As part of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), the goal is to install at least 2 GW in offshore wind farms by 2030. Independent Transmission Operators (IPTOs) specialize in the research, installation and operation of interconnections. State-owned company Hellenic Hydrocarbon Resources Management will take over the process of developing offshore wind power. The first project is expected to be in Alexandroupolis, which has been designated as an offshore wind pilot area. Next, the Energy Regulator will start an auction, where each investor will submit an offer for each field for which they are licensed. Successful investors will have exclusivity within each area and the criteria will be based on the lowest bid.
Steel is one of the hardest industries to decarbonize, along with chemicals, cement and transportation. Converting all BF-BOF plants in the EU to hydrogen-based DRI/EAF would require up to 5.3 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen and up to 370 TWh of other renewable electricity. The challenge becomes even greater if variable renewable electricity is used and the electrolyzers cannot operate at constant full load. According to an analysis by the European Commission, the cost of producing hydrogen using solar photovoltaics will rise to almost 7 billion euros for a single average-capacity plant. In order to break even, the transport price of hydrogen must be less than 3 euros per kilo, with a high price, in another case less than 1.5 euros per kilo. Underground hydrogen storage in salt caverns offers a cost-effective solution, but they are not available across the EU.
As the energy crisis unfolds, the European Union eases rules on financing gas projects. But such efforts can only receive administrative support if there is an option to blend or switch to cleaner hydrogen. Municipal district heating company Termoficare Oradea has made a public call to hire consultants for its 80 MW solar park and hydrogen production facility project.
Demand and supply in the grid must be constantly balanced. Pumped-storage hydropower remains the only traditional and most cost-effective technology for large-scale balancing of power systems. Iberdrola has just opened Tâmega Gigabattery in Portugal. According to the European Energy Storage Association, the EU will need 200 gigawatts of energy storage by the end of the century and 600 gigawatts by 2050. Iberdrola's Tâmega Gigabattery is one of the largest pumped hydro storage projects in Europe for the past 25 years.
The facility, valued at 1.5 billion euros, has not yet been completed. It consists of two reservoirs connected to a tunnel, of which the engine room is located underground. Recently, another large pumped hydro storage facility came online in Switzerland.
Germany, Italy and Austria face the greatest risk of gas shortages in the EU due to uncertain supply prospects from Russia. The European Commission presented member states last week with a plan to reduce gas demand, triggering a special meeting of energy ministers. Hungary was the only EU member state to vote against it. The EU is united. Czech Industry and Trade Minister Josef Sikela said today's decision made it clear that member states would firmly oppose any attempt by Russia to split the EU.
Germany has agreed to buy a 30% stake in Uniper, the country's largest natural gas importer, which is suffering from severe liquidity shortages. The bailout may be just the beginning of a structural shift in the energy sector.
Nofar Energy, which is listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, intends to install a 255 MW solar power plant on 290 hectares of land in southern Romania. The utility said it expects annual revenue of 27 million euros. Nofar said it aims to start construction in 2023, pending the necessary permits. The investor revealed that it has a total of 579 MW in pipeline in Romania, including the Răteşti project with a planned installed capacity of 155 MW.
The Sauk Valley Hydrogen project in Illinois will produce green hydrogen using electricity from Invenergy's co-located solar power plant. Green hydrogen projects can scale quickly and efficiently to reach megawatt to gigawatt applications. The project will break ground in the coming months and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2022.
A large rooftop solar project has been completed at a healthcare distribution facility in Massachusetts. The 6.7 MW DC system is located on the roof of Medline's 820,000-square-foot facility in Uxbridge. The company has invested $34 million in renewable energy since 2016. Rooftop solar systems are now installed at five of the company's U.S. plants.
More than 400 clean energy companies are urging congressional leaders to take legislative action. The Solar Energy Industries Association is calling for a settlement that includes a long-term extension of the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and a stand-alone energy storage credit. The group is also calling for ratification of the Solar Manufacturing in America Act (SEMA). SEMA will provide a tax credit of 11 cents/watt for integrated modules, 4 cents/watt for batteries, and $12/m2 for batteries. Meter. wafers, and $3/kg of polysilicon. The bill's provisions were contained in the now-defunct Build Back Better Act. Experts suggest it may take 2-3 years to build a domestic solar supply chain to meet U.S. demand.
A hydrodynamic generator placed in the water supply channel serving the Denver, Colorado water system has been commissioned. The four vertical axis rotor arrays are connected to a nearby control panel that includes an inverter, the same as those used to connect the solar modules to the larger utility grid. The United States has thousands of miles of canals, especially in the Southwest, that could accommodate similar distributed energy sources.