Alternative Energy (Hansard, 4 November 1988)

§ 8. Mr. Michael Spicer

Since the inception of the Department's renewable energy research and development programme, over £132 million has been invested and a further £50 million is likely to be spent in this important area over the next three years. Over 250 separate projects are currently under way or planned and the work on each of these varies in time scale according to the work programme set out in the respective contracts.

The Department attaches great importance to the renewable technologies. Our aim is to stimulate their development to the fullest practical extent where they have prospects of being economically attractive and environmentally acceptable. Energy Paper 55 "Renewable Energy in the UK: The Way Forward" published in June and available in the Library of the House sets out our view of the development strategy for renewable energy to the year 2000, together with an estimate of the support to be shared between Government and industry on an increasing level of collaboration.

Renewable energy projects for which the Department has provided financial assistance over the past 12 months are listed in the table.

RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS WHICH HAVE RECEIVED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DURING THE PERIOD NOVEMBER 1987 TO OCTOBER 1988

Biofuel projects

BR5/2—Coppiced trees as energy crops
BR5/3—Single stem trees as energy crops
C4/1 Straw combustion trials
Integ of forestry for energy with agriculture
Assessment of basic landfill microbio pt. II
C4/1—Support to straw combustion trials
Coppice weed control
BR5/4 Large scale trials of short rotation coppice
BR4/3 Eqp trials—harvesting processing and storing
C5/2—Wood combustion trials
Model for refuse processing
C5/2—Support to wood combustion trials
National assessment of LF gas production—ph. 1
C5/03 Monitoring of project 1557 (fibroheat)
Support services in forestry and energy
C4/6; Consultancy in farm wastes as fuel area
Development of a mobile straw wafering machine
Development of a mobile straw wafering machine
Thermochemical conversion of wastes and biomass
RDF combustion trials
Peat as fuel
Fouling and corrosion studies
Cyclone combustor with integrated ash removal
Modified chain grate stoker shell boiler
Waste processing and emissions monitoring
Shredded waste derived fuel storage bunker trials
Hydrogeological assessment
Review of market for industrial waste combustors
Pre treated refuse
RDF combustion programme consultancy services
RDF combustion
Methane recovery from anaerobic digestion of MSW
Access agreement 2 on project 1668
Review of private waste disposal contracting ind

Geothermal energy projects

Consultancy studies
Marchwood access licence
Southampton district heating monitoring
Geothermal project at Rosemanowes: phase 2B
Seismic monitoring in South West England: 1987 to 1989
Cost modelling of HDR systems
Geothermal project at Rosemanowes: phase 2C
Project management study at Rosemanowes quarry
Development of geothermal power plant TWVC
Commercialisation studies at Rosemanowes quarry
Consultancy services for prog
Radon gas measurement in CSM reservoir
Hydro thermal alteration of granite to 250 celcius
Infra-structure study—Weardale and Cumbria
Environmental study at Weardale and Cumbria
Geochemical studies of HDR reservoirs

Hydro projects

Feasibility of pneumatic hydro-electric systems
Performance and economics of pneumatic water engine
Pneumatic low head hydro systems (monitoring)
Wells turbine pneumatic power conversion
Potential resource in United Kingdom and Northern Ireland

Solar projects

Operating agent for IEA task III
Bebington Trombe Wall house trial
Seri-res refinement
Housing layout design guide
Performance analysis service II
House design guide
Non domestic design studies I
Field trials team 2
Linford/Pennylands book
Field trials team 1 phase II (project 1169)
Field trials team 1 phase III (project 1169 1571)
Test cells 2 (EEC)
IEA task XI
Criterion values I
Cost analysis service II
Preformance analysis review I part I
Heat transfer coefficient review phase I
Performance analysis review III
User interface development I
Performance analysis review IV
Test cells 3
Code development II
Applicability study I
IEA task VIII sub task C
United Kingdom/United States test rooms
Liaison with institutions
Programme consultancy 2 (AB)
Fenestration 2000—market context study
Atrium/cons review
Non domestic building design studies 2
Non domestic design studies phase 2 (ATRIA)
House design studies II (Midlands)
House design studies II (South)
Performance analysis service
Assistance to the passive solar programme
Airflow modelling review project

