Daily Archives: June 1, 2022

Having attended the All Energy and Decarbonise exhibition and conference earlier this month (11th and 12th May), "Onshore Wind: The long game - Re-powering and life extension" proved to be a very interesting presentation. Featuring speakers involved in every stage of the development of an onshore wind site - from site planning all the way through to life extension - the presentation was both insightful and inspiring in its attention to detail regarding the steps necessary to bolster our current renewable energy capacity, steps the development of which my colleagues and I keenly follow.

Most interesting - through the lens of innovation - was the discussion of necessary actions regarding the decommissioning of onshore wind installations which are due an upgrade, not a discussion held at large on the renewables world stage. In particular, the Q & A following the presentation shed light on the problem of turbine blade recyclability. This problem is one of import, as many of the onshore wind sites currently in operation (for many years) are due to be replaced by sites which feature more up to date and efficient technology. The problem being, many of these outdated sites occupy some of the most lucrative locations in the world with regard to the exploitation of wind energy. Therefore, these outdated wind turbines must be removed to make way for their more modern descendants. Removed, though, to where?

"Recycling facilities" acts as an acceptable answer to the above question in relation to many components of a wind turbine - largely excluding the turbine blades themselves. Notoriously difficult to recycle, decommissioning these components may solve the problem of outdated onshore wind installations, whilst simultaneously creating an issue of waste following such decommissioning. Unsurprisingly, one of the landscapes which onshore wind operators are primed to explore in order to overcome this issue is that of turbine blade technological innovation. In short, the exploration of how exactly turbine blades can be designed/manufactured in order to make them more recyclable. This problem, therefore, struck me as one which presents a fantastic opportunity for innovators to contribute significantly to the net zero effort, whilst benefiting commercially as a result of their innovative efforts.

The discussion by the panel of the absence of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) - responsible for manufacturing the components used to produce the wind turbines originally placed throughout these outdated sites - also proved noteworthy. Absence of the particular spare parts required in order to be able to extend the life of these aging wind turbines acts as a significant barrier to the continued operation of theses sites. With Siemens Gamesa, a prolific OEM, having created an entire business line dedicated to the refurbishment of aging wind turbine parts, in an attempt to counteract this issue, a niche primed for exploitation by innovators seems to have been identified. Whether such exploitation takes the form of innovative methods of spare part refurbishment, or perhaps the invention of wind turbine components capable of acceptance into a wide range of wind turbine systems, opportunities to contribute to the net zero effort, and benefit commercially whilst doing so, seem to be calling out to innovators the world over.

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Re-powering and life extension of Onshore Wind - Lexology

In "a stunning reversal, coming after a decades-long driveto shutterPG&E Corp.s Diablo Canyon nuclear plantover fears itsone earthquake away from catastrophe,"Mark Chediak andWill Wadereport for Bloomberg News on May 25 that the state "is reconsidering plans to close its only remaining set of reactors as California struggles to run its power grid with fewer fossil-fuel plants."

Related post:The Only Remaining Nuclear Power Plant in California Will Close,June 23, 2016.

While the facilitys fate remains uncertain, the fact that solar- and wind-loving California is even talking about extending its life marks a turning point in the global debate over nuclear power. It comes as the state has moved aggressively to shutter natural-gas facilities, leaving it in danger of blackouts during heat waves.

The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (previously known as the bipartisan infrastructure framework) last November, specifically the inclusion of the$6 billionCivil Nuclear Credit Programto extend the life of nuclear power plants unable to compete with cheaper power from natural gas and renewable power facilities, influenced California Gov. Gavin Newsom's reconsideration of the decision made by PG&Esix years ago to close the state's last nuclear power plant.

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"In a letter to US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, California Governor Gavin Newsoms office said federal money will be a key factor as it evaluates whether it can temporarily extend the life of the Diablo Canyon plant beyond its planned 2025 retirement," reported Chediak separately on May 24.

In the letter Monday to the US Energy Department, Newsom cabinet secretary Ana Matosantos said the state was considering preserving Diablo Canyon due to the planned retirements of other power generators as well as expected clean-power projects that have been delayed.

Related post:Opinion: Replacing Nuclear Plants Amounts to 'Treadmill Decarbonization,'July 25, 2021

However, the decision to apply for funding from the new bailout program to prolong the life of the 2,256MWpower plant, the state's largest, would have to come from the owner, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), California's largest utility.

