Lagging policy support and rising cost pressures put investment plans for low-emissions hydrogen at risk

22.09.2023

variety-wonderful-abstract-forms-with-oil-water — Foto-ilustracija: Freepik (freepik)

Momentum behind low-emissions hydrogen continues to grow despite the slow roll-out of financial incentives and stubborn cost pressures that threaten to delay projects, a new IEA report says today. But production levels can still increase substantially by 2030 if all announced projects are realised and greater efforts are made on encouraging uptake.

The number of announced projects for low emissions hydrogen continues to expand rapidly while more than 40 countries worldwide have set out national hydrogen strategies to date. Yet, installed capacity and volumes remain low as developers wait for government support before making investments. As such, low-emissions hydrogen still accounts for less than one percent of overall hydrogen production and use, according to the latest edition of the IEA’s annual Global Hydrogen Review 2023.

Against the backdrop of a global energy crisis, high inflation and supply chain disruptions, new projects face rising costs, at least temporarily, that threaten long-term profitability. Inflation and more expensive borrowing costs are affecting the entire hydrogen value chain, driving up financing costs for developers and reducing the impact of government support. This confluence of factors is particularly detrimental for an industry that faces high upfront costs related to equipment manufacturing, construction and installation.

Despite economic headwinds, deployment of electrolysers is beginning to accelerate. By the end of 2022, electrolyser capacity for hydrogen production reached almost 700 MW. Based on projects that have reached final investment decision or are under construction, total capacity could more than triple to 2GW by the end of 2023, with China accounting for half of this. If all announced projects are realised, a total of 420GW could be achieved by 2030, an increase of 75 percent compared to the IEA’s 2022 review.

“We have seen incredible momentum behind low-emissions hydrogen projects in recent years, which could have an important role to play in energy-intensive sectors such as chemicals, refining and steel,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “But a challenging economic environment will now test the resolve of hydrogen developers and policymakers to follow through on planned projects. Greater progress is needed on technology, regulation and demand creation to ensure low-emissions hydrogen can realise its full potential.”

Beyond the challenges facing manufacturers and developers, the report also finds that efforts to stimulate demand for low emissions hydrogen are lagging behind what is needed to meet climate ambitions. Hydrogen use globally reached 95 million tonnes in 2022, an increase of nearly three percent compared with the previous year. There was strong demand growth in all major consuming regions except Europe, which suffered a hit to industrial activity due to the sharp increase in natural gas prices. However, uptake of low emissions hydrogen remains very limited, accounting for only 0.6 percent of total hydrogen demand. As a result, hydrogen production and use in 2022 released some 900 million tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere.

The report outlines how low-emissions hydrogen can be an opportunity for countries to boost their economies for the future by creating new industrial supply chains. Government funding programmes are already available through schemes such as the US Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit, the European Union’s Important Projects of Common European Interest, and the UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Business Model. However, the lengthy time lags between policy announcements and implementation are causing developers to delay projects.

Annual production of low-emissions hydrogen could reach 38 million tonnes per year in 2030, if all announced projects are realised, with almost three quarters of it coming from electrolysers running on renewable energy and the remainder using fossil fuels with carbon capture, utilisation and storage. The best prospects for low-emissions hydrogen use are in hard-to-abate industrial sectors, by replacing hydrogen produced from unabated fossil fuels, but progress has been slow. The lack of attention to hydrogen demand creation is illustrated in existing country commitments. The sum of all government targets for low-emissions hydrogen production accounts for up to 35 million tonnes today, but targets for creating demand account for just 14 million tonnes, only half of which is focused on existing hydrogen uses. Direct purchase agreements with private sector consumers are beginning to emerge but remain at a very small scale.

The report suggests several steps for governments to reduce risk and improve the economic feasibility of low-emissions hydrogen such as effective delivery of support schemes, bolder action to stimulate demand, and addressing market barriers such as licensing and permitting. Moreover, establishing international markets in hydrogen requires cooperation to develop common standards, regulations and certifications.

