Redefining Energy - TECH Michael Barnard

In a captivating episode of "Redefining Energy Tech," host Michael Barnard welcomed Kevin Antcliff, the head of product at X Wing, to discuss the transformative trends in the aviation industry. Kevin, who has an impressive background with a 13-year tenure at NASA, shared his journey from a childhood fascination with aerospace to leading product vision at X Wing, a startup focusing on autonomous aviation.
At NASA, Kevin was deeply involved in projects related to urban air mobility and autonomy mapping, experiences that fortified his belief in the future of unmanned flight. The conversation delved into the aviation industry's current challenges, including the significant pilot shortages, the high operational and crew expenses, turnover rates, and the restrictive regulatory environment. An important part of their discussion highlighted the advantages of electric aircraft, such as lower certification and maintenance costs and operational savings, which stand in stark contrast to traditional planes.
Furthermore, they explored the concept of regional air mobility (RAM), emphasizing its potential to utilize existing airport infrastructure to enhance connectivity. This segment brought to light the historical backdrop of the abundance of airports in the US following World War II and the impact of liability concerns on aircraft manufacturing until recent regulatory changes encouraged new entrants into the small plane production market.
The episode painted a picture of an aviation industry at a pivotal point, moving towards increased autonomy and electrification, driven by the need for cost efficiency, safety improvements, and the leveraging of RAM to improve regional connectivity.
Kevin's insights from his NASA days, particularly his work on mapping the autonomy landscape and drafting a white paper on RAM, provided valuable context to understand the ongoing shifts in the industry. 

In this insightful second episode, Roberta Cenni, the head of biofuels at the Maersk McKinney Mueller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, delves into the potential of biofuels as a sustainable energy source for the shipping industry.
With biodiesel currently being the only commercially available biofuel derived from fats, oils, and greases, she discusses its limitations due to supply constraints and explores the possibilities of other biofuels like biomethane and biomethanol, which could be produced from waste materials through processes such as gasification and pyrolysis.
Cenni elaborates on the technical aspects of converting biomass into valuable fuels, highlighting methods like gasification that converts biomass into synthesis gas for methanol or synthetic diesel production, and pyrolysis, a less energy-intensive process for breaking down solid substances. She also touches on hydrocracking and hydro treating processes that use hydrogen to upgrade biocrude or clean feedstocks of impurities.
Additionally, the conversation covers the potential of ammonia as an alternative fuel, despite its toxicity risks, emphasizing the importance of safety in its maritime use. The episode not only provides a deep dive into the science behind biofuel production but also stresses the significance of using waste biomass sustainably.
Cenni's discussion underscores the need for responsible sourcing practices to prevent negative impacts on biodiversity and ensure the sustainability of biofuel production for the shipping industry. Through a comprehensive exploration of biofuels, from their current state to future potentials and challenges, this episode sheds light on the critical role of innovative energy solutions in achieving zero carbon shipping.

In the latest episode of "Redefining Energy Tech," hosted by Michael Barnard, we had the pleasure of welcoming Roberta Cenni, head of biofuels at the Maersk McKinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.
With a rich background in chemical engineering and a passion for sustainability, Roberta shared her journey and the pivotal decision to join the center. This pioneering organization, established by Maersk as a non-profit, spearheads the mission to decarbonize the shipping industry through collaboration across sectors to innovate in alternative fuels and low-carbon solutions.
Our conversation delved into the promising role of biofuels, particularly focusing on biomethane and methanol, in the quest for decarbonizing maritime shipping. The challenge of methane emissions from anaerobic digesters was a critical point of discussion, highlighting the need for further research and technological advancement in capturing these emissions effectively. We also explored the landscape of LNG-powered ships and the emerging interest in ammonia as a potential fuel option, underscoring the complexity and evolving nature of port infrastructure and bunkering requirements for these alternative fuels.
The dialogue was enriched by Roberta's insights into the economic viability and technological pathways for producing bio-methanol as a viable shipping fuel, alongside the ongoing developments in port infrastructure to accommodate the bunkering needs of such alternative fuels. Roberta outlined her action items, emphasizing the importance of continued research into the decarbonization potential of biomethane and methanol, including their production methodologies and the adaptation of port infrastructures to support their use.
These steps are crucial for navigating the challenges and seizing the opportunities that lie ahead in achieving a zero-carbon future for maritime shipping.

