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At least 30GW of energy storage will be required to reach net zero, according to new research.
The analysis, produced by Imperial College for energy giant Drax’s Energy Insights paper, states that as intermittent generation from renewables like wind and solar grows, the country will have to increase its storage capacity tenfold.
As efforts to decarbonise power continue, Britain is likely to source 70-80 per cent of its power from wind and solar power by 2050. Storage will be needed to balance the peaks and troughs created by such generation, with the majority of power generated in the middle of the day and the highest demand in the evening generally.
The analysis looked at 28 scenarios from 24 independent studies and how they forecast renewables growth, and the following need for storage. It showed that within these 70-80 per cent renewable scenarios, GB would require storage capacity of around a third of peak electricity demand.
At the moment, on average, renewables make up a quarter of the country’s electricity mix, according to the analysis. With each unit of intermittent power added though, an additional 0.2 units of energy storage capacity will be needed to keep the grid stable and the supply smooth.
This could be a huge challenge for GB, which currently only has 3GW of storage, but will need to increase it to 30GW.
The lead author Dr Iain Staffell said that storage stood to play a pivotal role in dictating the pace, scale and cost of the energy transition.
“Along with other technologies, such as interconnection and flexible generation, energy storage helps integrate more renewables onto the system, which makes it easier to manage the grid and enables greater decarbonisation at lowest cost.”
Energy storage ‘must hit 30GW’
ECODESIGN LAWS FOR ELECTRICITY-CONSUMING PRODUCTS
More efficient, easier to repair goods
New EU ecodesign laws will require electricity-consuming products to be easier to repair or recycle, as well as even more energy efficient. The new rules were agreed in principle by all 28 EU member states back in January 2019, and are among the final measures applying to the UK as a full member.
This will mean all TVs, monitors, fridges, freezers, washing machines, washer-driers, dishwashers, and lighting products sold anywhere within the EU market from April 2021 will have to meet minimum repairability requirements.
Up until now, the Ecodesign Directive has focused on making sure products are more efficient, so that they perform better while using less energy. But EU policymakers are now pushing a step further into the circular economy concept, making sure products both last longer and are easier to repair and recycle.
Consequently, the updated
Directive is removing the most wasteful products from the market, replacing them with appliances that meet higher energy efficiency standards and are designed to be easier to repair or recycle.
The move is aimed at extending the lifetime of products, in order to save consumers money while also slashing greenhouse gas emissions generated by product manufacturing, waste disposal, and inefficient products.
Together with these new energy efficiency requirements, ecodesign measures are reckoned to save around 5 per cent of the EU’s electricity consumption (140TWh) - cutting around £22bn from energy bills in the process.
Nevertheless, there remains concern that eco-labels have yet to be adopted covering office equipment such as computers, displays, and servers (see EiBI April 2019).
Chloe Fayole, strategy director at environmental group Ecos, hailed the new rules as a turning point in the way products are manufactured and used in Europe.
“With these measures, Europe has taken a big step towards a more circular economy, which should inspire the rest of the world,” she said. “We now expect EU decision makers to replicate this approach to many other products. Notably electronic products such as smartphones and computers, to minimise their environmental impact.”
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched London Power, a new renewable-only energy supplier.
The joint partnership between the Mayor of London and Octopus Energy offers a 12-month fixed tariff, dubbed My London fixed yearly plan, which it claims will be within the cheapest 10 per cent of similar tariffs, estimating an average household could save £300 a year. A separate plan, My London top-up plan, will be available to prepayment customers.
“London Power is a different kind of energy company. For the first time we have a fair, affordable, green energy company specially designed for Londoners,” Khan said.
London Power offers no exit fees and a roll-over into the cheapest similar tariff at the time a customer’s contract ends.
Profits are set to be reinvested into community projects helping those living in fuel poverty, working to tackle the climate emergency and working to make London zerocarbon.
Stuart Jackson, co-founder and CFO of Octopus Energy, said Octopus “couldn’t be happier” to launch London Power, offering “a good deal on planet-friendly power”.
