Welcome Grid Brief! Here’s what we’re looking at today: an Australian mining giant wants to end the nation’s nuclear energy ban, NASA eyes a lunar mining trial, Norway shells out big time for oil and gas projects, and more.

Aussie Mining Giant Wants Nuclear Power

BHP Group Ltd., an Australian mining giant, wants Australia to lift its ban on nuclear energy as the country tries to decarbonize its electricity system.

Laura Tyler, chief technical officer at the company, said nuclear “must be part of the conversation” in Australia. “To make sure we have that safe, reliable energy mix, we need to be able to mix it up” by partnering nuclear with wind, solar, batteries and other sources of electricity, she added. “Everything needs to be on the table.”

“The bulk of BHP’s earnings come from its Australian iron ore and coal mines, but the company also produces uranium, the fuel for nuclear reactors, at its Olympic Dam site in South Australia,” reports Bloomberg. The company wants to pursue net-zero emissions by 2050.

Nuclear has been banned in Australia since the 1990s. The Labour party supports the ban and believes renewables will be sufficient to achieve full decarbonization. But the Liberal-National coalition isn’t convinced that renewables and batteries can replace the coal plants that are closing. It believes nuclear is necessary for reliability.

NASA’s Lunar Mining Plan

On Wednesday, a NASA scientist said that the agency is looking to develop resources on the moon—initially, oxygen and water, but eventually iron and rare earth metals. NASA has already begun preparations to excavate moon soil in 2032.

NASA’s Artemis mission, which aims to put two people on the moon by 2025, is meant to lay the groundwork for commercial opportunities in space. The agency wants to quantify various resources—energy, water, and lunar soil—to entice commercial investment, according to Gerald Sanders, a rocket scientist at NASA's Johnston Space Center.

"We are trying to invest in the exploration phase, understand the resources... to (lower) risk such that external investment makes sense that could lead to development and production," said Sanders. "We are literally just scratching the surface.”

“NASA will at the end of the month send a test drill rig to the moon and plans a larger-scale excavation of moon soil, or regolith, and a pilot processing plant in 2032,” reports Reuters. “The first customers are expected to be commercial rocket companies who could use the moon's resources for fuel or oxygen.”

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Norway Approves $18.5 Billion For O&G Projects

Norway has approved the development of oil and gas projects worth more than $18.5 billion (200 billion Norwegian crowns).

“The 19 projects approved today include new developments, additional development of producing oil and gas fields, and investments to increase resource recovery in producing fields, the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy said. The projects are being led by Aker BP, Equinor, Wintershall Dea, and OMV,” reports Oilprice.com. “The new investments in oil and gas will create jobs and value for Norway and contribute to Europe’s energy security, Petroleum and Energy Minister Terje Aasland said.”

According to Aasland, the projects are expected to enhance expertise and establish a foundation for future technological advancements, which will play a crucial role in accelerating the growth of carbon capture and storage (CCS), hydrogen, and offshore wind.

Following Russia's reduction in pipeline deliveries to Europe after the invasion of Ukraine, Norway has emerged as the continent’s largest single supplier of natural gas.

Equinor recently reopened the Njord gas field in the Norwegian Sea to boost its production by more than doubling its output.

Conversation Starters

• Malaysia and Japan are working on liquified CO2. “Japanese shipping giant Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and Malaysia’s state energy firm Petronas have showcased the results of their joint efforts aimed at shipping and storing liquified carbon dioxide (CO2). The duo, in collaboration with Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI), has developed and secured approval in principle for liquefied CO2 carriers and a floating storage and offloading (FSO) unit,” reports Splash 247. “Presented at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre this week, a 14,000 cu m short-haul unit and a larger 87,000 cu m vessel designed for long-haul voyages were classed by DNV. Meanwhile, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) gave its stamp of approval for a 96,000 cu m FSO concept developed for intermediate storage and offloading offshore, as well as for another 87,000 cu m carrier with an installed dynamic positioning system that is intended for long-haul transportation and offshore offloading.”

• The US and Mongolia plan to work together on critical minerals. “Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Mongolia on June 27, 2023, to jointly advance secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region. This MOU includes a framework for Mongolia and the United States to work together on technical areas of support to further Mongolia’s efforts to develop capacity to encourage investment in its mineral resource sector, which is vital to the global clean energy transition,” reads a State Department Press Release. “The United States stands ready to explore opportunities to help develop this sector in Mongolia, including by encouraging private sector investment. This MOU further reflects the United States’ broader goal of advancing high environmental, social, and governance standards in the global mining sector.”

• Battery trains have arrived in Europe. “As the aviation world looks to battery-powered planes to help sustainability, the rail sector has been quietly working on a faster alternative. Enter Europe’s first battery-powered trains,” reports CNN. “A 20-strong fleet of Hitachi Masaccio trains is now running in Italy, where they are known as ‘Blues.’ It’s the first phase of a 1.23 billion euros project which will add 135 battery-powered trains to national operator Trenitalia’s network, running in Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Tuscany, and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. The three- and four-carriage, 300-seater trains are hybrid, working on battery, electric and diesel power. “It is the first time that batteries are used as the main energy source on a fleet of trains for commercial use in Europe,” Trenitalia said in a statement.”

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