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Climate

Marine Energy Wales and Renewable UK Cymru strengthen collaboration

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TO MARK the end of the Future Energy Wales conference, where collaboration has been a central theme, Marine Energy Wales (MEW) and RenewableUK Cymru (RUKC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, outlining their commitment to work together to accelerate the clean transition in Wales.

RUKC is the Welsh office of RenewableUK (RUK), the UK’s leading renewable energy trade association. The Future Energy Wales conference took place on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th November at ICC Wales in Newport.

MEW and RUK, both membership organisations, are committed to supporting the renewable energy industry in Wales, and to realising the economic and environmental opportunities for Welsh communities.

Marine Energy Wales has its roots in the marine renewable energy sector in Wales, representing the tidal, wave and floating offshore wind (FLOW) industries.

RenewableUK Cymru has specific interests in Welsh onshore wind and offshore fixed-bottom installations i, as well as the burgeoning floating offshore wind sector in the Celtic Sea region.

Both MEW and RUKC recognise the need to work collaboratively, particularly within the FLOW sector, to achieve the greatest benefit for the industry and for Wales.

In signing this agreement, both parties are pledging to support each other, and work together to:

  • Build the case for the deployment of renewables in Wales and the UK.
  • Collectively influence stakeholders in UK and Welsh Government to remove or reduce barriers to deployment.
  • Maximise the potential opportunities of offshore wind, including floating offshore wind (FLOW) in the Celtic Sea.

Build a healthy and innovative supply chain, which supports renewable energy activities.
Stage events that raise the profile of and attract investment to Wales, as well as providing a platform for business development, political engagement and networking.
Recognising the generational opportunity of the FLOW sector in Wales and the Celtic Sea, Marine Energy Wales, alongside partners in Ireland and the South West, launched the Celtic Sea Developer Alliance (CSDA) in 2019. MEW continues to manage the CSDA, acting as Chair.

Currently made up of 25 developers, the aim of the CSDA is to ensure the Celtic Sea opportunity is maximised at the scale and pace required for Net Zero, and to place Wales as a global leader within the sector. The CSDA promotes collaboration and engagement, provides support, and acts as a unified voice to influence policy and to coordinate and strengthen stakeholder engagement.

Tom Hill, Programme Manager at Marine Energy Wales said: Marine Energy Wales and RenewableUK Cymru share a common purpose – to accelerate the clean energy transition in Wales and maximise the opportunities for Welsh communities.

This agreement will ensure we both continue to operate with maximum impact and aligned messaging for the future. Collaboration is crucial if we are to realise Wales’ renewable opportunity at the scale and pace required for Net Zero.

Jess Hooper, Director at RenewableUK Cymru said: Power generation from a diverse renewable energy mix is a win-win for Wales, benefitting all geographical regions in industrial, rural and coastal communities; from Tidal energy in Morlais, fixed offshore wind off the coast of North Wales, onshore wind energy across Wales and floating wind in the Celtic Sea region. We look forward to working together with Marine Energy Wales to help speed up delivery and kick-start our journey to net zero.”

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Climate

Blue Gem Wind shares wind speed data with Wales’ Marine Energy Test Area

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BLUE GEM WIND, a joint venture between TotalEnergies and Simply Blue Group, have shared important wind speed data with Wales’ Marine Energy Test Area (META).

The data was collected as part of the development of the Erebus floating wind project, which is planned to be built approximately 45km off the coast of Pembrokeshire.

Mike Scott, Project Managing Director at Blue Gem Wind, said: “We installed a met mast on the Angle Peninsula in early 2021 to understand wind speed and other weather-related data for the development of our Erebus floating wind project. Working with Marine Energy Wales we are happy to provide data we have collected to support the ongoing development plans at META .”

META operates eight sites in and around the Milford Haven waterway. It offers testing in real sea conditions for wave, tidal and floating offshore wind technology, alongside world-class port, engineering, and manufacturing facilities.

As the only pre-consented, pre-commercial test facility of its kind in the country, META is dedicated to reducing the time, cost and risks associated with the deployment and commercialisation of marine energy technologies, saving companies valuable time and money.

