be solved by adding synchronous condensers, in some cases with additional mass
in the form of a flywheel. For example, in the UK, Hitachi Energy has pioneered the combination of a synchronous
condenser with a STATCOM to improve inertia and short-circuit power.
This world-first installation at an SP Energy Networks’ grid connection in Scotland proves that a machine
with a flywheel increases the inertia of the power system. If a fault occurs, the solution feeds it with short-circuit
current. The result is a stronger network, which in combination with the fast voltage control of the STATCOM further
improves the dynamic behaviour of the system.

Energy storage
The second group of requirements is linked with the active power of the solar plant and its response
to demand from the grid. Solar plants have predictable but variable generation and do not
inject power into the grid at night. By combining energy storage with advanced energy
management systems, the variability can be controlled and power can be delivered
optimally when the sun is not shining.
Examples of solar power with energy storage are now very common, such
as the combined solar and energy storage solution for Skagerak Arena
football stadium in Norway. Battery energy storage with advanced
grid automation helps the system optimally deliver the
solar power generated to both the stadium and the
neighbourhood when solar generation is low.

56
ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 57
 Figure 1. Grid-eXpandTM modular grid connections make it faster, simpler, and more efficient to expand grid capacity.
Figure 2. The Phoenix project in Scotland is the world’s first hybrid solution to
combine a STATCOM with a synchronous condenser.
Figure 3. The Skagerak stadium in Norway uniquely combines a
solar-powered microgrid and advanced grid automation to provide a model
for the power grid of the future.
58 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
Additionally, it reduces peak demand on the network by
automatically releasing the energy when needed.
Improved power dispatching is also achieved by larger
solar plants, such as the Al Badiya 23 MW solar power plant
in Jordan, which has 23 MW/12.6 MWh of battery energy
storage. By using advanced power plant control, it is able
to shift generation from noon to the evening, delivering the
solar power when it is needed most.3
Simpler, faster grid expansion
The third set of requirements is making grid expansion
simpler and faster to meet the influx of renewables and
the rising demand for power in the new electricity-based
energy system. Prefabricated and modular grid
connections make this process easier and more efficient
by shortening lead times, reducing the grid connection
footprint, cutting the cost of construction, and speeding
up energisation.
For instance, Hitachi Energy has recently released
its Grid-eXpandTM portfolio of modular prefabricated
grid connection solutions. One recent example is the
170 kV containerised gas-insulated switchgear (GIS)
grid connection for a combined fish farm and 312 MW
solar photovoltaic power plant in Southeast Asia.
Owned by Sunny Rich Group, the site uses solar power
and advanced technologies to farm fish sustainably.
Compared to a conventional GIS grid connection, the
solution has a 25% smaller footprint, was delivered and
energised 15% faster, and reduced the cost of civil works
by 50%.
The environmental footprint of these grid connections
can be further improved with high-voltage products that
use an eco-efficient alternative to sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). For
decades, SF6 has been the norm in the electrical industry due
to its excellent insulation and switching capabilities. However,
it is also a potent greenhouse gas. To address this challenge,
Hitachi Energy pioneered EconiQTM high-voltage portfolio
that eliminates SF6 with scalable and reliable solutions for the
lowest carbon footprint. The innovative portfolio contains
a range of EconiQ high-voltage products of up to 420 kV
with the potential to reach ultra-high voltage levels. It also
Figure 4. The modular prefabricated connection at Sunny Rich’s
includes the replacement of SF6 in existing equipment called
combined fish farm and solar photovoltaic power plant.
EconiQ retrofill and the newly added EconiQ gas-insulated
current transformer that is built on a well-proven design. These
eco-efficient solutions retain the best of SF6 and are proven to
be 100% as reliable as conventional solutions while reducing
equipment size, materials, and carbon footprint throughout
the product lifecycle.

Digitalising the infrastructure

The fourth set of requirements is to improve operation and
maintenance for a more reliable and longer service life.
Advanced control systems not only operate automatically,
minimising downtime and electrical losses during the lifecycle
of the solar plant, but also monitor the condition of the
equipment and enable predictive maintenance to extend the
plant’s lifetime.
An example of this application is Metaenergia in Italy,
for which Hitachi Energy provided grid connections for
seven standby power plants that provide essential extra power
when variable solar and wind energy does not meet demand.
Each grid connection is equipped with digitally enabled
lifecycle management and optimisation to enable predictive
maintenance and ensure that all the equipment is working
optimally. The intelligent software tools in the solution build
on the experience and data of thousands of installations to
predict and assess the condition of each component. Similar
control systems are used for solar plant grid connections, such
as a recently commissioned 750 MW solar plant in India. There,
risk monitoring and diagnostics for the 220 kV grid connection
are key features of the operations and maintenance platform.
Digital twins
In addition to digital condition monitoring and maintenance
management software, digital twin technologies allow a
virtual copy of each grid connection or power quality solution
and provide a safe and efficient environment for analysis
and learning.
This is the case of the IdentiQTM digital twin from
Hitachi Energy, which provides all the relevant asset
information, analytics, and operational data in an intuitive
and easy-to-navigate dashboard that users can customise to
match their needs. IdentiQ includes 3D interactive visualisation
of the complete asset, combined with one-click access to all
the associated plant and equipment information, including
engineering documentation, operational and maintenance
procedures, safety training, and live operational data for
monitoring and analytics.
Digitalisation is essential to making electricity the
backbone of the energy system and advancing a sustainable
Figure 5. IdentiQTM is a digital twin solutions for the complete life
cycle. It provides clear insights and state-of-the-art data visualisation.
energy future for all. It is key to the integration of bulk and
distributed renewables, as well as the electrification and
decarbonisation of sectors such as transportation, industries,
and data centres.
Collaborating to accelerate the
energy transition
Hitachi Energy has pioneered many of the technologies
needed for advancing a sustainable energy future for all
and are committed to continue pushing the boundaries
of innovation. Grid connection and power quality
solutions, such as those presented in this article, facilitate
the widespread integration of solar power into global
power systems.
There are many alternatives available, and choosing
the right solution can become challenging for developers,
investors, construction companies, and operators. Performing
the right engineering approach with an experienced power
systems consultant is essential. Dynamic simulations, grid
impact studies, and grid code compliance studies are among
the first steps when developing a new solar power project
or extending an existing solar plant. And, not least of all,
these studies should include a lifecycle assessment of the
environmental footprint and carbon emissions of the grid
connection over its entire service life.
References
1. ‘Net Zero by 2050’, International Energy Agency, www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050
2. ‘Renewable capacity highlights’, International Renewable Energy Agency,
(11 April 2022), www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2022/Apr/
IRENA_-RE_Capacity_Highlights_2022.pdf?la=en&hash=6122BF5666A36BECD5AAA2050
B011ECE255B3BC7
3. Vietnam Trung Nam Tra Vinh Solar Power Plant.

