Our routes to the future?

The UK’s first female Prime Minister, a chemistry graduate, emphasised the dangers of Global Warming a generation ago. Although one British company immediately developed a solar power initiative, it has taken 30 years for the cost of photovoltaic solar and wind-power to fall below the level of power from fossil fuels. A transition to renewable energy now makes economic sense.

 

Both PVsolar and wind, together with energy storage (for periods of windless darkness), are needed for full transition. Storage is now the main challenge. Pumped-water storage is a short-term solution for power grids, while batteries suit individual households; export of stored excess can help balance the grid during peak demand at 5-10pm. Electric vehicles (EVs) reduce air-pollution and have scope to supplement domestic storage when wind powers the grid at night. 

 

Although batteries are expensive for long-term storage and locations for pumped-water storage are limited, Britain has a widespread hidden advantage. About 80% of households are on mains gas, which was earlier up to 60% hydrogen. Electricity from sun or wind can be stored as 'green' hydrogen, produced by electrolysis. Sheffield has the world's largest factory for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysers. To remedy intermittency of sun and wind, hydrogen stored at community level can be used in three ways:

(i) for electricity again, in fuel cells for vehicles or domestic combined-heat-&-power;

(ii) burned in domestic gas supplies for cooking and heating;

(iii) as a feedstock for producing liquid syn-fuels (e.g. methanol).

 

Nuclear power and pumped water storage are available to handle other intermittency issues. Indeed, Britain hosts not only the state-funded Joint European Torus but also commercial work for a small-scale fusion reactor, to give nuclear power with less radioactive waste than from fission reactors. For now, does your home have as much insulation as it should? Is all your lighting LED? Are you considering an EV?