Saul Young, META Operations Manager said: “We are pleased to be collaborating with Blue Gem Wind and to be sharing data in this way. Not only will it help improve our understanding of conditions at the East Pickard Bay site, but it will also help support the development of the sector by providing technology developers and researchers accurate data with which to plan their innovative projects at META. META has a growing catalogue of data for our various sites, and we are committed to expanding our collection.”

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Climate

Innovative Pembrokeshire net zero project in gains momentum

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IN A GROUNDBREAKING move towards achieving net zero emissions, RWE and Dragon LNG have embarked on a pioneering venture that could reshape the industrial landscape of South Wales. The collaboration aims to develop the Multi-Utility Service Transit (MUST) infrastructure project along the Milford Haven Waterway, a significant stride in the region’s journey towards sustainability.

The MUST project is currently under a feasibility study to determine its potential impact. This visionary project promises numerous environmental benefits, including the complete elimination of CO2 emissions from Dragon LNG’s regasification process. This is achievable through the innovative use of residual process heat from RWE’s Pembroke Power Station generators.

Another significant aspect of the project is establishing a route to export CO2 from a potential carbon capture plant at Pembroke Power Station. Additionally, the project paves the way for developing CO2 liquefaction, storage, and shipping capabilities at Dragon LNG. This will further strengthen the UK’s position in global environmental efforts.

Moreover, the project aims to establish an additional export route for blue and green hydrogen from the south to the north side of the Milford Haven waterway. This would potentially include hydrogen from RWE’s Pembroke Green Hydrogen projects, marking a significant advancement in renewable energy technology.

Beyond environmental benefits, the MUST project offers a unique opportunity for other industries to access crucial infrastructure for broader industrial decarbonisation. This includes supply water, direct wire connections from potential offshore renewables, and other utilities or products.

The South Wales Industrial Cluster (SWIC) Deployment Project, a flagship collaborative effort, encapsulates the MUST project as a critical component in achieving net zero infrastructure. It has received significant backing from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through its Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge program, assisting in the engineering and design phases.

Dr Bryony Livesey, Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) Director for Industrial Decarbonisation, highlighted the project’s importance in achieving the UK’s net zero emissions goal by 2050. She expressed enthusiasm for supporting the MUST project to meet its objectives.

Sarah Jennings, Executive Director at Natural Resources Wales, emphasized their commitment to supporting the project through its feasibility stage. She stressed the importance of balancing decarbonisation ambitions with the conservation of sensitive natural sites like the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC and Milford Haven Waterway SSSI.

Simon Ames, MD of Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy, expressed excitement about Dragon’s future role in community and environmental sustainability. He acknowledged the importance of government and regulatory support to ensure sustainable development while protecting the environment.

Richard Little, RWE Director of PNZC, expressed delight over the funding received for the MUST project. He underlined the project’s role as a key enabler of RWE’s Pembroke Net Zero Centre (PNZC), a comprehensive multi-technology decarbonisation initiative in South Wales.

The MUST project stands as a beacon of innovation and sustainability, promising a greener, cleaner future for Pembrokeshire and beyond. With significant support from industry leaders and government bodies, it marks a pivotal moment in the region’s environmental journey.

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Climate

How Welsh residents can use clean energy in their homes

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In the next decade, Wales aims to reach 100% of its internal electricity demands through renewable sources. The climate change minister remains at the forefront of ensuring sustainable energy sources in the country.
One way Welsh residents can join in the effort to use clean energy is by adopting renewable energy sources in their homes. These renewable energy sources provide clean and efficient energy without negatively impacting the environment.
Furthermore, these eco-friendly energy sources save money spent on electricity. It aids Welsh residents living in sustainable homes while saving the environment. Let’s dive deep into finding how to transform your houses into energy-efficient and sustainable homes.
What Is It?
Clean energy is pure energy extracted from nature without any pollutants produced with its usage. This energy is highly beneficial for the environment as it doesn’t leave behind any pollutants. It harnesses nature’s power with sources including:
⦁ Sun energy
⦁ Wind
⦁ Water
⦁ Air
Unlike traditional, clean energy sources don’t release harmful pollutants into the air. Green energy, sourced from natural elements, has a key distinction.
Renewable energy from these clean sources comes from continually replenished resources. Thus, it ensures they never run out, unlike non-renewable sources like fossil fuels.
The essence of clean energy is generating power without any potential harm to the environment for citizens.
Choosing clean energy is good for the environment. It helps protect Wale’s natural resources and lowers the chances of environmental disasters.
Because Wale’s government invests heavily in clean energy sources, they can create stable power supplies, strengthening the country’s energy security.
How to Use Clean Energy Sources in Homes