Source: IEA

INVESTING IN RENEWABLE ENERGY POWER PLANTS

20.09.2023

hidroelektrana — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (T L PlbeyaME7Jk)

Photo: courtesy of professor Milenko Đurić

In this article, I will focus only on those electricity sources that use renewable energy, which I know relatively well. These are small hydroelectric power plants, wind farms, solar power plants and power plants that use biomass that they burn directly or generate gas from biomass, mainly used by piston engines with internal combustion.

The basic feature of the first three types of power plants is the great variability of available power. The available power at these power plants is stochastic and can only be partially predicted. It means that the power system to which these power plants are connected must at all times have a working reserve that is at least equal to the power currently generated by small hydropower plants, wind farms and solar power plants. In other words, the installed power in the base part of the power system cannot be reduced at the expense of the installed power in power plants that use renewable energy sources. Power plants that use renewable energy sources can save energy that would otherwise have to be supplied by the base part of the power system. It reduces the consumption of coal, gas and fuel oil in thermal power plants, as well as the release of unwanted gases into the atmosphere.

IN FOCUS:

Given that funds must be invested in constructing power plants that use renewable energy, the number of MWs installed in the power system has been increasing. It leads to a higher fixed part in calculating the electricity price. The variable part in the calculation is zero for these power plants because the energy of water, wind and sun is free. However, the price of electricity in a power system with renewable energy power plants must be higher than in the same power system without renewable energy power plants because the number of installed MWs in such a power system is higher. The price of electricity in thermal power plants depends a lot on the fuel price (coal, oil, and gas). The increase in the prices of these fuels goes in favour of power plants that use renewable energy because their fuel is practically free.

Power plants that use biomass as fuel have less variability in available power. In this respect, these power plants are better than the previous three types. However, biomass must be collected from large areas of arable or other land and delivered to the power plant, incurring transportation, storage, and biogas production costs.

professor PhD Milenko Đurić

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

WHY SHOULD WE ALL USE SOLAR ENERGY

17.09.2023

solar-solarna-elektrana — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Andreas Gucklhorn)

We are all witnesses that the climate is changing faster and that global warming threatens the very survival of the planet and all its inhabitants. Research confirms that humans are to blame for all of this. If we cause the problem, we are the only ones who can offer a solution.

How to translate our words into action? Is it possible for us as individuals to do something really significant about it?

The answer is “yes”; it is possible. One of the key ways is to be determined to start using renewable energy sources.

Sun-generated energy

Solar energy is one of the biggest and inexhaustible sources of green energy. People have been using it for more than 2,000 years. The ancient Greeks and Romans used concave mirrors to direct the sun’s rays onto a target and set fire to enemy ships. Today, instead of mirrors, we have photovoltaic solar panels and systems that absorb sunlight and generate electricity, which we then use to supply households, power cars, production plants and even entire cities.

How can we become users of solar energy? First of all, we need to become aware of all the benefits of its use.

IN FOCUS:

Bank as an advisor and financial supporter

Having understood why solar energy is the energy of the future, the next step is the investment. We learned from Marina Mijić, Head of the Energy Efficiency and Environmental Unit at ProCredit Bank, that using solar panels and solar systems is no longer science fiction for us.

“Someone might wonder why people from our bank took it to explain why and how to invest in renewable energy sources, specifically solar. The answer is simple – ProCredit Bank has been actively engaged in green investments for more than a decade. The green loan portfolio already makes up almost 20 per cent of the total portfolio of ProCredit Group.