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 59

 he global transition to renewable
energy is accelerating, spurred on by
at is the import
increased political will seeking higher Wh
energy security and independence
s tion:
e
in the wake of the global energy crisis.1 An
e qu
increased proliferation of solar and wind power h
plants delivering intermittent energy supply is kst
s
being experienced. In order to ensure that this
s ,a
increased energy production delivers a stable and n
reliable stream of energy, effective energy storage io

tu
technology is required.

ol
yS
According to the International

g
Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA)

er
World Energy Transitions Outlook 2022, an increase

En
in energy transition investment of 30% between

PC
now and 2050 will be required to achieve net zero of M
by 2050.2 This represents a total of US$131 trillion,
a multiple increase in investment to drive what
amounts to a realignment of the global energy
EO

sector. A significant change is already well

g t, C

underway and accelerating, as a drive towards

renewables ramps up all across the world. In the EU,
there was a record 13% y/y increase in electricity
Martin Vo

generated from solar photovoltaics and wind from

March to September 2022.3
Across the other side of the Atlantic,
the renewable energy sector is thriving
even more. According to data from the
Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE),
Latin America and the Caribbean have 25% of
renewable energies in the composition of their
primary energy grid.4 Renewables, grids, and
storage now also account for more than 80% of
total global investment in the power sector.5
Careful and strategic planning is required to
ensure a reliable and steady flow of this new energy.
This development towards renewables comes with
a more variable and more volatile energy resource.
Often characterised with regional and seasonal
variations, this energy varies month by month, day
by day, and hour by hour. Such variability creates
challenges to providing the stable and reliable
supply of energy which is so crucial to economies.
Energy supply has been described as ‘the apex
commodity of the global economy […] an input in
the production process and an important part of
the supply chain of commercial firms.’6
Energy storage systems are a foundation
stone that ensure a balanced and reliable energy
supply and, as such, empower self-sufficiency. This
is true for the majority of nations, from developed
economies, such as Germany, Australia, and the UK,
across to small island development states, such as
in the Caribbean or Asia Pacific. National policies
are driving the building of renewable energy

60
 storage to reduce dependence on energy
tance of ene imports, enhance systems reliability, and progress
rgy s
tora towards decarbonisation.7
ge
tec Energy storage technologies
hn
olo One of the fundamental purposes of energy storage
gy technologies is to secure an ongoing balance
as in energy supply. Excess energy is stored when
th
e demand is lower than energy production, with this
wo excess released when demand exceeds supply.
rld There are a variety of energy storage systems
sh available, extending from systems employing
i f ts mechanical techniques to battery technologies
and more.
A battery energy storage system (BESS) is a
tow
prevalent choice, capturing energy from different
ard

resources, accumulating this energy, and storing it

in rechargeable batteries. This energy can later be
s re

discharged for use to homes, electric vehicles, and

new

industrial and commercial facilities, as batteries

release energy during periods of peak demand,
able

power outages, and other applications.

The battery storage sector is currently
dominated by lithium-ion batteries, which includes
energy?

a graphite negative electrode, and a lithium cobalt

oxide or lithium iron phosphate positive electrode.
The electrolyte is lithium salt in an organic solvent.
Lithium’s lightness and high-energy density sees it
hold a distinct advantage from others in the sector.
However, the composition of batteries is still rapidly
evolving, with developments addressing factors
such as the application model.
Energy storage technology extends beyond
batteries. Pumped-storage hydropower is one of
the oldest types of storage and includes dumping
excess energy. Renewable energy sources can
utilise this approach, using excess energy to pump
water uphill to fill a reservoir, water which is later
released through a hydroelectric turbine to convert
back to electricity.
Compressed air is an evolving technique
employed in Latin America. Renewable energy is
used to compress air, which is later relieved at a time
when additional energy excess is needed. Another
approach used is called mechanical energy storage,
which harnesses motion or gravity to store electricity
– for example, a flywheel is a rotating mechanical
device that is used to store rotational energy that
can be called up instantaneously.

Research and development

Battery technology is now amongst the most
widely used of the energy storage options,
and attracts the focus of much research and
development in the sector. The battery market

ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 61

 will grow to US$168 billion by 2030, with most of the growth in
battery revenues stemming from lithium-ion batteries. Battery
storage power will also reach 353 GW by 2030, compared
to 15 GW in 2022. The installed capacity is expected to grow
at a CAGR of 43.3% from 2020 to 2030.8 This growth will
drive a transformation of the global electric grid towards
sustainable energy.
One challenge that can be addressed by research and
development into batteries is increasing long-term duration
storage. Battery storage can extend from only two hours to
four or five hours, achieved by more mature and advanced
technologies. For longer-term duration storage, newer
technologies have evolved within the battery space with
different combinations of metals. There is now increased
pressure for cell makers and their component suppliers for
ever more effective materials and chemical mixes. The next
2 – 3 years will see nickel increasingly substituted for cobalt as
the cathode stabiliser in order to reduce dependence on supplies
from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).8
Advanced battery chemistries are also being developed that
may offer advantages over commercially available batteries.
Performance advantages include a lighter weight, higher energy
density, broader temperature tolerance, extended lifecycle,
and improved safety. One such technology is a vanadium
flow battery that stores energy in an electrolyte liquid form
which is separated by a proton exchange membrane.9 This
liquid is pumped around large tanks and driven through a
‘cell’ for conversion into power when required.10 Vanadium is
an abundant metallic resource, more so than copper, plus the
material is highly recycleable with ions simply moving between
oxidation states rather than being destroyed or degraded.
Sustainable energy storage
Looking to the future, energy storage technology research
should focus upon battery efficiency and extending related
lifecycle costs and resources. Manufacturers should reduce
the amount of rare earths that need to be extracted from the
ground, lessening disruption for nature and for people in places
such as the DRC. At present, the predicted growth of lithium-ion
Figure 1. The San Isidro project in El Salvador.
62 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
batteries could put pressure on supply chains for a broad mix of
materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has provided counsel
on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks within
the battery value chain, including working conditions, local
air, water and soil pollution, and biodiversity loss. A WEF paper
co-authored with the Global Battery Alliance emphasises that
‘acting now is […] a chance to shape an emerging value chain,
while acting later requires costly reconfiguration and leads to
the exacerbation of social and environmental impacts.’11
The EU is heeding the WEF’s call to legislate to address ESG
challenges and in a timely manner. A draft battery regulation
proposal has been tabled by the European Commission, to
secure the sustainability and competitiveness of EU battery
value chains. Proposed measures include minimum recycled
content, performance and durability criteria, and due diligence
obligations for sourcing raw materials.12 The advancement of
such regulation will hold feet to the fire, advancing current and
future battery storage technology in a way that rings true to the
core aims of the Paris Agreement and incorporating broader
ESG considerations.
The electrification of the energy sector should go hand in hand
with a drive to consider the sustainability of storage technology
materials, and a move towards recyclable, less resource intensive
materials. A carbon neutral future requires storage technology
to make renewable energy a viable option to drive dynamic
economies around the world – the key to unlocking a vibrant
renewable sector. It should be kept in mind that a holistic view of a
sustainable future extends not just to reducing carbon emissions
through cleaner sources of energy, but also the sustainability of
the infrastructure that underpins this renewable energy.
References
1. ‘Ukraine crisis will speed energy transition in mid-term, says renewables agency
chief’, Reuters, (2022), www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/ukraine-
crisis-will-speed-energy-transition-mid-term-says-renewables-agency-2022-09-27/
2. ‘World Energy Transitions Outlook: 1.5˚C Pathway’, International Renewable Energy
Agency, www.irena.org/publications/2021/Jun/World-Energy-Transitions-Outlook
3. DE POUS, P., PATULEIA, A., BROWN, S., and ROSSLOWE, C., ‘More renewables, less
inflation: Restoring EU economic stability through investment in renewables’,
E3G and Ember, (2022), https://ember-climate.org/app/uploads/2022/10/E3G-
EMBER-Briefing-More-renewables-less-inflation.pdf
4. ‘Towards the energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean’,
Latin American Energy Organization, (2020), www.olade.org/en/noticias/towards-
the-energy-transition-in-latin-america-and-the-caribbean/
5. ‘Record clean energy spending is set to help global energy investment grow 8% in
2022’, International Energy Agency, (2022), www.iea.org/news/record-clean-energy-
spending-is-set-to-help-global-energy-investment-grow-by-8-in-2022
6. ‘Essays on energy the economy and the environment, University of Portsmouth,
www.port.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/research-degrees/phd/explore-our-
projects/essays-on-energy-the-economy-and-the-environment
7. ‘The global energy storage market’, Deloitte UK, www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/
energy-and-resources/articles/global-energy-storage-renewable-energy-storage.html
8. ‘Batteries in Power – Thematic Research’, GlobalData, (2022),
www.globaldata.com/store/report/batteries-in-power-theme-analysis/
9. RAPIER, R., ‘Why Vanadium Flow Batteries May Be The Future OF Utility-Scale Energy
Storage’, Forbes, (2020), www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2020/10/24/why-vanadium-
flow-batteries-may-be-the-future-of-utility-scale-energy-storage/?sh=2e7052662305
10. LIMB, L., ‘The race for renewable batteries: What’s the future of solar and wind
storage?’, Euronews, (2022), www.euronews.com/green/2022/07/21/the-race-for-
renewable-batteries-whats-the-future-of-solar-and-wind-storage
11. ‘A Vision for a Sustainable Battery Value Chain in 2030: Unlocking the Full
Potential to Power Sustainable Development and Climate Change Mitigation’,
World Economic Forum and Global Battery Alliance, (2019), www3.weforum.org/
docs/WEF_A_Vision_for_a_Sustainable_Battery_Value_Chain_in_2030_Report.pdf
12. ‘A new EU regulatory framework for batteries’, Plenary Session of the European
Parliament, (March 2022), www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/
ATAG/2022/729285/EPRS_ATA(2022)729285_EN.pdf
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Email: jessica.casey@energyglobal.com
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64 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
Mark Rowcroft,
Development Director,
Exagen, UK, considers
the perennial solar
issue of ‘dunkelflaute’
– and similar dark lulls
for international solar
development policy.

W
riting from the UK,
ahead of what will be a
significant winter energy
crisis with many people
plunged into fuel poverty and struggling
to heat their homes, it is difficult to picture
a sunlit energy landscape. Driven in
part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the
current energy outlook seems bleak: high
prices, continued fossil fuel exploration,
reneged promises, and climate crisis
commitments going unmet.
But zooming out from this current
crisis, the renewables picture is positive,
and solar is currently enjoying its moment
in the sun, with global solar generation
increasing by a record 179 TWh (up 22%)
last year. Furthermore, – according to the
International Energy Agency, the world’s
solar fleet reached 1 TW capacity in
April 2022. It remains the fastest-growing
renewable energy source and the third
largest renewable electricity technology
behind hydropower and wind.
The global governmental
roadmaps towards net zero,

