Mane Energy Issue 11 - January 2019 | Page 6

WIND POWER PROVIDES 44% EXTRA ENERGY TO NATIONAL GRID IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2018

The capacity of renewable energy has overtaken that of fossil fuels in the UK for the first time. In the last five years, the amount of renewable energy has tripled whilst fossil fuels have fallen by a one-third. Imperial College London, which compiled the figures said the rate at which renewables had been built in the past few years was greater than the “dash for gas” in the 1990’s.

Between July and September, the capacity of wind, solar, biomass and hydropower reached 41.9 gigawatts, exceeding the 41.2 gigawatt capacity of coal, gas and oil-fired power plants. This was the first time in history that UK renewable energy surpasses fossil fuels.

Britain’s power system is slowly changing, reducing its use of fossil fuels whilst increasing renewables. In terms of installed capacity, wind is

the biggest source of renewables at more than 20GW.

With the rise of renewables, the UK plan to cut greenhouse

gas emissions by 80 percent compared with 1990 levels by

2050. The government also plan to phase out coal by 2025,

so we’re going to have a keep an eye out over the next seven

years to see if that milestone has been achieved.

Dominion Energy and Smithfield Foods have formed a partnership to convert methane emissions from hog farms into renewable energy in several locations across the United States.

Renewable natural gas is produced from methane generated from hog or dairy farms. The benefits of capturing methane from hog farms is that it prevents greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere by reducing the use of traditionally sourced natural gas.

Smithfield Foods are pursuing a goal of reducing its greenhouse emissions 25% by 2025, so this is a fantastic venture to get them started on the road to achieving it. Together with Dominion Energy, Smithfield Foods are investing at least $250 million over the next decade to expand the technology that is needed on a wider scale.

All farmers who participate in the program will be paid for the energy that their farms produce through long-term contracts. The projects plans on capturing methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and then converting it into renewable energy.

The initials projects will be located in North Carolina, Virginia and Utah with the energy produced being used to power local businesses and heat residential homes. We look forward to keeping up with the project and seeing whether Smithfield’s Foods do in fact reach their goal of reducing greenhouse emissions by 25%.

It's a pig deal!

6| MANE ENERGY | JANUARY 2019