Our team consists of available environmental protection experts who know every step of the solar investment process. They can explain to you why it is good to invest in solar systems, what exactly you and your household get from it and what the benefits are for nature. They can also explain the financial construction in detail and give you the proper justification for the investment but also recommend adequate manufacturers and subcontractors with the best performance. Because we are committed to environmental protection as an institution, we have developed an appropriate organizational framework to support it. Our special department deals with environmental protection and renewable energy sources. Although massive investments in renewable energy sources have been made recently, we have been doing it for a decade, and we can say that our banking advisors have good expertise in this area of financing. Implementing solar technologies in households will immediately show its good sides, while the justification for the investment will be more than obvious in the long run. The maturity of the return on the investment has decreased significantly, almost halved, so you should take advantage of the current market opportunities and invest in something that helps us and everyone around us,” says Ms Mijić.

ProCredit Bank

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Stronger international cooperation in high emissions sectors crucial to get on track for 1.5°C climate goal

15.09.2023

co2-ugljen-dioksid-zagadjenje — Foto ilustracija: Pexels

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay (SailingOnChocolateRoses)

Insufficient progress in transitions to clean technologies and sustainable solutions over the past year highlights the need for strong and targeted international collaboration in high emissions sectors to deliver transitions that are faster, easier and cheaper for all, according to the latest Breakthrough Agenda Report.

The new report – an annual collaboration between the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the United Nations Climate Change High-Level Champions – shows that current efforts on clean energy and sustainable solutions, while improving, are not yet delivering the levels of investment and deployment required to meet international climate goals. In response, it calls on governments to strengthen collaboration in key areas – such as standards and regulation, financial and technical assistance and market creation – to turbocharge the transition.

Released on the eve of Climate Week NYC, the report examines the advances made and actions needed to meet the goals of the Breakthrough Agenda, a commitment signed by 48 countries representing close to 80 percent of global economic output since it was first launched at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, and which announced a Partnership with the UAE COP28 Presidency in January 2023.

The annual process aims to align actions by countries to make clean technologies and sustainable solutions the most affordable, accessible and attractive option in each of five key sectors: power, road transport, steel, hydrogen and agriculture. The scope of coverage has been expanded in this year’s edition of the report to also cover buildings and cement. Collectively, these seven sectors account for more than 60 percent of global GHG emissions, while the focus of the Agriculture Breakthrough also addresses issues around climate adaptation, nature and food security.

The second annual report assesses progress made since 2022 in priority areas for international collaboration, and sets out a series of recommendations for countries to work together in each sector to help reduce emissions over the next decade and stave off the worst effects of climate change. The report shows how the transition to clean energy and sustainable solutions is accelerating across many sectors, with unprecedented expansion in technologies such as electric vehicles and solar PV. It highlights that electric passenger cars are set to account for 18 percent of total car sales in 2023, while investment in clean energy technologies is significantly outpacing spending on fossil fuels. But other high emissions and hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, hydrogen and agriculture are not transitioning quickly enough despite encouraging progress in some areas.

The report’s recommendations span financial assistance, research and development, demand-creation, infrastructure, standards and trade, to accelerate the transition in each sector. Coordinated actions in each of the seven sectors will help mobilise investment, and can create the economies of scale required to bring down the price of crucial technologies and sustainable agriculture solutions.

The report found that in the past year, only modest progress has been made in strengthening international collaboration in the areas where it is most needed. Progress has been made in expanding financial assistance to developing countries in some sectors, and in joint research and development initiatives. But much more progress is needed in aligning policies to create demand for clean technologies, and in establishing dialogue on trade in sectors where this is likely to be critical to the transition. In most sectors, participation in the leading initiatives for practical cooperation still falls short of a majority of the global market.

The report argues that greater political commitment is needed to progress from softer forms of collaboration, such as sharing best practice, to harder forms such as alignment of standards and policies, which are more difficult but can yield greater gains in mobilising investment and accelerating deployment.

