Alternative energies

9 August 2022



As the rise in gas costs really begins to bite, Chris Goggin of Rinnai UK, global hot water solution manufacturer and supplier, examines the landscape of global energy in the Ukraine post invasion era


Diversification of global energy options will be intensified as purchase of Russian oil and gas is suspended by major economies across the globe. Efforts will have to be made by major European economies to introduce alternative energy options.

EU dependence on Russian oil and gas will be reduced by two thirds inside a year, meaning that European energy capacity will have to be filled by alternative sources. European decarbonisation has received extra incentive to maintain and rapidly advance plans to introduce a range of energy options to consumers. European and UK energy administrators are giving priority to introduce solar, wind, wave, nuclear, electrification, heat pumps and hydrogen into future energy mixes.

UK and European leaders have already published strategies that outline a pathway towards reducing reliance on any Russian power source. Recent announcements in the UK include two potential new large solar panel sites that will provide power to nearby residents in Norfolk, eastern UK.

French Energy Company EDF plans to install a 49.9 MW solar farm. If approved the solar farm could generate enough electricity to power 14,600 homes.

Additional plans to construct a 130- acre solar farm, the size of 65 football pitches are also under review. If approved, Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE) a UK based international clean energies company could reduce regional emissions by over 9,000 tonnes.

To create alternative UK domestic energy markets £375 million will be provided by the Government towards green hydrogen manufacturing as part of its Energy Security Strategy. The bulk of this investment will focus on supporting green hydrogen production and widening capacity. Work will also begin on legitimising green hydrogen costs to consumers and producers alike.

The European strategy – RepowerEU - will concentrate on strengthening a European energy system by pursuing two aims in the short and long term: the short-term target will focus on regenerating gas capacity by diversifying gas supplies through alternative gas markets and to also purchase imported American LNG.

Long term EU energy security will concentrate on increasing biomethane and hydrogen production and imports. By 2030 EU member states want to be free from energy security issues which result from potential Russian government manipulation that has proved a divisive political tool across eastern EU member states.

In preventing future energy security issues major European economies such as France, Italy, The Netherlands and Germany will soon begin constructing various renewable projects designed to introduce sustainable domestic andf commercial energy supplies and to prevent future political leverage by Russia.

Each aforementioned country has to suit its future energy needs on its current energy mix. To nullify Russian power imports France is going to construct six further nuclear facilities that yield low carbon electricity and extend renewable capacity for on and offshore wind power. France will construct 50 offshore wind sites by 2050.

French renewable company Neoen has been awarded seven contracts that amount to 92.5 MWp of solar capacity. These sites will bring the active total of MWp capacity in Neoen solar panel projects in France to 661.4 MWp.

The Netherlands also announced its intention to increase renewable capacity and green gas production in the coming years. Solar energy as well as offshore wind power are options the Dutch government is keen to explore.

UK based oil and gas company Neptune Energy and German energy company RWE signed an agreement to work together in constructing a green hydrogen project using offshore wind to convert into green hydrogen. This project will be located in the Dutch sector of the North Sea. Once generated, hydrogen will then be transported to land through existing pipeline.

Gas dependant Italy aims to replace former Russian gas imports with Egyptian gas while targeting future hydrogen usage. Italian gas operators Snam and Eni are both heavily involved in multiple hydrogen projects.

Current hydrogen projects include plans for the construction of the Puglia Green Hydrogen Valley project to build three green hydrogen production plants in Brindisi, Taranto and Cerignola which will combine to generate capacity of 220 MW. PV panels will absorb sunlight which will then be converted into green hydrogen. Once all three plants become operational around 300 million cubic metres of renewable hydrogen could be cultivated annually.

Germany is aiming to vastly increase renewable capacity and plans focus on providing domestic electrical needs through renewable solar and wind power. Germany’s original plan was to make this possible by 2035; since the start of the Ukraine conflict, Germany has decided to bring these plans forward.

Germany’s Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has begun the process of revising maritime spatial plans to include an additional 3 GW of offshore wind capacity in the North Sea. 3 GW of transferable wind power could potentially generate electricity to power around 3 million households.

Germany is also investing in alternative gases such as hydrogen. €8 billion has already been invested into 62 large scale hydrogen projects covering the entire value chain. Among these plans is the idea of laying 1,700 kilometres of new hydrogen pipeline.

  • Oil and gas were already on a shortened shelf life, Russia may have shortened that shelf life in a way ecological campaigners have struggled to do so. For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

DECARBONISING: Chris Goggin


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