PG&E Corp., which operates the plant, is willing to consider all options for it, said spokeswoman Suzanne Hosn. We are open to applying for Department of Energy funding given the potential savings it could represent for our customers as the state considers various options to support reliability in California, Hosn said.

According to a May 18 news release by the Environmental Working Group, the planttechnically doesn't qualify for the credit program.

But the lifeline may violate DOE guidance, which says only nuclear plants in states with deregulated energy can apply for a share of the $6 billionCivil Nuclear Credit Program, a fund designed to help nuclear reactors keep operating. Diablo Canyon is in California, which fully regulates utility power generation, so it shouldnt be eligible.

[See 'Category 1Compete in a Competitive Electricity Market' in the"Notice of Intent and Request for Information Regarding Establishment of a Civil Nuclear Credit Program," Federal Register,02/15/2022]

The group makes clear their position on prolonging the life of the controversial power plant.

Even by PG&Es own history of billion-dollar misguided spending sprees, throwing taxpayers money away to keep the unsafe Diablo Canyon nuclear plant on life support has to be one of the worst, said EWG President and California resident Ken Cook.

The letter[pdf via E&E News] by the Governor's Office on May 23 asks Granholm to make changes to the program's criteria to allow PG&E to apply for the funding.

"We appreciate DOEs consideration of these suggestions and request a prompt response as this information is critical for Californias due diligence efforts and will help inform the states actions to maintain energy reliability as it continues leading in the transition to clean energy," wroteMatosantos in her closing paragraph.

"Otherwise, Matosantos wrote, California's Diablo Canyon Power Plant might not qualify and it needs the money to stay open and ensure the lights stay on in the nation's most populous state," wrote E&E News West Coast bureau chiefAnne C. Mulkernon May 25.

Two days earlier, Mulkern wrote in Scientific American on the potential for blackouts in California for "the next five summers" due to threats to electricity reliability posed by "extreme heat and other climate change impacts."

The initial deadline for the first application for funding for the nuclear credit program had been May 19. On May 18, "two days after two industry trade groups, Edison Electric Institute and Nuclear Energy Institute, sent a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm requesting the extension on behalf of their members," the Department of Energy extended the application period to July 5, reported Reuters.

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Extending the Life of California's Largest Power Plant - Planetizen

30 May 2022

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Having attended the All Energy and Decarbonise exhibition andconference earlier this month (11th and 12thMay),"Onshore Wind: The long game - Re-powering and lifeextension" proved to be a very interesting presentation.Featuring speakers involved in every stage of the development of anonshore wind site - from site planning all the way through to lifeextension - the presentation was both insightful and inspiring inits attention to detail regarding the steps necessary to bolsterour current renewable energy capacity, steps the development ofwhich my colleagues and I keenly follow.

Most interesting - through the lens of innovation - was thediscussion of necessary actions regarding the decommissioning ofonshore wind installations which are due an upgrade, not adiscussion held at large on the renewables world stage. Inparticular, the Q & A following the presentation shed light onthe problem of turbine blade recyclability. This problem is one ofimport, as many of the onshore wind sites currently in operation(for many years) are due to be replaced by sites which feature moreup to date and efficient technology. The problem being, many ofthese outdated sites occupy some of the most lucrative locations inthe world with regard to the exploitation of wind energy.Therefore, these outdated wind turbines must be removed to make wayfor their more modern descendants. Removed, though, to where?

"Recycling facilities" acts as an acceptable answer tothe above question in relation to many components of a wind turbine- largely excluding the turbine blades themselves. Notoriouslydifficult to recycle, decommissioning these components may solvethe problem of outdated onshore wind installations, whilstsimultaneously creating an issue of waste following suchdecommissioning. Unsurprisingly, one of the landscapes whichonshore wind operators are primed to explore in order to overcomethis issue is that of turbine blade technological innovation. Inshort, the exploration of how exactly turbine blades can bedesigned/manufactured in order to make them more recyclable. Thisproblem, therefore, struck me as one which presents a fantasticopportunity for innovators to contribute significantly to the netzero effort, whilst benefiting commercially as a result of theirinnovative efforts.

