Member Info for haggismchaggis1

Government response to my email regarding this news item:
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/latest-fleet-news/electric-fleet-news/2021/09/15/ev-charging-infrastructure-key-to-uptake-says-transport-minister

Thank you for your email of 19 September to Rachel Maclean with your suggestion to speak to and visit AFC Energy to learn more about the work they are doing to improve electric vehicle (EV) recharging infrastructure.

Rachel Maclean no longer has Ministerial responsibility for the transition to zero emission driving, her successor for this policy area is Trudy Harrison. Your correspondence has been passed to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) for the consideration of officials working on developing Government policy to support EV charging infrastructure. We are grateful for feedback like this which is always welcome.

Later this year government will publish our EV Infrastructure Strategy. This will define our vision for the continued roll-out of a world-leading charging infrastructure network across the UK. This will also set out the action plan for charging infrastructure rollout to ensure this is delivered at the pace needed to achieve the 2030/35 phase out successfully and to accelerate the transition to a zero-emission car and van fleet.

The strategy will focus on how we will unlock the charge point rollout needed to enable the transition from early adoption to mass market uptake of EVs. The strategy will clearly establish government’s expectations for the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in the planning and deployment of charging infrastructure.

Not sure where 'taim' came from! It is obviously 'time'.

Silures,

I doubt it will be as big as some of those numbers, as we are talking initially about maybe 40kW to 160kW systems at multiple locations. The question is, how many would a client buy in one order?

For someone like Mace or Acciona it could be 10 or even 20 for the first order, which fits into your 1MW-5MW bracket. The scope for further orders from either is obviously huge though.

10MW would be 63 x 160kW. I can't see that as a realistic expectation for a new order of a new technology, as buyers would want to see the first systems being delivered on taim, to spec, and working without issues, before they went for that many systems.

BB2,

02 October 2017
"Closer to home, at Dunsfold, we continue to make progress - using the outcomes from the Covestro scoping study - on the Front-End Engineering and Design study for the 1MWe micro-grid scheme. The difference with this scenario, compared to a typical chlor alkali opportunity, is that the hydrogen will need to be generated via steam methane reforming of bio-methane. This poses additional challenges which we are in the process of addressing. Both Covestro and Dunsfold project opportunities are being developed in conjunction with discussions ongoing in Korea, the Middle East and in the North West of England at Peel Environmental's Protos site."

Covestro were Bayer, so doesn't look like INEOS?

9 May 2017
"AFC Energy (AIM: AFC), the industrial fuel cell power company, is pleased to announce it is expanding its position into the German power market following commencement of engineering works for the deployment of an initial 1MW proprietary fuel cell system at the Covestro Industrial Park Brunsbüttel, owned by the Covestro Deutschland AG ("Covestro").
Preliminary engineering work commenced in Brunsbüttel, Germany, on the 6th April 2017 with representatives from Covestro (formerly Bayer Material Science), plantIng GmbH ("plantIng") and AFC Energy present. "

One for the bitcoin pump and dump merchants that infested this board last week, if any are still lurking.

"$5.2 billion in transactions are linked to Bitcoin ransomware payments says the US Treasury Department’s Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FinCEN)."

"If ransomware-related SARs persist, then 2021 could see more crypto-related ransom attacks than the whole of the last decade combined."

https://www.crypto-news-flash.com/bitcoin-ransomware-payments-amount-to-a-whopping-5-2b-says-the-us-treasury-department/

I wonder if AFC still have the old contacts with INEOS? Most on here wouldn't remember what I'm referring to, so here you go:

https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/5659/afc-and-ineos-team-up-to-work-on-hydrogen-fuel-cell-project-7551.html

LeasePlan UK says that mid-size and compact electric vehicles (EVs) are now more affordable than petrol and diesel cars in the UK.

The findings from LeasePlan’s annual Car Cost Index, which analyses of the cost of owning a car – including fuel, depreciation, taxes, insurance and maintenance in 22 European countries including the UK, improves on last year’s analysis that found that only mid-size EVs were more affordable.

For a mid-size EV, such as the Volkswagen ID.4, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is £724 a month, which is £95 less than the TCO for an equivalent petrol model such as a Peugeot 508, and £37 than an equivalent diesel, such as the Opel Grandland X.

For a compact EV, such as the Citroen e-C4, the TCO is £646 per month, which is £72 less than the TCO for an equivalent petrol model such as the Volkswagen Golf, and £63 less than an equivalent diesel model such as the Opel Crossland.

The cost savings are largely down to EVs having the lowest rate of fuel/energy costs, and EV drivers currently paying zero road tax until 2025, keeping the TCO low for drivers, says LeasePlan.

