NO SUCH A THING YET, ITS BLUE H2

Shell teams up with Norsk Hydro to work on green hydrogen projects

PUBLISHED TUE, NOV 9 2021
Anmar Frangoul

KEY POINTS

While there is excitement about the potential of green hydrogen in some quarters, the sector also faces challenges.

In October, the CEO of Siemens Energy told CNBC there was “no commercial case” for it at this moment in time.



FREDRIK HAGEN | AFP | Getty Images


Norsk Hydro and fossil fuel giant Shell are to look into the potential of joint projects focused on green hydrogen production.

In an announcement Tuesday, Norway’s Hydro said a memorandum of understanding had been signed between the two parties.

Under the deal, Shell and Hydro’s green hydrogen business, Hydro Havrand, will focus on the joint generation and supply of hydrogen “produced from renewable electricity in hubs centered around Hydro and Shell’s own business, and where they see strong potential for scaling production for customers in heavy industry and transport.”

From sites in Europe, the initial aim is to find opportunities for the production and supply of renewable hydrogen for their own operations alongside the wider market. “The intention is to expand into additional regions and locations over time,” Hydro said.

Hydrogen can be produced in a number of ways. One method includes using electrolysis, with an electric current splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen.

If the electricity used in this process comes from a renewable source such as wind or solar then some call it green or renewable hydrogen.

More from CNBC Climate:

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Glacial lake outburst floods: How a lesser-known climate phenomenon threatens from above

Bill Gates doubts goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees is achievable

While there is excitement about the potential of green hydrogen in some quarters, it remains expensive to produce. Currently, the vast majority of hydrogen generation is based on fossil fuels.

Shell is itself a major player in oil and gas, but says it wants to become a net-zero emissions energy firm by 2050.

In February, the business confirmed its total oil production had peaked in 2019 and said it expected its total carbon emissions to have peaked in 2018, at 1.7 metric gigatons per year.

In a landmark ruling earlier this year, a Dutch court ordered Shell to take much more aggressive action to drive down its carbon emissions and reduce them by 45% by 2030 from 2019 levels.

The verdict was thought to be the first time in history a company has been legally obliged to align its policies with the 2015 Paris Agreement. Shell is appealing the ruling, a move that has been sharply criticized by climate activists.

Hopes for hydrogen

In recent years, a number of major companies have announced projects related to green hydrogen. It was recently announced that a deal related to the supply and distribution of green hydrogen in the U.K. had been struck.

In an statement, Australia-headquartered Fortescue Future Industries said it would become the U.K.’s largest supplier of green hydrogen after signing a memorandum of understanding with construction equipment firm JCB and Ryze Hydrogen.

Fortescue described it as a “multi-billion-pound deal” but did not reveal exact figures.

In October, the CEO of Siemens Energy spoke of the issues he felt were facing the green hydrogen sector, telling CNBC that there was “no commercial case” for it at this moment in time.

In comments made during a discussion at CNBC’s Sustainable Future Forum, Christian Bruch outlined several areas that would need attention in order for green hydrogen to gain momentum.

“We need to define boundary conditions which make this technology and these cases commercially viable,” Bruch, who was speaking to CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick, said.

“And we need an environment, obviously, of cheap electricity and in this regard, abundant renewable energy available to do this.” This was not there yet, he argued.

—CNBC’s Sam Meredith and Chloe Taylor contributed to this article.

CALL IT TEAL ITS STILL BLUE H2
Baker Hughes invests in 'turquoise' hydrogen production

The US technology giant will have a 20% stake in growth-stage company Ekona Power

Turquoise hydrogen: Baker Hughes is working with Vancouver-based Ekona Power

 to test and scale up hydrogen production from pyrolysis.

Photo: REUTERS / SCANPIX

9 November 2021
By Naomi Klinge in Houston

Baker Hughes announced Tuesday it has invested in Vancouver-based, growth stage company Ekona Power, which is developing turquoise hydrogen production technology.

The investment gives Baker Hughes a 20% stake in Ekona and enhances the Houston-based technology giant’s hydrogen and decarbonisation portfolio.

“Ekona Power’s methane pyrolysis platform for the production of cleaner and lower cost turquoise hydrogen builds on our growing and diverse portfolio of decarbonization technologies, including blue and green hydrogen, CCUS and emissions management solutions,” said Rod Christie, executive vice president of Turbomachinery & Process Solutions at Baker Hughes.

“Through the adoption of this technology, the industry can leverage existing and abundant natural gas reserves to produce lower carbon hydrogen and accelerate its use across the energy value chain.”

Turquoise hydrogen is produced from methane using pyrolysis, a combustion process that results in hydrogen and solid carbon. The process is meant to greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions compared to traditional steam methane reforming processes.

The solid carbon by-product has potential for a variety of uses, including in applications that involve graphite, carbon fibre, carbon nanotubes, and other derivatives, and can be used in sectors like construction, transportation, and agriculture.



