A report from the recent event organised by The Worshipful Company of Launderers exploring future supply and consumption of energy

The future of energy, very appropriate in these times, and something we all want to know about. With the troubles in Ukraine hampering gas supplies, from the East, energy prices skyrocketing and the government initiatives to ban fossil fuels and decarbonise all industrial sectors of the UK to meet the net zero targets by 2050, this all adds impetus for a cleaner greener future. And according to the government website, future roads could be built using asphalt made from grass cuttings and ‘carbon capturing’ cement, supported by £30 million government funding awarded net zero projects.

Topics for the day at Glaziers Hall, the home of The Worshipful Company of Launderers under the shadow of the wonderful Southwark Cathedral included nuclear energy, solar panels, heat pump technology and supplementing natural gas and conventional vehicle fuels with hydrogen.

After the opening address by deputy master Ken Cupitt, professor Philip Thomas from Bristol University took to the podium. According to Thomas, the UK government have included nuclear energy as green energy for their plan for the future. He went on to say the heat produced by nuclear power stations can be used to produce steam which in turn can power turbines. Thomas continued on the subjects of Chernobyl and Fukushima, and according to studies those not directly involved are more prone to cancers from smoking and natural causes rather that ingesting minor millisieverts (mSv) of radiation.

Following Thomas, Edward Ross from Gridimp Ltd advised the delegates on ways of reducing energy costs by being flexible. With the huge dependency on electric, users need to be savvy. Use energy when its cheap during non-peak times. Installing smart meters educates the consumer on high demand units and appliances. Solar panels, ideal for consuming a vast amount of energy during summer months, keeping users going through the winter and even selling surplus energy back to the grid. He continued by saying there are other ways to store and reduce demand on the energy supplies by using batteries, ground source heat and combined heat power. Andrew Moore from UKSOL, an independent producer of Photovoltaic (PV) Modules or solar panels to the layman, explained the principle of how solar panels work, by converting sunlight into electrical energy. The advantages of using solar energy are it’s independent from the grid, it’s renewable and environmentally friendly (green), plus over time consumers will see a return on investment.

Although some may think hotter climates are more suited for PV units, in fact they prefer cooler temperatures. He continued to say PV products have been around for about 50 years and are even being used to power the Mars rovers.

According to Moore, PV panels can be installed anywhere from land to roofs and are most effective if installed with a 30° incline. Technology has moved on so that PV panels can now be glued to the tops of vehicles and curved structures. He finished by claiming the life of a typical installation is around 30 years, and investing in solar panels is a shrewd move.

Robert Unsworth from GEA, a German corporation specialising in machinery and plant as well as advanced process technology and components for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. Unsworth was at the energy seminar to educate the delegates on heat pump technology. Heat pumps he says, are found in domestic appliances including your fridges and freezers. They work by absorbing heat to lower the temperature. Using the GEA’s installation of heat pumps at the Innocent drinks production facility, as an example, he explained with the help from a series of diagrams how the heat pumps work in the refrigeration process.

From Enerstrat Consulting Ashutosh Shastri, representing the Worshipful Company of Fuellers, spoke on the role of hydrogen as an alternative fuel and its possible role in transport. The principal theme that he addressed was the need for a strategic pause in the exuberance surrounding the hydrogen theme and its role in the “race to the low carbon economy”. Hydrogen faces a huge ‘scale-up challenge’ in order to make any meaningful contribution to the energy transition in the medium term as since more than 99 per cent of current global hydrogen production is derived from fossil resources, coal and gas. In the UK, where renewable energy contributes to almost 40 per cent of final electricity consumption, for hydrogen to contribute to net zero by 2050, renewable energy production would have to multiply 12-13 times based on current levels.

Hydrogen therefore may not be the immediate solution, but the UK has the best chance to develop a hydrogen-based energy system thanks to the role for carbon capture, utilisation and storage.

On the role of hydrogen in transport – hydrogen has an energy density and fast-refuelling advantage in heavy duty freight transport over battery electric options, such as small ships, cruise ships and transport ferries. He therefore feels the death of the combustion engine is grossly exaggerated!

With the UK leading the world in the development of hydrogen energy, European peers should be making more informed policy choices in shaping the ROE of hydrogen in the UK energy transition. Incentives and funds for developing hydrogen ecosystem should include investments in hydrogen infrastructure where hydrogen could compete as an alternative.

Industry delegates met for The Future of Energy conference at Glaziers Hall, the home of The Worshipful Company of Launderers