4th Claverton Energy Group Conference – 24th to 26th October 2008
The Claverton Group invites attendees and speakers to present a paper or exhibit products or services, by registering attendance on the new website, as soon as possible.
Speakers should checkthe following titles and any biographies are correct, and most importantly please send the synopsis. If not shown in this story or on the website then please re-send.
Papers are still being accepted, as are speaker recommendations, especially someone close to National Grid.
Claverton – Web site – http://www.claverton-energy.com/
Wessex Water has kindly allowed the use of their magnificent low-energy headquarters building in Bath for the next Claverton Conference.
- Nick Mitchell,- Senior Manager, Wessex Water: food waste to energy – the water company view.
- Dr. Gregor Czisch – Kassel University: Has written various papers on linking grids trans nationally to smooth output of renewables.
- Dr Graham Sinden, Oxford Environmental Change Institute: The implications of the Eu’s 20/20/20 directive on renewable electricity generation requirements in the UK, and the potential role of offshore wind power in this context. (Graham Sinden has published a number of papers looking at the effects of integrating variable / intermittent generation into the generation mix)
- Dr. Fred Starr – ex EU Energy Centre: (Petten) “IGCC plus CCS: An Objective Analysis” Claverton 2008 FStarr Presentation 10th April 2008.ppt
- Brian Hurley – ex Chief Scientist Airtricity: World wind power resources- – ( who are planning a 10 GW wind farm combined with an inter-connector in the North Sea.)
- Jeremy Harrison – Innovation Consultant E.ON Engineering: Micro CHP and all Micro generation technologies to provide context/comparison.
- Jerome Guillet – Investment Banker / Financier of off shore wind – Paper on same topic
- Professor Lewis Lesley – John Moore’s University: “sustainable light rail” ……(Apparently there is enough potential biogas to run an entire public transport system in the UK – Ed)
- Graeme Bathurst – Technical Manager, TNEI Services Ltd: Long distance HVDC cables – costs and impacts (can no longer attend unfortunately)
- John Baldwin – Ex Senior Manager British Gas. “Tthe use of clean compressed biogas in vehicles which could cover 12 – 15% of uk vehicle fuel use potentially.
- Martin Alder – MD: Wind turbine developer and operator- Renewable Energy support mechanisms
- Chris Cook – Financial Expert: “Beyond ‘Peak Credit’ – asset-based Energy Financing”.
- Bernard Quigg – Senior Electrical Engineer: Title (to be confirmed)- Developments in collecting renewable generation’
- Dr Bob Everett – Open University: “Transport without petroleum – a peculiar pictorial history’. This is a fairly lighthearted trawl through the picture archives
- John Baldwin – Ex Senior Manager British Gas. The UK’s most efficient gas fired power generation plant (80% of gas energy converted to electricity – expander CHP)
- Professor David Elliot – Open University: Review of Upcoming Renewables – Wave and tidal energy
- Neil Crumpton / William Orchard: City-wide heat grids or integration of CHP and very large renewables. (Neil is working with William on this. They have looked at hollow kerbs made from recycled plastic – designed to any X-section they could carry two eight inch heat pipes, fibre optic broad band and heavy duty electricity cables – could reduce costs and increase convenience and public interest in deploying large scale CHP replacing cast-iron gas grid )
- David Olivier – Energy Advisory Associates; Energy efficiency and conservation in building design – a look at what is being achieved in other European countries.
- Tim Helweg-Larsen – Director – Public Interest Research Centre: “Climate Code Red” The very latest reading of the climate emergency we have entered.
- David Olivier – Energy Advisory Associates: Energy efficiency in existing buildings.
- Martin Alder – MD: Wind turbine developer and operator – on-site wind generation.
- Dr Bob Everett – Open University: ‘Peak Oil, Gas, Coal, Phosphorus, Money, etc’ – (the situation doesn’t get any better)
- Dave McGrath – Managing Director ReGenTech Ltd: Fuel Cell Power Solutions “the Role of Hydrogen in a declining fossil supply era”
- Dave Andrews: How the National Grid is already controlled to deal with sudden loss of large amounts of power generation, intermittency and variability, how diesels are already in widespread use for this purpose
- Anthony Battersby – Mendip Hydro power Group: Scope for micro hydro in the UK – can no longer attend.
- Dr Dave Toke – Birmingham University: ‘Why peak oil is not a good argument for renewables’ (Dave cannot give this talk now, so we are looking for volunteers / rapporteurs?)
- Richard Lawson – Desert Rose – “The use of solar desalination plants to grow forests in deserts”
- Chris Hodrien – A paper on the benefits of Carbon Capture and Storage
- Polly Higgins – Concentrating Solar Power/DESERTEC: Talk (update on the Med Solar Plan under the Union for the Mediterranean and all other progress etc). Note : Sunday Only:
Synopses:
Richard Lawson – Desert Rose – “The use of solar desalination plants to grow forests in deserts”
Desert Rose is a conceptual approach to using two resources – sunlight and seawater – that coastal tropical areas have in abundance to supply two resources that are in short supply and dwindling – fresh water and forest cover using solar desalination plant. It suggests that once past a critical point, the growth in forest and water tend to become a self-propagating system. Energy costings relating to developing this concept are addressed. The Green Belt movement claims that 15 sp. kilometers of forest are sufficient to produce its own rain cloud. The costs and benefits of reafforestation suggest a favourable outcome.
IGCC plus CCS: An Objective Analysis … F.Starr
The paper briefly describes the technology of conventional IGCCs for electricity generation and shows how such “precombustion plants” need to be modified to capture CO2. The main difference is that the raw gas from the gasifier has to be treated to produce a fuel gas containing more than 90% hydrogen. This adds to the complexity of the plant. But the main reason why the large scale construction of such plants is unlikely in the near future is the absence of a large domestic and industrial market for hydrogen. The paper therefore advocates the production of substitute natural gas, with CO2 capture, as being a more realistic option which can use the existing infrastructure
These events bring together numerous experts who can give numerical details of the potential scope, cost and other attributes of energy issues and technologies and more importantly how each can fit into an overall picture, for the UK, Europe and the World.
Talks will generally be short and punchy giving bare essentials except for certain speakers who have extended expert material to deliver. By running parallel streams, delegates can pick out which talks they need to go to, and avoid material they already know. Some talks will be repeated as necessary.
The Claverton Group has organised 3 previous similar conferences, and carries on continuous on-line dialogues, between 250 experts – this is in the manner of Interlock Research.
Further info about the Claverton Group Note: Unless you are reading this off the Web page, it is almost certainly out of date. It will constantly up date until the start of the meeting.
Conference typically starts Friday evening about 6.00 for a couple of short lighthearted sessions; followed by a meal, then continuing Saturday and Sunday breaking up about 4.00. (exact programme will be published nearer the day)