Source: IEA

ABB invests in strategic partnership with clean energy start-up to offer end-to-end wind energy portfolio

13.09.2023

ABB Motion and WindESCo, have signed a strategic partnership, where ABB has acquired a minority stake in the company through its venture capital unit, ABB Technology Ventures (ATV). US-based WindESCo is the leading analytics software provider for improving the performance and reliability of wind turbines. Leveraging WindESCo’ solutions, the investment will strengthen ABB’s position as a key enabler of a low carbon society and its position in the renewable power generation sector. It will allow the company to continuously improve wind turbines’ performance and reliability, offer end-to-end solutions to wind customers and open a new market channel for its digital offering. Financial details of the investment were not disclosed.

ABB is a leading independent supplier of wind converters for medium voltage and low voltage wind turbines. WindESCo has around 25 employees and works with 40 customers on projects in 18 countries. It has developed a market leading OEM agnostic asset performance monitoring software to detect anomalies in wind turbines, propose corrective actions and measure their results. The company has also developed a wake optimization solution that leverages data across a wind plant to optimize plant output. With their combined offering, ABB and WindESCo can now offer a complete solution approach to customers. WindESCo will be able to leverage ABB’s electrical domain expertise to further strengthen its software offering, while ABB closes a gap in its wind portfolio by adding a digital offering to the already digitally enabled wind converters.

“This strategic venture capital investment allows us to strengthen our market position supporting the energy transition and continue to shift our portfolio of customer solutions towards renewables and decarbonization. It will complement ABB’s wind portfolio with a strong digital offering by WindESCo, that enables both companies to leverage their strong presence in the growing wind market. This win-win transaction will offer a holistic solution approach to our customer bases, and it will expand the service offering by ABB Motion. We look forward to developing new synergies with the talented team at WindESCo,” commented Chris Poynter, President, System Drives division, ABB Motion.

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Grahame Jenkins)

Mo Dua, CEO, and founder of WindESCo, said: “There is tremendous value locked in the wind turbine converter data. While most of the solutions have focused on the mechanical systems, there are no solutions having a meaningful impact on the electrical system. The equity investment by ABB and our technical collaboration will allow WindESCo to expand its offering to the wind turbine electrical system with the goal of being the leading comprehensive asset performance monitoring solution provider for the wind industry. We are glad ABB chose WindESCo as their digitization partner.”

The partnership helps expand ABB’s ecosystem of innovation partners developing solutions that support decarbonization and energy efficiency. Since 2009 ABB has made investments of around 400 million dollars from its capital venture arm that are aligned with its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio.

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com

WindESCo’s mission is to ensure that every wind turbine produces as much energy as possible, through improved performance, reliability, and/or plant-level control. Maintaining a hyperfocus on wind energy WindESCo is actively addressing the industry’s technical pain points driving an increase in profit margins. The company’s platform is actively optimizing wind plants covering 21 turbine OEMs, 74 turbine models in 18 countries.

Source: ABB

SIGNIFICANCE AND APPLICATION OF ESG PRINCIPLES IN THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR

13.09.2023

Image-by-Q-K-from-Pixabay — Photo-illustration: Pixabay (Q K)

The Novaston company plans and aligns Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) activities with its general goals. They recently published a Guide to real estate development: an example of office space, which they worked on together with the law firm Gecić Law.

Mia Zečević, general director of the Novaston company, says that within the guide, an entire chapter is dedicated to ESG principles, their importance, and their application in the commercial real estate sector.

‘’The guide can be downloaded free of charge from our website, as well as from the website of the law office; it is available in both languages (Serbian and English). With this, we wanted to, as a socially responsible company, contribute to a better understanding of the ESG concept and principles and facilitate the entire process for investors when they decide to invest in business premises’’, Zečević points out.

On how she sees the role and development of ESG in this company as a wider business environment in the years to come, Mia Zečević says that ESG principles are no longer a matter of trend and choice. Still, their implementation in all business spheres is a key factor and a necessity for all companies. Soon it will be necessary for everyone who wants to do business with other companies in the EU market.