65
 though, do not quite reflect this sunny outlook. According
to the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA)
Renewable Energy Roadmap to 2030, total governmental
projections yield less than 500 GW of solar PV in 2030 – vs the IRENA
roadmap demonstrating that market trends and enabling policies
combined could result in 1250 GW.
The global energy mix is still dominated by coal, oil, and gas,
with the countries that lead on renewables doing so by leaning,
naturally, on their natural resources: Sweden – on track for 100%
renewable energy by 2040 – favours hydropower and bioenergy;
Iceland takes advantage of hydropower and geothermal energy
(which heats nine out of 10 homes); and countries abundant in sun
lead the solar pack, such as China, the US, Japan, and Morocco
– the latter of which houses the world’s largest concentrated
solar farm, the Noor-Ouarzazate complex in the Sahara desert.
And herein lies what has historically been one of solar’s biggest
issues: dunkelflaute.
Dunkelflaute – literally, ‘dark wind lull’ – describes time periods
where the sun (and wind) is not abundant, or not enough to meet
energy demands, leaving countries to fall back on alternative
sources: hydro, nuclear, fossil fuels and, more limitedly, energy
storage. Treating solar as ‘making energy while the sun shines’
and using greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels as a safety net,
undermines the benefits that renewables promise: cost, security,
and emissions reductions.
Historically, renewables development has followed the same
broad prescription globally: find land, find capacity, achieve
consent, secure funding, hit subsidy window, build or sell. In the UK,
this recipe has worked for onshore wind backed by renewables
obligation certificates (ROCs), for 5 MWp solar backed by feed-in
tariffs (FIT) and even for offshore wind underpinned by contract
for difference auctions. All these schemes boosted renewables,
growing operational fleets until the once-immature technology
could stand alone. But now, solar needs to take the next step.
Policy casts a shadow over the future
of solar
At the time of writing, the UK’s solar sector is lit up with rumours
that the new environment secretary had plans to limit solar
development by redefining ‘best and most versatile’ land
Figure 1. A CGI rendering of Exagen’s proposed mega-battery site in Earl Shilton, the UK.
66 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
(BMV), which is earmarked for farming and from which solar
development is discouraged, to include the middling-to-low
category 3b. The redefinition would exclude solar from
approximately 41% of England’s land area, with much of what
is left – grade 4 and 5 land – unsuitable for solar developments,
and threaten 30 GW and £20 billion capital investment in projects
slated for 2025 onwards.
There are echoes here of a 2015 government decision,
designed to appease rural Members of Parliament, that outlawed
onshore wind in England, overturning local planning decisions
and forcing developers to fold or shift focus to Scotland. If
the government’s threat is realised, this change would affect
landowners hoping to diversify their income, developers who
will lose access to the most abundant and accessible land
for generation, and stall one of the country’s fastest-growing
industries. The decision has deep implications for multiple
stakeholders in the industry – and the UK’s net zero ambitions.
It is a similar picture globally: last summer saw reports that
China was weighing new restrictions on land use to restrict the
ability of solar developers to build on arable land or on coastlines
and riverbanks, while in its bioeconomy plan, the EU is weighing up
just how much one piece of land can do, and the trade-off between
energy security and food security – both heavily impacted by
Russia’s war on Ukraine. With interim 2030 net zero targets looming,
each solar-delaying policy decision begs the question: exactly how
committed are governments to decarbonising the world’s power
networks? Solar infrastructure and solar investment are queued: as
projects threatened to wither on the vine.
Grids need to get up to speed
Across the world, the solar technology is ready to plug and play
– the problem is finding the proverbial socket. The grid networks
simply are not able to keep up, and there are further policy decisions
to be made around funding grids that are more accommodating
to distributed generation. Where is the most equitable place to put
that cost? Bill-payers around the world are already stretched to
capacity by soaring energy bills, and increasing taxation to fund it is
a difficult policy decision to take during a cost-of-living crisis.
Networks are also, as a rule, designed around peak capacity:
a 50 MW solar farm needs a 50 MW hole to fill. But, often, the grid
is merely contractually ‘full’ – it is rarely physically full. The capacity
is there but allotted to the peak export of a gas peaker plant or a
wind farm with a 40% capacity factor – the balance going unused
and with every new developer joining the ever-lengthening queue
to plug in one supergrid transformer at a time. One answer might
be to cluster development: for example, five solar farms designed
together, with a common connection point. The caveat is that all
five farms now have common programmes – if one farm hits a
snag, such as planning, all five are delayed, and what investor will
accept an open-ended programme? There is no one-size-fits-all,
but there are more solutions.
Batteries must be included
All of Exagen’s solar development projects are co-located with
battery storage, to better manage the import and export on
the connection and add flexibility to the network. Batteries can
combine with initiatives such as time-of-use tariffs, incentivising
people to move their load to times of day when there is more
power available and lessening peak demand. Increasingly,
network-connected tools, such as smart meters and smart
appliances – Wi-Fi-enabled washing machines, for example
– allow consumers to shift their power demand to a different
time, which in turn makes the network more intelligent. And
a flexible network with a greater level of intelligence will not
need as much peak power, lessens the reliance on gas, and
accommodates more renewables onto the network. Co-locating
battery storage with farms is a way of working in tandem with this
smarter network.
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Exagen also has another battery-powered
answer: the company’s first mega-battery project,
Normanton Energy Reserve in Leicestershire, the UK. This
275 kV energy park has a peak capacity of 500 MW and a
duration of 2 hrs, providing the energy equivalent to 235 000 UK
homes’ average daily electricity usage while also maximising
opportunities for nature enhancement, delivering a net
biodiversity gain of more than 20% (double the requirements of
the Environment Act). Ultimately, mega batteries could be the
silver bullet that takes gas out of the picture, because they can
store big volumes of power until the network needs it. Greater
manufacturing capability and energy density improvements, as
well as the general move to ‘electrify everything’, underpin the
case for such projects, and emerging chemistries may increase
their application further as durations and cycle counts increase.
The time is now
Of course, smart technology, such as Wi-Fi-enabled washing
machines, currently have a high bar to entry as it is all
new-to-market. And at a time when, particularly in the UK,
consumers are facing a squeeze on their budgets from all
corners, smart technology cannot be expected to save solar.
Network operators, governments, developers – everyone must
start taking those first steps to commit to the smart path. Many
of Exagen’s transmission-connected projects have a 5 – 6 year
delivery horizon, so there is some way to go, but solar developers
are not trying to deliver change overnight – they will wait for the
sun to come up.
 Dongyoung Kim, Technical Assistant, Reddie & Grose, discusses how recycling solar
D
espite the scepticism renewables have faced over
the past few decades, they continue to become
increasingly competitive in the energy landscape.
In particular, the solar energy industry has seen
an extremely rapid development in the past decade. In
2020 alone, over 127 GW of new photovoltaic (PV) power
generation capacity was installed, leading to the total global
PV power generation capacity of 707.5 GW (702.9 GW on-grid
and 4.584 MW of off-grid)1 at the end of 2020. This means
more than one-fifth of renewable energy in the world today is
generated by PV technology.
Solar boom
The development of the PV industry in the 20th Century had