The launch of the supplier comes as part of the Mayor’s Energy for Londoners programme, aiming to make London’s homes warm, healthy and affordable, its workplaces more energy efficient and its energy supply more local and clean.
Over 1,000 Londoners have registered interest in London Power. It was unveiled in September, with an
original go-live date of December.
Nina Skorupska, CEO of the Renewable Energy Association, said: “London Power embodies the future of energy companies in the UK; localised, affordable and 100 per cent renewable.
“The interest already shown demonstrates the growing appetite amongst consumers to feel a personalised connection to their energy, knowing where it comes from and who it is benefitting.”
news update
Greener UK offices on the horizon
GOVERNMENT PROMISES COMMERCIAL SECTOR BOOST
The UK Government has promised the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) that they will introduce new plans intended to “dramatically” improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings in the private rented sector.
The CCC had urged that a binding target should be set for all rented nonresidential properties to hit Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band B by 2030. Currently, commercial landlords are required only to ensure that new leases are at minimum D standard.
The rules could usher in a new generation of greener office and commercial buildings, while cutting carbon emissions equivalent of 500,000 homes, the government has told the CCC. It is committing to “go further and faster to tackle climate change”.
In addition, a formal consultation this summer will also consider introducing mandatory in-use energy performance ratings for all business buildings, in an attempt to get businesses to crack down on wasteful energy use.
One option initially promoted by former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron would be to expand the use of Display Energy Certificates (DECs) into the private sector. For the past 12 years, all public sector buildings over 500m2 to which the public has access, have been required to display” in a prominent place” details of progress in reducing actual energy-use.
Whereas all EPCs only measure theoretical energy usage, many property professionals have long argued that DECs tell a more accurate story on energy efficiency, since these are entirely based on a building’s actual fuel use.
There are also considerable concerns regarding the failure by local councils’ trading standards departments to enforce the provision of EPCs for rental properties. Because DECs are by definition far more visible, it is reckoned to be more difficult for these to escape purposeful oversight.
Energy performance targets for commercial offices
The UK Green Building Council has published new energy performance targets for commercial offices that are aiming to achieve net zero carbon in operation.
Following direct engagement with industry and analysis of the projected zero carbon energy capacity of the UK, UKGBC is recommending that the offices sector should reduce energy demand by an average of 60 per cent by 2050 to help the UK achieve net zero.
The targets were developed as an addition to UKGBC’s 2019 report ‘Net Zero Carbon Buildings: A Framework Definition’, which sets out guidance for buildings seeking to achieve net zero for construction and operational energy. They have been developed in collaboration with Verco, Better Buildings Partnership and BPF, with support from Arup, Carbon Intelligence, JLL UK and TfL.
The new energy targets represent more stretching requirements for commercial offices claiming net zero in operation and set out a trajectory of tightening energy performance requirements over the next fifteen years. Offices seeking zero carbon for operational energy should first meet the energy performance targets, then meet demand as far as possible through renewable energy and finally offset any remaining carbon. This data should then be independently verified and publicly disclosed on an annual basis to demonstrate how the net zero balance has been achieved.
Richard Twinn, senior policy advisor at UKGBC said: “At the start of the decade of action, the most important action that the building sector can take is to drive down energy demand. This will be crucial to decarbonising our energy systems in the most cost-effective way, and ensuring that buildings only use their ‘fair share’ of energy in a net zero carbon economy.
Details of the energy performance targets are set out in a recently published short paper that includes a trajectory of targets starting from current best practice with tightening targets every five years up to 2035. By this date, all offices aiming to be net zero should be operating at the energy performance standards that will be needed by 2050.
Belimo, the Swiss manufacturer of field devices for controlling and regulating heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems has delivered its 100 millionth actuator.
The PR actuator is part of a motorised butterfly valve that is used in water applications and, thanks to a power consumption of only 20W, it reduces energy consumption by over 80 per cent compared to competitive products, says the company. Milestone for actuator maker
IN BRIEF
Commissioning under the spotlight The first ‘Making Buildings Work’ conference is due to take place on March 31 at The Crystal in London.
