POWER Magazine

The post Can Corporate America Ensure a Clean Energy Future? appeared first on POWER Magazine.Renewable energy off-take by large corporate entities is on the rise. Google in September of this year made its largest-ever renewable energy procurement announcement, announcing 18 new renewable energy agreements, totaling 1,600 MW. That puts Google at the top of the voluntary renewable energy purchasers list, after Facebook had grabbed the top spot a year […]The post Can Corporate America Ensure a Clean Energy Future? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Distress and Deals Continue to Persist in Energy Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.At the end of last year, the power market began to lose steam. The credit market wasn’t as strong as it was at the start of the year and many people began speculating “doom and gloom” for the market. However, over the last few months, the power market has picked up and is beginning to […]The post Distress and Deals Continue to Persist in Energy Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Researchers: $71 Billion of Japan’s Coal Assets at Risk appeared first on POWER Magazine.Research from the University of Tokyo, along with that of two other groups, shows Japan’s coal-fired power plant fleet is at economic risk as the country adds more generation from renewable energy resources such as solar and wind. The report, called “Land of the Rising Sun and Offshore Wind,” released Oct. 6 and based on […]The post Researchers: $71 Billion of Japan’s Coal Assets at Risk appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Protecting DEF from Extreme Cold Is Important appeared first on POWER Magazine.According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the winter of 2019–2020 will be filled with bitterly cold weather in the eastern parts of the Rockies and east to the Appalachians. The Northeast should also experience very cold temperatures. For municipalities, public utilities, landscapers, and others that are involved in outdoor work and snow removal, there is always […]The post Protecting DEF from Extreme Cold Is Important appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Last Major Module Received at Vogtle Nuclear Site appeared first on POWER Magazine.The final major module needed to construct Vogtle Units 3 and 4—the only new commercial nuclear power units currently under construction in the U.S.—has arrived at the site near Waynesboro, Georgia. That means all 1,485 major modules have been manufactured and safely delivered to the project. Georgia Power announced the milestone in a press release […]The post Last Major Module Received at Vogtle Nuclear Site appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Reports: Perry Will Resign as Head of DOE appeared first on POWER Magazine.Reports from several news outlets say that Energy Secretary Rick Perry could step down from that role as soon as November. The Washington Post on Oct. 4 said Perry plans to step down by year-end and return to the private sector. The Post cited four unnamed individuals who it said had been briefed on Perry’s […]The post Reports: Perry Will Resign as Head of DOE appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Small Modular Reactors Gain Momentum in Europe appeared first on POWER Magazine.GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and NuScale Power, two leading companies in the race to build small modular reactors (SMRs) for power generation, have recently announced deals that could result to new plants being constructed in Europe. Feasibility Studies in Estonia GEH on Oct. 3 said it had signed an agreement with Fermi Energia OÜ, […]The post Small Modular Reactors Gain Momentum in Europe appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NETL: Coal Chemical Looping Combustion Closer to Commercialization appeared first on POWER Magazine.Chemical looping combustion (CLC), an advanced coal power technology that could markedly simplify carbon capture at power plants, has moved significantly closer to commercialization, owing to a breakthrough in oxygen carrier durability, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) said. The national laboratory, which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), revealed on […]The post NETL: Coal Chemical Looping Combustion Closer to Commercialization appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EIA: Renewables Will Account for Half of Global Power Generation by 2050 appeared first on POWER Magazine.Solar power is expected to take a larger share of global power generation across the next 30 years, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), as renewable energy continues to be adopted worldwide. The EIA’s International Energy Outlook 2019 (IEO2019), released Oct. 2, shows 28% of the world’s power came from renewables in 2018, […]The post EIA: Renewables Will Account for Half of Global Power Generation by 2050 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post GE Unveils New H-Class Gas Turbine—and Already Has a First Order appeared first on POWER Magazine.GE on Oct. 1 unveiled the 7HA.03, the newest model in its 2014-launched high efficiency air-cooled (HA) gas turbine line. On Oct. 2, it also announced that Florida Power and Light’s (FPL’s) Dania Beach Clean Energy Center will be the first to showcase two of the “world’s largest, most efficient, and flexible gas turbines” for the 60-Hz […]The post GE Unveils New H-Class Gas Turbine—and Already Has a