mainly been fuelled by technological advances and the
68
needs of a few niche markets, such as space applications,
which required an autonomous and lightweight power
source. The material and fabrication costs of manufacturing
solar cells were very high in the 20th Century; however, this
was not an immediate concern at the time because their
main applications, space projects, were not considered
profitable anyway.
On the other hand, the recent ‘solar boom’ has been
driven by technical advances in PV technology which have
allowed for not only the optimisation in gathering and
producing energy, but also a reduction of its associated costs.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency’s
(IRENA) recent report2, the global weighted-average total
installed cost of utility scale solar PV fell from US$4731/kW to
US$883/kW between 2010 and 2020. Over the same period,
r panels can help complete the sustainability cycle of photovoltaic power generation.
the levelised cost of electricity from utility scale solar PV also
fell by 85% between 2010 and 2020, recording US$0.057/kWh.
This figure is comparable to that of coal-fired power
generation (which is the cheapest fossil-fuel competitor)
available in 2020 (US$0.05/kWh). Given the cost savings
over fossil fuels projected in the years to come, alongside
international efforts to respond to climate change, the rapid
growth of global solar PV capacity is expected to continue for
the foreseeable future.
‘Dying’ solar panels
However, whilst this should be welcome news in view of
the energy transition, the already large and increasing
number of solar panel installations inevitably leads to a
problem: What happens to solar panels when they reach
end-of-life (EOL)? So far, EOL disposal of solar panels has not
caused too many concerns: solar panels only started being
widely deployed in the early 2000s, and the industry standard
lifespan of solar panels is approximately 25 – 30 years
(although many believe that the actual lifespan may be as
long as 35 – 40 years). Given that most of the solar panels
in the world were installed in the past decade (2011 – 2020),
there will likely be a sudden increase in the number of dead
solar panels starting from mid-2030s. To give a rough idea, PV
panels installed in the past decade provide 640 225 MW total
capacity, which is equitant to over 2 billion 300 W solar panels.
EOL management of solar panels
Some may think the mid-2030s timeline is still too early
to worry about EOL management of solar panels.
ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 69
 However, there are many good reasons why this issue should
start being taken more seriously now. The good news is
that many governments have already started introducing
frameworks for recycling, reusing and, if neither is possible,
disposing of dead solar panels. For example, in the UK
and many European countries, collection, recycling, and
recovery targets for all types of electrical goods, such as
solar panels, are set according to the Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive). Still, it is
questionable whether the capacity of the existing recycling
facilities dedicated to electrical and electronic waste would
be able to cope with the ever-increasing volume of solar
panel waste. Moreover, conventional recycling processes
for general electrical and electronic waste may not be able
to deliver the best material recovery rate for solar panel
waste. With the rise of high-efficiency PV cells made of novel
semiconductor or organic materials, it is also questionable
whether conventional electronic waste recycling and disposal
processes, which are designed mainly with silicon electronics
in mind, would be able to safely handle novel PV materials,
some of which are known to be toxic to human health.
Material recovery
But why is there a need to worry about how to reuse and
recycle EOL solar panels and their parts? Although the
most obvious answer to this question would be to minimise
the environmental impact that such large volumes of
solar panel waste can have on the planet, this is not just
an environmental issue. Solar panels are made of many
components, including PV cells (electricity-producing
devices), electrical connections, and support frame, all of
which contain materials that can be reused or extracted for
further use.
Currently, materials from EOL solar panels are typically
recovered at general recycling plants (e.g. MRFs) alongside
other types of electrical and electronic equipment.
Figure 1. Global solar photovoltaic panel installation in 2011 – 20201 and estimated end-of-life for panels installed in 2011 – 2020.
70 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
These material recovery processes typically involve
shredding EOL solar panels into small pieces and
mechanically separating major components and materials
of the panels. Such processes can already achieve high
overall material recovery rates that are in line with the
existing regulations, such as EU WEEE Directive. However,
processes involving shredding typically accompany loss of
high-value materials, such as silver, which are dispersed
in form of dusts during shredding. So far, due to the
relatively low volume of solar panel waste, such losses have
been considered to be negligible. Nevertheless, without
significant improvements of recycling process, the volume of
unrecovered high-value materials would only increase along
with the growing volume of solar panel waste.
Environmental impact
In view of the environmental impact, finding better ways
to reuse and recycle EOL solar panels is an essential
step in completing the sustainability cycle of solar PV
power generation. Unlike the environmental impacts of
manufacturing, installing, and maintaining solar panels
and plants, the environmental impacts of dead solar
panels have largely been neglected to date. However,
according to a study3, recycling 1000 kg of silicon PV
waste produces greenhouse gas emissions of 4.46 x 102 kg
carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent – most of which comes
from transporting solar panel waste to recycling facilities,
incinerating plastic materials from the panels, and further
treatment for metal recovery from the bottom ash. Given
that burning 1 l of petrol produces approximately 2.3 kg
of CO2, this is equivalent to burning approximately 193 l of
petrol. Such EOL phase emission is not often considered
when assessing the environmental impact of solar power
generation, but as the volume of solar panel waste grows,
the impact of such emission would reach a significant level
in coming years.
 Global Hydrogen Review
Future technologies
Thanks to the advances made in the solar energy sector in
the past two decades, the cost per kilowatt-hour of solar
power generation is now comparable to the cheapest
available fossil fuel-based power generation. The increased
profitability of solar power means that government subsidy
is no longer a requirement for large scale solar projects and
will also open up more opportunities for subsidy-free solar
projects. Moreover, the rise of hybrid PV systems based on
integration of PV technology with other types of energy
technologies, such as wind, hydropower, and battery, is
likely to lead to further cost reductions through economies
of scale.
Although solar energy has come a long way, more
work is still needed to make solar power generation more
sustainable, both socio-economically and environmentally.
In particular, much work is still needed in relation to the EOL
phase of solar panels to complete the sustainability cycle of
PV power generation.
The problems relating to the EOL phase of solar panels,
like other challenges the solar energy industry faced in
the past, could be overcome by innovations. For example,
developing recycling processes dedicated to PV panels
could increase treatment capacities, improve the quality
of extracted materials, and increase material recovery
rate. More work can also be done to design solar panels
to enable easy separation of panels parts or materials
without having to use a shredder or thermal treatment. PV
cell material research, which currently mainly focuses on
improving cell efficiency, may also need to expand towards
A new magazine
making cell materials more EOL-friendly, by making them
more easily reusable or recyclable. Moreover, improved focused on the global
monitoring methods for analysing ‘gate-to-gate’ impact of
EOL solar panels, considering all impacts from transporting
solar panel waste to recycling plants up to sorting of the
hydrogen sector
different recyclable materials and disposal of residues, may
help identify which aspects of the EOL phase needs more

