UK startup develops high-temperature heat pump that produces steam from waste heat
FutraHeat has designed a heat pump that can operate at reduced speeds without oil, recover waste heat from as low as 70 C, and deliver high-grade heat up to 150 C. The electrically powered heat pump utilizes waste heat from all sorts of industrial processes, including drying, distillation, and brewing.
South Africa to allocate 5.2 GW of renewables in sixth REIPPPP round
President Ramaphosa’s speech this week included momentous plans for new solar and battery procurement as well as efforts to cut licensing and permitting delays as national utility Eskom scrambles to reduce the scale of black-outs.
UPDATED – New tech to produce hydrogen from tap water
A Spanish scientist has developed a system that reportedly produces hydrogen on-site without expensive electrolysis. The prototype utilizes a water tank that is initially filled with water, ferrosilicon, and sodium hydroxide.
Tesla big battery begins providing inertia grid services at scale in world first in Australia
South Australia’s 150 MW / 193.5 Hornsdale Power Reserve, more commonly known as the Tesla Big Battery, will now provide inertia services to Australia’s National Electricity Market after securing approval from the Australian Energy Market Operator. Neoen says it is the first big battery in the world to deliver the service at such a scale.
Electriq Power residential batteries beat the heat with backup power, smart time of use
A home battery paired with rooftop solar can provide backup power during rolling blackouts, shift power usage schedules to avoid peak demand charges, among other benefits.
The Hydrogen Stream: Construction begins on world’s largest integrated green hydrogen, ammonia plant
In other news, German energy company Uniper said it will test a new salt cavern built for hydrogen storage, while Serbia and Hungary signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on renewable hydrogen.
Solar auctions to replace feed-in tariffs in Kenya
Attendees at the Renpower Kenya clean energy event in Nairobi were told there will be a changeover in incentive schemes in 2022 with mature technologies no longer benefiting from fixed payments.
Polish utility PGE wants to couple 200 MW/820 MWh of battery storage with existing pumped-hydro facility
The project is located 10 km from the Baltic Sea, where PGE is planning to build offshore wind farms with a total capacity of 3.5 GW.
Solar thermal panel for large scale applications
The panel has an absorption area of 1.96 m2 and a weight of 27 kg per square meter. According to the manufacturer – Swiss startup TVP Solar – it may be a real booster for thermal output, by combining it with photovoltaics and heat pumps to provide enhanced output per square meter, in particular for low-temperature applications such as district heating.
Australian Capital Territory charges ahead with Canberra’s 250 MW big battery project
The Australian Capital Territory government has firmed its commitment to deliver one of the largest battery storage systems in the Southern Hemisphere to support Canberra’s energy grid and the continued uptake of renewables with funding allocated in the upcoming budget to progress the Big Canberra Battery project.