Baker Hughes says Hurricane Ida impacted Q3 revenuesRead more

In a recent report Kenneth Medlock and Rachel Meidl from Rice University’s Baker Institute said the classification of the solid carbon will determine how it is regulated and used. Different pyrolysis processes will yield different types of carbon by-product, which can cause barriers to the stabilisation of the sector.

While many companies have the goal to scale up various types of hydrogen production, a solid carbon by-product can increase the value of hydrogen production from pyrolysis if there is demand for it.

“The value proposition of methane pyrolysis relies on the availability of sufficiently large markets that can absorb the solid carbon output that will result from the scale-up of turquoise hydrogen production,” the report said.

Baker Hughes and Ekona will work to scale up their pyrolysis technology with pilot projects and utilising Baker Hughes’ turbomachinery portfolio.

“Our innovative technology has the potential to produce hydrogen at costs on par with conventional steam methane reformers, while drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Chris Reid, chief executive officer of Ekona Power. "In addition, our solution isn’t reliant on CO2 sequestration, so it has the potential to be quickly and broadly deployed across various industries and market regions.” (Copyright)

Read more
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io consulting: pendulum's swing towards clean energy faces challenges
French trio TotalEnergies, Air Liquide and Vinci to create $1.7 billion hydrogen fund

Baker Hughes Invests in Ekona Power to Accelerate the Delivery of a Lower-Carbon Hydrogen Production Solution

Investment will advance development of a novel methane pyrolysis technology platform to produce cleaner and lower cost turquoise hydrogen

Compared to the traditional steam methane reforming process used for producing industrial scale hydrogen, 

Ekona’s novel methane pyrolysis process can produce hydrogen with drastically lower carbon dioxide emissions

Technology applicable for multiple markets including refineries, ammonia or chemical plants, as well as natural gas transmission and distribution companies looking to reduce their GHG emissions footprint

November 09, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

HOUSTON & VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baker Hughes (NYSE: BKR), an energy technology company, has announced an investment in Ekona Power Inc., a growth stage company developing novel turquoise hydrogen production technology. Through its investment, Baker Hughes will enhance its broader hydrogen and natural gas decarbonization solutions portfolio, further contributing to the energy transition.

“This important investment from Baker Hughes who is an established global player is a key step to commercializing our technology.”Tweet this

Turquoise hydrogen is made from methane using pyrolysis, also known as splitting, or cracking. Ekona’s methane pyrolysis solution uses combustion and high-speed gas dynamics in a reactor to separate feedstock methane into hydrogen and solid carbon, drastically reducing carbon dioxide emissions versus the traditional and prevalent steam methane reforming process. The innovative solution is designed to easily integrate with standard equipment for natural gas and hydrogen applications including carbon separation and hydrogen purification, thus simplifying industrial process integration.

The two companies will join efforts to accelerate the scale up and industrialization of the technology by identifying suitable pilot projects and leveraging Baker Hughes’ leading turbomachinery portfolio as well as established technical expertise in providing modular and scalable solutions for global hydrogen and natural gas projects.

“This strategic investment further demonstrates our commitment to advancing new energy frontiers by accelerating the pace at which novel technologies are being brought to market,” said Rod Christie, executive vice president of Turbomachinery & Process Solutions at Baker Hughes. “Ekona Power’s methane pyrolysis platform for the production of cleaner and lower cost turquoise hydrogen builds on our growing and diverse portfolio of decarbonization technologies, including blue and green hydrogen, CCUS and emissions management solutions. Through the adoption of this technology, the industry can leverage existing and abundant natural gas reserves to produce lower carbon hydrogen and accelerate its use across the energy value chain.”

“At Ekona, we are deeply committed to delivering cleaner energy solutions that cost-effectively address industry pain points. Our innovative technology has the potential to produce hydrogen at costs on par with conventional steam methane reformers, while drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, our solution isn’t reliant on CO2 sequestration, so it has the potential to be quickly and broadly deployed across various industries and market regions,” Chris Reid, chief executive officer of Ekona Power Inc. “This important investment from Baker Hughes who is an established global player is a key step to commercializing our technology.”

Baker Hughes will take an approximately 20% stake in Ekona to help advance new project development and commercialization. Baker Hughes will also assume a seat on Ekona’s Board of Directors. Fort Capital Partners acted as advisors to Ekona Power. Along with lead investor Baker Hughes, Ekona has been supported by numerous Canadian Federal and Provincial partners, including the BC Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund, National Research Council (NRC), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada (BESC) Program, Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), the Natural Gas Innovation Fund (NGIF) and Pacific Economic Development Canada. In addition, BDC Capital’s Cleantech Practice invested in 2020 to help fund Ekona’s technology development program.

About Baker Hughes:

Baker Hughes (NYSE: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions for energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and with operations in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.

About Ekona Power Inc.