IN FOCUS:

‘’All banks, especially European ones, see the implementation of these principles as imperative, which is also shown by the incentives they receive from the EU. This year, most banks will perform a screening – what is green in their portfolios, which projects meet ESG standards, which meet the requirements for obtaining an energy passport, which meets the standards for LEED and BREEAM certificates and for which categories. Those companies whose projects are not aligned with ESG standards will have a different risk assessment, and it will be more difficult for them to borrow, get a development loan or a development investment’’, explained Zečević.

As for the Novaston platform, they started working on a strategy to introduce ESG principles into business. This company primarily provides services, so they are already very much up to date with everything. Following the situation, they advise clients and investors on applying ESG principles, primarily in constructing or applying them within existing buildings.

On the one hand, Novaston’s role as a renowned company is to educate clients and employees, initiate initiatives, and point out the importance of applying all these principles in business to be sustainable and scalable.

Novaston

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

In Tanzania, communities save money together to build a brighter future

12.09.2023

polina-koroleva-MXtfdEPrUHo-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Polina Koroleva)

In southern Tanzania, women are working together to save money, access small loans, and obtain emergency funding for medical or other crises.

Known as Village Savings and Loan Alliances (VSLAs), these models are an integral component of the CARE-WWF Alliance, a partnership that champions the power and resilience of women, communities, and ecosystems so current and future generations can thrive. They are self-managed groups of individual members from within a community who pool funds together.

Regular VSLA meetings also play another critical role: drawing the communities together and furthering more of the Alliance’s mission. While they are gathered to deposit their savings and discuss their finances, people also feel encouraged by the Alliance to discuss and problem-solve around landscape restoration, the value of businesses that do not harm the environment, and agriculture practices that help mitigate the impacts of climate change.

These discussions contribute to the successful implementation of the other Alliance programming that supports villages in protecting their natural resources and helps small-scale farmers and producers build the skills they need to increase production, improve resilience, adapt to climate change, diversify diets, and boost nutrition.

Lilian Mkusa has been the VSLA project coordinator for the Alliance in Tanzania since the program began in 2008. In this role, she helps the communities start their programs, provides financial and savings training, advises on business startup options, and helps ensure the active participation and leadership of women in the groups.

Source: WWF

SKE and Huawei A Value Added Partnership

12.09.2023

SKE is a Huawei Value Added Partner. Based in Austria, SKE supplies 16 countries – Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, UK, Greece, Ireland, Kosovo, Croatia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Austria, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Cyprus – with Huawei smart solar products. Founded in 2008, SKE is now one of the leading companies in the European solar market.

SKE in Serbia

Serbia represents an important market for SKE and Huawei FusionSolar. SKE always strives to provide the best possible pre and after sales service to its customers. SKE Technical Sales Management provides all SKE partners with in-depth product knowledge via dedicated roadshows and Hands on Practice training. Our highly experienced SKE Key Account Management team supports our corporate accounts within the Serbian market.

We are SKE

Our experts provide support to customers all across Europe in sales, logistics, training, certification, and technical issues for all Huawei FusionSolar products. SKE imparts knowledge from experts to experts. The SKE Academy turns participants into competent contacts, from the planning all the way through to the installation of Huawei FusionSolar solutions. Our products and services help people and industries to solarize their energy needs and thus effectively reduce their emissions and grid dependency. Our connections with employees, customers, partners, suppliers, and society shapes our business decision-making.

SKE HOP – Hands on Practice Trainings – Huawei FusionSolar

HOP, Hands on Practice, are the expert training from SKE. They are the essential part of the SKEPP – SKE Partner Program to become certified and listed as an SKE Partner. SKE HOPs last one day and take place either at the SKE headquarter in Steyregg or on-site in the SKE countries. Each training consists of a theoretical and a practical part. SKE partners are among the best. To become a certified SKE partner, everyone without exception has to take part and pass the exam.

