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Search results for: “power electronics”

  • Into thin air: beaming power as microwaves?

    Into thin air: beaming power as microwaves?

    What if large quantities of power could be transmitted via the 2-6 GHz microwave spectrum, rather than across bottlenecked cables and wires? This 12-page note explores the technology, advantages, opportunities, challenges, efficiencies and costs. We still fear power grid bottlenecks.

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  • Japan gas and power: supply-demand model?

    Japan gas and power: supply-demand model?

    Japan’s gas and power markets are broken down by end use, traced back to 1990, and forecast forwards to 2030 in this model. Japan’s electricity demand now grows at 0.3% pa. Ramping renewables, nuclear and gas back-ups could halve Japan’s total grid CO2 intensity to below 0.25 kg/kWh by 2030.

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  • Purchasing power: what are generation assets worth?

    Purchasing power: what are generation assets worth?

    There has never been more controversy over the fair values of power generation assets, which hinge on their remaining life, utilization, flexibility, power prices, rising grid volatility and CO2 credentials. This 16-page guide covers the fair values of generation assets, hidden opportunities and potential pitfalls.

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  • Load profiles in power grids?

    Load profiles in power grids?

    Load profiles depict how the power running through a particular cross-section of the grid varies over time, ranging from individual homes, through giant GVA-scale transmission lines. Load profile data are unfortunately not widely available, however, we have aggregated a dozen case studies from technical papers, in this data-file, to help decision-makers with grid-modeling.

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  • MHI CCS technology: performance, costs and emissions?

    MHI CCS technology: performance, costs and emissions?

    MHI has deployed an amine-based CO2 capture technology, in 15 plants globally, going back to 1999. Reboiler duties are around 2.6 GJ/ton on a 10% CO2 feed. Capture rates and capture purity are high. Degradation and amine emissions are controlled, and c80-90% below MEA. CCS costs and complexities remain high. In our view, this is…

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  • Decarbonizing global energy: the route to net zero?

    Decarbonizing global energy: the route to net zero?

    This 18-page report revises our roadmap for the world to reach ‘net zero’ by 2050. The average cost is still $40/ton of CO2, with an upper bound of $120/ton, but this masks material mix-shifts. New opportunities are largest in efficiency gains, under-supplied commodities, power-electronics, conventional CCUS and nature-based CO2 removals.

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  • Wind turbines: screen of resin and polymer specialists?

    Wind turbines: screen of resin and polymer specialists?

    This data-file tabulates details for 20 companies that make epoxy- or polyurethane resins and adhesives, especially those that feed into the construction of wind turbines. We think there are 5 public companies ex-China with 5-35% exposure to this sub-segment of the wind industry.

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  • Green hydrogen: can electrolysers run off renewables?

    Green hydrogen: can electrolysers run off renewables?

    What degradation rate is expected for a green hydrogen electrolyser, if it is powered by volatile wind and solar inputs? This 15-page note reviews past projects and technical papers. 5-10% pa degradation rates would raise green hydrogen costs by $1/kg. Avoiding degradation justifies higher capex, especially on power-electronics and even batteries?

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  • Solar: energy payback and embedded energy?

    Solar: energy payback and embedded energy?

    What is the energy payback and embedded energy of solar? We have aggregated the consumption of 10 different materials (in kg/kW) and around 10 other energy-consuming line-items (in kWh/kW). Our base case estimate is 2.5 MWH/kWe of solar and an energy payback of 1.5-years. Numbers and sensitivities can be stress-tested in the data-file.

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  • Power from Shore: the economics?

    Power from Shore: the economics?

    We model the economics of powering an oil platform from shore, using cheap renewable power instead of traditional gas turbines. This can lower upstream CO2 emissions by by around 70%, saving 5-15kg/bbl, for a cost of $50-100/ton. NPVs can be positive with low WACCs and high gas prices, but the primary aim is low-cost decarbonisation.

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