Blog

rhubarbgreen Region: North America, United States, Use: Electricity, Use: Transport, Wind

How the Jones Act affects the energy transition

It's been over five years since I first heard about the Jones Act on NPR's Planet Money podcast - an obscure American law that prohibits foreign vessels from shipping goods between domestic U.S. ports. Every time you want to send something from one American port to another American port, the cargo has to travel on … Continue reading How the Jones Act affects the energy transition

rhubarbgreen Uncategorized

Notes on Clark’s big energy speech

Overview Clark sees a future of zero subsidy, where low-carbon energy is the cheapest option. Overall lots of agreeing with Helm’s Cost of Energy Review (CoER) which had a ‘compelling vision for the future’. Clark focused on three key recommendations – the Firm Power Auction, independent System Operators, and dealing with a system dominated by … Continue reading Notes on Clark’s big energy speech

rhubarbgreen Great Britain & NI, Region: Europe, Renewables, scotland, Use: Electricity, Wind

The Scottish offshore wind farm Donald Trump tried to stop has officially opened today

After years of planning, a large experimental wind farm has been built off the coast of Scotland. Named the 'European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre' (EOWDC), it's been funded by Swedish company Vattenfall and was officially opened today (7th September 2018) by the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The wind farm was opposed by the now-US … Continue reading The Scottish offshore wind farm Donald Trump tried to stop has officially opened today

rhubarbgreen Great Britain & NI, Region: Europe, Solar, Use: Electricity

On Sunday afternoon, UK solar generated more electricity than any other single source

Electricity generated by solar panels on fields and homes outstripped all other single sources of energy yesterday afternoon, in what looks to be a historic first. The UK isn't known for being a sunny place, and in terms of renewables it has more of an association with wind energy. Yet for around three hours, solar … Continue reading On Sunday afternoon, UK solar generated more electricity than any other single source

rhubarbgreen Armenia, Caucasus, Energy History, Energy security, Energy Trilemma, Region: Europe, Region: Middle East, Turkey, Use: Electricity

Armenia’s forgotten interconnector

Look at the ENTSO-E grid map for Europe and you'll see an oddity. Turkey and Armenia, which have tense relations and a closed off border, apparently share an electricity interconnector. This means that their electricity grids are physically connected, and they can theoretically import and export electricity. How is this happening? Has the need for … Continue reading Armenia’s forgotten interconnector

rhubarbgreen Gas, Region: Europe, The Netherlands, Use: Electricity

Europe is facing a gas problem that can’t be solved with LNG

Gas networks in NW Europe (but not the UK) are generally divided into L-gas (low calorific gas) and H-gas (high calorific gas). The dependence on one large field for L-gas is becoming apparent, and with this field facing production restrictions, problems may occur before the L-gas networks can be converted into H-gas networks. Using H-gas in L-gas networks is unsafe, and many domestic/commercial appliances can only work with a certain range of gas.

rhubarbgreen Affordability, Armenia, Caucasus, Energy History, Energy security, Energy Trilemma, In-depth, Minimal environmental impact, Region: Europe, Use: Electricity

Armenia and the Trilemma

Why am I writing about this? I work for the British government and Armenia is a small country far away. Well, it starts with a project at my work that matches up employees who would normally have never met, to discuss their work and life over coffee. It's called 'coffee connect' and I've met some really … Continue reading Armenia and the Trilemma