Alfonso Martinez, managing director of LeasePlan UK, explained: “As EV uptake continues to gain traction in the UK, drivers across the country should be considering their options for going electric.

“With both compact and mid-size EVs now more affordable than their petrol and diesel counterparts, driving electric has never been more accessible, which midst a background of soaring fuel costs, will be especially encouraging for the UK public.

“What’s more, the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles and the expansion of Clean Air Zones across the country will continue to provide financial incentive for Britons to switch to EVs.”

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/latest-fleet-news/electric-fleet-news/2021/10/18/mid-size-and-compact-evs-more-affordable-than-ice-vehicles

Tesla Model 3 SR+ — Two Years of Maintenance Costs

https://www.cleantechnica.com/2021/10/16/tesla-model-3-sr-two-years-of-maintenance-costs-tires-locked-trunk-12v-battery/

"The owners of the first Nissan Leaf e+ to reach Australian shores have reported that after driving it for one year they have broken even on the cost of owning the vehicle, showing just how economical electric cars can be to run."

https://www.thedriven.io/2021/10/07/no-noise-no-smell-nissan-leaf-e-owners-break-even-after-first-year/

I am all up for AEX doing the rework of KN-1 ASAP, which will then give us company sustaining revenues before we get to the point of having to raise cash. It is obviously a risky endeavour, as they won't know if the rework will work until they do it. If it works and we get the revenues flowing back in, then I'd expect AEX to move ahead with KS-1 plans.

It would not surprise me to see APT come in as farm-in partner for Nyuni real soon, as 4TCF is worthwhile from their perspective, and they will know all about the Tanzania government plans for accelerated LNG, and they will have their teams in the area for an extended period of time starting soon.

APT "ARA Petroleum is a dynamic member of the E&P industry in Oman. The company seeks to explore, appraise and develop oil & gas resources in Oman and internationally."

"management challenges" sounds like understatement of the year. I bet these Government bodies were managed by a load of family members, who all got a copy of the book "How To Bluff Your Way In Management".

taskmaster,

The mini Nuclear Reactors from RR, they have said that these will not be ready for deployment for 10 years, and that link you posted confirms it with 2031 at the earliest. Now add that well run projects take twice as long and badly run projects take three times as long, now we are looking at 2041 or 2051.

Even by 2031 the UK will have masses of wind and solar power, and these mini Nuclear Reactors will end up on the shelf, or as an export technology.

EV's are the clear winner for cars. AFC FC based Ammonia EV Chargers are a great solution to grid capacity issues and off-grid opportunities for EV fleets.

"Despite what you may read in the mainstream media, when it comes to the choice between battery-electric or hydrogen-fuel-cell powertrains, the science is pretty clear: hydrogen fuel cells may be the technology of choice for some industrial processes, and/or for hard-to-electrify transport segments such as ocean shipping and aviation, but they aren’t suitable for passenger vehicles. As an energy storage medium, H2 is far less efficient than batteries (22% well-to-wheels, compared to 73%, by one analysis), and delivering it would require building a vast new infrastructure. The advantages of fuel cell vehicles — longer range and fast fueling times — are rapidly being eroded by improving battery and charging technology."

"With the notable exceptions of Toyota, Hyundai, and BMW, most automakers have abandoned fuel cells for passenger cars."

https://cleantechnica.com/2021/10/14/why-are-3-automakers-still-hyping-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicles/

taskmaster,

Only if Nuclear became 75% of UK power, which is not going to happen even with the ones under construction.

UK are targeting huge wind and solar power, with huge battery storage to balance it out. Nuclear is pretty much the ones being already built, I doubt any more will appear with BJ running the show.

mucksy,

Even if electric cost 50p/kw, as it does at some costly motorway services, it is still cheaper than using petrol or diesel. It will take a very long time for electric to go from 5p a mile to reach the cost of petrol or diesel at around 14p a mile, and in that time petrol and diesel will also go up in cost, especially as EV uptake increases in line with the expected hockey stick curve, reducing the economy of scale of petrol and diesel production, and reducing the availability of petrol and diesel as garages switch to EV charging. So it's very unlikely that any concerns about recharging costs will actually come to bear.

As for repairs, all the main dealers are getting their staff trained on EV repairs, and have been since each manufacturer brought in an EV model. Also, and the most important factor, is that EV's have very little to go wrong, and most of the things that go wrong are standard car issue that are not EV specific, such as steering, brakes, locks, windows, 12v ancillary battery, etc. There are so few moving EV parts (an electric motor that will last for 20 years) that there is very little to go wrong. This is another reason why EV's are so much better than combustion engines.