Register for your

urgent improvement. Such innovations directed to solar
waste recycling may not be considered profitable initially,
just like the PV cells in their early day. However, given the
astronomical number of solar panels that will ‘die’ in the
coming decades, solar waste recycling may, with the help of
free subscription
public policy, funding, and continued research, eventually
be able to achieve economies of scale like the solar power
generation sector did.
The increasing need for innovations in the non-cell
parts of PV systems will be good news for new businesses
that wish to step into solar power industry. Perhaps the
rapid increase in the number of PV-related patent filings
in recent years is not only a reflection of technological
advances of PV cells, but also a sign of a wider range of
innovations to come.

References
1. ‘Renewable capacity statistics 2021’, IRENA, (2021).
2. ‘Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2020’, IRENA, (2021).
3. LATUNUSSA, C. E. L., ARDENTE, F., BLENGINI, G. A., and MANCINI, L., ‘Life Cycle
Assessment of an innovative re-cycling process for crystalline silicon photovoltaic
panels’, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 156, pp. 101 – 111, (2016).

www.globalhydrogenreview.com/magazine
 Shawn Kreloff, Bioenergy Devco Founder and CEO, USA, discusses the best way North Ame
cool down the fast-warming planet through emissions reduction.

72 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022

erica can adapt to and
C
lean energy advocates say to adopt
photovoltaics, geothermal, hydropower,
or wind. Others urge for the conversion of
transport from fossil fuel to electricity or
hydrogen fuel cells. Still, more seek forest restoration or
no-till farming that locks carbon in the ground.
Each answer plays an important role, yet a
landmark study by the climate science organisation,
Project Drawdown, found the most impactful solution
to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce
food waste.1
Slashing food waste eases pressure on habitats,
reduces toxic runoff, and avoids up to 102 billion t of
emissions.2 That is equivalent to removing 30 000 coal
plants or adding 30 million wind turbines. Each week,
dump trucks load 1 million t of food waste and haul it
off to be incinerated, where it is combusted and emitted
as an environmental pollutant,3 or taken to a landfill,
where it decomposes and releases methane, a harmful
greenhouse gas.
Bagged, spread, or buried in pockets without
sunlight or oxygen, organic waste gets broken down by
microorganisms through a natural, four-stage process
called anaerobic digestion (AD). In a landfill setting,
this process releases methane into the atmosphere,
compounding negative environmental effects that may
have been generated through the food supply chain.
But this natural process of AD can be harnessed, and
the biogas it generates can be used as a source of clean,
renewable energy to provide heat and electricity to homes
or alternative fuels for vehicles.4
The use of anaerobic digestion
AD is both natural and timeless. For billions of years,
microbes have broken down dead organic matter into
rich muck and swamp gas. But in the past few centuries,
73
 scientists have explored the biochemical processes of AD, and
innovators have found ways to utilise its outputs.
Starting in the industrial age, entrepreneurs designed
special tanks and systems – anaerobic digesters – that
generate methane to fuel streetlights or power homes. Over
time, these plants have grown more technologically complex,
efficient, and sophisticated, unlocking enough renewable
energy to offer a viable alternative to fossil fuels. In Europe
and Asia, hundreds of thousands of plants have quite literally
empowered cities and farms to manage waste in ways that
are affordable, reliable, efficient, productive, odourless,
and clean.
AD is a process through which microbes break down
organic matter in the absence of oxygen. When this process
takes place in a controlled, sealed vessel called a digester,
organics (such as animal manure, food waste, grease,
and oils) can be used for biogas production,4 utilising the
naturally occurring methane for clean energy, rather than
Figure 1. Bioenergy Devco’s Maryland Bioenergy Center, Jessup, houses the largest
commercial scale anaerobic digesters in the USA.
Figure 2. Crioengergie facility, located in Macron, near Venice.
74 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
being emitted into the environment. Additionally, this process
generates digestate, which can then be used as a safe,
nutrient-rich soil amendment, returning organic material back
to the very ground from which it grew.
The North American Renaissance
The use of anaerobic digesters to generate renewable energy
is a common practice around the globe. Now, North America
is poised to catch up and potentially surpass other continents.
Governments and industries seek to develop and integrate
modular industrial anaerobic digesters that could divert
the bulk of indiscriminate food disposal. Rather than bury
or incinerate it to pollute our air, this could transform food
waste into beneficial outcomes, such as clean energy and soil
enrichment that help grow more food.
Far from hypothetical, the North American eco-friendly AD
Renaissance is already underway.
Instead of abandoning food to rot in landfills, regional
alliances have begun to carefully and responsibly
divert organic feedstock into and process it
through enclosed AD waste processing and
conversion systems. Today’s next-generation
anaerobic digesters master every aspect of
breaking down food waste: the content, density,
consistency, volume, flow, moisture level,
temperature, and microbial activity.
In goes discarded waste; out come precious
resources. Because the system is sealed airtight,
anaerobic digesters refine the generated biogas
into clean energy, such as: renewable natural gas
(RNG), electricity, or even green hydrogen. Fresh
water can flow back into the basin, cleansed of
any risks from harmful contaminants, pathogens,
or chemicals. And the solid byproduct is a
nutrient-rich soil amendment, digestate – much
like compost.
Behind this 21st Century AD Renaissance
is a convergence of economic, political, and
regulatory forces.
Landfills near cities have grown prohibitively
expensive to approve, build, and operate.
Incineration plants have fallen out of favour due
to their negative impacts on local air quality.
Food growers, processors, and municipal waste
agencies seek ways to reduce operating costs
and carbon footprints. Federal agencies now
welcome and want to scale up AD systems to
reduce methane emissions, displace fossil fuels,
recycle organic waste, and replace synthetic
fertilizers with the macro and micronutrients
already present in waste.
A growing demand
Looking ahead, the American Biogas Council
asserts that the construction of 13 500 new AD
projects would generate 23 000 long-term jobs,
generate enough energy to power 7.5 million
homes, and cut emissions equivalent to taking
more than 15 million cars off the road. All these lead Acumen
research to give North America the dominant share of a
growing global market, driven by surging “demand for
renewable energy sources, strict government guidelines to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and expanding volume of
solid waste.”5
To meet demand for AD systems in America,
Bioenergy Devco has adopted what works so well everywhere
else. It has adapted and innovated to meet the contours of
local needs, economies, and demographics. Rather than
focus only on just one aspect – funding, siting, building,
operating, technology, or human resources – the company
combines it all together in one seamlessly integrated
package. It brings financing to the table; anticipates legal
concerns and complies with waste legislation; and integrates
food production problems, municipal constraints, and local
community demands. Finally, based on stakeholder needs,
the company builds to scale and links to the grid or pipeline,
applying a seasoned team and proprietary technology to
the equation.
Achieving results
Can a billion-year-old biological process really be all that
complex? The simple answer is yes.
Running an efficient anaerobic digester is a proven and
predictable science. The process requires exactly the right
combination of ingredients, broken down to the right size and
sequence. The proportions of water, microbes, and organic
content (plants, cooking oil, protein, animal fats, etc.) must
be precisely and constantly measured and adjusted, while
monitoring temperature and gas production. For such a
simple living organism, microbes can be astonishingly fussy
about what they eat and under which conditions. Too cold
or too hot, too dry or too solid, and the whole AD process
can be disrupted. But the results are extraordinary on
multiple levels.
Case study: Maryland, USA
Bioenergy Devco’s latest commercial scale bioenergy centre
in Jessup, Maryland, the US, is designed to ingest 115 000 t
of excess waste food scraps, fats, oils, and greases (FOG),
along with other organic material. The centre can produce
more than 300 000 million Btu of RNG. Injected into the
grid, the RNG reduces carbon dioxide (CO2), equivalent to
taking more than 12 500 gasoline-powered cars off the road
for a year. The fully-enclosed anaerobic digesters eliminate
the groundwater pollution often caused by excessive land
application and landfill operations, minimising runoff that
can poison ecosystems and cause significant human health
problems, meaning the facility does not require fresh water to
process materials. The resulting greenhouse gasses prevented
from being released into the atmosphere have the equivalent
environmental impact of approximately 70 000 acres of US
forests in one year – 82 times the size of Central Park.
A useful byproduct
These green outcomes are in and of themselves remarkable.
But there are other local benefits to consider, from reducing
transport costs to preventing algae blooms and toxic runoff.
Additionally, AD yields another byproduct prized by gardeners
and farmers alike: digestate.
Digestate, much like compost, is an organic conditioner
that traps CO2 as organic matter, feeds the soil microbiome,
and returns and cycles waste back into the landscape,
reducing the use of chemical, petroleum-based amendments.
Like composting, the digestate output from anaerobic
digesters optimises the conditions for naturally occurring
microbes (i.e., protozoa, microbes, rotifers, fungi) to continue
their magic, improving the tilth, life, health, and fertility in
soils. Moreover, digestate has even higher concentrations
of nutrients than compost, enhancing food production in a
closed-loop process that captures the essence of our shift
toward a circular economy. The company’s Maryland plant
produces more than 16 t of rich, fertile soil amendment for
agricultural and other land use.
Conclusion
Anaerobic digester systems hold tremendous potential
for renewable energy solutions. Yet one of the more
novel and exciting prospects is adapting the process to
produce hydrogen.
With just one proton and one electron, hydrogen is Earth’s
simplest and most abundant element. While it can store
and deliver usable energy, hydrogen rarely exists by itself. It
must be extracted from other compounds produced from
hydrocarbons in emissions-intensive processes that can
defeat the purpose. Anaerobic digesters, by contrast, could
be adapted to produce green hydrogen using a proven steam
upgrading process.
That massive promise lies in hydrogen’s combination of
efficiency and versatility of applications. Hydrogen is so clean
that, when burned, it produces only water and heat. The
energy can be used by trucks, shipping, buses, auxiliary power
units, and even aircraft.
Every technological innovation – from electric cars to the
Internet – has to overcome initial resistance. The quest to
change the world by recycling food waste into clean energy is
no different. It can only happen through the convergence of
public support, consumer demand, government backing, and
private innovation. Once widely embraced, it crosses a tipping
point, pushes back old constraints, and opens new directions
and possibilities.
In this way, anaerobic digester systems in North America
are poised for a 21st Century Renaissance, a transformation
that unlocks greener energy, cleaner air, purer water, and
richer soils.
References
1. ‘Table of solutions’, Project Drawdown, https://drawdown.org/solutions/
table-of-solutions
2. ‘Reduced food waste’, Project Drawdown, https://drawdown.org/solutions/reduced-
food-waste
3. ‘The impact of food waste’, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
www.usda.gov/foodlossandwaste
4. ‘How Does Anaerobic Digestion Work?’, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, (2022),
www.epa.gov/agstar/how-does-anaerobic-digestion-work
5. ‘Anaerobic Digestion Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Anaylsis, Trends
and Forecast 2022 – 2030’, Acumen Research and Consulting, (July 2022),
www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/anaerobic-digestion-market
ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 75

