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CJY
Calgary
Project manager with 47 years in Oil and Gas EPC
Interests: Climate, paleontology, cosmology,
Recent Activity
Yes, the CO2 sequestration at the well head seems to be a diversion of attention. Burning 3m tonnes of CH3OH derived from methane will produce over 4m tonnes CO2 that is fossil fuel derived and not sequestered. Of course it could be used for chemical production ( to e.g. vinyl acetate via acetic acid) rather than burned.
Nauticol Energy & Enhance Energy plan to capture up to 1M tonnes of CO2 annually from blue methanol production and distribution
Nauticol Energy and Enhance Energy have entered into an agreement to work collaboratively for the capture and sequestration of up to one million tonnes of CO2 each year from Nauticol’s planned $2-billion Blue Methanol facility to be built near Grande Prairie, Alberta. Utilizing Western Canadian ...
This implies that active measures will be required to retire automotive "stranded assets" - could be cash for ICE clunkers or punitive gasoline taxes, BAU economics won't get us there.
Yergin: overwhelming number of new car sales will be EVs in coming decades, but 2/3 of global fleet to remain gasoline-powered in 2050
Electric vehicles will make up as many as 8 out of 10 new cars sold in 2050, but it will still be a long road before they dislodge gasoline as the predominant fuel in transportation, IHS Markit Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin writes in his new book, The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nat...
Natural gas is super cheap at present, and about 1/10th the cost of grid power per Joule. Even if the surplus power to be used by this process is zero cost I would question the economics. Just maybe a negative value for the captured CO2 would balance the books, but I am not holding my breath.
European power-to-methane company Electrochaea opens California subsidiary
Electrochaea GmbH, a European provider of renewable methane technology, has established a California-based US subsidiary, Electrochaea Corporation, to accelerate the commercial roll-out of its technology in North America. Electrochaea employs a patented biocatalyst (BioCat) to convert low-cost ...
These numbers look pretty strange from a Canadian POV. I have two Golfs, one electric one diesel. Insurance and tax are the same, maintenance is way down on the e-Golf. Admittedly our petrol costs are nearly double, but amortisation of lower ICE car initial cost is the only advantage they have, and the VW ID4 looks like making a big dent in that.
Analysis finds annual running cost of EVs less than ICE; but with purchase price factored in, it flips
Self Financial, a fintech company, has compared the running costs of electric and non-electric vehicles in each state. Across the US the average annual cost of running an electric vehicle is $2,721.96, while gasoline vehicles cost an average of $3,355.90 per year to run—a difference of $633.94 ...
Makes no sense to me. My 2018 e-Golf cost $45k CAD or EUR 29k. My 2004 Golf TDI does up to 1100km range on highways. So much for the "very high combined ranges" and price of the new PHEVs.
Start of sales for the VW Golf eHybrid and Golf GTE PHEVs in Europe
Volkswagen is electrifying the eighth generation of the Golf with two new plug-in hybrid versions: the Golf eHybrid and Golf GTE. Sales of both models are starting now. The Golf eHybrid is designed for maximum comfort and delivers an output of 150 kW (204 PS). Price in Germany starts at €39,78...
Since it is extracting CO2 from ambient air, intermittency is not an issue. However efficiency is, the method is just competing with H2 generation, batteries, pumped hydro etc. Not removing any CO2 overall, since it just goes back where it came from when the hydrocarbon product is burned.
Researchers propose using AC and ventilation systems for decentralized production of carbon-neutral synthetic fuels
Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Toronto have proposed a method enabling air conditioning and ventilation systems to produce synthetic fuels from CO2 and water from the ambient air. Compact plants are to separate CO2 from the ambient air directly ...
Why on earth burn H2 in an engine rather than using a fuel cell - should be much higher efficiency?
ULEMCo and Revolve demonstrate 45% thermal efficiency for 100% hydrogen engine
ULEMCo and its R&D partner Revolve Technologies have demonstrated thermal efficiencies of 45% in engine control strategies for a 100% hydrogen-fueled engine being developed for the Mega Low Emissions (MLE) truck demonstrator unveiled earlier this year. (Earlier post.) The 100% hydrogen engine...
Same maintenance cost for Corolla and Leaf?
Study of 5-year TCO suggests ongoing challenge to unsubsidized BEV cost-competitiveness
A team at Arizona State University has analyzed the five-year Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for representative electric, hybrid, and conventional vehicles—the Nissan Leaf (BEV), Toyota Prius (HEV), and Toyota Corolla (ICEV)—in 14 US cities from 2011 to 2015. The results, reported in a paper in ...
Never mind the arguments about carbon uptake by bio-fuel organismss, the problem is fossil fuel consumption in harvesting and processing them.