First Order appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Taking Charge of Cybersecurity in the Energy Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.Delivering energy has centered on the fundamental tenant of being reliably available. As energy providers strive to maintain that availability, they all too often push security to the backburner. Many unsafe practices have fallen into place for the sake of speed and efficiency, including the use of default and shared passwords, open access, and little […]The post Taking Charge of Cybersecurity in the Energy Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Xcel Announces Deal to Power Steel Mill with Solar appeared first on POWER Magazine.Xcel Energy has announced an agreement with Lightsource BP and EVRAZ North America to develop a $250-million, 240-MW solar power facility in Pueblo, Colorado. The plant will provide power to the EVRAZ Rocky Mountain Steel facility in Pueblo. Xcel said the plant will be the largest on-site solar facility dedicated to a single company. The […]The post Xcel Announces Deal to Power Steel Mill with Solar appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post How Remote Operation Centers Can Help Companies Transition appeared first on POWER Magazine.The energy industry is currently moving from a traditional, highly regulated production model dominated by electricity utilities to a decentralized, deregulated model featuring a higher proportion of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. With subsidies in decline, renewables are reaching grid parity—with costs equal to or less than traditional sources. Not surprisingly, […]The post How Remote Operation Centers Can Help Companies Transition appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Show Preview: Distributed Energy Conference 2019 appeared first on POWER Magazine.POWER magazine’s second Distributed Energy Conference will build upon the success of the inaugural event, a sold-out program that brought together utilities, energy industry executives, and companies from across the spectrum of distributed power generation. Insiders from the wind and solar sectors, along with operators of backup and emergency power systems, combined heat and power, […]The post Show Preview: Distributed Energy Conference 2019 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post India Starts Up Its First-Ever USC Coal Unit appeared first on POWER Magazine.NTPC Ltd., one of India’s largest power generating companies, on Sept. 3 announced it had commissioned the country’s first ultrasupercritical (USC) coal-fired unit at the two-unit 1,320-MW Khargone plant that is under construction in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The development marks a major milestone for India, which depends on coal for 56% of its […]The post India Starts Up Its First-Ever USC Coal Unit appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Competitive Advantages: Power Plant Wins with Low Fuel Costs, High Efficiency appeared first on POWER Magazine.The cost of fuel is one of the most important factors affecting power plant profitability, but flexibility and efficiency are also vitally important to success. One impressive new plant in Ohio—the LordstownThe post Competitive Advantages: Power Plant Wins with Low Fuel Costs, High Efficiency appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Investing in African Energy—Weighing Risks and Rewards appeared first on POWER Magazine.Foreign energy companies are investing in Africa as that continent builds out its power generation infrastructure. But there are risks to those investments, as some governments—Angola, Tanzania, and LibyaThe post Investing in African Energy—Weighing Risks and Rewards appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Empowering Data to Efficiently Build the Connected Grid of the Future appeared first on POWER Magazine.The power industry is witnessing rapid changes thanks to technology. Networks are evolving, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has taken root, with autonomous systems contributing to the rise ofThe post Empowering Data to Efficiently Build the Connected Grid of the Future appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post What’s Driving the Rise of Behind-the-Meter Distributed Energy Resources appeared first on POWER Magazine.A substantial shift in implementation of distributed energy resources (DERs) is on the horizon with the collision of new technologies and higher energy demand. Innovation is spawning an abundance of potentialThe post What’s Driving the Rise of Behind-the-Meter Distributed Energy Resources appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Redefining Modern Gas Power: Lackawanna Energy Center appeared first on POWER Magazine.To endure a highly competitive and rapidly changing marketplace, Invenergy made the bold choice as it developed the 1,480-MW Lackawanna Energy Center in Jessup, Pennsylvania, to pair a first-of-its-kindThe post Redefining Modern Gas Power: Lackawanna Energy Center appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Work Ethic Leads to ‘World Class’ Performance appeared first on POWER Magazine.Wolverine Power Cooperative’s Alpine plant in Michigan has impressive operating numbers, and a culture of teamwork dedicated to maintaining efficiency. Power plant operators will tell you it takes a teamThe post Work Ethic Leads to ‘World Class’ Performance appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Removing