WEC Energy Group’s Post

Solar - with an ambitious 4-6GW 2030 target expected in this summer's energy strategy, where are we at on major solar consenting in Scotland? 1️⃣5️⃣ s36 projects registered with the ECU 6️⃣ projects determined 💯% consent rate 0️⃣ inquiries 1️⃣2️⃣ ½ months - average determination timescale 4️⃣0️⃣ years most common operational life 📈 trending up site size: c100ha (red line) average on consented projects. c300ha on projects at screening. 2️⃣ projects subject to EIA 0️⃣.5️⃣GW operational. 1️⃣GW in pipeline (planning/consented/construction). NPF4️⃣ 🤜 express support for solar and (some!) pragmatism re weighing the urgent need for renewables against locational sensitivities. Plenty still to overcome. But an exciting time for solar in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Interesting analysis from James Gibson on the progression of consenting status for #solarprojects in Scotland - clear evidence of the increasing importance of #solar as part of the #renewableenergy mix in Scotland.

Our Chief Executive, John French, spoke today at the Northern Ireland Energy Forum about the value of our regulation in relation to Northern Ireland’s energy and water consumers. Specifically, this focussed on our domestic electricity and gas price regulation and the investment we’ve approved within the industries we regulate. John also spoke about our new Corporate Strategy, ‘Protecting Consumers on the way to Net Zero’, which sets out our commitment to deliver a low carbon future, while protecting NI’s energy and water consumers through supporting a just transition to net zero. The Strategy sets out a bold enabler role, requiring us to be a pro-active and positive force, collaborating, partnering and regulating to make sure that our strategic aspirations are met. John emphasised how as an organisation, we’re getting on with delivering and making this strategy a success in order to make a real and positive difference for all energy and water consumers in Northern Ireland. #NIEnergy firmus energy Department for the Economy NI NIE Networks SSE Airtricity

A new survey by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) shows that nearly 59% of UK homeowners lack the necessary information to transition to renewable heating technologies such as heat pumps confidently. The polling shows that almost 26% of respondents felt well-informed about these alternatives to traditional heating systems. Source: Energy Live News #SmartGen #AI #SmartEnergy #Tech #HeatPump

Demand curves like these mean just one thing: fast-start, dispatchable generation is the best way to ensure reliable, low-cost power in any weather and any time of day. Learn how our PowerFLX solution supports global energy security https://lnkd.in/eCx2mx7g

"Counties in America are banning renewable energy faster than they are adding it, according to a report by USAToday. As of 2023, at least 15% of counties in the United States have blocked or banned new utility-scale wind and solar energy, through bans, moratoriums, construction limits and other policies that make new plants difficult to build. Tennessee leads the country in renewable energy restriction – 91 out of 95 counties have adopted state-level restrictions that include a minimum distance between a neighboring property line and turbine equal to 3.5 times the total height of the turbine structure, and a noise limit of 35 decibels from a neighbor’s dwelling." - Renewable Energy World

ECS4DRES is a groundbreaking EU project co-funded by Horizon Europe and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The project, which runs from July 2024 to June 2027, brings together partners from Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and Slovakia to develop innovative solutions for managing low-voltage electrical grids, enhancing flexibility, resilience, and coordination of renewable energy systems. The aim of the project is to enable the optimal utilisation of electrical low-voltage distribution grids. To this end, controllable electrical loads (electrically powered heat pumps, electric charging stations, electrolysers) are to be optimally coordinated with each other. Physical limits to the load capacity of the grid (transformer utilisation, node voltages, line utilisation) are taken into account. Requirements for the electrical loads described are also taken into account: - Each heat pump must be able to cover its given thermal demand at all times. - The desired requirements for charging processes of electric vehicles (desired charge level after charging and the desired time when the charging process should be completed) should be taken into account. If this is not possible due to the utilisation of the grid, "fair" charging should be guaranteed so that no one is discriminated against. - Electrolysers should provide demand response in order to utilise local surpluses from fluctuating renewables such as photovoltaics directly on site. The data required for the optimisation described above is recorded by smart meters and communicated between them. This communication is to take place via 5G and in a decentralised manner, thus avoiding a single point of failure. The topology and status of the low-voltage grid can be reconstructed on the basis of the recorded data. Based on this, the described controllable loads can then be optimally coordinated. To this end, appropriate algorithms are being developed and the necessary hardware purchased and integrated into a laboratory environment. Once the algorithms have been successfully tested in a simulation environment, they will be tested on a laboratory scale. Finally, the solutions developed will also be tested in a real low-voltage distribution network. Team Cologne University of Applied Sciences : Prof. Dr. Ingo Stadler (Coordinator), Prof. Dr. Eberhard Waffenschmidt (Project Manager), André Ulrich (Task Lead)

According to the report, the goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 is within reach thanks to favourable economics, ample manufacturing potential and strong policies. But greater capacity does not automatically mean that more renewable electricity will clean up the world’s power systems, lower costs for consumers and slash fossil fuel use.

“The goals set by nearly 200 countries at COP28 can be transformative for the global energy sector, putting it on a fast track towards a more secure, affordable and sustainable future. To ensure the world doesn’t miss this huge opportunity, the focus must shift rapidly to implementation,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “As this new IEA report shows, the COP28 energy goals should lay the foundation for countries’ new climate targets under the Paris Agreement – they are the North Star for what the energy sector needs to do