MARKET RESEARCH
Ceres Power | June 28, 2022
Ceres Power a global leader in fuel cell and electrochemical technology, is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with Shell to deliver a megawatt scale solid oxide electrolyser (SOEC) demonstrator in 2023.
Shell and Ceres are building this partnership to utilise SOEC technology to deliver high-efficiency, low-cost green hydrogen; now widely viewed as a credible route to decarbonise hard-to-abate parts of the energy system that rely on fossil fuels today.
Ceres aims to produce hydrogen at efficiencies around 20% greater than other technologies, in the range of mid-80s to 90% efficiency where it is possible to make use of waste heat in industrial processes to drive this high efficiency.
Ceres has committed £100 million for the development of its SOEC technology – with the aim of achieving a market-leading levelised cost of hydrogen of $1.5/kg by 2025. The agreement with Shell aligns with Ceres' business strategy and provides a pathway to the commercialisation and development of new markets.
The system will be installed at Shell's research and development technology centre in Bangalore, India, where the hydrogen will be used in industrial processes on site. The centre is a key part of Shell's focus on innovation and technology with the potential to provide cleaner energy solutions.
Phil Caldwell, Chief Executive of Ceres commented: "Today's announcement with Shell is a hugely important step for Ceres. The partnership endorses our business strategy and signals the potential of our SOEC technology to deliver low-cost green hydrogen for industrial decarbonisation at the scale and pace needed to reach net zero."
Yuri Sebregts, EVP Technology, Shell: "Shell's Powering Progress strategy sets a clear ambition for Shell to be a leader in the energy transition and accelerate our journey to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050. Hydrogen features heavily in that strategy. Ceres, with their differentiating SOEC technology, have the potential to produce Hydrogen at an optimum cost and efficiency profile. The pilot and collaboration with Ceres are a step forward in maturing this promising technology towards industrial scale."
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ECONOMY
Koch Separation Solutions | June 27, 2022
Koch Separation Solutions (KSS) announced the acquisition of LIONEX technology from Chemionex Inc. The acquisition serves as the foundation for the launch of their Li-PRO™ process featuring a proprietary global solution for Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE).
"The launch of the Li-PRO process, coupled with the broader EPC capabilities of our parent, Koch Engineered Solutions, will deliver complete end-to-end solutions for DLE customers, The innovative and patent-pending aspects of the Li-PRO solution will be synergistic with KSS' world-class capabilities in ion exchange and sorptive technologies, membrane filtration, and thermal separations. This combination will deliver superior lithium recovery and purity, chemical consumption, water efficiency, and simplified system configurations, optimizing CAPEX and OPEX to lithium producers"
- Manny Singh, President of KSS.
The Li-PRO™ process is an optimized DLE process configuration combining specialized lithium selective extraction media and leading KSS equipment including robust PURON® membrane-based pretreatment, Recoflo® packed bed lithium extraction, Recoflo softening, and high-recovery reverse osmosis (RO) concentration operations to generate a purified lithium chloride solution. The solution is geared towards customers seeking an optimized solution to developing lithium battery materials to keep up with the growing demand for lithium batteries, primarily in electric vehicles.
KSS will offer the Li-PRO process as a complete offering or as standalone separation processes, depending on customers' unique needs. Their team will initially engage developers in a piloting phase to refine the process design of each step, and work collaboratively to implement small to large-scale operations at optimized performance specifications.
About Koch Separation Solutions
Koch Separation Solutions (KSS) is transforming the landscape of separations by leveraging synergistic technology such as membrane filtration, ion exchange, evaporation, and drying. With over half a century worth of experience, KSS offers solutions for the most demanding applications across food and beverage, life science, and general industrial markets. KSS aims to create more value to their customers around the world by offering complete solutions to recover high-value product, eliminate waste, reduce footprint, increase productivity, and lower costs.
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ECONOMY
SDG&E | June 27, 2022
Four microgrids equipped with energy storage will be added to the San Diego region to help the state meet high energy demand, particularly on hot summer days and in the peak evening hours after solar power dissipates. These small-scale grids that can operate independent of or parallel to the larger regional grid will also help keep critical community facilities powered during unexpected outages.
“They will dispatch clean energy to the grid when needed and keep critical facilities like schools, Cool Zones, and fire stations powered during emergencies.”
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San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) received approval yesterday from the California Public Utilities Commission to build these projects, which will add a total of approximately 39 megawatts (MW) / 180 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage capacity at four company substations.
“These clean energy projects will help our region become more resilient to the impacts of our worsening climate,” said SDG&E Vice President of Energy Innovation Miguel Romero. “They will dispatch clean energy to the grid when needed and keep critical facilities like schools, Cool Zones, and fire stations powered during emergencies.”
The projects stemmed from Gov. Newsom’s Proclamation of a State Emergency issued last summer, which outlines California’s energy needs in the face of growing climate challenges. The four new projects, slated to be completed in summer 2023, are the latest of a series of energy storage investments by SDG&E, including the opening of Top Gun, a 30 MW facility, in June 2021 and Kearny Energy Storage, a 20 MW facility, in March 2022.
Battery storage works by capturing renewable resources like wind and solar when they are abundant during the day, then sending that energy back to the grid when it is needed. As with other SDG&E owned storage projects, these facilities will be connected to the state energy market so that the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) can dispatch these resources as needed to balance energy supply and demand throughout the state.
Below are brief descriptions of each of the projects.
The Clairemont substation microgrid will have the ability to power the Balboa Branch Library/Cool Zone, Fire Station 36, and local schools such as Lafayette Elementary and Sequoia Elementary Schools, Innovation and CPMA Middle Schools, and Madison High School
The Boulevard substation microgrid will have the ability to power the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Fire Station 47, Campo Reservation Fire Station, Cal Fire White Star Station, Campo Tribal Office, Campo Kumeyaay Nation Medical Center, Southern Indian Health Council Campo Clinic, the Boulevard Border Patrol Station, and the Boulevard Post Office
The Paradise substation microgrid will have the ability to power Fire Stations 51 and 32, the Southeast Division Police Department, and Bell Middle School, as well as Freese, Boone and Fulton Elementary
The Elliott substation microgrid will have the ability to power Fire Station 39, the Tierrasanta Public Library/Cool Zone, Tierrasanta Medical Center, Jean Farb Middle School, Canyon Hills High School, and Tierrasanta and Kumeyaay Elementary Schools.
To learn more about SDG&E’s clean energy projects, visit sdge.com/sustainability.
SDG&E is an innovative San Diego-based energy company that provides clean, safe and reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The company is committed to creating a sustainable future by providing its electricity from renewable sources; modernizing energy infrastructure; accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles; supporting numerous non-profit partners; and, investing in innovative technologies to ensure the reliable operation of the region’s infrastructure for generations to come. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE).
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