Ekona is a Vancouver-based venture established by Evok Innovations and Innovative Breakthrough Energy Technologies. Ekona is developing a revolutionary technology that transforms the way we produce clean hydrogen. Our solution is an innovative and low-cost methane pyrolysis platform that converts natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon, virtually eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. Visit us at ekonapower.com

Meet Hong Kong's 'ghost net hunter' who is saving the city's sea life


Story by Rebecca Cairns; video by Jon Jensen, Kristie Lu Stout, Dan Hodge and Alex Dicker, CNN
Wed November 10, 2021

(CNN)Built up from fishing communities into a major international port, Hong Kong has a rich maritime history stretching back hundreds of years. Beneath the surface of its coastal waters, though, lurks a haunting threat to its marine life.

Ghost nets, or ghost gear, are abandoned or lost fishing equipment. They float through the ocean, trapping and killing wildlife, snagging on boats, and even threatening divers.
One local scuba diver saw the problem and decided to take matters into his own hands.
Harry Chan, a self-proclaimed "ghost net hunter," has spent the last decade hauling abandoned fishing nets out of the ocean. The 68-year-old retired businessman says he is on a mission to clean up Hong Kong's surrounding waters and coastline.

"If we're not going to take care of the environment and the ocean, we aren't going to get another one," says Chan.

What is ghost gear?

Ghost gear can end up in the ocean by accident, such as being swept away during storms or tearing on rocks, or intentionally discarded, often to cover up evidence of illegal fishing -- and it isn't just a problem in Hong Kong. According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 640,000 metric tons of ghost gear goes into the world's waters every year -- the same weight as more than 50,000 double-decker buses -- although the Ocean Conservancy, a non-profit advocacy group, says this is a conservative estimate.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, abandoned and discarded fishing gear makes up 10% of the ocean's plastic pollution.

In a 2018 study of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch -- a 1.6 million square kilometer collection of trash that is more than double the size of Texas located in the Pacific Ocean -- it was found that more than half of the total plastic mass was from nets, ropes and lines.
This is a huge problem for marine life as well as people, says Laurence McCook, oceans director for WWF Hong Kong.

Scientists are fighting to protect a shark and turtle 'superhighway'

"It's called ghost gear because it goes on living and creating problems long after it's actually useful," says McCook. It is estimated that 136,000 dolphins, seals, turtles, and even whales are killed annually by ghost gear, as well as countless fish and other small marine life.

Ghost gear can reduce fish stocks in some locations by up to 30%, impacting food supplies and fishing industry profits, as well as fish stock recovery and conservation projects.

Hunting for ghost nets
Once Chan locates a net, removing it can take anywhere from three to eight hours, and is dangerous and grueling work. But Chan, who has been diving since 1987 with over 3,000 dives to date, is obsessively passionate -- and his brushes with death in pursuit of his goal have not deterred him.

"A couple of times, I almost got killed, being tangled," he says. "Luckily, I was able to be freed by my buddies."

Over the years, Chan has built a small team of rotating volunteers who help him on his mission to clean up Hong Kong's waters. Kitted out in scuba diving gear, the team will go out on a boat in search of stray ghost nets.

Ghost gear also impacts food supplies, reducing fish stocks by up to 30%.

When they find one -- which can be tricky with Hong Kong's poor water visibility -- they use a knife or scissors to free marine life trapped in it or untangle it from rocks, coral or the seabed where it may be caught.

Depending on the size and weight of the net and how deep it is, a small floating device can help lift the net to the surface. Typically, Chan goes on these dives twice a month, as well as organizing beach and shoreline cleanups.

Over the years, Chan estimates he has collected more than 80 metric tons of ghost gear by hand with his volunteer group, and says he's determined to continue hunting this "silent killer."

"Being a diver, there's so much we can do to protect and save the ocean," he says.

'Ghost Gear Detective'

While "local heroes" like Chan are doing great work collecting ghost nets, the potential dangers to even the most experienced divers cannot be overstated, says McCook of WWF Hong Kong.

"A net is designed to catch things underwater, and it's very good at doing that," he says. "It's remarkably easy to get tangled, and at the end of the day, we're underwater -- we have a limited air supply."

That's why WWF Hong Kong has developed a "Ghost Gear Detective" program.

The Ghost Gear Detective program asks amateur divers and water sport enthusiasts to help identify the locations of ghost nets using its GPS-enabled device.

The citizen scientist initiative invites recreational scuba divers and boaters to record the location of ghost gear on a waterproof slate using a portable, floating GPS device to identify the coordinates. This information is reported via an app once they're back on dry land.

Then, the Hong Kong government's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department uses this data to collect the nets safely with a team of expert divers.

Read more: Saving California's kelp forests from 'zombie' urchins

Since the program's launch in 2019, WWF Hong Kong says 244 pieces of ghost gear have been identified, based on 225 reports -- and nearly 600 pounds of equipment have been removed.

"The value of collecting the data is not only about removing it, but that database then puts the government and ourselves in a position to understand the magnitude and nature of the problem -- which is critical to figuring out solutions," says McCook.

Tagging and tracking

While cleaning up this ghost gear is essential, stopping fishing gear from ending up in the ocean in the first place is key.

Creating incentives for fisheries and fishermen to keep their nets well maintained and properly recycle them could help "prevent deliberate and accidental loss of nets," says McCook.


