Insights

The worldwide drive for clean power has sparked the growth and development of diverse green fuels, each with unique properties, costs, and environmental impacts. E-methanol offers a greener alternative to traditional methanol in the chemical industry. Green Ammonia presents a sustainable option for fertiliser production. Green Hydrogen shows promise as a low-carbon energy carrier despite production and storage challenges. Biofuels, including Biogas, Bioethanol, and Biodiesel, provide renewable options with varying carbon footprints.

White hydrogen, also known as natural or geological hydrogen, has garnered significant attention in recent years. Dubbed by some as "gold hydrogen," this naturally occurring gas holds promise for a sustainable energy future. Unlike green or blue hydrogen, white hydrogen is found naturally within the Earth's crust, presenting a potentially limitless and renewable energy source.

Energy Transition is the global shift from an energy system based on fossil fuels (currently 80% of the world’s energy) – to a largely renewable energy-based system. The primary goal of the transition is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to alleviate the future effects of climate change by exchanging carbon-heavy fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas for clean, renewable energy sources.

Hydroelectric power, or hydropower, is a type of energy that has some captivating features. The basic principle of it is to turn the energy from flowing water into useful electrical power. It is a type of renewable energy since the source is water. In the following segments, its applications, benefits, costs, and how common it is around the world are going to be detailed.

For a comprehensive insight into global offshore wind advancements, one need only examine the rapid and methodical progression observed in the UK. The shift from onshore to offshore wind projects represents a logical and strategic evolution in wind energy deployment. Evidently, the trajectory points towards the increasing prominence of floating wind technologies in the future landscape of renewable energy.

When we think of renewable energy sources, wind turbines and solar panels often come to mind. However, there is another clean energy source that is gaining traction in the UK: shallow geothermal energy. Geothermal Energy is all energy stored in the form of heat beneath the surface of the solid earth. Systems installed at no more than a depth of 500 m to take advantage of the temperature (which is below 100 °C in the case of low enthalpy and below 25 °C in the case of very low enthalpy) are categorised as Shallow geothermal energy.

Assessing the risks associated with energy sources is crucial for understanding the potential hazards and vulnerabilities within the industry. According to Draeger, in 2022, 51% of those in the renewables sector are concerned or very concerned about a major disaster. When comparing hydrogen energy and oil and gas, it is essential to consider the varying risks involved, specifically in the operation, storage and transport.

In an era where sustainability and efficiency are more than just buzzwords, energy audits have emerged as a crucial tool for businesses and organisations. They comprehensively evaluate how efficiently a building or a processing facility uses energy, identifying opportunities to reduce energy consumption and save money on utility bills. However, the benefits of energy audits extend beyond financial savings. Energy audits also contribute to environmental conservation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants associated with energy production.

The ocean is a vast playground of untapped energy. Waves, created by the wind's interaction with the water's surface, hold immense potential. Wave energy, also known as ocean wave power, aims to capture this power and convert it into usable electricity. It's like harnessing the ocean's natural heartbeat to power our world. The energy held within the world's waves is the most significant unused power source on the planet, with the total energy potential globally believed to reach a staggering 30,000 TWh per year. To put this into perspective, that's tenfold the European Union's total annual electricity usage. With such an impressive global reserve, wave power could provide a significant proportion of the world's clean energy and play a crucial role in shaping the energy landscape of the future.

The commitment to net zero has impacted all sectors, promoting the need for low-carbon technologies. Around the UK, a vast number of decommissioned facilities are standing disused in previous industrial hubs, and this will only become more common over the coming years as more and more carbon-polluting facilities are closed. More recently, there has been research and investment on how these sites could be used to develop renewable energy sites.

The myths and misconceptions surrounding solar energy often need to be updated or stem from a lack of understanding of the technology. Solar energy remains efficient in less-than-ideal weather conditions, and while initial costs can be high, the long-term financial benefits are substantial. Furthermore, although the manufacturing process of solar panels does have an environmental impact, the overall effect is far less damaging than traditional energy sources. As technological advancements continue to refine and improve solar energy, it becomes increasingly clear that this is a sustainable, viable, and crucial solution in our global fight against climate change. 

There are several technical and economic reasons that offshore wind power is a viable option for decarbonising traditional oil and gas production. Firstly, new offshore wind license areas are often located in deeper waters and at greater distances from the coast. Once land is reached, these sites are still far from potential markets. These logistical factors drive up the cost of delivering power to onshore users. Consequently, supplying power to offshore oil and gas extraction and production sites presents an opportunity to distribute power more economically than if it were to be transferred to onshore markets.

In a landmark decision that marked the beginning of the UK's Electric Vehicle (EV) Revolution, the UK government announced in November 2020 the cessation of sales of petrol and diesel-fueled vehicles by 2030, and hybrid vehicles by 2035. This unprecedented shift, aimed at significantly reducing the country's carbon footprint, has set the stage for a monumental transition in the transport sector, which accounted for 24% of the UK's total emissions in 2020. Now, two and a half years into this bold initiative, amidst challenges such as soaring fuel and electricity prices and a cost of living crisis, the UK has 1.8 million EVs on its roads, and significant investments are being made in charging infrastructure. While the electrification of the automotive industry is moving in the right direction, questions remain about the feasibility of meeting the ambitious targets and the ripple effect on energy producers. The road ahead is filled with potential, but time will be the ultimate judge of success in this transformative journey towards a sustainable and environmentally-friendly future.