This one-day conference, supported by EiBI, is aimed at property developers, architects, main contractors, facilities management consultants and MEP service providers – all of which have a vested interested in ensuring the commissioning phase of any build project is delivered correctly. Delegate fees are £95.00 +VAT per person, which includes all refreshments and a buffet lunch.
The Commissioning Specialist Association has gathered together speakers including Ian Ellis of Siemens Building Technologies, Adam Muggleton, the renowned Building Whisperer, Liz Day of CWT Consultants, and Terry Sharp, vice president of the BCIA. • For more information, including the full programme, and to reserve your place, please visit the website – www.csa-conference.co.uk - or call/ email the CSA office on +44 (0)1403 754133 or office@csa.org.uk.
Toshiba Carrier Corporation is investing approximately Yen3bn in a new manufacturing subsidiary in Gniezno, Poland, to enhance its business foundation and presence in Europe. The new manufacturing subsidiary, its first in Europe, is scheduled to start operations before the end of this year.
The new manufacturing facility will allow Toshiba Carrier to reduce product lead time by one-third, reduce product cost, and bolster its product lineup in Europe. Toshiba Carrier invests in Poland
news update
Pressure grows on Scots owners
Homeowners in Scotland could be forced to improve the energy efficiency of their property before they are able to sell, under new proposals unveiled by the Scottish government. This would be an unprecedented step in the UK.
The plans, which would take effect from 2024, would see all owner-occupied properties required to reach EPC C rating when they hit certain “trigger points”, such as a sale or renovation.
If a seller is unwilling or unable to bring their home up to standard before sale, then the responsibility would fall upon the buyer to bring the property up to an EPC C rating within 12 months. The Scottish Government said this extra burden would be reflected in house prices for such properties.
Fines would be levied for noncompliance, although the Scottish government has not indicated at what level they would be set.
Although emissions in Scotland have fallen rapidly in recent years, harder-to-reach sectors such as housing are proving trickier to decarbonise. Homeowners in particular currently have little incentive to undertake more costly energy efficiency improvements.
Scottish Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse and Housing Minister Kevin Stewart reckon Scotland’s adoption of a 2045 net zero target means Scotland needs to go “further and faster” on cutting emissions.
“In the context of a global climate emergency we must look to all parts of society to take action to cut emissions,” they wrote in a joint statement. “This government wants all our homes to be warmer, greener and more efficient, and for housing to play a full part in Scotland’s efforts to tackle climate change.”
If confirmed, the rules would mark a major step towards addressing emissions from houses not covered by policies. Former LibDem building regulations minister Lord (Don) Foster is introducing a Domestic Premises (Energy Performance) Bill in the Lords to press for similar requirements in England. It is understood that the Johnson Government is considering opposing it.
Sainsbury’s makes bold statement
PLEDGE TO REDUCE NET EMISSIONS TO ZERO
Sainsbury’s has pledged to reduce its net carbon emissions to zero over the next 20 years.
The supermarket chain has committed to investing £1bn over twenty years towards becoming a Net Zero business across its own operations by 2040, aligned to the highest ambitions of the Paris Climate Change Agreement and a decade ahead of the UK Government’s own target. 1,400 Sainsbury’s stores have been fitted with aerofoil technology, keeping fridges cool and aisles warmer and saving 15 per cent of the energy used by the fridge. 17,547 tonnes of CO 2 were saved through colleague behavioural change project
The retailer will increase its use of renewable energy, while reducing overall energy usage. Fridges will be made as efficient as possible through the use of innovative technology and increasing the use of natural refrigerants– as well as increasing the percentage of its fleet using alternative zero and low carbon fuels to 20 per cent by 2025. By the end of 2022 all Sainsbury’s stores will be 100 per cent lit by LEDs.
Sainsbury’s will minimise the use of water in its own operations, driving towards water neutral by 2040. As the first retailer to be
certified with the Carbon Trust Water Standard, Sainsbury’s uses 1bn litres less water annually than in 2005. 170 stores are fitted with rainwater harvesting facilities and these are fitted as standard in new stores.
