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Electricity Storage 8 – So What Have We Learned?

Electricity Storage 8 – So What Have We Learned?

I started this thread of posts to discover whether electricity storage is a major barrier to wider deployment of renewables. So, what have we learned about electricity storage over the last nine weeks? Renewable energy has not created the need

richardmiller 23/01/202323/01/2023 Blog No Comments Read more

Electricity Storage 7 – Power-to-X, Chemicals as an Energy Reservoir

Containerised unit for producing hydrogen from water and renewable electricity

Last week we talked about batteries for grid scale electricity storage. There is another way we can use chemical bonds to store spare renewable electricity – Power-to-X. The idea behind Power-to-X is to convert renewable electricity into a transportable and

richardmiller 17/01/202317/01/2023 Blog No Comments Read more

Electricity Storage Options 6 – Batteries Included

Electricity Storage Options 6 – Batteries Included

This week we look at using batteries for temporary storage of renewable electricity. The installed battery capacity is still small compared to pumped hydro, but it is the fastest growing solution, and the most flexible. Battery is a generic term

richardmiller 09/01/202309/01/2023 Blog 1 Comment Read more

Electricity Storage Options 5 – Pure Electricity

Outline of superconducting magnet coils for energy storage

After a quick holiday break over Christmas and the New Year, we get back to the blog series on energy storage technologies. I hope you all had an enjoyable time! In this 5th episode, we cover storing electricity as electricity

richardmiller 02/01/202302/01/2023 Blog No Comments Read more

Electricity Storage Options 4 – Turning up the Heat

Pumped heat energy storage prototype at Newcastle University showing the hot and cold stores.

Looking for practical storage solutions for an electricity grid dominated by renewables, we have already examined gravity, pressure, and momentum as ways to capture and hold energy for later use. Next on our list is heat. It is helpful to

richardmiller 12/12/202202/01/2023 Blog 1 Comment Read more

Electricity Storage Options 3 – Springs and Tops

Almelo hybrid storage system in the Netherlands. Showing 4 Kinext flywheel units and the battery farm

This series of blogs is about electricity storage and how it works with renewable energy to create net-zero electricity grids. Last week I talked about using weights and gravity to store electricity. The most popular method is pumped hydro storage.

richardmiller 05/12/202212/12/2022 Blog 2 Comments Read more

Electricity Storage Options 2 – Using Gravity

Giant inlet valves for the turbines

Last week, I looked at the wide range of technologies available for electricity storage to support renewable energy grids. Gravity systems are the dominant form of electricity storage today. Current installations can store up to 9,000 GWh—about a quarter of

richardmiller 28/11/202205/12/2022 Blog 3 Comments Read more

Renewable Energy and Storage – the Options

Renewable Energy and Storage – the Options

I get frustrated that any time renewable energy and net-zero get mentioned on social media, reporting a new technical breakthrough, a bigger pipeline of projects or reducing costs, someone will triumphantly reply “you know the sun doesn’t shine at night!”,

richardmiller 21/11/202228/11/2022 Blog 5 Comments Read more

Electric Vehicles Push Into Logistics

Electric DAF 19 tonne truck used by the NHS in the Battery Electric Truck Trial

This week is my first anniversary as a battery electric vehicle driver. My previous car had reached the end of its economic life and I had promised myself that my next vehicle would be electric. There is little to say

richardmiller 26/10/202226/10/2022 Blog No Comments Read more

There’s More Than One Way to Solve the Climate Crisis

There’s More Than One Way to Solve the Climate Crisis

When I first started working in industry, I was lucky to have a great manager. One aphorism he drummed into me was: “don’t let best be the enemy of better”. It is easy to keep looking for the optimum; to

richardmiller 28/04/202028/04/2020 Blog No Comments Read more

Will Your Automobile be Part of the National Grid?

Electric vehicle recharging

Using the electricity stored in an Electric Vehicle battery to smooth and manage demand on the electricity grid was a big topic at this year’s Low Carbon Vehicles exhibition and conference in September at the Millbrook proving ground. This Vehicle

richardmiller 25/11/201925/11/2019 Blog No Comments Read more

Batteries Included, But They Need To Be Better

Batteries Included, But They Need To Be Better

Wonderful Lithium-Ion Batteries A few weeks ago, John Goodenough, Akira Yoshino and Stanley Whittingham won the 2019 Chemistry Nobel Prize for their work on Lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion). Lithium-ion batteries have made our portable, cable-free, mobile world. From our mobile phones

richardmiller 28/10/201928/10/2019 Blog No Comments Read more

Getting the Best Value Out of Household Waste

Getting the Best Value Out of Household Waste

We have a problem with household waste in the UK. The stuff that gets collected at the kerbside. In 2017 we collected about 27 million tonnes of waste from our homes. We are getting better recycling, and just over 45%

richardmiller 27/08/201916/06/2020 Blog No Comments Read more

Zero-Carbon Heat – Pathways to the Future

Zero-Carbon Heat – Pathways to the Future

37% of UK carbon emissions come from heating – domestic, public and commercial, and industrial. About 85% of the heating comes from gas. In its Net Zero report, the Committee on Climate Change argues that we must reduce carbon emissions

richardmiller 10/06/201921/01/2020 Blog No Comments Read more

What are the latest developments in low carbon vehicles?

What are the latest developments in low carbon vehicles?

  Every year I try to get to the Cenex Low Carbon Vehicles show at Millbrook. Now ten years old, this exhibition gives me a chance to see where we are up to on our journey to zero-carbon transportation. You

richardmiller 03/10/2018 Blog 1 Comment Read more

A Snapshot of Energy Innovation from the Rushlight Summer Showcase

A Snapshot of Energy Innovation from the Rushlight Summer Showcase

Last week I visited the Rushlight Summer Showcase in London. This brings together clean technology companies looking for investment and potential investors. The companies give a series of five-minute pitches to an investor panel, and there is also an exhibition

richardmiller 18/06/2018 Blog No Comments Read more

A Scaleable Approach to Improving Energy Efficiency in Buildings

A Scaleable Approach to Improving Energy Efficiency in Buildings

The UK has a problem; rather a large one. The Climate Change Act 2008 commits the UK to reduce carbon emissions by 80% from a 1990 baseline by 2050. In 2016 the biggest single consumer of energy was transport at

richardmiller 11/12/2017 Blog 1 Comment Read more

Where Do You Put Renewable Energy Until You Need It?

Where Do You Put Renewable Energy Until You Need It?

The cost of renewable energy continues to fall, and more and more of our electricity comes from renewables and low-carbon sources. On one day in June the renewable electricity supply peaked at over half the UK’s demand, and National Grid

richardmiller 09/10/201717/08/2018 Blog 3 Comments Read more

Renewable Low-Carbon Heat

Renewable Low-Carbon Heat

Decarbonising heat A key challenge facing the UK is decarbonising the energy system. The UK is legally committed to reduce its carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 and eventually to net-zero under the Paris Agreement.  Most of the focus in

richardmiller 26/09/201726/09/2017 Blog 1 Comment Read more

Recent Posts

  • Electricity Storage 8 – So What Have We Learned? 23/01/2023
  • Electricity Storage 7 – Power-to-X, Chemicals as an Energy Reservoir 17/01/2023
  • Electricity Storage Options 6 – Batteries Included 09/01/2023
  • Electricity Storage Options 5 – Pure Electricity 02/01/2023
  • Electricity Storage Options 4 – Turning up the Heat 12/12/2022

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