Ghost gear not only ensnares dolphins and fish swimming through the ocean, but also catches on corals and rocks on the seabed, destroying habitats.

Ghost nets are also often "strongly associated with illegal fishing," he adds, so governments have to ensure that marine police and conservation bodies have "the resources and the means to be able to really enforce the legislation actively and responsibly."



What thriving coral in the world's hottest sea can teach us about climate change 02:41

Tracking technology on fishing gear could also help. Electronic tagging, such as low-cost Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags or coded wire tags could be used to help marine police scan equipment to ensure it comes from legal fisheries.

Chan hopes improved government policies will remove the "root cause" for future generations. And though the size of the problem can sometimes be daunting, he says as long as there are ghost nets in the ocean, he'll keep diving.

"I'm in my 60s, I've got all the time I want to do whatever I want to do -- and being a diver, I think it's time for me to really contribute back to the community," says Chan. "Age is only a figure. There's so much we can do, no matter how old you are."

Clarification: An earlier version of this article stated that 244 pieces of ghost gear have been removed since 2019. This has been changed to clarify that 244 pieces of ghost gear have been identified, not removed.

How Realistic Is Exxon Mobil's Climate Change Pivot?

Nov 9, 2021
CNBC

For years, Exxon Mobil was one of the largest publicly-traded companies in the United States. Coming climate legislation may target the core of the oil and gas giant's operation: production and exploration. The company says it will pivot. But the plan relies on capturing carbon from the oil it will keep pumping in the future. Watch the video to see what experts think of Exxon's green economy plans. 

Oil giant Exxon Mobil, once the most valuable company in the U.S., is fighting for its future. Over the summer, investors forced a change on Exxon’s board. Since then, the company has been speeding up plans for its green economy pivot, which includes carbon capture and storage. Carbon capture is the process of capturing CO2 at its source. Companies can store the carbon dioxide permanently, but it is more profitable and common to use the captured carbon in further fossil fuel production.

Congressional researchers say U.S. companies have pioneered the technology worldwide, injecting roughly 68 million metric tons of carbon dioxide back into the ground every year. Exxon Mobil recently announced a plan to increase the amount of carbon it captures from its refineries near Houston, Texas. The company says it has captured 40% of the world’s captured carbon to date. 

But another count from the investors at Engine No. 1 suggests that Exxon may be capturing less than 1% of its own annual emissions on a rolling basis. This count includes Scope 3 emissions, a much broader accounting of a company’s planet warming potential. Exxon Mobil publicly disclosed an estimate of its Scope 3 emissions for the first time in 2021. 

The company told CNBC it will try to flatten its production of fossil fuels through 2025, depending on market conditions. More changes could come as regulators around the world zero in on climate. But carbon market scholar Kate Ervine said that “the devil is in the details” when it comes to writing climate policies that affect oil and gas majors.

Ørsted to invest $11 billion in offshore wind farm near Hai Phong

Denmark’s Ørsted Group, the world's largest corporation in the wind power industry, has proposed an offshore wind power plant near Hai Phong, with an estimated investment of US$11.9 to $13.6 billion.

Denmark’s Ørsted Group expects to supply green energy to 30 million people by 2030. — Photo courtesy of the firm

Once operational, the power plant will have a total capacity of 3,900 MW.

Vice-chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee, Nguyen Duc Tho, worked on the project with a delegation from the Embassy of Denmark, led by Troels Jakobsen.

The project will be divided into three phases. Wind output is expected to produce about 13,665,600 MWh per year. The wind farm's turbine is expected to be installed with a capacity of about 20 MW. Tower height will be from 150m to 200m each.

The project location is in offshore waters 14km southeast of Bach Long Vy island and 36 km northwest of Long Chau archipelago.

The project is in line with Viet Nam's National Energy Development Strategy, which prioritises the exploitation and use of renewable energy sources.

Troels Jakobsen said the cooperation between Denmark and Viet Nam would continue to be promoted in such fields as economy, trade, investment, education, tourism, and economic transformation to a green economy.

Appreciating Ørsted Group's capacity in offshore wind power development, Tho said: "Hai Phong will pay attention and create favourable conditions for investors."

Tho suggested that the investor provide more documents on issues raised by the departments and agencies at the meeting.

He requested the group to review and clarify the contents related to the survey location, the appropriate spacing of wind turbines and rationally develop the marine space. At the same time, the project must ensure compliance with current regulations, investment divergence and must not affect the navigation channel, security and defence aspects.

As a leading enterprise in the field of offshore wind power owned by the Danish Government, Ørsted's revenue in 2020 was $8.6 billion, with profits of $3 billion. The group currently supply green energy to more than 15 million people worldwide. This number is expected to double by 2025.

In June 2021, Louise Holmsgaard, Charge d'Affaires, Embassy of Denmark, met with officials from Hai Phong to introduce Ørsted and the wind power project.

