IN BRIEF

NEW GAS-FIRED POWER PLANT TO BE BUILT IN IRELAND

GE Gas Power and MYTILINEOS have secured an order from the Electricity Supply Board of Ireland (ESB)) for the construction of a new gas-fired power plant in Dublin, co-located with ESB’s existing North Wall power plant.

The new plant, described as a ‘temporary reserve’, will be powered by 6 GE LM2500XPRESS gas turbines delivering a combined capacity of 200 MW to help meet demand and maintain the stability of the country’s electricity supply. Under the terms of the agreement, GE and Mytilineos will work together for the construction, and operation & maintenance of the plant. The new plant will have natural gas fuel capability and in the future will be able to fire blends of hydrogen, with relatively small modifications, to further reduce carbon emissions.

The dry low emissions (DLE) combustor configuration allows up to 35-50% by volume of hydrogen gas when blended with natural gas.

Advanced Liquid Cooled Energy Storage System For Las Vegas

HYNQ - NORTH QUEENSLAND ENERGY PROJECT ESTABLISHED IN AUSTRALIA

A consortium of domestic and global energy players, led by Energy Estate, has come together to accelerate the development of the integrated hydrogen and ammonia production and export facility in North Queensland, known as the ‘HyNQ – North Queensland Energy Project’.

The consortium, which includes Idemitsu Australia, a subsidiary of prominent energy supplier Idemitsu Kosan, and Queensland government owned CS Energy, will continue with its study on the feasibility of generating and exporting green ammonia from the Port of Abbot Point near Bowen.

“As evidenced by the recent announcements from COP27, the global push for decarbonised energy, in all its forms, is gathering pace, a key opportunity recognised by the Queensland government in its ‘Enabling Queensland’s hydrogen production and export opportunities’ report and by the broader energy community in the Asia-Pacific,” commented Vincent Dwyer, co-founder of Energy Estate.

“Bringing together a group of highly respected energy companies, each focused both on the domestic opportunities for Queensland and key export markets of Japan and Korea will help accelerate the full potential of HyNQ, a key project for the region.”

BYD has announced plans to implement a 543 MWh Cube Pro liquid-cooled energy storage system (ESS) in Las Vegas, expected to begin commercial operation before year’s end.

The Chinese automaker and battery specialist shared that the massive ESS will assist Nevada’s largest energy provider in achieving zero carbon emissions by 2050. Build Your Dreams, aka BYD, is a China-based conglomerate consisting of two major subsidiaries, BYD Electronic and BYD Auto.

While BYD Auto expands the availability of its equipment outside China and into Europe and the UK, the company’s energy division continues to enlarge its footprint in the US. In May of 2022, BYD implemented a GWh-level solar energy storage plant in North America with the help of its CUBE T28.

By November 2022, BYD had installed what is described as the world’s largest single-phase energy storage plant on the West Coast of the US – again utilising the CUBE T28 and a storage capacity of approximately 1.7 GWh.

In October 2022 BYD was reporting roughly 3.6 GWh of cumulative power in the US. As part of a new deal with the state of Nevada, BYD looks to add to this storage total in hopes to help light the neons of Las Vegas using more renewable sources.

BYD has begun the process to install a 543 Mega-Watt-hour (MWh) Cube Pro system in Las Vegas to assist the state’s largest energy provider.

Belgian Partners Offer Offshore Floating Solar Technology

Belgian partners Tractebel, DEME, and Jan De Nul introduce SEAVOLT©, a new offshore floating photovoltaic technology.

This technology is a result of joint research and development, combining the expertise of solar, environmental, and offshore experts. SEAVOLT tech (patent pending) can withstand harsh offshore conditions while creating large surfaces which are protected from the waves.

The modular design allows for easy adaptation to different sites and demands. Benefits include local renewable energy production and the possibility of installing the panels in offshore windfarms where local authorities permit such multi-use concessions. Another key advantage is the addition of large volumes of renewable energy capacity in a relatively short time. The partners, together with Ghent University, started the VLAIO-funded (the Flemish government’s Agency for Innovation & Entrepreneurship) research project MPVAQUA (Marine PV Aquaculture) within the frame of Blue Cluster four years ago.

A marine floater concept has now been developed together with much initial research on the potential effects on the marine ecosystem, The partners are currently developing an offshore test installation which will be launched off the Belgian coast in the summer of 2023.

Developer Delivers Effective Cooling Solution For Us Geothermal Project

Coretrax, a global leader in well integrity and production optimisation, has successfully delivered its DAV MX circulation sub to effectively cool an estimated 400 ° C geothermal well bottom hole temperature by almost 200 ° C in the US.

A US operator was planning to drill a closed-loop geothermal land well with an estimated bottom hole static temperature of 400 ° C.

Operating in such extreme heat could lead to risk of equipment failure, so it required an efficient and reliable method to ‘stage’ in the hole to cool down the temperature sensitive measurement while drilling (MWD) technology and other directional tools.

Staging is a common practice for high temperature wellbores to prevent MWD failures which normally involves pumping conventionally though the drill bit to cool the BHA.

However, as this method can result in the motor rotating the drill bit, and causing possible damage in the cased and upper granite section as well as damage to the drill bit teeth, a more reliable method was required.

The application of the DAV MX delivered significant time savings while maintaining well integrity and improving safety. Estimated bottom hole temperatures were reduced from an estimated 400 ° C to 210 ° C whilst drilling using the circulation sub.

Coretrax’s DAV MX downhole circulation tool can be used across a wide range of applications including hole cleaning, displacements, lost circulation material spotting, blowout preventer jetting and many others.