Sainsbury’s will also review every aspect of water use in its business, measuring and lowering the amount of water used in bathrooms and will look to recycle water from areas such as ice on fish counters and carwashes.
The retailer’s current carbon footprint is 1m tonnes, which is a 35 per cent absolute reduction in the last 15 years despite its space increasing by 46 per cent over the same time frame. For the last six years Sainsbury’s has been awarded an A rating for taking action on Climate Change by the CDP, the highest rating of any UK supermarket.
SMEs boost energy efficiency
Twenty four per cent of SMEs have improved the energy efficiency of their premises in the last year, while 22 per cent have utilised suppliers that offer greener products and services, according to a new survey.
Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking’s Business Barometer surveyed 1,200 companies in November 2019.. While 64 per cent claimed they wanted to become more sustainable, 63 per cent have taken steps to improve environmental performances in the past 12 months.
Lloyds Bank Global Transaction Banking’s head of asset finance, Keith Softly, said: “With environmental sustainability high on the agenda for firms of every size – whether that means they’re doing what they can to reduce energy consumption or cut waste – businesses understand there is often a financial benefit to making their operations greener.”
Just under a quarter (23 per cent) of respondents admitted that their organisation is primarily driven by making long-term costs savings, and that any investment into sustainability would have to generate such returns. However, 22 per cent claimed they are primarily motivated by customer and consumer pressure regarding sustainability and climate change, which has heightened in recent months due to the climate strikes and new net-zero legislation introduced by Government.
Europe ‘underestimating charging point numbers’
Europe will require far more electric vehicle charging points by 2030 than the European Commission is currently estimating to support the EU’s goal of becoming “climate neutral” by mid-century, according to new research.
Three million public charging points will have to be available by 2030 in order to sustain the rise in electric vehicles needed for Europe’s long-term climate objectives, according to a ne w report by campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E).
The report assumes 44m electric vehicles are on European roads by 2030. That means a fifteen-fold increase on the 185,000 public chargers currently available in the EU, the research found.
Both T&E and the Commission agree however that around 13m electric vehicles will be on European roads by 2025, although the EU executives also include “low-emission vehicles” such as hydrogen fuel cell cars into the mix.
But the number of charging points is not the only challenge. Other important changes also need to happen on the side of the electricity grid and the organisation of power markets and digital payment systems.
news update
Bloomberg’s bold promises for USA
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE PLEDGES ZERO-CARBON STANDARD
Former Republican New York City Mayor and leading US Democratic presidential candidate, Michael Bloomberg, is promising to ensure that every new building in the country will be constructed to zero-carbon standard with a “hyperefficient” performance.
Historically, no president has ever mandated any national energy consumption standards for buildings. These are usually organised at either state or even township level.
The proposal is part of Bloomberg’s overall goal for cutting US carbon pollution across the economy by 50 per cent by 2030 in order to hit full decarbonisation before mid-century. This target would mirror the legal 2050 target set in the UK by former Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May.
The clean buildings plan unveiled by Bloomberg deliberately prioritises low-income and middleclass minority communities. Its interventionist measures include fuel bill rebates, tax credits, and lowcost financing for both appliances
and building renovation.
One of the richest men in the world, Bloomberg plans not just to set zero-carbon high-efficiency standards for new construction. He is also promising to ramp up energy efficiency standards and healthrelated pollution restrictions for existing buildings. • Meanwhile, the European Commission has unveiled plans to mobilise €1tr over the next 10 years, as part of an unparalleled investment strategy to drive the decarbonisation of the continent’s economy.
The Sustainable Europe Investment Plan also details plans for a Just Transition Mechanism, to support those regions facing a particularly far-reaching transformation proposes. It will direct a quarter of the EU budget to climate and environmental spending, a move that will channel €503bn into decarbonisation efforts between 2021 and 2027.
At the same time, the European Investment Bank is being reoriented to become Europe’s “climate bank”, increasing the share of its financing dedicated to climate action and environmental sustainability to reach 50 per cent of its operations by 2025.
This wide-ranging investment programme is to form the financial foundation for the EU’s Green New Deal announced in December, (see EiBI Jan 2020) which envisages a radical transformation of the trading bloc’s economy to become net zero emission by 2050.
