Two-thirds of the electricity generated in Europe in the first half of this year is carbon-free. The share of renewable energy sources is 40% of total production, while electricity generation based on fossil fuels has fallen by 18%. The Barometer shows that the rate of decline in coal-fired power generation is ahead of the trajectory of the European long-term strategy.
By 2030, the number of EU countries without coal generation will reach 21. And this trend will continue. Whether the European economy faces a protracted economic crisis or a rapid recovery, by 2030 up to 80% of the EU’s electricity could be produced without the use of fossil fuels. The Barometer records a sharp and sudden increase from 3 Tw to more than 20 Tw of electricity imported annually from outside the EU over the past 5 years.
New 13 MW Halide-X wind turbines to be installed at largest offshore wind farm (September 2020)
GE will deliver upgraded 13 MW Halide-X machines to Dogger Bank’s largest offshore wind farm (3.6 GW) off the coast of the UK, which is being built by Norwegian oilmen from Equinox and SSE.
Previously, GE was to supply 300 legacy Halide-X turbines for the facility. Now the company says that for the first and second stages of the power plant (Dogger Bank A and B), it will supply 190 upgraded wind turbines.
The growth in the size and power of turbines is one of the key technological trends in the development of wind energy, which helps to reduce unit costs and the cost of a unit of energy. In May of this year, Siemens Gamesa introduced the world’s most powerful 14 MW wind turbine, which will be delivered from 2024.
The Sun Overtakes the Wind (September 2020)
In 2019, solar power grew faster than wind power. At the end of last year, the total installed capacity of solar power plants exceeded 650 GW, leaving wind generation behind with 645 GW.
According to Bloembergen experts, the gap between solar and wind energy will grow. According to their forecasts, from 130 to 170 GW of solar power will be built annually against 50-60 GW of wind generation. However, while wind energy wins – it generates 2 times more electricity due to a higher installed capacity utilization factor.
Also, experts note that wind and solar energy accounted for more than 60% of all generating capacities built in 2019 in the world. It is noted that solar energy in terms of installed capacity (650 GW) is ranked 4th after coal (2100 GW), gas generation (1810 GW) and hydroelectric power plants (1160 GW). However, by 2030 it may take the first or second place.
In 2019, photovoltaics provided almost 3% of the world’s electricity, while 15 years ago it accounted for less than one tenth of a percent. In total, the installed capacity of green energy (including hydropower) at the end of 2019 amounted to about 2.5 TW.
Offshore wind power to “add” 200 GW by 2030 (September 2020)
Offshore wind energy will continue to flourish for at least the next 10 years. This conclusion was made by the experts of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). According to the organization’s forecast, the installed capacity of offshore wind energy will increase by more than 200 GW by 2030. Today, offshore wind energy is just beginning its triumphant development, according to GWEC analysts. This year, despite the coronavirus pandemic, an increase of 6.5 GW is projected.
In their opinion, over the next 10 years, offshore wind energy will “add” more than 200 GW, that is, its capacity will increase by more than 7 times. Thus, the total installed capacity of offshore wind farms will approach 235 GW. By 2030, according to GWEC, wind energy will have a host of new technological solutions, thanks to which it will become easier to install platforms, and energy from offshore wind farms will become even cheaper.
There, the capacity of wind farms will be almost 60 GW. The UK (40 GW), the US (23 GW) and Germany (20 GW) will come in second, third and fourth places.
The new efficiency is immediately 50% better than the current solar panel efficiency record of 22.3%. The four largest German manufacturers of power equipment are already preparing the basis for a quick launch of development in a series. The consortium included scientists from the Hamelin Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Institute for Materials and Components in Electronics of the University of Hannover, as well as leading engineers from power equipment manufacturers Centrotherm, Sing ulus, Meyer Burger and Von Ardennes, reports PV Magazine.
As a result, tandem cells with different layers can perform differently depending on the weather and lighting conditions, and adjusting the current to optimally extract power from both cells in a two-terminal configuration becomes especially challenging.
The consortium says that if the new panels achieve record efficiency levels, the cost of producing photovoltaic cells in Germany will drop to 0.04 euros per kWh. Scientists continue to work on improving the technology and are preparing to present the first working prototype.
