RE: Price28 Oct 2024 22:07
Popeye,
I have a feeling the coffee will be shoved underneath the 👃 of a few people tomorrow.
Some facts
1) EPP does not have a gas storage licence, in fact in the Interim Statement the Chairman stated "As I write, I am still conscious, however, of the ongoing challenge arising from the newly elected Labour government in navigating the energy industry landscape that has also resulted in a backlog and higher level of scrutiny regarding licence applications."
2) I've mentioned the dates before. First gas out 2027, EPP state gas field has a life of 6+ years, they need to get gas out and transition to storing H2 and so a rough estimate for H2 storage is 2033, if they hit every single deadline in the next 9 years.
3) EPP state "With wind curtailments currently costing UK consumers over £1bn per year and set to increase to £5bn by 2035, MESH offers a major new Long Duration Energy Solution for the UK's expanding renewable wind sector. In the next 9 years before EPP even get the H2 storage, battery technology should have moved forward to such an extent that an surplus energy will simply be stored in batteries to be drawn on when needed. So the energy sector has a choice
a) Pay and build H2 infrastructure (still new and relatively untested technology) electrolyser and have it sat there, when there is excess electricity divert that electricity to the electrolyser. The electrolyser will take clean water (not salt water), split water into H2 and oxygen (thus removing water as water - not contentious, right??) The H2 is stored and O released. Companies need to invest into H2 boilers, EPP would need to guarantee the supply of H2 to companies wishing to invest in those technologies that burn H2. When H2 is burned it reacts with O to create H2O once more. Of course when there is no spare electricity and the wind a farm is selling it all into the National Grid, the electrolyser will not produce H2 and thus won't be able to supply it to the companies that have H2 boilers, thus they will revert back to natural gas.
OR
b) Pay and build known battery technology and simply send excess electricity to batteries, store and use when required.
4) The strike price of £241/MWh being quoted across X, is from a 2023 Conservative government document (the source of the document being posted in reference to EPP is never referenced). Not the current Labour government, and as H2 storage is unlikely to start before 2033, it may well be a different government in place if H2 storage ever happens.
5) The Final Investment Decision is not until late 2025. They may sign HoT's with big companies, but I can't see these big companies signing up until The Final Investment Decision is made.
6) There is no revenue until 2027 when the first sale of gas is expected if no delays are experienced, how long do people think the £5.1m will last when they have to build gas extraction infrastructure and H2 electrolyser infrastructure?
GLA