SKE IS BUILDING EUROPE’S LARGEST LOGISTICS CENTER FOR POWER STORAGE SOLUTIONS AND PHOTOVOLTAIC PRODUCTS IN AUSTRIA

SKE Huawei FusionSolar Roadshow

The SKE Roadshow Trucks are on the road throughout Europe. On site, at wholesalers and installers, SKE presents the Huawei FusionSolar portfolio. The Huawei FusionSolar products are within reach of the participants. SKE experts are available to answer any questions. All current dates for the SKE Hands on Practice training and Roadshow Tourstops are online. (www.ske-solar.com)

The transformation from fossil energy to solar energy generation is our mission. SKE is leading the change. Our global partnerships drive sustainable, solar energy production. SKE takes initiative to increase environmental awareness through its development and dispersion of environmentally friendly technologies. Carbon neutrality requires the transformation of energy systems to digitalized energy systems, which enormously accelerates the switch to renewable, climate-neutral energy supply. SKE is convinced that digital technologies play a crucial role in overcoming our environmental challenges. The symbiosis of Huawei hardware and software makes the interaction of energy generation and energy consumption more intelligent, more efficient and safer.

SKE Photovoltaic Service Areas

As a Huawei Value Added Partner and Huawei Service Partner, SKE offers Huawei FusionSolar solutions for residential, commercial & industrial and utility scale applications. Photovoltaic is the central technology of the energy transition. It sustainably supplies people with cheap solar power instead of expensive grid power. Solar energy is environmentally friendly and free of CO2.

Huawei FusionSolar Residential

Intelligent & sustainable living with PV

Huawei FusionSolar Residential is intelligent PV technology for solar energy generation in all private dwellings and living areas – in single-family houses, apartment buildings and multi-party residential buildings. Huawei FusionSolar Residential aids homeowners to become independent of increasing electricity prices.

Huawei FusionSolar C&I

Efficient & calculable working with PV

Huawei FusionSolar C&I is smart technology for solar energy generation for commercial and industrial infrastructures. Huawei FusionSolar C&I is profitable and helps businesses become independent of unpredictable electricity prices.

Huawei FusionSolar Utility Scale

Large, smart, and profitable PV power plants

Huawei FusionSolar Utility Scale is the leading technology for solar power generation with large-scale PV systems. Huawei FusionSolar Utility Scale is a smart investment for maximum yield and return.

Source: SKE

Upcoming EU Hydrogen Bank pilot auction: European Commission publishes Terms & Conditions

11.09.2023

hydrogen-g3a91240b7_1920 — Foto-Ilustracija (akitada31)

The Commission published the Terms and Conditions (T&C) for its pilot auction dedicated to European renewable hydrogen production. It is an important step towards scaling up production of renewable hydrogen in the EU.

The auction, funded by the Innovation Fund under the umbrella of the EU Hydrogen Bank, is intended to open on 23 November 2023. Following stakeholder consultations ongoing since March 2023, today’s publication of the T&C gives potential bidders advance information about the final economic design of the auction and helps them start preparing their bids.

The auction will award up to 800 million euros to renewable hydrogen producers in the European Economic Area (EEA). The support will take the form of a fixed premium in €/kg of renewable hydrogen produced over ten years of operation, therefore targeting the gap between the production costs and the demand’s willingness to pay.

The auction is designed to achieve four objectives:

Reducing the cost gap between renewable and fossil hydrogen in the EU as effectively and efficiently as possible by allocating public support. Auctions have proved to be a success in the renewable power sector, bringing down the required funding for renewable power generation through competition on price while mobilising private investments.
Allowing for price discovery and renewable hydrogen market formation. Competitive auctions with a simple and transparent set-up reveal production costs and create valuable and comparable price points that can serve to kick-start a European hydrogen market.
De-risking European hydrogen projects, connecting domestic renewable hydrogen supply and demand, bringing capital costs down and leveraging private capital. Given the size of the investment needed, support from the Innovation Fund should be seen as the seed funding for increased private and corporate investments.
Reducing administrative burdens and costs thanks to short, lean, and transparent procedures.

