Strategic Information for the Canadian Electricity Industry for the Week April 8 to April 14 2024 - Edition 2024 10
Overview:
The U.S. Urgently Needs a Bigger Grid. Here’s a Fast Solution.
Replacing existing power lines with cables made from state-of-the-art materials could roughly double the capacity of the electric grid in many parts of the country, making room for much more wind and solar power.
European Nuclear Plants Put Out of Work by Green Power Surge
It’s not unusual for nuclear operators to dial down output when demand is low and supplies of solar and wind energy surge, but shutting down units completely is rare because of the time it takes to ramp back up again and the complexities involved.
Solar is starting to sunset use of natural gas in Texas
Texas, the top US state for solar deployment in 2023, is seeing tangible changes to its daily electricity supply, lowering the need for natural gas peaker plants.
Ottawa rebuffs calls for last-minute fixes to green subsidies as Indigenous leaders sound alarm
While non-Indigenous companies are set to benefit from a 30-per-cent credit, Indigenous ones are waiting for a 15-per-cent credit for non-taxable entities that is still in draft mode. (Because they are refundable, both credits are essentially subsidies on capital costs, which explains how even companies that don’t pay tax – also including Crown corporations – can receive them.)
What Happened When a German Car Factory Went All Electric
Electric vehicles have far fewer parts than gasoline cars — no radiators, exhaust pipes, fuel tanks, fan belts or complicated gearboxes.
U.S. electric utilities brace for surge in power demand from data centers
U.S. electric utilities predict a tidal wave of new demand from data centres powering technology like generative AI, with some power companies projecting electricity sales growth several times higher than estimates just months earlier.
The Bank of Canada Keeps Rates Steady for Another Announcement
The Bank of Canada held its target for the overnight rate at 5 per cent, with the Bank rate at 5.25 per cent, and the deposit rate at 5 per cent.
The above articles have strategic implications for the electricity industry. Some of the potential implications are considered below.
If you would like to keep reading the remaining links are at the end and organized by themes such as Solar, Wind, Batteries, and Carbon Capture. I am always looking for ways to improve, so your suggestions for the weekly newsletter are welcome.
Please send me a link if you spot an interesting item.
Thank you and have a great week!
Lorne Deyenberg
#Electricity #Energy #Sustainablity #Technology
Safety
Syncrude Canada to pay $390,000 penalty for death of worker at oil sands project in 2021
The charges stemmed from an incident north of Fort McMurray on June 6, 2021, when a worker was operating an excavator to build a berm when the bank the excavator was on slumped into water. The excavator cab became submerged and the worker drowned.
At least three killed in blast at Italian hydroelectric plant
At least three people have been killed and four are missing after a fire and explosion underground at a hydroelectric power plant in northern Italy on Tuesday.
Customers
UK heat pump adopters open up homes to encourage others to ditch gas boilers
Katy King, a director at Nesta, said the service would make it easier for prospective heat pump owners to see how the devices worked in a real-life setting, and ask any questions they may have.
Rooftop heat pump technologies can save US businesses $5B annually: DOE
Heat pump rooftop units are estimated to cut GHG emissions and energy costs by up to 50%, compared with natural gas heating rooftop units.
Federal Funding
Sask. expects $351.3M from provincial carbon tax in 2024-25
Most of the money is going into three funds: $70.4 million will go to the “Tech Fund”, which will get money from non-electricity sector payments; the annual Clean Electricity Transition Grant, which will be given back to SaskPower, receives $140 million; and the Small Modular Reactor Investment Fund (SMRIF), which will also receive money from electricity sector revenues, receives $140.9 million.
Solar Power
Europe’s largest PV plant goes online
Hansainvest Real Assets has switched on Europe’s largest solar plant – a 605 MW installation in Saxony, Germany.
Wind Power
Vestas Secures 554 MW Order for V163-4.5 MW in the USA
The order consists of 123 V163-4.5 MW turbines, Vestas’ newest high capacity factor wind turbine.
Controversial wind-powered hydrogen project gets final approval in Newfoundland
The Newfoundland and Labrador government announced today it has approved the environmental impact assessment submitted by World Energy GH2 for its plan to erect two 164-turbine wind farms and an ammonia production plant in and around Stephenville, N.L.
China’s wind power industry: What to know as EU investigates subsidies received by suppliers
China has by far the world’s biggest wind turbine production capacity, or 60 per cent of 163 gigawatts (GW) in 2023.
The average bidding prices in China’s public wind project tenders fell 11.4 per cent from 1,755 yuan ($242.65) per kilowatt at the start of 2023 to 1,555 yuan at the end of the year, leading supplier Goldwind said in its 2023 annual report.