Asbestos and Regulated Materials Key to Power Plant Decommissioning appeared first on POWER Magazine.Retiring and decommissioning coal power plants is becoming a more-frequent occurrence around the world. The job comes with many challenges, but projects in the U.S. and UK have proven that remediation andThe post Removing Asbestos and Regulated Materials Key to Power Plant Decommissioning appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Test Your Knowledge: Arm Yourself- A Bulwark FR Quiz appeared first on POWER Magazine.Create your own user feedback survey To take more quizzes, go to the Test Your Knowledge archive page.The post Test Your Knowledge: Arm Yourself- A Bulwark FR Quiz appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Westinghouse Will Acquire Rolls-Royce’s Civil Nuclear Business appeared first on POWER Magazine.Westinghouse Electric Co. will acquire Rolls-Royce’s Civil Nuclear Systems and Services businesses in North America for an undisclosed amount under a “definitive agreement” announced on Sept. 26. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, will see Westinghouse absorb Rolls-Royce’s civil nuclear service businesses in the U.S. and Canada, along with […]The post Westinghouse Will Acquire Rolls-Royce’s Civil Nuclear Business appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post ENGIE, Microsoft Seal Innovative ‘Firm Power’ PPA for 230 MW Wind and Solar in Texas appeared first on POWER Magazine.ENGIE, the world’s largest independent power producer, has signed an innovative volume firming agreement (VFA) with Microsoft that will allow the technology giant to buy “firm” power from wind and solar projects in Texas under a specially structured power purchase agreement (PPA). The companies on Sept. 24 said the long-term PPA will allow Microsoft to […]The post ENGIE, Microsoft Seal Innovative ‘Firm Power’ PPA for 230 MW Wind and Solar in Texas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NRG Aligns Carbon Goals with 1.5-Degree-C Climate Trajectory appeared first on POWER Magazine.NRG Energy has joined a growing list of major U.S. coal generators that want to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. The Princeton, New Jersey-based energy company on Sept. 24 said it would accelerate carbon goals it set in 2014 to reach its 50% GHG reduction target (from a 2014 baseline) by 2025—not […]The post NRG Aligns Carbon Goals with 1.5-Degree-C Climate Trajectory appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post DTE Energy Latest to Target Net-Zero Carbon Emissions appeared first on POWER Magazine.DTE Energy has announced a goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, following steps by Duke Energy, American Electric Power, and NRG Energy to do the same over the past two weeks. The Detroit-based company on Sept. 26 said it would go beyond its existing commitment to reduce carbon emissions 50% by 2030 and […]The post DTE Energy Latest to Target Net-Zero Carbon Emissions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Using Data to Improve Power Plant Operations [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.Power plants have an abundance of data. Temperatures, pressures, flows, and various other parameters are all monitored constantly to ensure plants are operating properly. However, a lot of data is not used to its fullest extent. With the right tools, data can be more-thoroughly analyzed and findings can be acted upon to improve efficiency and […]The post Using Data to Improve Power Plant Operations [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Nuclear Performance Improves, but More Reactors Needed appeared first on POWER Magazine.“The world’s nuclear plants continue to perform excellently,” Agneta Rising, director general of the World Nuclear Association, wrote in the preface to the recently released World Nuclear Performance Report 2019. Yet, if the nuclear industry is to reach its “Harmony” goal, which is for nuclear generation to supply 25% of the world’s electricity before 2050, […]The post Nuclear Performance Improves, but More Reactors Needed appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Clean Tech Leaders Honored at North America Smart Energy Week appeared first on POWER Magazine.Winners of The Cleanie Awards—the only comprehensive awards program focused exclusively on the clean energy industry—were unveiled on Sept. 24 during North America Smart Energy Week in Salt Lake City, Utah. “The Cleanie Awards honors companies and individuals at the forefront of innovation for the clean technology and renewables industries,” said Elyssa Haynes, program director for […]The post Clean Tech Leaders Honored at North America Smart Energy Week appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: SEPA’s Julia Hamm Talks Solar Pathways appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) is meeting this week in Salt Lake City, Utah, joining with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) to present North America Smart Energy Week, which this year includes both the long-running Solar Power International gathering along with Energy Storage International. A big theme this week is the integration of […]The post The POWER Interview: SEPA’s Julia Hamm Talks Solar Pathways appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Energy Storage as a Service Part of Generation Evolution appeared first on POWER Magazine.Two companies who recently announced they are creating what they consider North America’s largest