The new auction mechanism will expand the portfolio of support mechanisms that the Innovation Fund currently provides through grants, project development assistance, and other blended financial instruments. It is also expected to enable a faster rollout of innovative technologies needed for the green transition, especially in hard-to-abate sectors.

Background

The Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programmes for commercialising and deploying net-zero and innovative technologies. It is one of the key tools of the Green Deal Industrial Plan. Financed by revenues from the auctioning of allowances from the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), it aims to help businesses invest in clean energy and bring to market technologies that can decarbonise European industry while fostering competitiveness.

In March 2023, the Commission presented a new plan to stimulate and support investments in renewable hydrogen production through the European Hydrogen Bank (EHB). This initiative aims to accelerate investment and bridge the investment gap for the EU to reach its ambitious REPowerEU targets.

The EHB is organised around four pillars:

supporting the creation of a domestic market of renewable hydrogen
supporting international imports into the EU
promoting transparency and coordination on market developments
streamlining existing financial instruments.

Source: European Commission

A MODERN AUTOMATION AND ENERGY PRODUCTION CONCEPT

10.09.2023

cityscape-with-network-nodes-overlay-getty-1196161943 — Foto: EATON

EATON Electric offers a wide range of products and solutions its partners use to implement renewable energy projects and boost energy efficiency. The company strongly focuses on raising awareness, educating employees, and optimizing internal processes.

Aleksandar Vasić, Cluster Sales Manager at EATON Electric, says that the company has prepared a special mobile application for employees worldwide to learn more about how to adjust their habits to increase energy efficiency or reduce pollution.

“In terms of business and production facilities, we implement a series of measures – from efficient waste management and optimization of energy consumption to the transformation of the vehicle fleet by replacing traditional vehicles with electric drive”, says Aleksandar Vasić, who talked about the application of EATON solutions in Serbia, the advantages of the new electricity production, storage, and consumption concept, as well as solutions for solar power plants.

IN FOCUS:

What solutions does EATON offer in Serbia, and in which sectors are they applied?

We develop and implement solutions for efficient, safe, and sustainable energy management with our partners. In addition to being used in electricity production, they are also applicable in electricity distribution to the end user. Our products are also used in various industry segments, from machine manufacturers to telecommunication operators. One of the products we manufacture in our Sremska Mitrovica factory – an automatic fuse – is used in households and factories.

What is the ‘Everything as a Grid’ concept, and what are its benefits?

‘Everything as a Grid’ is our vision of the future regarding electricity use. It is a completely new concept of production, storage, and consumption of electricity since we live in a world where electricity is no longer produced only in large power plants. The idea is that consumers become producers and can produce energy locally, store it, and send it “back” to the power grid if necessary.

‘Everything as a Grid’ is a set of products and solutions, primarily digital, which help users to maximize the use of self-produced energy and become more energy independent. On the one hand, it reduces the carbon footprint and costs. At the same time, on the other hand, the user can generate a surplus of produced or stored energy and make it available to the power grid, which positively affects the system’s stability. The needs and capabilities of each user in the grid are individual, which is why each solution is adapted to their needs.

xSolAir is a very interesting system for solar power plants. What are its advantages, and how is it different from similar systems?

The latest market research shows that by 2050, the use of solar energy will increase as much as 18 times, and to use it properly; we need a solution that is easy to implement and adaptable to different terrains in a short period. Precisely for this reason, but also to facilitate easy delivery and commissioning, xSolAir is EATON’s answer to the need to provide a mobile substation, compact in size and ready to be connected, for a solar power plant, especially a power plant that is installed on the ground. This solution is actually a pre-assembled and configured container-type substation. It is important to point out that the xSolAir substation only needs to be placed in the intended location and for cables to be connected. All other parameters are set and ready for operation.

