RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGY IS MORE THAN SOLAR AND WIND


A


longside wind and solar, demand for low- carbon power, Energy-from-Waste (EfW), biomass, tidal and battery storage is on the


up. So, what are the advantages of the alternatives? Dave Ogden, managing director at high-voltage electrical engineering firm Smith Brothers Contracting, takes a look. Until recently, the main barriers for the adoption


of renewable technology was the upfront set-up cost of clean energy vs. that of fossil fuels. However, in recent years, that initial outlay has declined significantly. Thanks to the falling price of equipment, co-location of technologies, and investments by developers to upgrade from nominal power outputs to a greater, more efficient generator, are all helping the sector to flourish.


TURNING WASTE INTO ENERGY


One of the most popular alternatives to solar and wind is EfW – and the idea of turning redundant material into something other than landfill has more benefits than simply powering up a factory. While EfW can utilise many materials, as a


nation, we don’t currently have the infrastructure in place to handle the sheer volume of plastic waste we produce on a daily basis. And, The ENDS Report revealed that in 2019, the UK sent 24.3% of its 691,993 tonnes of plastic waste to Turkey. When you consider that we’re paying per tonne


for other countries to get rid of our rubbish, it’s clear to see why there are so many EfW streams coming into the UK – in a bid to pick up on the demand. Our own enquiry rate for such developments has rocketed from 0% to 5% of enquiries in the last few years alone. We’re already working on several studies around


where best to locate such sites – which need to be close enough to towns or transport links to make the recycling process carbon efficient, as well as a location near a network which has spare capacity. Gone are the days where such developments


were a ‘blot on the landscape’ too. These plants are being created in conjunction with some of the world’s leading architects, who look to create sympathetic, sustainable designs.


BUILDING ON BIOMASS


In a similar vein, yet smaller scale, we’re seeing a resurgence in the popularity of fuel derived from manure, surplus crops, feathers – and even maggots. Despite being one of the cheaper, by comparison, methods of green energy generation, such sustainable harvesting still only amounts for 10% of the world’s energy – possibly due to the amount of produce needed in order to operate effectively.


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• • • RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGY • • •


With the stark reality of climate change in greater focus than ever, there is still a long way for the UK to go before it meets its clean energy targets. But, the options available for sustainable connections go way beyond the obvious


However, it’s an incredibly efficient way of


reusing plant-derived materials, which would otherwise be left to decompose. Typically popular with farms and food producers, these <50MW sites are ideal for industries which generate a lot of on-site waste. Moreover, such installations can benefit from a


Private Purchase Agreement (PPA) whereby owners will generate energy for their own usage, and anything additional can be sold back to the network at a pre-agreed price.


WAVE, TIDAL AND STORAGE


Although tidal and wave energy are still very much in the developmental phase, the consistency of the tides means such generation is a reliable resource. Unlike solar and wind, which rely on sunny or windy days for maximum efficiency. This form of hydropower relies on the twice-daily


tidal currents of our oceans and seas to drive turbine generators – and is something we expect to see a lot more of in the years to come. But, once clean energy has been generated – whether offshore on on-shore – there is a need to balance supply and demand. This, in turn, has meant that battery sites are


playing a rising part in the UK’s energy agenda. Such storage facilities are key to either correcting the grid via fast frequency response or picking up the network when needed. These huge power reserves are often co-located with a renewable energy resource, and can be ‘charged up’ at night, when demand is low, with the energy sold back into the grid at peak times. As a global population, we are all trying to create


a greener future for the generations to come – and that ambition comes with investing in the right infrastructure and technology to make our country more sustainable. In that same vein, renewable energy solutions offer a natural progression in our power resources and are replacing the old, inefficient coal plants which are having a detrimental effect on the atmosphere. Since 2009, the UK has decarbonised its electricity grid more than any other country.


Although much of this is as a result of coal being replaced by gas – with only a modest contribution coming from the renewable energy sector – the framework is in place to progress to a cleaner future. Watch this space.


CASE STUDY: PORTREF


It’s not often that power engineers are asked to work on top of mountains, over peat bogs and underneath river beds. But, that landscape became a daily reality for 15 members of the Smith Brothers team for almost a year, as part of a major electrical infrastructure project for REG Windpower. The Mynydd Portref windfarm project in Tonyrefail


was delivered in May 2018, and located less than 45 minutes away from the Mynydd Brombil scheme that came to a close earlier that same year. In addition to the usual considerations that we


would ordinarily make for windfarm contracts, we had the added complexities of the surrounding landscape to accommodate on this job. To prove and trench the 33kV circuit posed an


extreme engineering difficulty, not least because of the geography in the area. Carefully- coordinated and respectful discussions with community stakeholders unfolded, which meant mountain tops, trunk roads, farmland and rivers posed no problem.We negotiated agreements with landowners and scheduled meticulous traffic management schemes in built-up urban areas, to ensure the job could be completed on time and within budget.As a result, the 14km cable route was successfully designed and installed from the new brick-built substation at Tonyrefail to the point of connection in Tonteg. This meant the 13.32MW, six-turbine windfarm could be energised on schedule. Commenting on the project, Smith Brothers operations manager, Dan Wagner, said: “The Mynydd Portref job was far from straightforward. But this is the 13th windfarm contract we’ve undertaken for REG which is a testament to our ability to undertake even the most technically complex high voltage works.”


SMITH BROTHERS smithbrothersltd.co.uk


ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • NOVEMBER 2020 39


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