behind-the-meter (BTM) deployment of energy storage technology have said they plan to expand the service, providing a long-term solution for controlling costs and promoting energy sustainability for businesses. Executives of the two companies—Honeywell and NRStor C&I—told POWER in a Sept. 23 interview […]The post Energy Storage as a Service Part of Generation Evolution appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post SEIA Unveils ‘Roadmap’ for Increased Solar Power Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) on Sept. 23 released what it calls a roadmap for solar power, among the group’s first steps into a 10-year period that SEIA has dubbed the “Solar+ Decade.” SEIA on Monday in a news release said its initiative puts solar power on a path to provide at least 20% […]The post SEIA Unveils ‘Roadmap’ for Increased Solar Power Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Texas’ Impending Reliability Issues With Wind Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.COMMENTARY Texas has the most wind capacity of any state, generating about 16% of its electricity from wind. In August, as temperatures rose above 100F and consumers increased their use of air conditioning, Texas’ grid operators struggled to meet the record demand for electricity. Many of the wind turbines could not operate because the wind […]The post Texas’ Impending Reliability Issues With Wind Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post FERC GOP Majority Flexes Partisan Muscles for PURPA Reform appeared first on POWER Magazine.The newly empowered Republican majority on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) flexed its administrative muscles Sept. 19 at its regular monthly meeting, voting 2–1 to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to reform rules pertaining to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). It was FERC’s first public meeting since July, when the […]The post FERC GOP Majority Flexes Partisan Muscles for PURPA Reform appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Duke Energy, American Electric Power Separately Seeking to Go Net-Zero Carbon by 2050 appeared first on POWER Magazine.Two formidable U.S. coal power generators this week separately revised their carbon dioxide emissions reduction targets. Duke Energy announced it would achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. American Electric Power (AEP), meanwhile, said it would extend its target from 60% to 70% from 2000 levels by 2030, and by more than 80% by 2050—but it […]The post Duke Energy, American Electric Power Separately Seeking to Go Net-Zero Carbon by 2050 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post POWER Notebook: Wind Project Will Use Oyster Creek Nuclear Site; Other Solar, Wind Farms Announced appeared first on POWER Magazine.Ocean Wind Gets NJ BPU Backing for Oyster Creek Wind Project. Ocean Wind LLC this month received support from New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to develop a wind project with both offshore and onshore components, with a connection to the grid at the site of the former Oyster Creek nuclear station. Ocean Wind, […]The post POWER Notebook: Wind Project Will Use Oyster Creek Nuclear Site; Other Solar, Wind Farms Announced appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: Cryogenic Energy Storage Technology appeared first on POWER Magazine.Highview Power recently unveiled its modular, giga-scale cryogenic energy storage technology, the CRYOBattery™. The company has announced a partnership with Tenaska to help develop four giga-scale plants in the U.S., with the first expected in in Texas. The company also is working on a fifth project in the Midwest. The technology uses ambient air to […]The post The POWER Interview: Cryogenic Energy Storage Technology appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Vistra Will Close Another Illinois Coal Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.A Vistra Energy subsidiary on Sept. 16 said it will close the nearly 60-year-old E.D. Edwards coal-fired plant in Bartonville, Illinois, by year-end 2022 under a settlement between the company and environmental groups the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Respiratory Health Association. The groups made a joint announcement Monday of the […]The post Vistra Will Close Another Illinois Coal Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Nine Utility Companies Suing Trump Over Emissions Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.A coalition of nine utility companies is suing the Trump administration over its plan to replace the Obama-era Clean Power Plan. New York-based Consolidated Edison said the Affordable Clean Energy, or ACE, rule undermines efforts the companies already have in place to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power generation. The companies, who call their group […]The post Nine Utility Companies Suing Trump Over Emissions Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Community Solar Benefits Cooperatives and Customers appeared first on POWER Magazine.For some utilities, community solar is a way to offer consumers access to clean energy without requiring investment in rooftop solar. For others, it presents a means of strategically placing solar resources in the most beneficial locations. Meanwhile, many utilities view it as an opportunity to learn how best to integrate distributed energy resources (DERs). […]The post Community Solar Benefits Cooperatives and