Welsh residents are quickly adopting clean energy sources in their daily routines. Here is a look at some different clean energy sources for Welsh citizens to incorporate:

  1. Rooftop Solar Panels
    The most common source of renewable energy is solar. It includes mounting solar panels on your rooftop to utilize the sun’s energy that gets converted into power. The more solar panels mounted on your rooftop, the more power it generates.
    Additionally, homeowners can invest in lithium batteries as storage backups during nighttime or cloudy days. It ensures a continuous energy supply in your home, enough to power basic home appliances.
    Homeowners can contribute the surplus electricity to the grid and earn compensation. It ensures a steady supply of energy in your house. This is the best option for users looking to homestead upcountry.
  2. Tubular Skylights
    Sometimes, you need to light up your house during the day. Clustered homes without a sufficient supply of natural light depend on lightning. It leads to increased energy bills and carbon footprint.
    A natural way to light up your homes during sunny days is through these innovative tubular skylights. These skylights don’t create electricity but redirect free natural light into your home.
    It’s a highly dependable system similar to a reliable paper writing service online since you know what you’re signing up for. It contains a dome of metal tubes running between the dome on the roof, with the diffuser mounted on the ceiling.
    The inner tubing has a reflective coating reflecting natural sunlight into your home. These systems are easy to install. Also, they are highly rigid to fit into small spaces. Unfortunately, they tools can’t work during nighttime.
  3. Wind Turbine
    Wind turbines are an underrated source of clean energy for homeowners. Especially for ones looking for sustainable living options, harnessing wind power that converts kinetic energy into electricity. Thus, this reduces homeowner’s dependence on fossil fuels.
    The market is full of small wind turbines suited for residential applications. Hence, homeowners can choose their preferred wind turbine size depending on their energy needs.
    Moreover, most wind turbines occupy a maximum of 10 or 20 square feet of ground space, thus making them viable options for small residential homes. Unlike solar power, these turbines can generate electricity day and night on sunny and cloudy days.
  4. Solar Water Heating
    People in Wales are very interested in solar water heating systems because they are easy to use. These systems change the sun’s free energy into hot water. The good thing is that when experts set them up, they don’t need much looking after them.
    Solar water heating systems comprise panels and tubes that gather solar energy, converting sunlight into heat.
    Installing these systems ensures a steady supply of hot water throughout the year. To cope with winter, adding a boiler or immersion heater is necessary. Moreover, homeowners benefit from lower energy bills since solar energy is free.
    Additionally, using solar water heating systems helps reduce one’s carbon footprint by lowering carbon dioxide emissions, contributing to a healthier planet.
    Future of Wales’s Energy Consumption
    In Wales, the future looks promising for sustainable living. The government is determined to satisfy all electricity needs with renewable sources. People generally agree that completely relying on renewable sources is better than relying on fossil fuels.
    As Wales’ population keeps expanding, we see higher energy demand. The solution is turning to renewable sources and clean energy to meet this growing need sustainably.
    The change to clean energy is precedented by local authorities crafting policies necessitating the usage of renewable energy. With more areas driving towards becoming energy-sufficient, governments and corporations are leading the way in fighting for renewable power.
    Our dependence on fossil fuels for years has significantly impacted the climate. We are experiencing the effects of these practices, with global warming becoming a major talking point on the global stage.
    Clean energy guarantees an avenue to alternate fossil fuels. The market has yet to fully explore the possibility of relying on renewable sources for daily demands. However, the conversation is happening at a rapid rate.
    Final Takeaway
    Wales began utilizing renewable energy to meet its internal electricity demands by 2035. Hence, locals should start opening up to sustainable homes relying on clean energy. These options are sustainable ways homeowners can incorporate their energy sufficiency without any adverse climate impacts.
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