The discussion by the panel of the absence of the OriginalEquipment Manufacturers (OEMs) - responsible for manufacturing thecomponents used to produce the wind turbines originally placedthroughout these outdated sites - also proved noteworthy. Absenceof the particular spare parts required in order to be able toextend the life of these aging wind turbines acts as a significantbarrier to the continued operation of theses sites. With SiemensGamesa, a prolific OEM, having created an entire business linededicated to the refurbishment of aging wind turbine parts, in anattempt to counteract this issue, a niche primed for exploitationby innovators seems to have been identified. Whether suchexploitation takes the form of innovative methods of spare partrefurbishment, or perhaps the invention of wind turbine componentscapable of acceptance into a wide range of wind turbine systems,opportunities to contribute to the net zero effort, and benefitcommercially whilst doing so, seem to be calling out to innovatorsthe world over.

The content of this article is intended to provide a generalguide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be soughtabout your specific circumstances.

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When we think about sources of renewable energy, it's usually wind turbines and solar panels that come to mind. In fact, it is the oceans which are the world's largest source of untapped energy...

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Re-Powering And Life Extension Of Onshore Wind - Renewables - UK - Mondaq

GET IT produce being loaded onto a delivery vehicle.

GET IT has been operating in Rwanda since 2014; first as a fruits, vegetables and dry goods distributor and later adding primary agriculture and processing. In 2019, just before the pandemic hit, founder Lauren Russell Nkuranga moved into the position of chairman and Mark Sproston was appointed CEO. Jeanette Clark spoke to him about adding revenue from home deliveries to get through the Covid-19 slump, logistics challenges and growth opportunities in the region.

GET IT was founded in 2014 by American entrepreneur Lauren Russell Nkuranga, after moving to the country two years prior to work for the Nike Foundation. She has since built the company into a sizeable distributor of fruits and vegetables in Rwanda.

In early 2018, GET IT invited Mark Sproston a South African businessman who had over 25 years experience in the food distribution industry to do an analysis of the business and make recommendations on what it could do to become more efficient and identify opportunities for growth.

The original request was for a detailed assessment of the business, which I did. They then asked that I assist in implementing some of these changes. I also stepped in as interim CEO when Lauren was on maternity leave. A year later, he was asked to join the team permanently as CEO.

Up to this point, GET IT had shown healthy growth within the borders of Rwanda. The board appointed Sproston with the purpose of growing operational capacity and sales while Russell Nkuranga would focus on fundraising, governance and building the road map for expansion.

Things were going well the company was actively looking for funding to grow its operations and take the leap into regional business when Covid-19 hit.

The company cultivates its own chillies in Rwanda.

It was horrendous, he says. April generally shows poor revenue because it is genocide memorial month. However, we lost close to 90% of our turnover in April 2020 when Rwanda went into lockdown. Borders were closed; every single establishment was shut. We needed to diversify, and quickly.

That was when the company, which primarily did food procurement and distribution for hotel and hospitality clients at the time, went into home deliveries.

Home deliveries was originally one of the founders goals; customers would place orders via SMS and receive the products the next day. However, large restaurants began to use the service and GET IT adjusted its business model to fill the clear gap for a commercial food distributor.

During the lockdown in 2020 home deliveries boomed. GET IT received a permit from the government as an essential service provider under Covid-19 restrictions. Within a period of about three months, we picked up 500 home delivery clients, says Sproston. In the following three months, we managed to recover around 70% of our revenue.

As economic activity gradually recommenced during 2020, the company still serviced home deliveries and it makes up about 20% of its domestic revenue today.

Sproston admits home deliveries on its own would never make the company viable; only when its combined with bulk deliveries to hotels and restaurants.

Produce in cold storage.

According to Sproston, the company adapted well to the changed business environment. They learnt to operate in difficult conditions and it achieved its highest monthly turnover for five months in a row during partial lockdown. We have continued on this upward trend.

Originally, the company procured only from smallholder farmers, but later started its own managed farms to ensure security of supply. They kicked off with ginger and now also cultivate chillies, turmeric, garlic and French beans. Exports of the produce from these farms to markets like South Africa, the US and India have grown significantly.

Bearing in mind I didnt come from an agricultural background, I had to learn about farming quickly, Sproston remembers about the time when he joined. Its been a steep learning curve, considering the pandemics impact. In fact, GET IT could not complete its first export consignment of ginger because of pandemic restrictions. The borders closed on the day we delivered the product for export.