Digging into the differences in carbon accounting for biofuels
The benefit to the climate of using biofuels as a substitute for fossil fuels has been sharply contested for years; much of the disagreement is based on the assumptions underlying the carbon accounting in the lifecycle analysis. The argument essentially boils down to whether or not biofuels are ...
Something missing from this discussion is the issue of the lifetime of capital assets. Cars last on average 24 years, power plants 50 plus. But we are comparing the impact of new cars (24 years life left) with ageing coal power plants at the end of their useful life. I.E. the cars will outlast the coal plants, and still be there to run on renewables in the not too distant (we hope) future.
7-state Midwest EVOLVE project to promote electric vehicles; Ford, GM, Nissan initial automotive partners
The American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest announced the launch of Midwest EVOLVE, a three-year project to promote electric vehicles in seven Midwestern states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota. In partnership with eight Clean Cities coalitions...
The scary thing is that this is the first sign of a burgeoning "hydrogen economy" a mere 20-25 years after such a thing was all the rage. This kind of development cycle does not bode well for the achieving of 2050 decarbonisation targets (which are all too unambitious anyway)
DOE to invest $30M to further H2 and fuel cell technology as industry continues strong growth
The US Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Department (DOE) released a new report showing continued momentum and growth in the fuel cell industry. The 2015 Fuel Cell Technologies Market Report shows that more than 60,000 fuel cells, totaling roughly 300 megawatts (MW), shipped worldwide in 2015. ...
Demonstrating that it can be done is one thing, making it economically viable is much more difficult.
Cummins-led team awarded $4.5M to develop Class 6 PHEV that reduces fuel use by 50%
Cummins Inc. has been awarded a $4.5-million grant from the US Department of Energy to develop a Class 6 commercial plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that can reduce fuel consumption by at least 50% over conventional Class 6 vehicles. (Earlier post.) When fully loaded, Class 6 vehicles weigh betw...
Harvey
I read it as being manufacture of the stations. H2 would be generated, presumably, from electric power at the final location of the generator.
CJY
H2 Logic to develop large-scale production plant for H2 refueling stations
H2 Logic, a subsidiary of NEL ASA, has entered into a contract for the purchase of a facility in Herning, Denmark for the development of a new large-scale production plant for hydrogen refueling stations. The factory will have an annual capacity to manufacture hydrogen refueling stations suffic...
It is ironical that they are using renewable energy to produce gas guzzling SUVs and light trucks. Highlights the lack of action on the demand side of the equation. Roll on those carbon taxes.
GM to use wind power for more than 50% of annual vehicle output from Arlington Assembly plant
General Motors’ Arlington, Texas, Assembly plant will soon be able to build up to 125,000 trucks a year using wind power. Arlington Assembly produces more than 1,200 vehicles daily, including the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe; GMC Yukon and Yukon XL; and Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV. The 1...
PSA separation of H2 from CO and CO2 is actually part of the SMR (steam methane reformer) technology for industrial production of H2. Should work fine for CH4 and H2 separation.
Gaseous O2 is used in massive quantities for everything from medical applications to steel making.
JCAP team reports first complete “artificial leaf”; >10% solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency
Researchers at the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP) report the development of the first complete, efficient, safe, integrated solar-driven system—an “artificial leaf”—for splitting water to produce hydrogen. JCAP is a US Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Innovation Hub establis...
Harvey
Judging by the success of the wars on drugs, terror, poverty etc etc ,the last thing we want is a (US led no doubt) war on GHG. Not to say that putting the world on a war footing would not be great, just the political optics are terrible.
Ballard providing fuel cell power modules to new customer for 8 buses in China
Ballard Power Systems will supply next-generation FCvelocity-HD7 fuel cell power modules for 8 buses to be deployed in a number of Chinese cities to a Chinese manufacturer. Ballard expects to ship all of the modules in 2015. We are now beginning to see meaningful evidence of growing demand for ...
So it all depends on the local (national) policies governing net metering or feed-in rates. Here in Canada I get 400 kWh in August from my 3kW panels, and all of 50 kWh in December, so forget going off the grid. Fixed transmission charges of around $50/month are therefore a fact of life, even if netmetering gets me a small annual credit for excess power.
Makes me wonder how long before governments wake up to the huge disparities between consumer incentives in this industry. Would be nice.
IHS: 9% of solar PV systems in North America will have attached storage in 2018
IHS forecaststhat 9% of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in North America will include attached storage in 2018. Led by commercial systems, IHS expects 700 megawatts (MW) of PV systems with energy storage will be installed by 2018, compared to just 30 MW in 2014. According to the IHS “Energy Stor...
Thanks for bringing up Stanley Jevons, so misunderstood by most conservationists these days. The cycle is driven by high prices leading to increased efficiency. Then that leads to more (not less) consumption, driving up prices and here we go again.
Bottom line is that not much will change until we get some international support (agreement would be too much to ask for) for carbon taxes, which needs the thorny issue of carbon content of imports to be addressed effectively.