GLOBAL NEWS
RWE acquires Western Power Offshore
Developments
R WE has acquired 100% of Irish company,
Western Power Offshore Developments Ltd, which is in the
early stages of developing the East Celtic wind farm, located
approximately 10 km off the coast of Wexford and Waterford
in Ireland. The project will significantly expand RWE’s offshore
wind developments in the country and contributes towards its
target of expanding its green generation fleet internationally
up to 50 GW by 2030.
RWE’s adoption of the project as part of the acquisition
reinforces the company’s commitment to offshore wind growth
in Ireland, and makes it a key partner to the Irish government
in the delivery of its target of connecting 7 GW (7000 MW) of
offshore wind capacity to the grid by 2030.
In addition, RWE is already developing the
Dublin Array wind farm project in partnership with
Saorgus Energy, off the coast of Dublin and Wicklow, which will
be capable of generating up to 600 – 900 MW of electricity.
The East Celtic wind farm project is in the very early stages
of development, and important decisions have yet to be made,
from the overall size of the wind farm to turbine locations,
cable routes, and land-based developments. A major public
consultation exercise will take place to gather views from local
people to help inform the future direction of the project design.
Depending on the final agreed installed capacity, and once
fully developed and constructed, it could have the potential to
generate up to 900 MW of clean wind energy. It is anticipated
that it could also bring significant economic benefits to the
South East region of Ireland, during both the construction
phase, and across the operational life of the wind farm.
Vestas wins 756 MW order for wind project in Australia
I n partnership with renewable energy enterprise,
TagEnergy, Vestas will deliver the EPC for the first stage
of Golden Plains wind farm, a 756 MW project in Victoria,
Australia. Stage one is set to be Vestas’ largest onshore wind
farm in Asia Pacific and will feature 122 V162-6.2 MW wind
turbines from the EnVentus platform.
Upon completion, Vestas will also deliver a 30-year
service and maintenance agreement (AOM5000) to
optimise the project’s energy production and long-term
business case certainty.
76 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
WIND
Sumitomo announces participation
in onshore wind IPP project
S umitomo Corporation has acquired an equity stake
in Amunet Wind Power Company S.A.E. and signed
a loan agreement with a group of banks, including
Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), in relation
to its onshore wind independent power producer (IPP)
project in Egypt, which Sumitomo Corporation has been
developing in partnership with AMEA Power.
The project involves the construction, ownership,
and operation of onshore wind farm that can generate
approximately 500 MW of electricity, in Ras Ghareb in
the Red Sea Governorate along the Gulf of Suez, situated
240 km southeast of Cairo, the capital city of Egypt. When
completed, the project is slated to sell electricity to Egypt’s
state-owned Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company
over approximately 25 years. The construction is scheduled
to take approximately 2.5 years until 2025, and the
completed facility is expected to become one of the largest
onshore wind farms in Egypt. Sumitomo Corporation
will engage in the development, construction, and
operation of the wind farm by leveraging its expertise
acquired through its track record of overseas onshore
wind farm projects in the US, the Republic of South Africa,
the People’s Republic of China, and other locations.
The project is to be co-financed by JBIC,
International Finance Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui
Banking Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Ltd,
Standard Chartered Bank, and others through a project
financing scheme, for which an agreement-signing
ceremony took place on 30 November 2022.
With the highest market share for installed capacity,
Vestas currently maintains the most amount of wind
turbines in Australia. This project will further expand the
company’s leading footprint in the country’s promising clean
energy market.
Delivery of Vestas’ wind turbines is expected to occur
4Q23, with commissioning to commence 4Q24. Once
operational, the first stage of Golden Plains wind farm will
generate enough clean energy to power approximately
450 000 homes a year.
WAVE
GLOBAL NEWS
Sin Mao Group and Wello to deploy
12 MW wave energy park in Taiwan
W ello and Sin Mao Group have signed a contract to deploy
12 MW of wave energy in Taiwan – the first wave energy
power generation project in the country. Furthermore, the
two companies have signed an agreement for Sin Mao Group
to act as a distributor of Wello’s technology in Taiwan. This
collaboration is expected to become the largest offshore power
generation developer in Asia in the coming future.
Wello is a leading wave energy technology provider,
presently working on several sites with their customers and
partners worldwide. Wello’s unique wave energy technology
is based on a gyrating asymmetric floating device with the
rotational power conversion unit safely constructed inside the
steel hull. Wello is co-operating and partnering with established
strong offshore technology providers to be able to respond
efficiently to the rapidly growing demand at the global market.
Taiwan is aiming to become carbon neutral by 2035.
Presently, with 95% of energy being generated by fossil fuels,
this is an ambitious goal and requires a totally new energy
infrastructure being constructed. All sources of renewables must
be taken in use, with several wave energy sites currently being
considered and under development in Taiwan.
Wello will provide the technology and the expertise that
they have developed during over a decade in wave energy, and
Sin Mao Group will be responsible for developing the sites and
providing wave energy converters based on Wello’s technology
for other site developers.
Diary dates
Energy Storage North America |
Intersolar North America
14 – 16 February 2023
California, USA
www.esnaexpo.com/
WindEurope
25 – 27 April 2023
Copenhagn, Denmark
https://windeurope.org/annual2023/
Global Energy Transition
07 – 08 June 2023
New York, USA
https://events.reutersevents.com/energy-transition/
global-energy-transition-new-york
Minesto signs collaboration
agreements for project development
in Indonesia
M inesto has signed two collaboration agreements
for development in the Nusa Tengara Barat (NTB)
region, Indonesia: a memorandum of understanding
between Minesto and the regional Eco Regions Indonesia,
and a letter of intent between Minesto and the region.
The initiative in Indonesia is part of Minesto’s broader
market establishment in Southeast Asia. The NTB region
has ambitious sustainability goals and is a forerunner in
Indonesia’s energy transition. The regional commitment
and availability of ocean currents make NTB a favourable
entry market for Minesto in Indonesia.
The collaboration agreements include feasibility
studies on the natural resource, infrastructure, and
finance, and are based on collaborative work to integrate
Minesto’s technology as a part of the 100% renewable
energy mix in the region, starting with the special
economic zone.
Minesto is a new member of the bilateral
programme SISP Energy Alliance, and the collaboration
agreements signed is a first step towards build out of
several key interest areas in Indonesia. As the fourth
largest country by population and one of the largest
ocean territories in the world, Indonesia faces a true
challenge in the transition from fossils to affordable and
suitable renewables.
Global Energy Show
13 – 15 June 2023
Calgary, Canada
www.globalenergyshow.com/
Global Offshore Wind
14 – 15 June 2023
London, UK
https://events.renewableuk.com/gow23
Offshore Wind North East
08 – 09 November 2023
UK
www.nof.co.uk/events/owne-2023/
ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022 77

