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Positive discoveries, achievements and activities that lead the way in solving the Climate Change crisis
by Bronwyn Adcock, 05/02/2022 in The Guardian
Electric Monaros and hotted-up skateboards : the ‘genius’ who wants to electrify our world — After advising US president Joe Biden on energy, Saul Griffith is back in Australia to declare war on the climate crisis
By Dan Gearino, 03/03/2022 — Inside Clean Energy
In the New World of Long-Duration Battery Storage, an Old Technology Holds Its Own: California power companies choose lithium-ion batteries for an eight-hour storage project, passing on some newer options.
by Jordan Wilkerson, 01/02/2022 in Scientific American
Recycled Lithium-Ion Batteries Can Perform Better Than New Ones: A novel method of recycling such batteries could help meet skyrocketing demand
There is a ‘goldrush’ by petrochemical companies currently going on in South Australia where they are looking to stake claims on and prove the existence of underground reserves of nearly pure hydrogen gas. The article touts a “Potential to drastically cut costs” of hydrogen production.
Despite the lack of research, Australians – and indeed a number of companies internationally – remain undeterred, likely because of the potential for natural hydrogen to be three to four times cheaper than that produced via electrolysis or gas reforming with carbon capture. Gold Hydrogen estimates it should be able to produce natural hydrogen for less than $2.30 per kg, compared to manufactured hydrogen projects being produced at greater than $6 per kg.
by Bella Peacock, 02/02/2022 – in PV Magazine
South Australia has found itself at the heart of a 21st-century gold rush, though this time for naturally occurring hydrogen. Since February 2021, 18 exploration licenses have been granted or applied for in the state by six different companies searching for natural hydrogen
In a rapid escalation from zero activity in February last year, exploration companies are now scrambling to look for what they believe could be the cheapest, easiest way to get their hands on the much hyped “future fuel”: hydrogen.
In the last 12 months, six different companies have either been granted or applied for 18 Petroleum Exploration Licences across the state of South Australia, according to Australian energy consultancy EnergyQuest. Combined, the area under permit equates to around 570,000 square kilometres (km2) or 32% of the entire state, the consultancy has found, referring to the sudden influx as a “boom”.
Natural hydrogen
Until now, natural or native hydrogen has been largely overlooked – despite it being described as “widespread in nature” by natural hydrogen researcher Viacheslav Zgonnik in a 2020 paper. Natural hydrogen deposits form through chemical reactions underground, with Zgonnik saying the molecule has been detected at high concentrations, often as the major gas, in all types of geologic environments.
Read the complete article….
Caveat emptor. This could be good news in that a potential source of low or zero emissions hydrogen for power generation has been found that could replace natural gas. However, I suspect that most or all of the hydrogen will found to be associated with methane rich natural gas. My guess is that this will be used as an excuse by the fossil fuel industry members funding the exploration to produce and burn more natural gas with consequent greenhouse gas emissions going into the atmosphere.
I would watch this very carefully, and would hope that by the time any concrete decisions need to be made regarding real hydrogen production projects that we will have replaced Capt. Humbug’s LNP Coalition Government with trustworthy people able to make sensible decisions where project approvals and he like are concerned.
Vote Climate One’s Traffic Light Voting System is designed to help you use our preferential voting system to elect these trustworthy people.
by Daniel Mercer, 03/02/2022 in ABC Rural News
Australian power prices now ‘among lowest in the world’ as renewable energy drives costs down
by Becky Ham, 17/12/2021 in Phys Org (from Nature)
Selective separation could help alleviate critical metals shortage
Simon Benson, 30/01/2022 in the Weekend Australian
Alarm bells for Coalition as Scott Morrison’s Newspoll ratings drop
Dan Gearino, 27/01/2022 in Inside Clean Energy
As Efficiency Rises, Solar Power Needs Fewer Acres to Pack the Same Punch: Research shows a big improvement in generating capacity per acre of solar panels, with implications for how much land is needed for an energy transition
New technologies dispatching power from sustainable long-term storage threaten to put coal-based dispatchable power stations out of business
By Alan Kohler, 24/01/2022 in the Newdaily
Long-duration energy storage systems are writing coal’s death certificate
Australia is sprinting towards 100 per cent renewable energy, 24/7, 365 days a year, but very few are ready for it, least of all the coal industry and its subsidiary, the Morrison government.
Berlin may show the world how most of its citizens can live without private cars.