Interviewed by: Mirjana Vujadinović Tomevski

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Energy Week Western Balkans 2023 promises two days of panel discussions, B2B & B2G meetings and endless networking opportunities

09.09.2023

cape-ortegal-vetar-vetroelektrana — Photo-illustration: Pixabay (makunin)

Let’s review what awaits us on Day 2 of this premier investment conference in the Western Balkans!

Renewable energy revenue streams

The promotion and facilitation of renewable energy trading and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in the Western Balkans region are significantly influenced by prevailing regulations. These regulations play a dual role in either encouraging or impeding the progress of renewable energy initiatives. Exploration of the accessible renewable energy revenue streams specific to each of the WB6 countries is imperative. The diversity of revenue streams plays a pivotal role in shaping the feasibility and attractiveness of renewable energy projects. The establishment of organized wholesale markets carries the potential to act as a transformative mechanism. When coupled on both regional and EU levels, these markets can serve as conduits for newfound outlets for renewable energy. This coupling could lead to enhanced integration of renewable sources into the energy landscape, thereby bolstering sustainability endeavors in line with the broader European energy framework.

Join the conversation with our experts. Matija Medojevic, CEO at BELEN – Montenegrin Power Exchange and Milos Mladenovic, Managing Director at SEEPEX are among speakers.

The path of green shift: developers’ perspective

The wind and solar sector is swiftly changing, marked by numerous new developments and projects in the region. Key projects include offshore wind farms, solar PV plants, and grid-scale battery storage, all aimed at boosting renewable energy share, curbing emissions, and creating local opportunities. Yet, challenges like regulatory ambiguity, costs, technical issues, and societal acceptance persist. Thus, a robust policy framework, funding, and stakeholder engagement are vital for success.

Find out what the developers have to say and learn from the UK-based developer’s success in having a large solar PV pipeline in Serbia. Mike O’Neill, CEO of HIVE Renewables among featured speakers.

Clean energy technology and services to unlock the untapped potential

The Western Balkan region has a lot of clean energy potential, but also many challenges and risks. One challenge is the lack of a stable and supportive regulatory framework, which creates uncertainty and reduces investor confidence. Contractors need to understand the local market conditions and work with local partners and authorities to secure permits, licenses, and incentives.

One of the leading suppliers is Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE), which will provide 20 SG 3.3-132 turbines for the Kostolac wind project in Serbia with a total capacity of 66MW. This project, scheduled for completion in 2024, marks a transition towards green energy for Serbia. Stjepan Čerkez, President of the Management Board will share major contractor’s experience in the region.

Energy storage is crucial for balancing renewable electricity supply and demand. It also offers ancillary benefits like frequcontrol, ion, voltage control, and peak shaving, enhancing grid stability. Yet, energy storage remains costly and relatively novel in the region, with limited successful instances. Join us to hear from the most bankable brand SUNGROW.

Børge Bjørneklett, Founder and CEO at Ocean Sun, will share how the company revolutionised floating solar power production and in 2022 built 4 PV floaters at the Banja Hydropower Plant in Albania.

Navigating challenges on the transition journey

One of the key factors for a successful energy transition is regional cooperation. The Western Balkans share common energy challenges and opportunities and can benefit from a more integrated energy market that fosters cross-border trade, investment, and innovation. A regional approach can also enhance energy security and resilience, by reducing dependence on external suppliers and diversifying energy sources and routes.

However, despite the support and potential, the Western Balkans still face significant challenges in accelerating the uptake of renewables and phasing out coal. The region has a large legacy of coal-fired power plants that are often inefficient, polluting and subsidized. The coal sector also provides employment and income for many communities, making the social impact of the transition a sensitive issue. The region also faces some technical and regulatory barriers that hinder the integration of variable renewable energy sources into the grid, such as lack of interconnections, market design and grid flexibility.

Source: Energy Week Western Balkans

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