GLOBAL NEWS
OPAL Fuels, NextEra Energy Marketing,
and Republic Services begin
operations at Minnesota RNG facility
O PAL Fuels Inc., a leading vertically integrated
producer and distributor of renewable natural gas
(RNG), and NextEra Energy Marketing, LLC, a subsidiary
of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, has announced the
commencement of commercial operations at the first
landfill RNG production facility in Minnesota, the US. The
Pine Bend RNG project is located at a landfill owned by
Republic Services, Inc., a leader in the environmental services
industry, and interconnected with a pipeline owned by
Xcel Energy, an electric and gas utility in the region.
The new RNG facility captures naturally occurring biogas,
made up in part by methane, from Pine Bend Landfill and
transforms it into RNG.
This project replaces a landfill gas-to-electricity project,
which has now been decommissioned. At full capacity, the
facility is expected to process an estimated 3350 ft3/min. of
landfill gas, resulting in the production of 6.3 million gasoline
gallon equivalent per year of RNG. The low-carbon gas is then
injected into Xcel Energy’s gas pipeline.
Shell to acquire Nature Energy
S hell Petroleum NV, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Shell plc, has reached an agreement with
Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP,
Pioneer Point Partners, and Sampension to acquire 100%
shareholding of Nature Energy Biogas A/S for nearly
US$2 billion (€1.9 billion). The acquisition will be absorbed
within Shell’s current capital range, which remains unchanged.
Nature Energy is a producer of renewable natural gas
(RNG) from agricultural, industrial, and household wastes.
By purchasing the shares in Nature Energy, Shell will acquire
the largest RNG producer in Europe, its portfolio of cash
generative operating plants, associated feedstock supply
and infrastructure, its pipeline of growth projects, and its
in-house expertise in the design, construction, and operation
of innovative and differentiated RNG plant technology.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is
expected to close in 1Q23. Nature Energy is cash generative,
and the acquisition is expected to be both accretive to Shell’s
earnings from completion and deliver double digit returns.
78 ENERGY GLOBAL WINTER 2022
BIOENERGY
CARBIOW project to help Europe take
the lead in energy and transport sector
decarbonisation
C arbon Negative Biofuels from Organic Waste (CARBIOW) is
a Research and Innovation Action funded by the EU under
the Horizon Europe Programme that addresses green transition
and circular economy by proposing novel technologies that cover
the whole process of conversion of organic waste to biofuels.
The 42-month project held its kick-off meeting virtually on
3 November 2022, and officially started to work together in the
planning of the work to be done in the next months.
The goal of CARBIOW is to establish an efficient and scalable
process to convert the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste
(OFMSW) and other hard-to-utilise solid organic wastes to biofuels
with key targets, such as establishing a new pre-treatment
process of OFMSW where a cleaner, denser, carbon-rich, dry, and
homogenous solid biofuel is produced and utilising pure oxygen
(nitrogen-free gas) in combustion and gasification to produce
clean syngas.
The consortium is composed of 12 partners spread around
Europe, including companies from the Netherlands, Sweden,
Slovenia, Norway, Finland, Germany, Belgium, and Spain.
THE RENEWABLES
REWIND
FF Mitsubishi Power receives geothermal power
plant order from Pertamina
FF Woodside Energy selected as preferred partner
for Meridian Southern green hydrogen project
FF Clean energy industries form alliance at COP27
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ENERGY STORAGE

GLOBAL NEWS
Renewable Power Capital and Eelpower Waratah Super Battery starts execution
agree 1 GW storage venture in Australia

R enewable Power Capital (RPC) has announced its

entry into the battery storage market in Great Britain,
working with Eelpower to acquire, build, and operate utility
P owin LLC will deliver a 1.9 GWh battery energy storage
scale projects.
The venture will target up to 1 GW of storage, with a
near-term pipeline of 240 MW.
The new RPC-Eelpower joint venture will participate in
wholesale electricity markets and provide ancillary services
to National Grid, making an expanded contribution to the
Great Britain electricity system. Battery storage projects are
unsubsidised, underscoring RPC’s approach to investing in
projects without government subsidy as a long-term project
owner. The joint venture cements RPC’s position as a key
investor in the fast-growing storage sector.
This storage debut is also the first investment by RPC
in the UK and follows RPC’s recent acquisition of a 528 MW
ready-to-build onshore wind portfolio in Sweden; a deal which
was executed on an unlevered and unhedged basis. Late in
2021, RPC also secured 10-year power purchase agreements for
three Finnish onshore wind projects that are expected to begin
operation within the next two months.
system (BESS) for Akaysha Energy, a BlackRock company,
to power the New South Wales (NSW) Waratah Super Battery
(WSB) project. Akaysha Energy has been appointed by the
Energy Corporation of NSW to develop the WSB to provide a
service of at least 700 MW capacity as part of a system integrity
protection scheme (SIPS). Powin will supply 2592 CentipedeTM
Energy Segments and 288 power conversion systems from their
wholly owned subsidiary, EKS Energy, for a total project capacity
of 909 MW/1915 MWh. Powin will also provide a 20-year long-term
service agreement, which will enhance the reliability, efficiency,
and availability of power supplied by the mega battery.
This flagship SIPS project will unlock latent transfer capacity
in the existing transmission system, help integrate renewable
energy, and maintain grid reliability by acting as a ‘shock
absorber’ if disruptions such as lightning strikes or bushfires
interrupt the flow of electricity.
The WSB is proposed to be located 100 km north of Sydney at
the former 1400 MW Munmorah coal-fired power station. Pending
approval, construction will begin in 2023 and is expected to be
completed by mid-2025.

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