Energy Challenges

Question 1

How is energy balancing currently achieved?

Answer 1

• Natural gas fuelled CCGT power stations
• Hydro
• Imports from France

Question 2

How is future balancing hoped to be achieved?

Answer 2

• Battery storage
• Expanded hydro
• Hydrogen
• Vehicle-to-grid V2G

Question 3

How would renewables and nuclear work together as a future energy system?

Answer 3

Low carbon option, however not good for demand matching as renewables are variable/unpredictable and nuclear cannot flex (ramp output up or down) to compensate

Question 4

What are some of the pros/cons of carbon capture?

Answer 4

Pros:
- Short term option while other technologies advance
- Utilise existing infrastructure (e.g. gas networks)
Cons:
- Fossil fuels emissions other than Co2 which are harmful
- High capital cost
- Power required greatly reduces efficiency
- Doubts over long term storage of carbon
- Currently no Uk subsidies to help

Question 5

What are some issues with the electrification of heat?

Answer 5

• greatly increases electrical demand (heat demand is 3x electricity) so more generation is needed
• increases demand variability, making matching supply and demand harder
• electrical infrastructure is sized for peak demand, so therefore be working at fraction of capacity for much of the time

Question 6

What are some challenges associated with making housing more energy efficient?

Answer 6

• Who pays for new refurbishments
• May not perform as well as expected
• Components not robust and degrade over time
• Lack of skill in the workforce
• Creates unexpected problems e.g. reduced air quality
• Occupants use more energy as they are assuming it is all being offset by the new improvements

Question 7

Explain how hydrogen production could be paired with CSS?

Answer 7

First convert methane to hydrogen, burn the hydrogen in a gas power station and store the Co2 in high pressurised excavated oil wells in the north sea
Similar issues with this as normal CSS