The Friday Brief: Week energy highlights
HYDROGEN
Cleaver design
French Symbio unveiled a system to facilitate on-the-road repair
It pinpoints which stack at the fuel cell is damaged.
It allows for easy replacement with a spare by the driver.
Symbio is a joint venture between Michelin (a French tire company and fine food guide) and Faurecia (a French car parts company).
Their site is https://www.symbio.one
(Do not confuse with Symbio.com, part of VXI Global Solutions recently bought by Bain Capital)
A first small step for a plane. A giant leap for aviation?
ZeroAvia makes the world’s first flight with a plane powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.
Right at the heels
US Universal Hydrogen successfully tests also tests propeller in a plane driven by a hydrogen fuel cell this week. A bit behind ZeroAvia, but not too much.
Everyone else is doing it, so why can’t we?
Several polities, countries, and states launched Hydrogen policies, strategies, and projects this week:
Türkiye launched both an energy plan and a strategy.
In Brazil, two states (Amapá and Paraná) signal the intention of producing Gree Hydrogen.
Chile to open the largest green hydrogen plant in Latin America in March this year
SOLAR POWER / PHOTOVOLTAIC
I see a trend
Massive new PV wafer factory to open in China
2012: 100 GW cumulative PV capacity installed globally
2018: 100 GW installed in that year globally
2023: A single factory will produce 100 GW of PV wafers alone per year.
Home turf advantage
French National Solar Energy Institute presents a demonstration PV module made in Europe with half of China’s carbon footprint. The module takes advantage of lower carbon emissions in Europe:
Tech: HJT
Power: 566 W
Cell Efficiency: 22.9%
Carbon footprint: 317 kgCO2eq/kWp compared to around 700 to 800 kgCO2eq/kWp in China
Noteworthy to stand out: Silicon wafer thinner than current practice at 130 µm, instead of 170 µm
GRID
Growth problems
Can the European grid keep pace with the electrification rate?
DE, NL, and UK all had problems keeping the grid running this year.
DE Grid agency chief Müller expected to ration electricity from 1 January 2024 onwards: EV charging stations and heat pumps will be the main targets.
Between 2020 and 2021, Distribution investments increased by 10% a year, when the demand increase required a 40% growth.