Opinion: Here’s what will send oil prices back up again
by Martin Tillier of Oilprice.com Oil’s rapid decline since August of last year has been dramatic. To listen to some commentators you would also think it is unprecedented and irreversible. Those claiming that oil will continue to fall from here and remain low for evermore, however, are flying in...
Maybe non-battery based regenerative systems will get some traction now in the US. I am waiting for the moment of disillusion with battery based transport when all those initial generation battery based systems start degrading drastically.
Lightning Hybrids secures order for 35 hydraulic hybrid systems from Kiessling Transit
Lightning Hybrids, developer and manufacturer of hydraulic hybrid systems for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses (earlier post), announced an agreement with Kiessling Transit to supply 35 hydraulic hybrid systems. The sale marks Lightning Hybrids’ largest order to date. The company’s system...
Good discussion, but I do not see any mention of the problems Germany has been having with the "excess" renewable power. So much so that spot market rates went negative, i.e. generating companies were having to pay others to take their power rather than dial down generation.
I like the concept of trying to solve two problems (disposal of CCS CO2 and variable renewable power) at once, but suspect the economics won't work overall - per comments above about capital cost and utilisation factor. Negative spot market rates are pretty intermittent after all.
Hydrogenics to supply 1MW electrolyzer to project converting CO2 to methanol; Power-to-Gas
Hydrogenics Corporation will supply a 1MW electrolyzer and provide engineering expertise to a consortium of companies working on the European project MefCO2 (methanol fuel from CO2) in Germany. The application will take excess electricity from intermittent renewable energy sources, generate gre...
Herman
As a long time PM in Canadian downstream (mainly) and upstream projects, suffering the blame for missed budgets and schedules, I would list the following
a). Owner pressure to get price and ROI into line to meet hurdle rates for investment in a particular project (as opposed to all the other opportunities being evaluated for limited CAPEX)
b). Perennial shortages of engineering, project management and craft labour (particularly in Western Canada).
c). Rush to get to market when oil prices signal “go”. All the projects attempt to go at once, leading to (b) above.
d). Mismanagement of contractors (as identified by EY in the article). Too many owners try to act as managing contractor, micromanaging the EPC firms they hire.
CJY
EY: oil & gas megaproject overruns to cost industry more than $500B
A new report by EY finds that 64% of multibillion-dollar, technically and operationally demanding oil & gas megaprojects continue to exceed budgets, with 73% missing project schedule deadlines. On average, current project estimated completion costs were 59% above the initial estimate. In absolu...
@HarveyD
I was interested in the various values for NA and Venezuelan crudes rather than Saudi light, in view of all the rhetoric being generated by US opponents of tar sands. As you point out other heavy crudes are as bad. The article was not clear on methodology, i.e. how much of the energy input was accounted for (NG use in tar sands, power for pumped wells etc). Sooner we can phase them all out the better, but the SUV driving anti-nuke crowd will delay that as long as possible.
Average Carbon Intensity of crude to California refineries in 2012 down very slightly from 2010 baseline
Staff of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) has posted its calculation of the average 2012 annual carbon intensity of crudes supplied to California refineries. The average value is 11.36 gCO2/MJ, calculated by weighting the carbon intensity value for each crude by the volume supplied to Ca...
Fascinating and weird. What is the magic number 11.39 g/MJ (see numerous apparently unrelated table entries)? Interesting to see what tar sand opponents make of this (if they fail to succeed in suppressing it).
Average Carbon Intensity of crude to California refineries in 2012 down very slightly from 2010 baseline
Staff of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) has posted its calculation of the average 2012 annual carbon intensity of crudes supplied to California refineries. The average value is 11.36 gCO2/MJ, calculated by weighting the carbon intensity value for each crude by the volume supplied to Ca...
Mr Steinberg's approach is eminently sensible. Cap and trade does not make sense, look at the EU experience. If it were not for the US Republican hysteria over "no new taxes" a significant increase in federal fuel tax would be the best solution all round. Earned income credit addresses the inequality issue that is going to bite the US sooner or later, much fairer than various government hand outs. (Get your tin hat here).
California Senate President pro tem proposes carbon tax on transportation fuels
California Senate President pro tempore Darrell Steinberg proposed a carbon tax on fossil transportation fuels to replace the coming cap and trade mandate on that sector in 2015. Under Steinberg’s proposal, the price of carbon fuel would rise steadily, starting at an estimated 15¢/gallon in the...
Fascinating studies, but I would imagine commercialisation would be at least 10-15 years out for the ones that actually make it. However the fact that seed money for R&D is being spread around is encouraging.
ARPA-E awarding $30M to 12 hybrid solar projects; conversion and storage
The US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) is awarding $30 million in funding to 12 projects through its Full-Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS) program, which is aimed at developing new hybrid solar energy converters and...
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