UK climate assembly backs wind, rejects CCS
The UK's Climate Assembly published a report today putting forward its recommended approach to meeting the UK's legally binding target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Some 95pc of climate assembly members backed the use of offshore wind technology to contribute towards the country's climate neutrality aim, the report shows, while 81pc supported solar power and 78pc onshore wind.
But other alternative fuels received less support. Just 40pc of members backed the use of bioenergy, while 36pc were unsure and 24pc were against its employment to reach carbon neutrality. Nuclear power received the backing of just 34pc of members, compared with 46pc against using the energy source. And only 22pc supported the continued use of fossil fuels combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, compared with 56pc against, with participants saying CCS "only provides a short-term, expensive solution when better alternatives are available".
Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage and direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) technologies also received relatively limited support, with 42pc of members backing their use.
This contrasts with UK government support for the technologies. In March it pledged £800mn for CCS development, while in July it announced £100mn of investment in the research and development of DACCS.
But the assembly supported natural methods of removing CO2 from the atmosphere to contribute to the net-zero goal. Some 99pc of members supported better forest management, 85pc the restoration of peatlands, 82pc the use of wood in construction, and 62pc the enhancement of soil carbon storage.
Other sectors
Recommendations put forward by the report for emissions savings in other sectors include a ban on the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2030–35, accompanied by improvements to public transport.
It also called for taxes on air travel that increase the more and further people fly, investment in greenhouse gas removal by the airline industry, and the development of new technologies in the sector such as electric aircraft and synthetic fuels.
At least 80pc of members backed the use of hydrogen, heat pumps and heat networks as solutions for zero-carbon heating in homes.
And the report voiced support for reducing the amount and carbon intensity of energy used to manufacture products, calling for the promotion of product sharing and recycling. It also recommended better farmland management, an increased focus on purchasing local produce, and a reduction in meat and dairy consumption.
Covid opportunity
The assembly urged the government to "harness the opportunities afforded by the response to Covid-19 and the upcoming Cop 26 event to drive a conversation about more international co-ordinated action on climate change".
This echoes advice from government advisory body the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) published in June, which emphasised the opportunity presented by the Covid-19 recovery for investment in climate action.
The UK is presiding over the next UN climate summit, Cop 26, jointly with Italy. The event will take place in Glasgow in November 2021, having been postponed by a year owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
"It is vital that parliament and government examine and use the recommendations the assembly sets out today," chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy select committee Darren Jones said on the publication of the report.
And the CCC indicated that it would draw on the report's recommendations "where possible" in forming its advice to government on the sixth carbon budget, which the body is expected to publish in December and covers 2033-37.
"The views of the assembly are useful in two ways," CCC chair Chris Stark said. "They help inform the scenarios we are developing to demonstrate how the UK can reach net-zero emissions, and they are particularly useful in considering the policies that will help achieve the goal."
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UN eyes policy crediting for carbon markets
UN eyes policy crediting for carbon markets
Berlin, 30 April (Argus) — The UN is considering extending the scope of carbon mitigation credit generation under the Paris climate agreement to policy implementation. The UN's climate arm has tasked research institute Perspectives Climate Group senior founding partner Axel Michaelowa with drawing up a paper on how to incorporate policy crediting into the new carbon market being developed under Article 6.4 of the Paris deal. This is expected to be finalised by the UN Cop 29 climate conference in Azerbaijan in November following persistent disagreements between countries at previous summits. Policy crediting is increasingly viewed as crucial amid the rising urgency to scale up mitigation activities, Michaelowa said at an industry event in Zurich yesterday. But policy crediting presents challenges, such as how to determine the additionality of the instruments for mitigation efforts. The World Bank, which developed the first ever policy crediting activity — the Transformative Carbon Asset Facility — in 2016, determines additionality indirectly as the difference between the facility's baseline and actual emissions. Michaelowa believes this is insufficient, urging separate additionality tests to prove the policy instrument mobilises mitigation. An eligible policy instrument typically closes the cost gap between mitigation and business-as-usual technologies, Michaelowa said. "Creditable" policy instruments are mandates, or financial incentives, for deploying low-carbon technologies or behaviours. Policies that reverse previous bad governance by eliminating obstacles to mitigation activities also qualify, Michaelowa said, for example a grid operator enforcing a stop on renewable power growth to ensure grid stability, as investments in the grid would be too costly. Uzbekistan signed an agreement under the World Bank's facility in June 2023 under which it can sell carbon credits issued for the emissions reductions resulting from its cuts to high fossil fuel subsidies. The resulting funds are used to mitigate the impact of rising energy prices on the lowest income consumers, and fund awareness campaigns on the need for cost-covering energy tariffs. Uzbekistan expects to reduce its emissions by 60mn t of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) between 2022-27 as a result of the cuts, of which 2mn-2.5mn t CO2e are attributed directly to the facility's intervention, funded with $46.25mn by donor countries to result in a carbon price of between $18.50-23.12/t CO2e. The World Bank is looking at other countries and sectors to apply the lessons learned from the Uzbekistan pilot, its senior climate finance specialist Nuyi Tao said. By Chloe Jardine Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Japan’s Chugoku delays Shimane No.2 reactor restart