The rapid, smart dart’s activation speed, versatility and robustness gives the operator fast circulating options in nearly any circumstance.

The tool was deployed with the Split Flow Dart which allowed a limited flow through the motor and drill bit, reducing the rotations per minute whilst delivering high flow rate to effectively cool the BHA and borehole.

John Fraser, chief executive officer at Coretrax said: “The geothermal market has experienced significant growth in recent years in response to global environmental objectives and Coretrax already has a tangible track record in supporting these developments globally. Our range of downhole circulation tools are ideally placed to support the high temperatures and complexities of geothermal wells.

“This latest project is a strong example of how technology which has traditionally been applied to oil and gas operations can support this expanding sector to address the most complex well challenges while delivering enhanced reliability and greater efficiencies.”

INVESTMENT BOOST OF £36 MILLION TO SCALE UP OFF-GRID HYDROGEN POWER

GeoPura has received a £36 million ($44 million) investment boost to scale up its off-grid hydrogen power generation technology.

The funding round was led by GM Ventures and Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital, with participation from SWEN CP and Siemens Energy Ventures. The investors will also act as strategic partners for GeoPura moving forward.

GeoPura offers an alternative to traditional diesel generators with its hydrogen power unit (HPU) technology used for temporary, supplementary, off-grid and backup power.

The company generates hydrogen and transports the fuel to customers for use in its HPUs – customers simply rent the units and pay for the fuel used.

The latest investment will enable mass manufacturing of HPUs and will increase the production of green hydrogen to fuel the units in the North East and throughout the UK.

The company also aims to bring a number of new products to market, addressing smaller and larger power requirements.

GeoPura chief executive Andrew Cunningham said: “The investment allows us to build on our installed base of HPUs and hydrogen production infrastructure to stimulate the green hydrogen economy, and then expand the use of clean fuels into other hard-to-decarbonise areas of our energy system”.

“We have secured the right mix of investors, forming strategic partnerships that not only provide the funds to enable us to scale rapidly, but also the skills and resources to accelerate the transition to zero emission fuels.”

James Ferrier, Director of Principal Investments at Barclays

Sustainable Impact Capital, said: “Whilst most of the focus in the UK is rightly on ‘greening’ our energy grid, industries which are reliant on fossil-fuel powered generators – such as construction, film production and events – should not be forgotten. Establishing tailored methods of off-grid green energy generation such as GeoPura’s Hydrogen Power Unit technology will be crucial for decarbonisation of these industries.”

A WORLD LEADER IN LOADBANK TECHNOLOGY SOON TO BE BOUGHT OUT IN A DEAL EXPECTED TO BE WORTH £122 MILLION

Shareholders of the UK-based loadbank specialist Crestchic have voted to sell the company to rental giant Aggreko. With locations in France, Germany, the USA and Singapore, Crestchic manufactures, sells and rents loadbanks and transformers. It primarily serves customers in the power healthcare, marine and shipbuilding, data centres, oil and gas, and mining and drilling sectors.

A majority of the company’s shareholders recently voted in favour of the acquisition deal, which will see Aggreko acquire all of Crestchic’s issued shares and its to-be-issued ordinary share capital. Back in December 2022, Aggreko’s £122 million (€138 million) cash offer to purchase Crestchic was accepted, say media reports. According to Crestchic, it was the complementary products which ‘sealed the deal for its shareholders and management board’. These included an increased geographic reach and resources that could accelerate its growth, “particularly in relation to its small but growing business in the USA.”

Speaking of the deal in December 2022, Peter Harris, Executive Chairman of Crestchic, said the business had the potential to generate significant value for its shareholders in the long-term: “However, the Board recognises that Crestchic, as a relatively small business, could accelerate its growth and shareholder value creation by combining with a significantly larger player in related global markets.”

Upgrade For The Us Niagara Power Project

The Niagara Power Project’s control room – the space which contains remote operating controls for the entire Niagara Power Project, including the Robert Moses Power Plant, the Lewiston Pump Generating Plant and associated switchyards - recently completed its first major upgrade since the plant was built over sixty years ago in 1961.

The upgrades are vital to ensure that the largest source of clean electricity in New York State and one of the largest hydropower facilities in the country will continue to help New York State’s meet its bold clean energy goals as outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

“The upgrade and digitisation of our Niagara Power Project’s controls is a foundational pillar in our multiyear modernisation effort to ensure that New York’s flagship clean energy power plant is leading the way in hydropower generation for the state for the next 50 years,” said NYPA Acting President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll.

“The complete control room overhaul is the centerpiece of our Next Generation Niagara life extension and modernisation program. We are digitizing the entire plant, turbine by turbine. We are also taking this opportunity to make workplace design improvements for health and safety .”

Three Diesel Gensets Supplied To Platinum Mine In South Africa

Three 20V 4000 mtu gensets have been supplied to the Two Rivers Platinum Mine in Limpopo, South Africa.

Two gensets have now successfully installed and they provide a reliable and efficient backup supply of power where grid power is unavailable. The permanent installation which will incorporate the third unit is still to be finalized and completed. R olls-Royce designed, installed and commissioned their total 5MVA prime power output as a complete solution - from the container genset with fuel tank, to the MV switchgear and control system.

A spokesman commented: “Based on decades of experience with thousands of customers, our gensets are designed for maximum reliability. They feature low fuel consumption, long maintenance intervals and low emissions. There are currently more than a 100 units of mtu 4000 series PowerGen engines operating in South Africa and these are showing outstanding performance results in terms of reliability and fuel use.”