MARINE POLLUTION: A waste cleanup team formed by the Taoyuan City Government hopes to change the public’s behavior and reduce production of waste at the source

By Cheng Shu-ting and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

A marine waste cleanup team established last year by the Taoyuan City Government hopes to inspire change in public behavior by exposing the extent of waste near the coast, it said on Saturday.

The team — which conducted its first cleanup on July 28 — is headed by Taoyuan Office of Coast Administration Construction Director Lin Li-chang (林立昌).

“Our mission is not to clean up all of the waste in the sea, but rather to improve public awareness of the marine ecosystem and thereby reduce the production of waste at the source,” he said.

Waste is a common sight along Taiwan’s west coast and when the team cleans up a section of the coastline, it finds waste at the same spot again the following day, he said.

“Part of it drifts here with the ocean currents from other countries, and part of it is domestic waste that washes into the sea through streams and rivers,” Lin said.

Lighter waste, such as plastic and polystyrene foam, generally float on the ocean’s surface, while heavier garbage — including fishing nets, glass, dense plastic items, such as disposable utensils, and metal items — sink to the bottom, he said.

“All of this is human-made waste. It is not uncommon even to see discarded bicycles on the ocean floor,” he said.

The team performed its first cleanup at the Guanxin Algal Reefs Ecosystem Wildlife Conservation Area (觀新藻礁生態系野生動物保護區) in Taoyuan.

The team chose the spot because, unlike other areas along the west coast where drifting sand makes the water murky, the clear water allowed the team to clearly demonstrate the extent of the waste problem, Lin said.

However, even there team members could only see about 30cm ahead in the water, he added.

The team later went on to clean up Keelung’s Chaojing Bay Conservation Area (潮境公園) and Pingtung County’s Siaoliouciou Island (小琉球).

“I believe that through these cleanup operations we can slowly influence the behavior of people living nearby,” he said.

However, safety was also a concern, and the team limited its activities to waters near the coast, and always took the season and weather into account, Lin said.

“The northeasterly winds that blow during the winter have a major effect on Taiwan’s waters, so we largely limit our operations to the period between May and October,” he said.

The team also works with fisheries officials and uses data analysis to determine when visibility in the water would be least affected by coastal sand drifts, he said.

Source: TAIPEI TIMES, Oct 19, 2020

As wind turbines grow in size, they become more expensive to manufacture, but larger and larger units continue to drive down the cost of electricity from offshore wind.

2020 has seen leading manufacturers of offshore wind turbines unveil new, larger, higher capacity units. Siemens Gamesa’s 14-MW offshore wind turbine (which is expected to be capable of 15 MW in due course) is set to become commercially available from the mid-2020s and larger versions of existing turbines are in development elsewhere, not least GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X and a new turbine from MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.

Larger turbines are more expensive to manufacture, but analysis by Rystad Energy demonstrates that, although they are more expensive, using new-generation turbines reduces overall costs for large-scale offshore windfarms.

This is because the additional cost involved in manufacturing giant turbines is mitigated by the need to install fewer of them, and the efficiency gains associated with more technologically advanced turbines.

Every turbine also needs a foundation, so the overall number of foundations required for a project decreases, as does the need for array cables.

Rystad Energy analysed the cost of using turbines of differing sizes for a 1-GW offshore project. Utilising 14–MW turbines instead of 10–MW units, the number required for a 1 GW project falls by 28 units, from 100 to 72. Moving to a 14–MW turbine from a 12–MW turbine still offers a reduction of nearly 11 units.

Overall, the analysis shows that using the largest turbines for a new 1–GW windfarm can provide cost savings of nearly US$100M, compared to installing currently available 10–MW turbines.

Rystad Energy product manager offshore wind Alexander Flotre says, “Siemens Gamesa’s latest turbine is a step towards dramatically reducing development and levelised costs worldwide.

“With larger turbines come greater savings and greater revenue generation potential over the duration of projects, increasing the offshore wind industry’s competitiveness.”

Rystad Energy assumes the cost of a turbine is approximately US$800,000 per MW on average for currently available units, that is, turbines with a nameplate capacity of up to 10 MW, with a 2.5% premium applied for each additional MW for the larger units expected in the medium-term, to reflect anticipated efforts by manufacturers to capture upside.

“For this analysis, we estimate the cost of a 10–MW turbine is US$8M, while a 12–MW and a 14–MW turbine would cost approximately US$10.1M and US$12.3M, respectively,” says Rystad Energy.

“Moving from a 10–MW turbine to a 14–MW turbine could result in higher costs, of approximately US$85M for manufacturing. Utilising a 14–MW turbine in lieu of a 12–MW unit could add almost US$45M to manufacturing costs.”

Foundations are the main components that offer opportunities for cost reductions if larger turbines are utilised. Rystad Energy estimates that a foundation typically costs between US$3M and US$4M, with variations relating largely to foundation type and water depth.