If you ask on the UK Facebook EV page, which has 12,000 members, you'll find that the vast majority haven't had any issues with the "EV only" part of their cars in many years of ownership, including me for 4 years, and all my friends that have EV's.

https://www.********************ukelectricvehicleowners

Road to COP26 campaign launched by UK HFCA

"The UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (UK HFCA) has today (Oct 14) launched its ‘Road to COP26’ to showcase the leading role hydrogen and fuel cells can play on the path to decarbonisation."

"Supported by the UK Government’s Department for International Trade, the campaign will also shine a light on the UK’s domestic and hydrogen fuel cell industry in the lead to COP26."

https://www.h2-view.com/story/road-to-cop26-campaign-launched-by-uk-hfca/

Our partner Ricardo are a confirmed speaker:

"The role of fuel cells in net-zero transport emissions, the final event in the Road to COP26 programme"
Tue, 26 October 2021
10:30 – 12:00 BST
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/road-to-cop26-fuel-cells-tickets-169659146073

And this:

"As a professor of engineering and an author of many research papers considering what’s needed to reach 100% renewable energy, I believe Australia could halve its 2030 emissions with minimal cost and inconvenience. Here’s how it could be done."

https://theconversation.com/barnaby-joyce-has-refused-to-support-doubling-australias-2030-emissions-reduction-targets-but-we-could-get-there-so-cheaply-and-easily-169932

Good that pressure is going on Australia, as it is one of the worst polluting countries, due to the Government being effectively controlled by the coal mining industry.

This is worth a read of this article, but here's the gist:

The federal government’s claim it is “meeting and beating” its targets is a falsehood. It is doing little, but claiming credit from the hard work of Australia’s states and territories.

Federal policies remain firmly fixed on keeping fossil fuels in the energy mix and expanding coal and gas production. It recently approved several new coal mines and announced subsidised and expanded gas production. Gas is a fossil fuel that also needs to be phased out if we’re to have any chance of keeping warming to 1.5?.

The Morrison government is also increasing funding for carbon capture and storage, a policy aimed at continuing the use of fossil fuels. This is despite the country’s largest such project, the Gorgon venture off Western Australia, failing to reduce and store carbon emissions at the rate originally promised.

The annual Climate Transparency analysis, released on Wednesday, shows Australia has some of the G20’s highest per capita emissions. It is the only developed country in the G20 with no price on carbon, yet ranks the fourth highest for risk of economic losses from climate impacts.

https://theconversation.com/yes-australia-can-beat-its-2030-emissions-target-but-the-morrison-government-barely-lifted-a-finger-169835

Rubbish news item. It doesn't take 'hours' to charge an EV on a rapid charger.

Meanwhile JLR are busy getting their PR, and you can guarantee that they didn't get two weeks away from COP26 without already having a tried and tested EV Charging solution in place:

Jaguar Land Rover will be providing a fleet of electrified vehicles to world leaders and delegates attending COP26 summit, including the multi-award-winning all-electric performance SUV, Jaguar I-PACE, as leaders and their teams travel to and from the venue.
As part of its new global strategy, 'Reimagine', Jaguar Land Rover aims to achieve zero tailpipe emissions by 2036, and net zero carbon emissions across its supply chain, products and operations by 2039, according to a press statement issued in Doha by Alfardan Premier Motors Co, the official retailer of Jaguar Land Rover vehicles in Qatar.
The company has committed to a 1.5-degree aligned science-based target to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement and supporting the UNFCCC Race to Zero, the statement noted.
Jaguar Land Rover has a successful history in similar events, including the recent G7 summit in the UK. The vehicles have all been sourced from existing fleets in the UK, helping ensure that the carbon footprint remains low.
Welcoming them to the COP26 family, COP26 president-designate Alok Sharma said: “Jaguar Land Rover is an iconic British brand with a proven track record. They are showing climate leadership in their field with award-winning electric vehicles, and I am delighted these will be used by world leaders in Glasgow.
“I look forward to working with Jaguar Land Rover and all our partners ahead of the summit as we ensure a successful and inclusive COP26.”
Thierry Bollore, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, added: “We are delighted to partner with COP26 and provide a fleet of all-electric vehicles, including Jaguar I-PACE performance SUVs, to deliver zero-emission transport at the summit.
“Sustainability is at the core of our business strategy, 'Reimagine', which enables us to focus on becoming net carbon zero by 2039, as the creator of the world’s most desirable modern luxury vehicles.”

https://www.gulf-times.com/story/702466/Jaguar-Land-Rover-to-provide-fleet-of-all-electric

13thmonkey

Great to hear you are getting decent efficiency on electric, especially considering that when running on electric the car is also moving the weight of the petrol engine and it's bits and pieces, and a potentially full tank of fuel. 5p/mile is great.