Source: VNS

Climate change: Texas landfill site captures methane from rubbish to make dramatic impact on greenhouse gas emissions

Blue Ridge landfill site in Texas is trying to capture methane from mountains of rubbish and has the potential to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than 51,000 cars on local roads, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Mark Stone
Sunday 7 November 2021 

The Blue Ridge landfill site in Texas, US

I'm outside Houston in Texas watching many tonnes of rubbish being dumped, compacted and buried.

Nowhere quite represents a consumer-driven and disposable culture like this.

Everyday, rubbish is ditched - along with the responsibility for it.

The average American produces nearly a ton of rubbish every year -three times as much as the average Briton.

But collectively it remains our problem, or one for generations to come.

And in consumer-obsessed America, the scale is quite something.

I'd not visited a landfill site before. Up close they are an overwhelming sight.

With the site manager, I watch as more land is cleared and holes dug for more and more waste.

Managing our waste

Huge trucks shuttle in and out. The average American produces nearly a ton of rubbish every year. That's three times as much as the average Britton.

Site manager Zachary Pedersen is passionate about how landfills can affect change

Globally we are seemingly unstoppable generators of waste, which is why management is so vital.

And that's what's brought us to this particular site: Blue Ridge Landfill, to the south of Houston.

Zachary Pedersen manages Blue Ridge which takes the waste from America's fourth largest city.

As he takes me for a drive around, it's clear he loves his job. He's proud too of a process that, despite wider flaws caused by our consumer culture and failures in regulation, is, he says, sustainable.



"My passion for landfills is that I can affect change. It affects our community, it affects being a good neighbour, it affects the environment," Mr Pedersen tells me.

"You know, I am directly affecting the world my daughter is going to grow up in," he says.

It's striking how green much of this vast site is. Areas that were once open landfill are now covered, sealed and topped with pasture. I watch a farm tractor cutting the grass and there's even wildlife - geese and the famous Texas Longhorn.

Capturing methane

Under the grass is tonnes of waste in various states of decomposition and dotted all over the landscape are small black pipes poking out of the ground.

Cows and the cattle industry are often blamed for contributing to greenhouse gas emissions

This is methane capture in action. We hear a lot about methane emissions from the oil and gas industry, and even more about how cows and the cattle industry are contributing to emissions of the potent greenhouse gas.

But unmanaged, our own rubbish, as it decomposes, can contribute huge quantities of methane into the atmosphere helping to warm our planet faster than carbon dioxide.

In America alone, landfill accounts for nearly 20% of human-caused methane emissions which over a 20-year period is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

But here at Blue Ridge they are operating a system of methane capture that's increasingly common across the developed world.

The tonnes and tonnes of waste brought to the site is flattened and compacted on top of a plastic shell which lines the landfill. Eventually, the section of landfill is sealed and pressurised.

The 'milkshake technique'

The site uses a special 'milkshake technique' to suck methane from a series of wells

The site's environmental manager, Raymond Whitlock, explains how the methane can be sucked out using a series of wells which dot the landscape and puncture the pasture.

"The example I like to use: if you imagine a milkshake, the straw in the milkshake; the milkshake's your landfill, the straw is the extraction well; you exert the vacuum using your mouth or in our case a blower system and the contents is removed," Mr Whitlock says.

COP26: World leaders pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030 in 'game-changing commitment'

A series of underground pipes take the extracted methane to a refinery on the edge of Blue Ridge. There it is cleaned, purified and sold on to power cars and heat homes.

According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this plant has the capacity to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent of more than 51,000 cars on local roads.

Republic Services who operate Blue Ridge and 74 other sites across America say they now generate enough renewable energy to fully power more than 250,000 homes annually.

The extracted methane is taken to a refinery on the edge of Blue Ridge, where it is cleaned, purified and sold on to power cars and heat homes

Recycling failures

It's not all good news, though.

While Blue Ridge is a success in its efforts to capture methane, it also illustrates a much bigger societal problem.

The amount of plastic and cardboard at the site is staggering. America's record at recycling is appalling.

Between 2015 and 2018 the rate actually fell from 34% to just 32% according to figures from the Environmental Protection Agency. In the UK, the recycling rate is about 45%.

But in methane capture, Blue Ridge is an impressive success story. They use a technology increasingly deployed around the developed world and it is having an impact in slowing global warming.

And yet beyond, in the developing world, it's an ever growing challenge requiring investment and funding.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Improves Recyclability of 3D-Printed Wind Turbine Blades

Published on November 8, 2021 by Mikahila L.

A National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) research team is testing the production of modernized wind turbine blades with highly-engineered, 3D-printed designs that use a thermoplastic resin system. Wind turbines are promoted for their ability to decrease humanity’s collective carbon footprint and environmental impact. In recent years, the benefits of additive manufacturing have been explored by this sector of the energy industry since when it comes to renewable energy, the paradox of wasteful production remains an area of continuous research and innovation. It has become such a topic of interest that earlier this year, the United States Department of Energy even provided universities and industry leaders with funding to develop 3D-printed composite wind blade molds and end-use blade components.