Michael Barnard welcomes back Mark Wilson, CEO of Intelligent Land Investments of Scotland for the second half of their discussion. They embark on a detailed discussion about the intricacies of pumped hydro facilities, including engineering, design considerations, and the role of pumped hydro in the evolving landscape of renewable energy.
Mark Wilson sheds light on the design aspects of pumped hydro facilities, particularly focusing on the size and length of tunnels, and emphasizes a broad brush approach over detailed design specifications. He also touches upon their foray into battery projects, acknowledging a learning curve in this area. Michael Barnard raises the critical issue of risk management in large infrastructure projects, underlining the importance of meticulous planning and design.
The conversation pivots to the technicalities of turbine selection for pumped hydro facilities. Mark explains their preference for fixed turbines over variable ones, citing cost-effectiveness and alignment with their project goals. This leads to an intriguing discussion on the recent growth of battery storage, an area that has surpassed Mark's initial expectations when they began focusing on pump storage projects. They explore Scotland's position in the battery market, considering its first-mover advantage and future prospects around 2030-2035.
Delving into the broader scope of energy storage, Michael and Mark discuss the UK's potential as an exporter of 100% renewable energy to Europe, underscoring the significance of energy security. They categorize different types of grid storage and debate the feasibility and necessity of extensive seasonal storage. The conversation also covers the practical aspects of developing projects like Red John, encompassing land rights, planning permissions, and the importance of local partnerships and workforce arrangements.
Mark reflects on his company's journey, emphasizing the importance of ethics, relationship-building, and resilience in the face of industry challenges. He candidly discusses the stress and pressures associated with developing pumped hydro projects and the regulatory and funding challenges they face.
Comparing the UK and US contexts, Mark advocates for pump storage as a key solution for achieving net-zero emissions and urges companies to push for policy changes that support project development.

Welcome to the latest episode of "Redefining Energy Tech," where host Michael Barnard delves into the evolving world of renewable energy technology. In this engaging session, Michael introduces his esteemed guest, Mark Wilson, CEO and founder of Intelligent Land and Investments (ILI) of Scotland.
Mark shares his remarkable journey, beginning with securing land for eco-friendly housing projects, leading up to his current ventures into renewable energy projects such as onshore wind and pump storage. The highlight of the discussion is ILI's advanced project, Red John, poised to significantly bolster the power grid. Mark elucidates the intricacies of pump storage technology and its application in Red John, setting a precedent in the renewable energy sector.
The conversation also touches upon other global pumped hydro facilities, including China's ambitious plans, underscoring the worldwide impact of such initiatives. Mark points out the long-term commitment of these projects, indicated by the 125-year leases on their Scottish sites.
Mark and Michael delve into the challenges and triumphs of integrating new technologies in the renewable energy space. Emphasizing the comprehensive approach required for successful project execution, Mark shares his team's expertise in site selection and development. They address and debunk common myths about the scarcity of suitable locations for pumped hydro storage, demonstrating the feasibility of these projects globally.
The environmental considerations of closed-loop systems and their design intricacies based on mathematical calculations are also discussed. Further into the conversation, they explore the strategic approaches to energy storage, contrasting river-based systems with closed-loop methods. Mark voices his concerns about the environmental impact of river-based systems and advocates for the efficiency and lower impact of closed-loop systems.
The episode also sheds light on the rigorous approval processes for such projects, referencing an incident involving a dam breach and the consequent enhancement of safety measures in dam construction. The UK and Scottish governments' role in fostering a conducive environment for renewable energy projects surfaces as a key topic.
The UK's cap and floor mechanism, designed to ensure safe investment in strategic assets like pumped hydro facilities, is discussed, highlighting the nation's commitment to achieving net zero emissions. This segment underscores the optimism surrounding the future of energy storage in the UK, positioning it as a potential global leader in renewable energy technology.

In this episode of "Redefining Energy Tech," host Michael Barnard continues and concludes his conversation with Cornelis Plet, DNV's VP for Power Systems Advisory in North America. They delve into high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission, focusing on the contrast between Line Commutated Converters (LCC) and Voltage Source Converters (VSC). Cornelis explains LCC's suitability for stable grid connections and VSC's advantages in control and reduced harmonics, also noting the prominence of MMC-VSC technology in modern HVDC systems.

The discussion then shifts to HVDC's role in efficiently connecting asynchronous AC grids, highlighting China's significant advancements in this field. Cornelis and Michael examine China's HVDC infrastructure, acknowledging its global leadership with the longest operational lines and ultra-high voltage projects. They also touch upon challenges related to China's HVDC systems' reliability and its aspirations to export this technology amidst cybersecurity and political concerns.

Additionally, the podcast explores the varied governance frameworks in HVDC project development across different regions. They compare China's streamlined approach to the more complex scenarios in Europe and North America, where diverse stakeholders and policies often slow down progress.

The episode concludes with reflections on the future of HVDC technology, emphasizing its critical role in the energy transition and the need for clear communication in the sector. This discussion offers valuable insights into the evolving world of energy transmission and the emerging technologies shaping our sustainable future.