Sustainability
March marks yet another record in global heat
The world just experienced its warmest March on record, capping a 10-month streak in which every month set a new temperature record.
Batteries and Storage
领英推荐
China Already Makes as Many Batteries as the Entire World Wants
That’s already happening, with a 14% dip in average battery pack prices in 2023, and China’s CATL announcing that it expects to be able to sell battery cells at the equivalent of less than $60 per kWh this year.
LG Energy Solution to Complete $5.5B Stand-Alone Battery Manufacturing Facility in Arizona Within 2 Years
Once fully operational, the complex's average annual production capacity is expected to reach 53 GWh - this includes 36 GWh of cylindrical batteries and 17 GWh of LFP ESS batteries.
California battery plant to be among world’s largest as power storage booms
The 680-megawatt lithium-ion battery bank is big even for California, which boasts about 55 per cent of the nation’s power storage capacity.
Electric Vehicles
China’s first-quarter EV sales growth slowest in a year
New energy vehicles (NEV) including all-electric models and plug-in hybrids made up 41.5 per cent of overall passenger car sales in March, which jumped 5.7 per cent to 1.71 million vehicles.
Chevy Silverado EV pickup’s starting price in Canada is $74,699
Last week, General Motors Canada announced that the fleet-focused Silverado EV 3WT (Work Truck) trim will have a starting MSRP of $74,699.
Transmission and Distribution
Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois to develop $273M transmission project in Missouri
Chosen by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI) recently announced it will develop a $273 million transmission project across northern Missouri.
The Century-Old Transmission Line Is Getting a 21st Century Upgrade
Huang says his product can carry as much as three times more electricity than today’s wires.
Carbon Capture, Coal, Cap and Trade, Carbon-Pricing and CO2 Emissions
World’s coal power capacity rises despite climate warnings
A report by Global Energy Monitor found that coal power capacity grew by 2% last year, driven by an increase in new coal plants across China and a slowdown of plant closures in Europe and the US.
Is natural gas actually cleaner than coal? Growing evidence says maybe not
When comparing coal to gas, it is important to factor in methane emissions alongside CO2 emissions.
Economics and Politics
Ukraine races to fix and shield its power plants after Russian onslaught
Kyiv says Russia used more than 150 missiles and 240 attack drones in a single week from March 22 - cutting off electricity, heating and even running water to 2 million Ukrainians, according to a parliamentary estimate.
Shutdown order for Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline should be reconsidered, Biden administration says
In an amicus, or friend-of-court, brief dated April 8, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) told the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that forcing Enbridge to drain portions of its Line 5 pipeline could interrupt service in violation of a 1977 treaty between the U.S. and Canada to keep oil flowing.
Nuclear
What are the risks at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after drone attack?
Russia said Ukraine struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station controlled by Russian forces three times on Sunday and demanded the West respond, though Kyiv said it had nothing to do with the attacks.
Nuclear players making a push into heavy industry
Alongside potential wind turbines, solar farms and biomass projects is a proposal that would see hydrogen produced using small module reactors (SMR), with residual heat from the process used for various industrial activities such as heavy metallurgy or petrochemical production.
TerraPower submits application to build Natrium reactor
Natrium technology features a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor using high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel, with a molten salt-based energy storage system that can boost the system’s output to 500 MWe for more than five and a half hours when needed.
US, Japan announce partnership to accelerate nuclear fusion
The partnership will focus on the scientific and technical challenges of delivering commercial fusion and expand work between U.S. and Japanese universities, national laboratories and private companies, the U.S. Department of Energy said.
Other Industry News
Trade Error Gives Free Power To Nordic Homes, Again
The UK utility erroneously didn’t buy enough supplies in an auction on Nord Pool AS, which indicated to the market that demand was extra low at a time when wind power output was surging.
The low prices are also impacting the region’s nuclear plants, with Swedish utility Vattenfall AB curbing output at its Forsmark plant north of Stockholm. It’s three reactors at the site were all operating below 70% on Wednesday morning.
Alberta Market
Alberta fails to move needle on emissions reduction plan
A year after unveiling its Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan, Alberta has released no details on how it will reach its 2050 net-zero target or completed an assessment to reduce the environmental footprint of various industries.
Board chair of Alberta Energy Regulator to step down in September
The AER has been criticized for how it informed the public and local First Nations about the release of millions of litres of oilsands wastewater from Imperial Oil’s Kearl mine in northern Alberta in 2022.
Data
Monthly Statistical Review
Coal Markets
Average weekly coal commodity spot prices.
Proven AI-Leveraged Marketing Systems | Helping B2B SMB Leaders, Consultants, and Professional Services Convert Expertise into Authority, Influence & Engaged Leads
10 个月Yo, this week's electrifying updates are all about clean energy vibes! ?? #Renewables