Existing wind turbine designs rely on thermoset resin systems like epoxies, polyesters and vinyl esters, polymers. “Once you produce a blade with a thermoset resin system, you cannot reverse the process,” explained NREL team lead, Senior Wind Technology Engineer, Derek Berry, “That [also] makes the blade difficult to recycle.” The NREL team worked with several institutions to develop systems that utilize thermoplastics, as opposed to thermoset materials, thermoplastics can be heated to separate the original polymers, enabling what is called end-of-life (EOL) recyclability.

A 13-meter thermoplastic blade 3D-printed at the Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology Facility (CoMET) by an NREL research team. (Photo Credit: Ryan Beach, NREL)

3D-Printed Wind Turbine Blades

According to research from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average lifespan of a wind turbine is roughly 20 years. By using 3D printing technology for the manufacture of thermoplastic blades, this significantly improves the recyclability of the blades. Furthermore, 3D printing substantially reduces the weight and cost of a turbine blade by at least 10%, and production cycle time by 15%.

Further enhancing the blades’ recyclability, these thermoplastic blade parts can be joined together using a thermal welding process which would essentially eliminate the need for environmentally detrimental adhesives. “With two thermoplastic blade components, you have the ability to bring them together and, through the application of heat and pressure, join them,” team lead Berry explained. “You cannot do that with thermoset materials.” Ultimately, the team hopes to create blades that are lighter, longer, less expensive, and more efficient, all critical components to increasing the presence of wind energy in the USA as part of the goal to reduce greenhouse gasses. You can find out more in the video below or in the press release HERE.

What do you think of the NREL’s novel additive manufacturing techniques? Let us know in a comment below or on our Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.

Cover Photo Credit: Tyler Casey / Unsplash

Discarded Wind Turbine Blades Are Upcycled into Sleek Bike Shelters in Denmark

NOVEMBER 8, 2021
GRACE EBERT

Design


Image courtesy of Chris Yelland

It’s estimated that before 2050, we’ll generate 43 million tons of waste worldwide from one of the most promising clean energy producers alone. Wind turbines, while a cheap and carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels, are only 85 percent recyclable or reusable, and their massive fiberglass blades, which are so large that they span the length of a football field, are notoriously difficult to break down and often end up deteriorating in a landfill for 20 to 25 years. Until a high-volume solution for recycling the structures becomes viable, there’s a growing trend in repurposing the pieces for maze-style playgrounds, construction materials like pellets and panels, or pedestrian bridges as proposed by Re-Wind Network, a group devoted to finding new uses for the unused parts.

A long-time proponent of wind energy, the Danish government is receiving attention for its own initiative that tasked turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa with upcycling the blade. The company transformed the long, curved component into an open-air shelter at the Port of Aalborg, where it protects bikes from the elements. Although Siemens Gamesa doesn’t have plans to launch a large-scale initiative for installing similar designs, it recently released new fully recyclable blades that can be turned into boats, recreational vehicle bodies, and other projects in the future. (via designboom)




Image courtesy of Chris Yelland


Image courtesy of Siemens Gamesa


Image courtesy of Siemens Gamesa


Image courtesy of Siemens Gamesa

Cementing a cleaner future: how Japan is cutting carbon from industry

By Euronews • Updated: 08/11/2021 - 

.
Copyright euronews

In this episode of Green Japan we focus on the latest innovations to capture and recycle carbon and develop zero-carbon concrete.

Carbon dioxide is the main cause of global warming. In the western wing of Tomakomai port, Japan has shown that CO2 can be captured and stored. Experts are confident the technology implemented at the Tomakomai CCS demonstration project centre will be crucial for reaching net-zero emissions in Japan and worldwide.

“CCS is an acronym for Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage. It is a technology aimed at preventing global warming by capturing CO2 generated from industrial activities and storing it underground,” explains Nakajima Toshiaki, President of Japan CCS.

President of Japan CCS Nakajima Toshiaki explains carbon dioxide and storage technology.Euronews

The CO2 source is a gas supply facility at Idemitsu Kosan Hokkaido Refinery, adjacent to the Tomakomai CCS Center. A gas containing carbon dioxide is sent by pipeline to the Capture Facility.

Yamagishi Kazuyuki, from CCS, explains the process.

“We receive a maximum of 25 tonnes of CO2 per hour which is equivalent to 600 tonnes a day. Our target was to process 100,000 tonnes in one year. We achieved the injection of 300,000 tonnes two years ago.”

Once the gas containing CO2 arrives at the demonstration plant, CO2 is separated from the gas and captured by chemical absorption inside three towers, which are part of the main CCS facilities. The CO2 now needs to be stored.

“The captured CO2 is sent to the inlet of this well, after a certain amount of pressure is applied. Through this pipe, the CO2 is sent to the geological layers below the seabed,” Kazuyuki says.

The two injection wells of the project were drilled from onshore towards offshore sub-sea bed reservoirs. One well targeted a sandstone layer between the depths of 1,000 to 1,200 metres. The other one reached a volcanoclastic layer between 2,400 to 3,000 metres deep.

Japan is convinced this technology will become a key approach for reducing the impact of global warming once it reaches the implementation phase.