Japan’s Chugoku delays Shimane No.2 reactor restart
Tokyo, 30 April (Argus) — Japanese utility Chugoku Electric Power has postponed the restart of its 820MW Shimane No.2 nuclear reactor in western Japan's Shimane prefecture from August to December, as reinforcement works are taking longer than expected. The reinforcement works are taking longer, as the utility is also conducting facility inspections to prepare to reactivate the reactor after an extended closure since January 2012 for stricter nuclear safety inspections, said Chugoku on 30 April. Chugoku previously planned to complete the reinforcement works in May , but has now postponed this to October. The utility had aimed to begin normal operations at the reactor in September , but has now delayed it to January 2025. Chugoku had previously modified the restart schedule multiple times . The return of the Shimane No.2 reactor could have helped Chugoku reduce its reliance on thermal generation fuels including oil, LNG and coal, especially during the peak power demand season of summer. Chugoku is currently building the 1,373MW No.3 reactor at Shimane, aiming to complete its safety-enhanced construction sometime during April-September 2025. The company has filed an application with the Nuclear Regulation Authority for a safety screening of the No.3 reactor. Its 460MW Shimane No.1 reactor was scrapped in April 2015. By Nanami Oki Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Gas-fired units win Japan's clean power auction
Gas-fired units win Japan's clean power auction
Osaka, 30 April (Argus) — A planned 10 gas-fired generation units have won Japan's first long-term zero emissions power capacity auction, with the awarded capacity totalling nearly 6GW, or auction volumes sought for the first three years of the programme. Japan launched the clean power auction system from the April 2023-March 2024 fiscal year, aiming to spur investment in clean power sources by securing funding in advance to drive the country's decarbonisation towards 2050. The auction generally targets clean power sources — such as renewables, nuclear, storage battery, biomass, hydrogen and ammonia. But the scheme also applies to a new power plants burning regasified LNG as an immediate measure to ensure stable power supplies, subject to a gradual switch from gas to cleaner energy sources. The first auction held in January saw 10 new gas-fired units with a combined capacity of 5.76GW secure the funding of ¥176.6bn/yr ($1.12bn), the nationwide transmission system operator Organisation for Cross-regional Co-ordination of Transmission Operator (Occto), which manages the auction, said on 26 April. All winners can receive the money for 20 years through Occto, which collect money from the country's power retailers, although they need to refund 90pc of other revenue. Winners with a new gas-fired project should start commissioning their plants within six years and then begin refurbishment work to introduce clean fuels and technology within 10 years after commissioning. This means all the projects selected in the 2023-24 auction need to start operations by the end of 2030-31. Hokkaido Electric Power previously planned to begin operations of its Ishikariwan-Shinko No.2 gas-fired unit in December 2034 but it has advanced the start-up to 2030-31. Japan has secured a total of 9.77GW net zero capacity through the 2023-24 auction. Contract volumes include 1.3GW of nuclear, 1.1GW of storage batteries, 770MW for ammonia co-firing, 55.3MW hydrogen co-firing, 199MW biomass and 577MW of hydroelectric power projects, along with the 5.76GW of gas-fired projects. By Motoko Hasegawa Japan 2023-24 decarbonisation power capacity auction result Winner Power plant MW* Planned start-up Hokkaido Electric Power Ishikariwan-Shinko No.2 551 FY2030 Tohoku Electric Power Higashi Niigata No.6 616 FY2030 Kansai Electric Power Nanko No.1 592 FY2029 Kansai Electric Power Nanko No.2 592 FY2030 Kansai Electric Power Nanko No.3 592 FY2030 Chugoku Electric Power Yanai new No.2 464 Mar '2030 Tokyo Gas Chiba Sodegaura Power Station 605 FY2029 Osaka Gas Himeji No.3 566 FY2030 Jera Chita No.7 590 FY2029 Jera Chita No.8 590 FY2029 Total gas-fired capacity 5,756.3 Source: Occto, Argus * Sending end capacity Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
APLNG's Jan-Mar output higher: Origin
APLNG's Jan-Mar output higher: Origin
Sydney, 30 April (Argus) — The 9mn t/yr Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG) project in Queensland state produced and sold more LNG than the previous quarter and year earlier, Australian independent Origin Energy said in its January-March results. Output rose from the final quarter of 2023 because of the power failure of a vessel docked at APLNG's terminal in Gladstone harbour in late November , which prompted upstream operator Origin to cut flows to the liquefaction plant and APLNG to defer three cargoes to 2024. APLNG exported 134PJ (2.4mn t) of LNG through 34 cargoes for January-March, 8pc up from 124PJ and 32 cargoes the previous quarter and 4pc up on the 129PJ and 33 cargoes shipped in January-March 2023. Total APLNG production for July 2023-March 2024, the first three quarters of Origin's fiscal year to 30 June, was 519PJ, 4pc higher than 498PJ a year earlier, because of effective well and field optimisation activities, fewer maintenance disruptions and the continuing benefit of reducing workover backlog resulting in more wells being on line, Origin said. The terminal will take half a train of capacity off line for 12 days in June , following a two-day maintenance period in January. APLNG's domestic gas sales were 36PJ, steady on the previous quarter but higher by 24pc from the 29PJ sold a year earlier. Gas sales volumes for Origin's energy markets business fell by 5pc to 36PJ from 38PJ in January-March 2023. Origin said it continues to negotiate a deal with the government of New South Wales (NSW) regarding the 2,880MW Eraring coal-fired power station's future . The power plant had been due to close in 2025 but insufficient new generation capacity has been completed in NSW for this to occur. "We continue to progress large-scale batteries under development at Eraring and Mortlake power stations and recently announced our first storage offtake agreement from the Supernode battery in Queensland, taking Origin's storage portfolio to around 1GW of capacity once these batteries come on line," chief executive Frank Calabria said on 30 April. By Tom Major APLNG results Jan-Mar '24 Oct-Dec '23 Jan-Mar '23 y-o-y % ± q-o-q % ± Production (PJ) 176 167 165 7 5 Sales (PJ) 168 160 158 6 4 Commodity revenue (A$mn) 2,303 2,149 2,583 -11 7 Average realised LNG price ($/mn Btu) 12.17 11.88 14.50 -15 3 Average realised domestic gas price (A$/GJ) 6.90 6.39 6.17 12 8 Source: Origin Energy Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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