Wind projects

Base consultancy to wind energy programme
Prediction of fatigue damage in wind turbines
Finite element modelling of wind turbines
Near wake wind tunnel studies
Monitoring equipment for 60m HAWTG LS-1 phase II and III
Consultancy to project 1361
Fatigue evaluation of wood laminates
Wind energy cost modeling
Synchronous/induction generator testing
Fatigue strength of weld details
Modal survey of prototype 25m VGVAWTG
Assessment of wind potential at WEC sites
Analysis of flexible WTGS
Development of turbine for Richborough site
Turbulence spectra for rotating VAWTG
Test of a WTG with stall regulated blades
Relocation of the 28m mast Orkney
Prediction of community noise levels due to WT OP
Fatigue tests of wood blade/stud interfaces
Wind tunnel evaluation of thick aerofoil sections
Design of support structure mech and elec systems
Use of wood for large WTG rotors
Survey of control methods for VAWTS
Flow visualisation in United States of America
Wind measurement at west sole
Review of GRP WTG blades and design codes
Outline design of LS-2 MW-Scale HAWTG
Benchmark exercise on load prediction
Validation of unsteady flow study
Effect of turbine rotation on maximum lift coefficient
Stall control on WTGS
Performance prediction for stalling HAWTGS
Direct coupled generators for large WTGS
Weight/cost projections for MW VAWTGS
Parametric cost study of large HAWTGS
Fatigue of welded joints in WTGS
VAWTG aerodynamics in the environment + w/tunnels
Full scale flow visualisation of WTG
Long term fatigue measurements on MS-1
Long term wind + performance data for MS1
Options for variable speed operation of HAWTGS
Base consultancy continuation
Sensitivity of design of Howden 1 MW WTG
Investigation of the onset of stall on WTG blades
Characterisation of wake turbulence
Detail design of 1.2 MW Vawtg
Design of aerofoils specifically for Vawtgs
Extension of adaptive control techniques
Noise + visuals characteristics of WTG in Milton Keynes
60 M WTG performance monitoring phase 4
Design of aerofoil sections for HAWTGS
Wind turbine control systems modelling + design
Design construction + demo of MS3 WTG
Study of an all wood composite rotor
TWT investigations of wake structure in wind farms
Environmental constraints on United Kingdom wind resource
Further development of finite element dynamic code
Future development or the Howden 750Kw/1mw WTS
Control system simulation package WTS executive group
Performance monitoring of Orkney Hants
Further studies of the vertical axis wind turbine
Construction of Carmarthen bay 25mv Vavgwtg
Performance monitoring of 25M Vavgwtg.

Tidal energy projects

Further consideration of Caisson design
Air turbines for the tidal barrages
Hydraulic effects of a tidal barrage
Mersey barrage feasibility study stage I
Tidal barrage construction
Consultancy in tidal power
Post-barrage densities of birds: wader study
Migratory fish—passage through low head turbines
Wader migration
Ecology of sub estuaries of the Severn
Post barrage densities of birds: inverterbrates
Post barrage densities of birds: sediments
Severn barrage preparation of work programme public con
Generic steel designs (SCI)
Severn barrage development project
Predicting marginal veg post barrage environment

Wave energy projects

Operation and maintenance of Cadham wave tank
Wave energy studies
Work on Wells turbine
Development of small scale sea clam
Small scale low cost wave energy devices (phase 1)
Wave tank facility University of Edinburgh
Small scale low cost wave power devices (phase II Further work on PS Frog

General studies projects

Common costing methodology for renewables
Res and energy efficiency in Cornwall
Impact of IC N N energy R & D
CCC energy study support (project 1595)
Simple costing methodology for RE programme
Watt Committee Renewable Energy Resources Project

818W

Note: The work on some of these projects may have been completed prior to November 1987, and financial assistance represents final pricing with respect to individual contracts.