UPDATE ON ENERGY: With a Focus on Hydrogen

 From Energy Matters of the American Energy Society.

- Climate, Sustainability, and Resiliency -

-  Earth Day Quiz (scroll down to the end of this posting to see the answers) About half of the breathable oxygen in the world comes from...? A. Forests B. Oceans C. Wind D. Clouds  2. Which land-based ecosystem holds the most biodiversity, i.e. concentration of plants and animals? A. Tropical forests B. African savannah C. South Pacific Islands D. Coral reefs 3. On average, what is the approximate daily home water use per capita in the US? A. 25 gallons B. 50 gallons C. 100 gallons D. 200 gallons

• 
  The world installed 117 gigawatts (the equivalent of replacing 117 new nuclear powerplants) of new wind power capacity in 2023, a 50% increase from the year before, making it the best year for new wind projects. Note: AES Members have access to the report, DevCo DNA, What Makes a Renewable Energy Project Development Company Great.   One reason for wind growth is that this is now the cheapest way to produce electricity.  Cost reductions over time.

• 
  The largest wind farm is Gansu in China at 10 GW, with plans to double the production.  Again, 1 GW is about the average effective power capacity of a nuclear power plant.  Watch this video.

• US renewable energy investment reached a record $88 billion in 2023.
• Want to be shocked about how quickly China can expand the use of highspeed rail lines.  To the left, 2010.  On the right, 2020.

• In March, Texas got more electricity from solar than from coal.

• There are about 12,000 solar, wind, and storage projects that are ready and waiting to connect to the grid (or about 2,500 new requests each year).

• 
  The IRS released a notice of proposed rulemaking about the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit (PTC) under Section 45V, which would provide a 10-year PTC or Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for taxpayers who produce qualifying hydrogen.

• Many utilities believe they can't reach their carbon goals without incorporating or blending hydrogen into their fuel system. Do you understand how hydrogen works and why it's important? AES applauds Introduction to Hydrogen, a 60 minute online/on-demand course by EnergDynamics (about $70 fee) to learn the basics. (Note: AES was not compensated in any way for this notice or any other published content; it is doubtful that EnerDynamics even knows about this notice.)

Finally, from the New York Times:

• Germany has earmarked $14 billion in two dozen projects to develop hydrogen.
• As part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded Nucera a $50 million grant to further develop production of gigawatt-scale electrolyzers.  Seems relatively small in comparison, but this electrolyzer could well hold the key to helping Germany spend their $14 billion for large industries.  Germany owns just over 50% of Nucera.
• 
  Germany's ThyssenKrupp is the leading industrial green energy company and is helping Saudi Arabia in the region of Neom on a $8.4 billion green hydrogen project.
• Saudi's government owns 6% of Nucera.

• That is the future city of Noem to the right.
• In short, mega-scale green hydrogen initiatives are closely linked as international partnerships.
• As oil runs out, Saudi Arabia is planning to use electrolyzers powered by solar energy to export hydrogen.

• 
  However, hydrogen from natural gas and other fossil fuels is still four to six times cheaper than
  from renewables.  
• These companies are banking on the world eventually gaining some common sense to tax fossil fuels.

China and Saudi Arabia seem to be leading the world in green energy.  Where is the USA?

About those questions posed above?

1. Answer: B. More than half of all breathable oxygen comes from the ocean, the majority of which is provided by tiny plants called phytoplankton.
2. Answer: A. Tropical forests cover less than 7 percent of Earth’s land mass but are home to about 50 percent of all living things on the planet.
3. Answer: B. The US consumes water at twice the rate of other industrialized nations.

And the cruise continues.  Lunch is turning out to be my best meal.  We sleep in till 11AM, so miss breakfast.  Every lunch so far has included a buffet section for sushi and sashimi.

After lunch stopped by to get a Pimm's Cup and gin over ice.

In the later afternoon tried to help the trivia team.  We did not win.

This session is combined with English Tea, so a scone and clotted cream.

Plus creme de brulé.

After trivial, some entertainment.

Before dinner went to the Commodore Lounge for Dalmore Whisky on ice and a harpist.

Went to lounge at a special section of King's Court for pasta and pizza.  But first went to the buffet area for some prime beef as an appetizer with Grolsch Beer and Cunard Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dinner of pizza, Spaghetti Bolognese and Caesar Salad.

Then on to the Champagne Bar for some champagne.

Royal Court Theater for the Jack Pack.

That was followed by dancing in the Queen's Room with The Clique playing oldies and disco.

Yesterday I had a heartwarming photo of an old handicapped man using a cane dancing with his wife.  Today, one of the highlights of this trip.  Must be with her father and a friend, but a handicapped girl who was also on some breathing mechanism.  Room, all the dancers marched along behind her for more than 10 minutes.

After a while, on to our favorite bar to have Lagavulan whisky, with our pianist.

It was midnight, so we actually went for a midnight snack.

Finally, back to our room.  Walked 6667 steps today.

We arrive in New York on Sunday and will spend several days in the Big Apple.  By the way, the MS Queen Anne today will embark on its maiden voyage from Southampton to Lisbon.

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