Yet, GET IT still managed to export eight tonnes of produce in the first year. In 2022, it has already sent 50 tonnes abroad and is aiming for another 60 tonnes before the end of the year. Our target is 300 tonnes in 2023, he says.

The goal is for GET IT to become a food distribution service, which caters for all products, no matter the temperature required when transporting the goods.

Currently, if you look at the region, there is nobody of substantial size providing distribution services for fresh, refrigerated produce, frozen products and goods that must be kept at room temperature. We want to be that player.

GET IT manages its own farms and also buys from smallholders.

He believes their biggest challenge is managing the products cold chain effectively and extending the shelf-life. The company uses a combination of third-party providers, as well as its own cold storage and refrigerated vehicles for distribution.

Getting the produce from the farms (its own or the smallholder farmers) remains challenging, particularly for fragile fruits and vegetables, like lettuce and cherry tomatoes. For these products, we send a refrigerated truck, which brings them to our processing facility in Kigali to be washed, sorted, cut and trimmed. We are also investigating various shelf-life extension options such as gas flushing or better packaging, says Sproston.

The country has a severe shortage of commercial refrigerated vehicles and this presents a business opportunity. At one point there were only six refrigerated trucks available for commercial rental in Kigali. While there are more now, it is still not enough, and we often have to rent directly from private operators. I have been approached by various players in the region who are considering a business to address this shortage. I expect a large player on the ground very shortly, adds Sproston.

For the future, GET IT has its sights set on Kenya and on new opportunities in even more value-added processing, such as solar drying. If you are drying or producing concentrated extracts from ginger and chillies, your margins are a lot better than if you export the fresh product, he explains. If you can export at high value and lower weight, its more profitable to export from a landlocked country.

The company benefits from the work done by the National Agricultural Export Development Board, a government agency that assists in facilitating export linkages between domestic companies and importers abroad.

We work with government and also actively search for opportunities and new markets ourselves. For example, export into Kenya is a direct result of our initial imports from there. It was inefficient to send empty trucks to collect the imported products and we searched for a client on that side of the border to whom we could supply goods.

GET IT CEO Mark Sprostons contact information

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Building a food distribution business in Rwanda and beyond - How we made it in Africa

The concept of a circular economy can be counter-intuitive in terms of auto industry sustainability, but it's important to consider how this can support the transition. By Manuel Silva Martinez

The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation as it tries to adapt to changing customer behaviours, new technology, increased regulatory pressure and emerging business models. At a global level, the industry is projected to grow to nearly US$9tr by 2030.

In the past few years, the sustained growth of the industry has been driven by electric vehicles (EVs). This growth is only expected to increase as the need to meet climate goals becomes more urgent. While Tesla remains the leader in the space, new EV manufacturers such as Xpeng are growing exponentially and traditional manufacturers are investing billions in their fleet electrification efforts.

As the transportation industry is responsible for 27% of greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to EVs is key to reaching net-zero targets but there is another key issue at stake, namelyhow to dispose sustainably of the millions of cars still in circulation. Is it a better environmental alternative to extend their lifetime instead? While the concept of a circular economy applied to the automotive industry can be counter-intuitive in terms of sustainability, its important to consider how this can support the transition.

The aim of the circular economy is to eliminate waste throughout entire value chains, including manufacturing and use. It values preserving raw materials and recycling. By contrast, the current linear economy transforms raw materials into products that are made, used and disposed of, finding value in producing and selling as many goods as possible.

Transitioning away from the linear economy means systems-wide changes, including decarbonising production and designing products for recyclability at end of life. For an industry as large and complex as the automotive industry, it means achieving transformation at scale.

Unsurprisingly, the industry and its value chain are dominated by large manufacturers but a number of emerging players are driving innovations across different circular business models. Below are some of the names and business models which have the potential to scale and drive increased sustainability across the whole industry.

This involves substituting linear lifecycle materials with renewable, recyclable, or biodegradable input materials in the production process. For example, Redwood Materials is creating a circular supply chain by retrieving raw materials such as cobalt, copper and nickel from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries to produce battery materials for electromobility and electrical storage systems which can be recycled.

This involves the recovery and reuse of outputs from one process as inputs for another with the aim of increasing the economic value of resources across lifecycles. For example, Black Bear Carbon is a Dutch company founded in 2010. It upcycles end-of-life tyres to produce sustainable Carbon Black, reducing CO2 emissions and aiming to solve the global waste tyre problem.