In a 10 MW to 14 MW switch, cost savings could exceed US$100M for the developer, while savings in a 12–MW to 14–MW scenario would range from US$30M to US$50M.

The cost of array cables varies based on the turbine size. While the use of larger turbines implies potential cost savings through fewer foundations, the added length required for array cables for 14–MW turbines is likely to keep overall cable costs flat. However, the lower turbine count reduces the number of cabling runs and connection of turbines to the offshore substation, which in turn could cut installation costs.

“This analysis shows that although larger units are expected to drive up the cost of turbines, reductions from other segments – namely foundations – could result in cost savings of US$100M to US$120M in manufacturing costs alone, helping to offset some of the developer’s expenses,” says Rystad Energy.

Rystad Energy also estimates the cost of installing a turbine ranges from US$0.5M to US$1M, and the cost of installing foundations ranges from US$1M to US$1.5M per unit.

Using the midpoint in each range, for a 1–GW project the implied savings exceed US$50M when using 14–MW instead of 10–MW units. Comparing 14–MW with 12–MW turbines, potential savings exceed US$20M.

Furthermore, the reduction in cabling runs and connections due to the lower number of array cables could lead to additional savings of between US$5M and US$15M, when using 14–MW turbines rather than 12–MW and 10–MW turbines.

In addition to potential cost savings from reducing the number of units required, the increase in turbine size can also drive other efficiency gains. Rystad Energy analysed the potential reduction in the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) using Equinor’s Empire Wind in the US as a case study.

In this case, using 10–MW turbines, the estimated LCOE is approximately US$75/MWh. Opting for 12–MW turbines, LCOE falls to approximately US$71/MWh. With a further upgrade to 14–MW turbines, LCOE is estimated to be US$68/MWh.

“With the incremental increase in size, turbines and offshore windfarms become more economical – not just in terms of reduced upfront costs, but also in longer-term power generation potential,” Rystad Energy concludes.

GE to provide 13-MW version of Haliade-X for Dogger Bank

GE Renewable Energy is to supply an uprated version of its Haliade-X offshore wind turbine for the massive Dogger Bank offshore windfarm in the UK.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm and GE Renewable Energy signed a contract on 22 September 2020 for 13-MW Haliade-X turbines for the Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B phases of the project. When launched, the Haliade-X was described as a 12-MW unit.

The award, which is subject to Dogger Bank A and B reaching financial close, covers the supply of 190 Haliade-X 13-MW turbines, split evenly at 95 turbines for each of the first two phases of the project.

The Haliade-X 13MW is an enhanced version of the successful 12-MW prototype unit which has been generating power in Rotterdam since November 2019 and recently secured its provisional type certificate from DNV GL.

The prototype unit, which set a world record in January 2020 by being the first wind turbine to produce 288 MWh in one day, will start operating at 13 MW in the coming months as part of its ongoing testing and certification process.

As part of the agreement with SSE, GE Renewable Energy will establish its marshalling harbour activities at Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool which will serve as the base for turbine service equipment, installation and commissioning activities for Dogger Bank A and B.

This will see the delivery of components for the 13-MW wind turbines to the port, including the nacelle, three tower sections and three 107-m long blades, for pre-assembly onsite at Able Seaton prior to transport out to the North Sea for installation. This activity will lead to 120 skilled jobs at the port during construction. Turbine installation is expected to commence in 2023 at Dogger Bank A.

The announcement also includes a five-year service and warranty agreement supporting operational jobs in the maintenance of the windfarm.

by David Foxwell

Source:Riviera, Oct 15, 2020

Danish offshore vessel specialist Maersk Supply Service and its compatriot offshore wind developer Ørsted have teamed up to test a prototype offshore charging buoy.

The buoy will act as a safe mooring point and a charging station for vessels, potentially displacing a significant amount of marine fuel with “green” electricity.

The prototype buoy has been developed by Maersk Supply Service while Ørsted is responsible for the buoy’s integration with the electrical grid at the offshore wind farm. The charging buoy will be tested in the second half of 2021, where it will supply overnight power to one of Ørsted’s service vessels.

The buoy can be used to charge the smaller battery- or hybrid-electrical vessels and to supply power to larger vessels, enabling them to turn off their engines when laying idle.

“By substituting fossil-based fuels with green electricity, virtually all emissions are eliminated while the buoy is in use,” Maersk Supply Service said.

Upon technical validation and commercial ramp up, the electrical charging buoy has significant potential, short to medium term, to contribute positively to reduce emissions for the maritime industry, the Danish offshore vessel operator said.

“This will happen through displacing tens of thousands of tons of fuel consumed every year in the wider maritime sector by enabling inactive vessels to turn engines off and replace energy consumption and charge batteries with renewable electricity. Within five years of global operation, Maersk Supply Service has the ambition to remove 5.5 million tons of CO2, additionally avoiding particulate matter, NOx, and Sox,” MSS said.