“"The International Energy Agency estimates in 2050 we'll have to be capable of storing over 7 billion tons of CO2 per year with CCS systems in order to achieve net-zero. This would allow to use fossil fuels in a cleaner way, or to capture CO2 directly from the atmosphere and store it underground,” says Japan CCS President Nakajima Toshiaki.
Carbon negative concrete

While CO2 can be captured before entering the atmosphere and stored in the ground, Japan has also found a way to use CO2 to produce a carbon negative concrete, called CO2-SUICOM.

“Ordinary concrete emits approximately 288 kg of CO2 per cubic metre during its production, but CO2-SUICOM has achieved minus 18kg,” says Watanabe Kenzo, the General Manager of the concrete and construction materials group, Kajima Technical Research Institute.

This is the first concrete in the world that is not only carbon negative, but is also capable of absorbing CO2 during the curing process.

The key to making this happen is the addition of a special material, which is a chemical by-product, and then exposing the concrete to CO2.

Developed in Japan, CO2-SUICOM is a carbon negative concrete.

Euronews

“We use CO2 gas instead of water for the CO2-SUICOM's curing process. CO2 is immobilised by bringing it into contact with the concrete while it is still hardening. We add a special mixture “γC2S”, we call it “magic powder” as it solidifies a large amount of CO2. The more we produce this “magic concrete” the more it reduces CO2 from the atmosphere,” says Kenzo.

This eco-friendly concrete has already been used in all sorts of infrastructure and building projects as a precast-material. SUICOM has already been used to build walls, ceiling panels and interlocking blocks. In the near future, developers intend to apply this technology to a wider range of construction materials. The carbon negative concrete could then be used as a common already-mixed concrete for cast-in place usage. This would open a new green way forward for construction.

Few willing to change lifestyle to save the planet, climate survey finds

Exclusive: poll of 10 countries including US, UK, France and Germany finds people prioritising measures that are already habits

People generally saw themselves as much more committed to the environment than others in their local community, or any institution. Photograph: Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images

Jon Henley
@jonhenley
Sun 7 Nov 2021 

Citizens are alarmed by the climate crisis, but most believe they are already doing more to preserve the planet than anyone else, including their government, and few are willing to make significant lifestyle changes, an international survey has found.

“The widespread awareness of the importance of the climate crisis illustrated in this study has yet to be coupled with a proportionate willingness to act,” the survey of 10 countries including the US, UK, France and Germany, observed.

Emmanuel Rivière, director of international polling at Kantar Public, said the survey, carried out in late September and published to coincide with the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow, contained “a double lesson for governments”.

They have, first, “to measure up to people’s expectations,” Rivière said. “But they also have to persuade people not of the reality of the climate crisis – that’s done – but of what the solutions are, and of how we can fairly share responsibility for them.”

The survey found that 62% of people surveyed saw the climate crisis as the main environmental challenge the world was now facing, ahead of air pollution (39%), the impact of waste (38%) and new diseases (36%).


‘I get scared’: the young activists sounding the alarm from climate tipping points

But when asked to rate their individual action against others’ such as governments, business and the media, people generally saw themselves as much more committed to the environment than others in their local community, or any institution.

About 36% rated themselves “highly committed” to preserving the planet, while only 21% felt the same was true of the media and 19% of local government. A mere 18% felt their local community was equally committed, with national governments (17%) and big corporations (13%) seen as even less engaged.

Respondents were also lukewarm about doing more themselves, citing a wide range of reasons. Most (76%) of those surveyed across the 10 countries said they would accept stricter environmental rules and regulations, but almost half (46%) felt that there was no real need for them to change their personal habits.

Thinking about your personal efforts to preserve the planet, would you say that the following applies to you?

I would accept stricter rules and environmental regulations 76% say yes

I am proud of what I am currently doing for the planet 74

I don't think there is an agreement among experts on the best solutions to preserve the planet 72

I need more resources and equipment from public authorities 69

I can't financially afford to make those efforts 60

I lack information and guidance about what to do 55

I don't think I really need to change my habits 46

I don't think individual efforts can really have an impact 39

I believe environmental threats are over estimated 35

I don't have the headspace to think about it 33

Only 51% said they would definitely act to protect the planet, with 14% saying they would definitely not and 35% torn. People in Poland and Singapore (56%) were the most willing to act, and in Germany (44%) and the Netherlands (37%) the least.

The most common reasons given for not being willing to do more for the planet were “I feel proud of what I am currently doing” (74%), “There isn’t agreement among experts on the best solutions” (72%), and “I need more resources and equipment from public authorities” (69%).

'We're in this together': why I'm protesting at Cop26 – video

Other reasons for not wanting to do more included “I can’t afford to make those efforts” (60%), “I lack information and guidance on what to do” (55%), “I don’t think individual efforts can really have an impact” (39%), “I believe environmental threats are overestimated” (35%) and “I don’t have the headspace to think about it” (33%).

Asked which actions to preserve the planet should be prioritised, moreover, people attributed more importance to measures that were already established habits, required less individual effort, or for which they bore little direct responsibility.