These models aim to extend the lifecycle of resource cycles through repairing, upgrading or re-selling. In the context of the automotive sector, this can be divided into second-hand dealerships and predictive maintenance platforms. While second-hand dealerships have existed for decades, online second-hand marketplaces have been emerging in both emerging and developed markets over the past few years as consumers behaviours shift to online. Examples of already well-established players include Carvana in the US, Auto1Group in Europe, Kavak in Latin America and Cars24 in India. However, data and AI are also fuelling innovation in the predictive analytics segment. For instance, Twaiceis a German company that uses predictive analytics software to increase thelifetime, efficiency,and sustainability of batteries.The company provides access tosolutions forthe optimiseddevelopmentandoperation of lithium-ion batteries,independent of a batteryor productmanufacturers.

These schemes enable increased utilisation rates of products and services by making shared use and ownership possible. Turois a US-based peer-to-peer car-sharing platform designed to help people book a car from local car owners through an online and mobile interface. Many others have emerged whether as peer-to-peer solutions or as OEM/leasing/renting companies proposed solutions, in one of the easiest applications of circular economy in the space.

This model offers product access through rental or leasing services. PaaS helps reduce environmental impact by sharing and extending the use of an item and supports affordability by charging regular small amounts, rather than the full value at once. A large number of players have entered the digital subscription space over the past few years as a sign of changing trends in mobility. For example, Finn.auto allows people to subscribe to a car instead of owning one. Finn.auto is also proving appealing to environmentally conscious drivers as it allows CO2 emission offsets and is expanding its range of EVs.

For such a large industry shifting to circularity requires changes and business models evolution from incumbents too and its encouraging to see supporting trends. For instance, when looking at the sales mix, used-car sales which already account for over 50% of global sales are projected to increase to 62% by 2030. Increasing the lifespan of a product is a core principle of the circular economy, and predictive maintenance and growing secondary markets facilitate life extension. At the same time, by refurbishing used parts and remanufacturing engines, Renaultoffers remanufactured components and spare parts with as-good-as-new warranties to customers for prices that are 3050% lower than for new replacement parts.

The path to net-zero is complex and thinking it can be achieved just through a full transition to EV is over-simplistic, at least in the short term. Only by looking at sustainability more broadly and by identifying new models that will help change our relationship with consumption can we achieve transformation at scale. The circular economy can be a big factor in reducing emissions as it focuses on the notion of reduce, reuse and recycle. Within this framework, we see the automotive industry as being relatively advanced but a growing number of second-hand marketplaces in the electronics and fashion industries and a move to non-polluting processes and systems from selected players in the food industry, are encouraging signs of how other industries are starting to embrace the circular economy.

About the author:Manuel Silva Martinez is General Partner at Mouro Capital

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What can other industries learn from the automotive sector's circular economy innovations? - Automotive World

WALTHAM, Mass., June 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Viridian Therapeutics, Inc.VRDN, a biotechnology company advancing new treatments for patients suffering from serious diseases underserved by current therapies, today announced that Jonathan Violin, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Viridian, will participate in two fireside chats at the Jefferies Healthcare Conference being held in New York on June 8 -10, 2022 and the JMP Securities Life Sciences Conference in New York on June 15 - 16, 2022.

The live webcast and a replay of the fireside chats can also be accessed under "Events" in the Investors section of the Viridian Therapeutics website.

About Viridian Therapeutics

Viridian Therapeuticsis a biotechnology company advancing new treatments for patients suffering from serious diseases but underserved by today's therapies. Viridian's most advanced program, VRDN-001, is a differentiated monoclonal antibody targeting insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), a clinically and commercially validated target for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). Viridian's second product candidate, VRDN-002, is a distinct anti-IGF-1R antibody that incorporates half-life extension technology and is designed to support administration as a convenient, low-volume, subcutaneous injection.TED is a debilitating autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and fibrosis within the orbit of the eye which can cause double vision, pain, and potential blindness. Patients with severe disease often require multiple remedial surgeries to the orbit, eye muscles and eyelids. Viridian is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Investor and Media ContactJohn JordanViridian TherapeuticsVice President, Investor Relations& Corporate Communications617-272-4691IR@viridiantherapeutics.com

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Viridian Therapeutics to Participate in June Investor Conferences - Benzinga - Benzinga