Customers appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post How to Avoid Common Genset Room Design Mistakes appeared first on POWER Magazine.Reliable power is essential for all facilities, but it is even more critical for places like hospitals, data centers, and military bases. Therefore, many decision-makers are purchasing power generator sets (gensets) to supply their facilities during emergencies. It is crucial to consider where the genset will be positioned and how it will be operated. If […]The post How to Avoid Common Genset Room Design Mistakes appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post IHS: Natural Gas Prices Will Fall Below $2/MMBtu in 2020 appeared first on POWER Magazine.Average natural gas prices at Henry Hub in 2020 could fall to below $2/MMBtu —a level “not seen in decades”—owing to a persistent oversupply, a new report from information and analytics firm IHS Markit suggests. Prices could fall despite strong demand for natural gas, both domestically, including for power generation, as well as for exports. […]The post IHS: Natural Gas Prices Will Fall Below $2/MMBtu in 2020 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post What Can You Do with a Superconductor? A Lot! [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.What is a superconductor? One definition says, “a material that can conduct electricity or transport electrons from one atom to another with no resistance.” “At the base physics level, what a superconductor does is it moves a lot more power per unit volume or per unit weight, so you have a very high energy-dense material […]The post What Can You Do with a Superconductor? A Lot! [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Exelon’s Byron 2 Completes First Insertion of Westinghouse Accident-Tolerant Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.Exelon’s Byron Unit 2 nuclear power plant has completed installation of EnCore Fuel, Westinghouse Electric Co.’s accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) solution, marking the start of the first test of uranium silicide fuel pellets in a commercial nuclear reactor. The installation, completed during the plant’s scheduled 18-day spring refueling outage this April, but publicly announced on Sept. […]The post Exelon’s Byron 2 Completes First Insertion of Westinghouse Accident-Tolerant Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Three More Nuclear Plant Owners Will Demonstrate Hydrogen Production appeared first on POWER Magazine.FirstEnergy Solutions (FES), Xcel Energy, and Arizona Public Service (APS) will demonstrate hydrogen production at three nuclear plants they own starting in 2020 and 2021. The projects, selected as part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Nuclear Energy’s Advanced Reactor Development Project funding pathway, aim to improve long-term competitiveness of the nuclear sector […]The post Three More Nuclear Plant Owners Will Demonstrate Hydrogen Production appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post California’s Largest Battery Storage Installation to Be Installed in Mojave Desert appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and Glendale Water and Power, through the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA), on May 16, 2019, received SCPPA’s approval on agreements with 8minute Solar Energy (8mSE) for the installation of a 300-MW/1,200-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) located at 8mSE’s Eland Solar and Storage Center. […]The post California’s Largest Battery Storage Installation to Be Installed in Mojave Desert appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Power Companies Advance Voluntary Avian Protection Without Threat of Liability for Incidental Take appeared first on POWER Magazine.With shifts in political winds come shifts in agency legal interpretations. In January 2017, the solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) issued a formal legal opinion interpreting the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) to prohibit the incidental take (accidental injury or death) of migratory birds. This “midnight” legal opinion was widely viewed […]The post Power Companies Advance Voluntary Avian Protection Without Threat of Liability for Incidental Take appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post PG&E’s Reorganization Plan—Cap Wildfire Liabilities at $18 Billion appeared first on POWER Magazine.Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) wants to cap its liabilities from damages caused by California wildfires at about $18 billion, according to the reorganization plan filed by the bankrupt utility September 9 in federal court in San Francisco. The amount is less than half what creditors, including insurance companies and wildfire victims, say they are […]The post PG&E’s Reorganization Plan—Cap Wildfire Liabilities at $18 Billion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post New York City to Get Eight Floating Aeroderivative Gas Turbines appeared first on POWER Magazine.New York City may soon be powered with two new power barges outfitted with eight Siemens 76-MW aeroderivative gas turbines. Under a Sept. 5-announced contract signed by Astoria Generating Co. (AGC) and Siemens, the power barges—a relatively new Siemens offering based on a concept it calls “SeaFloat”—will replace two of four existing power barges at […]The post New York City to Get Eight Floating Aeroderivative Gas Turbines appeared first on POWER Magazine.