About 57%, for example, said that reducing waste and increasing recycling was “very important”. Other measures seen as priorities were reversing deforestation (54%), protecting endangered animal species (52%), building energy-efficient buildings (47%), and replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy (45%).

Respondents viewed measures likely to affect their own lifestyles, however, as significantly less important: reducing people’s energy consumption was seen as a priority by only 32%, while favouring public transport over cars (25%) and radically changing our agricultural model (24%) were similarly unpopular.

Only 23% felt that reducing plane travel and charging more for products that did not respect environmental norms were important to preserve the planet, while banning fossil fuel vehicles (22%) and reducing meat consumption (18%) and international trade (17%) were seen as even lower priorities.

“Citizens are undeniably concerned by the state of the planet, but these findings raise doubts regarding their level of commitment to preserving it,” the study said. “Rather than translating into a greater willingness to change their habits, citizens’ concerns are particularly focused on their negative assessment of governments’ efforts.”

Representative samples of more than 1,000 people were questioned in the US, UK, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Singapore and New Zealand.

People gave themselves the highest score for commitment everywhere except Sweden, while only in Singapore and New Zealand were national governments seen as highly engaged. The gulf between citizens’ view of their own efforts (44%) and that of their government (16%) was highest in the UK.

This article was amended on 9 November 2021 to clarify that 51% of respondents said they would “definitely act to protect the planet”; an earlier version incorrectly said this figure referred to those who said they would “definitely take individual climate action”.

How would you rate, in terms of importance, the following measures aimed at preserving the environment and the planet?

Reducing waste and increasing recycling 57% say very important

Stopping deforestation 54

Protecting endangered animal species 52

Building energy efficient buildings 47

Banning the use of polluting substances in industry/agriculture 46

Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy 45

Increasing consumption of local products 33

Developing natural spaces with limited human activity 32

Reducing people’s energy consumption 32

Decreasing the amount of energy we use to heat or cool our homes 32

Favoring the use of public transport over cars 25

Radically changing our agricultural model 24

Reducing travel by planes 23

Increasing the price of products that do not respect environmental criteria 23

Banning fossil fuel vehicles 22

Reducing meat consumption 18

Reducing international trade 17

N.B. Liquor employees poised to strike a week from now if deal not reached

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CUPE Local 963 would become the 11th local to go on strike since a public-sector strike began Oct. 29

Mrinali Anchan · CBC News · Posted: Nov 09, 2021 2:15 PM AT | Last Updated: November 9

Jamie Agnew, president of CUPE Local 963, representing workers at N.B. Liquor, told a news conference Tuesday that the workers had voted to go on strike, which could happen as early as next Tuesday. (Ed Hunter/CBC)

Unionized workers at N.B. Liquor will be in a legal strike position as of 12:01 a.m. next Tuesday after 97.7 per cent of them voted in favour of a strike.

In a strike vote held last week, 521 of the 566 members of CUPE Local 963 voted to go on strike, union leaders announced at a news conference in Fredericton on Tuesday.

The vote was conducted from Nov. 3 to Nov 6.

If a contract agreement isn't reached in the next week, the N.B. Liquor employees would join thousands of public-sector workers who went on strike Oct 29.

Agnew, left, with CUPE New Brunswick president Stephen Drost, said a strike would affect 41 stores operated by the Crown corporation. (Mrinali Anchan/CBC)

Forty-one publicly owned and run retail outlets and warehouses would be closed to inbound and outbound traffic, Jamie Agnew, the president of Local 963, told reporters.

It would fall to N.B. Liquor management to come up with contingency plans for navigating the closures. 

"They're not telling us their contingency plans," said Agnew, who doubted agency stores in smaller communities could fill the void.

"I don't believe the agency stores can handle the business that N.B. Liquor handles in a run of a day. …We have stores that serve over 2,000 customers a day."  

Agency stores typically exist in communities without existing alcohol outlets and serve the public in places the Crown corporation has chosen not to put one of its own stores.

• N.B. government behind financial problems of CUPE pensions, ruling suggests

• Meeting between Premier and CUPE leader ends, but both sides mum on outcome

Local 963, like the CUPE locals already on strike, is at odds with the province over wages. 

Casual retail and warehouse employees earn $16.78 an hour, which is the lowest end of the pay spectrum, while full-time assistant managers can earn close to $23 an hour, which is at the highest end.   

Agnew said a tentative agreement had been reached between the union and management a year ago, but it was  blocked by Premier Blaine Higgs. 

Sixty-nine days later, according to Agnew, the New Brunswick Labour and Employment Board decided a tentative agreement had not been reached.

Both sides once again went back to the bargaining table.

"The last offer offered to us was not acceptable," Agnew said. "It was eight and a half per cent over five years. Lower than the tentative agreement that we thought we already had with them."

Since then, the union has yet to receive another proposal from management.

"I haven't had a raise in three years, and my last raise was point five per cent," said Agnew.

"We are struggling, we need a fair deal and we need it now."

For the fiscal 2020-2021 year, the Crown Corporation has reported a historical high in sales records of $505.9 million and a net income of $199.4 million.