Europe is now firmly committed to an unprecedented mobilisation of public and private finance, as it seeks to build the world’s first net zero emission continent.
Energy efficiency jobs grow while solar takes a hit
The number of jobs in the solar sector has dropped since 2015, figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show. They form part of a wider report looking at the low carbon and renewable energy economy (LCREE) in 2018 in the UK.
It shows that employment dropped in the solar sector from 9,000 full time employees in 2015 to just 6,600 in 2018. This was mirrored by a drop in turnover too, falling from £2.7bn to £1.8bn over the course of the three years. However, the energy efficiency sector was the largest in 2018 as it had been before, and accounted for 36 per cent, or £16.7bn of the LCREE turnover, and 51 per cent of employment, or 114,400 full time employees.
This is largely due to the end of the feed in tariff (FiT), which was announced in 2015 and officially finished in 2019, leading to a drop in solar projects throughout the country. At the time, the government predicted that there would be 18,700 fewer jobs in the industry due to the changes in FiT.
Solar Trade Association chief executive Chris Hewett said: “These numbers will come as no surprise to the solar industry as they cover the period from peak deployment of 4GW in 2015 to a trough in 2018. In that time many jobs in installation and development either folded completely or transitioned into operations and maintenance.
“As the economics of solar improve, alongside deployment of energy storage and other smart and flexible energy technologies, we are expecting the solar jobs market to gradually recover over the years, and the need for O&M will only grow as the stock of solar systems out there become older.”
In 2018 there was roughly 224,800 green jobs in the UK. This is a marked drop from 2014, when an estimated 235,900 people were employed in green professions, such as within the renewables sector.
Amy MacConnachie, head of external affairs at the REA added: “It is unsurprising to see that job numbers have fallen after years of uncertainty and subsidy cuts in the sector. However, a lot has changed since this data was taken; the UK legislated for net zero emissions by 2050, the landmark wind sector deal was signed and the Prime Minister himself pledged his support to achieving our climate goals.
“Whilst the statistics published today are disappointing, we’re expecting to see jobs in the sector grow over the next few years in line with the political shift towards a net zero UK.“
Elsewhere the ONS report there were positives for the LCREE, including the turnover rising from an estimated £40.4bn in 2015 to £46.7bn in 2018.
Overall employment increased in the years to 2018, but this did follow a dramatic drop in employment between 2014 and 2015. It was estimated to be 224,800 in 2018 and 200,800 FTE in 2015.
Five cities are ‘wasting £60m’
Energy being wasted every year by a few thousand office buildings across five UK cities could power over 100,000 homes and is costing businesses £60m in unnecessary energy bills.
The scale is largest in the capital. Wasted energy by the City of London’s offices is equivalent to the amount used to power over 65,000 homes, similar to the housing stock of the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames. This is costing the City’s businesses £35m a year. It also has a climate impact, generating the same level of carbon emissions as 46,000 cars every year.
The problem is widespread across other UK cities. Energy currently wasted by less than 3,300 office buildings in the cities of Manchester, Bristol, Leeds and Birmingham could power over 42,000 homes, costing businesses across the four cities £25m a year in unnecessary bills.
There have been limited efforts to address this. Most of the UK’s commercial buildings are energy inefficient and, overall, energy consumption per square metre has flatlined since 2002.
A new report from the think tank Green Alliance, written for its Tech Task Force, highlights that better use of digital technology is one obvious solution, to save both money and carbon. Examples of how it can help reduce energy use include smart sensors and algorithms, to track and modulate energy use in different parts of a building. Evidence shows that these technologies can vastly improve the energy performance of commercial buildings.
There are substantial opportunities for immediate and easy gains. Artificial intelligence energy optimisation systems already on the market could cut energy use by as much as 14 per cent in commercial buildings with pay back in just a few months.
For the City of London, for example, businesses could save £13m on their collective energy bill within a year. If this level of progress were achieved in the City of London, its business energy bills would come down by a total of £367m over the next decade.
