Britain could store enough power in underground reservoirs during summers to prevent winter energy supply crunches, a report has found.
Using spare electricity generated by wind and solar farms during summer to create hydrogen would ensure the UK could meet increased power demands during winter months, a report from the Energy Networks Association said.
The report, in which the trade body said there was enough space in old oil and gas fields to store the hydrogen that households and businesses need in colder months, comes as manufacturers backed the clean energy source as a decarbonisation solution for the transport sector.
“The country’s wind and solar farms will have enough spare electricity generated in spring and summer, when demand is lower, to produce green hydrogen to the equivalent capacity of 25 nuclear plants," ENA said.
“The hydrogen stored would provide the same amount of energy needed for every person in the UK to charge a Tesla Model S electric vehicle more than 21 times in the autumn and winter months when energy demand is highest, creating a clean energy buffer that avoids having to manage limited energy supplies on the international markets."
Jo Bamford, executive chairman of Ryze Hydrogen and Wrightbus, which delivered the world’s first double-decker hydrogen bus in Aberdeen, Scotland last year, said the energy source was the best way to decarbonise the transport sector.
“Hydrogen is something we should really be looking at because we have lots of wind and lots of water,” he told delegates at a seminar hosted by the Centre for Policy Studies.
Last year, his Northern Irish company Wrightbus delivered the first of 15 hydrogen buses, part of an £8.3 million (£11.3m) project between the company and Aberdeen, home to some of the world’s top oil companies, a plan under which one of the largest fleets of hydrogen buses will be run.
Mr Bamford, son of JC Bamford Excavators' chairman Anthony Bamford, said a switch to hydrogen offered Britain, offering a “wonderful opportunity” to manufacturers.
People are obsessed with batteries as the only solution.
Jo Bamford,
Ryze Hydrogen and Wrightbus
The company founder said it worried him that “people are obsessed with batteries as the only solution” for powering transport in the future.
“It also slightly worries me that we need to ban the internal combustion engine.
“We make 100,000 combustion engines a year and we can run them on hydrogen and they could be zero emission."
He said that “batteries are not the only solution” to help clear the two main hurdles of the government’s net-zero ambitions – changing people’s behaviour when it comes to transport and ensuring infrastructure is in place to accommodate the shift.
Creating hydrogen in summer could reduce the number of turbines needed in the UK over the next 30 years by 75 per cent, the ENA report said.
Between 60 and 80 gigawatt hours of hydrogen could be produced by wind and solar farms in warmer months, the report found – the equivalent of about 25 nuclear power plants.
While the UK as a whole has been accused of failing to recognise the value of hydrogen, Wales is considered a leader in adopting the energy source as part of a zero-carbon future.
There are only 11 hydrogen filling stations in England, UK H2 Mobility says, so the recent inauguration of a new, 350-bar, Fuel Cell Systems filling station in Milford Haven, Wales, about 250 miles from London, attracted attention.
The station uses renewable energy to electrolyse water into hydrogen and oxygen and then compresses it to make it usable in some cars.
The local council will use the site to test fuel-cell cars such as the two-seat Rasa, which is being developed at Riversimple’s factory in Llandrindod Wells, Powys, in Wales.
Simon Hart, the Secretary of State for Wales and MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said there was growing awareness that "if we want to hit our targets we need to hit every energy source”.
He highlighted that the potential for offshore wind energy in the Celtic Sea would require some buffering and hydrogen could be an answer.
John Armitt, head of the National Infrastructure Board, said last year that if Britain did not have a clear hydrogen strategy in place “zero carbon is not going to happen”.
“The hydrogen question is critical and we are constantly urging government to step up the pace, provide more leadership,” he said.
Mr Bamford used Germany as an example of a nation investing heavily in hydrogen after its government in May pledged to invest $10 billion to fund large-scale hydrogen projects, “whereas the UK is going to spend £240m trying to embed this in our economy”, he said.
One of the biggest challenges facing the renewable sector is how to store surplus electricity produced when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining that is not needed at that point.
At the scale needed to supply a whole country, batteries are considered impractical, so engineers have considered other ways to use wind-generated electricity that is not needed to generate power later.
Hydrogen is one solution, as it is possible to separate its molecules from oxygen in water but the process uses a lot of electricity.
Producers can use excess electricity to make hydrogen during off-peak hours, or even off-peak months, and then burn it when demand is higher, a process considered 'clean' as it produces water vapour.
However, critics fear green hydrogen, which is clean to produce and burn, might lose out to hydrogen made from natural gas, which is clean to burn but emits carbon when produced.
Chris Train, green gas champion at the Energy Networks Association, said the ENA report showed how green hydrogen could provide "a clean energy bumper that can protect us from fluctuations on the international energy markets, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – whatever the weather, come rain or sunshine".
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Company%20profile
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
Mountain%20Boy
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SQUADS
Bangladesh (from): Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadat Hossain, Abu Jayed
Afghanistan (from): Rashid Khan (capt), Ihsanullah Janat, Javid Ahmadi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmad, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zahir Khan Pakteen, Afsar Zazai, Shapoor Zadran
The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
RESULTS
5pm: Sweihan – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Shamakh, Fernando Jara (jockey), Jean-Claude Picout (trainer)
5.30pm: Al Shamkha – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Daad, Dane O’Neill, Jaber Bittar
6pm: Shakbout City – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Ghayyar, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Gold Silver, Sandro Paiva, Ibrahim Aseel
7pm: Masdar City – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Khalifa City – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Ranchero, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
England ODI squad
Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