Intellectual rights publicly available

Ørsted plans to make any intellectual property created in designing the integration of the buoy into the offshore wind asset publicly available to maximize the uptake potential of this carbon reduction innovation across the offshore wind sector.

“As large parts of the global maritime fleet are getting ready to receive shore power in ports, timing is right for implementing this clean ocean-tech innovation. The charging buoy is applicable as a mooring point outside ports, in offshore wind farms, and near vicinity to other offshore installations. Additionally, it will further help limit the increasing vessel congestions and remove air pollution in port areas,” the two companies said in a statement.

Jonas Munch Agerskov, Managing Director for Offshore Renewables at Maersk Supply Service said: “The charging buoy tackles a multitude of problems; lower emissions, offering a safe mooring point for vessels, better power efficiency and eliminating engine noise. This is also a solution that can be implemented on a global scale, and one that can be adapted as the maritime industry moves towards hybridization and electrification.”

Mark Porter, Senior Vice President and Head of Operations at Ørsted Offshore:”Ørsted has set the ambitious target of having carbon neutral operations in 2025, which includes the operations of our offshore wind farms. Technical and commercial innovation is central to Ørsted’s ability to provide real, tangible solutions to achieve our operational ambitions – and we need our partners’ support. We are happy to team up with Maersk Supply Service to test this innovative charging buoy, which brings us a step closer to creating a world that runs entirely on green energy.”

For the demonstration phase of the project, Maersk Supply Service has received one of the largest EUDP grants (Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Programme, under the Danish Energy Agency) in 2020 supporting with DKK 22mn to the engineering and demonstration of the power buoy. The Danish Maritime Fund has provided initial co-financing to conceptualize the project.

Source: Marine Technology, Sep 28, 2020

Saudi Aramco said it has shipped 40 tons of “blue” ammonia from Saudi Arabia to Japan for use in zero-carbon power generation.

The announcement comes amid growing appreciation of the role hydrogen will play in the global energy system. Ammonia, a compound consisting of three parts hydrogen and one part nitrogen, can contribute to addressing the challenge of meeting the world’s growing energy needs in a reliable, affordable and sustainable manner, the company said.

“The use of hydrogen is expected to grow in the global energy system, and this world’s first demonstration represents an exciting opportunity for Aramco to showcase the potential of hydrocarbons as a reliable and affordable source of low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia,” said Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Aramco’s chief technology officer. “This milestone also highlights a successful transnational, multi-industry partnership between Saudi Arabia and Japan. Multinational partnerships are key in realizing the Circular Carbon Economy, championed by the Saudi Arabian G20 Presidency. Aramco continues to work with various partners around the world, finding solutions through the deployment of breakthrough technologies to produce low-carbon energy and address the global climate challenge.”

The Saudi-Japan blue ammonia supply network demonstration spanned the full value chain, including the conversion of hydrocarbons to hydrogen and then to ammonia, as well as the capture of associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

It overcame challenges associated with the shipping of blue ammonia to Japan for use in power plants, with 30 tons of CO2 captured during the process designated for use in methanol production at SABIC’s Ibn-Sina facility and another 20 tons of captured CO2 being used for Enhanced Oil Recovery at Aramco’s Uthmaniyah field.

This milestone highlights one of several pathways within the concept of a global Circular Carbon Economy, a framework in which CO2 emissions are reduced, removed, recycled and reused as opposed to being released into the atmosphere.

Toyoda Masakazu, chairman and chief executive officer of IEEJ, said blue ammonia is critical to Japan’s zero carbon emission ambitions to sustain the balance between the environment and the economy.

“About 10% of power in Japan can be generated by 30 million tons of blue ammonia,” Masakazu said. “We can start with co-firing blue ammonia in existing power stations, eventually transitioning to single firing with 100% blue ammonia. There are nations such as Japan which cannot necessarily utilize Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) or EOR due to their geological conditions. The carbon neutral blue ammonia/hydrogen will help overcome this regional disadvantage.”

Dr. Fahad Al-Sherehy, vice president of Energy Efficiency and Carbon Management at SABIC, said SABIC can economically leverage existing infrastructure for hydrogen and ammonia production with CO2 capture.

“Our experience in the full supply chain along with integrated petrochemicals facilities will play an important role in providing blue ammonia to the world,” he said.

Ammonia contains approximately 18% hydrogen by weight and is already a widely traded chemical on the world stage. It releases zero CO2 emissions when combusted in a thermal power plant and has the potential to make a significant contribution to an affordable and reliable low-carbon energy future. SABIC and Mitsubishi Corp., which is represented on the IEEJ study team involved in the project, are overseeing the transport logistics in partnership with JGC Corp., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd., Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and UBE Industries, Ltd.

Source: Diesel & Gas Turbine Worldwide