POWER Magazine

The post A Decade of Turmoil: How Nuclear and Coal Have Struggled to Survive appeared first on POWER Magazine.The past 10 years have been filled with trials and tribulations for both the nuclear and coal power industries. From accidents to plant closures there has been little to cheer about. Still, nuclear and coal power continue to provide reliable baseload generation to billions of customers around the globe. Here’s a look back at the […]The post A Decade of Turmoil: How Nuclear and Coal Have Struggled to Survive appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE [Infographic]: Solar’s Explosive Growth appeared first on POWER Magazine.According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) World Energy Outlook 2019, solar photovoltaic (PV) is set to become the largest source of installed electrical capacity in about 2035, if countries pursue policies as planned. By 2040, solar could make up 24% of global installed capacity—up from 7% in 2018—but its share of generation could hover […]The post THE BIG PICTURE [Infographic]: Solar’s Explosive Growth appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Evolution of the Smart Grid at Forefront of Transformative Change appeared first on POWER Magazine.The power industry is in the midst of a shake-up, a revolution in how electricity is generated and distributed. Smart grid technology is changing the way utilities and customers interact, and providing supportThe post Evolution of the Smart Grid at Forefront of Transformative Change appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Power Industry Disrupters: Gas, Renewables, and Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.The power industry is experiencing significant changes. Natural gas, wind, solar, and battery storage seem to be the wave of the future. What’s compelling the transformation? Some people point toThe post Power Industry Disrupters: Gas, Renewables, and Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post POWER Digest [January 2020] appeared first on POWER Magazine.Engie Will Close 1 GW of Coal Generation; Adding Solar, Wind. French energy group Engie in mid-December said it will close 1 GW of coal-fired power generation assets in Peru and Chile over the next five yearsThe post POWER Digest [January 2020] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Well-Planned Retirement: Keys to Successful Coal Plant Decommissioning appeared first on POWER Magazine.Hundreds of coal-fired power plants are now retired or facing retirement in the near future, and utilities face a number of decisions. Are there commercial reuse options for the plant or the site itself? AreThe post Well-Planned Retirement: Keys to Successful Coal Plant Decommissioning appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post U.S. Company Has Deal with Jordan for Nuclear Technology appeared first on POWER Magazine.There have long been grand plans for developing nuclear power in the Middle East. After Iran brought the Bushehr plant online in 2011, the country talked of building another dozen or so reactors. Saudi ArabiaThe post U.S. Company Has Deal with Jordan for Nuclear Technology appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Transformative Coal Power Technologies Take Shape appeared first on POWER Magazine.The coal power industry acknowledges that to play a stable role in future power markets, it needs to modernize, and perhaps even overhaul its long-held status as a “conventional generator.” Could newThe post Transformative Coal Power Technologies Take Shape appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Obrador Administration Rolling Back Energy Reform in Mexico appeared first on POWER Magazine.The future of energy in Mexico is being shaped by the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who wants state-owned energy companies to have more influence over the country’s powerThe post Obrador Administration Rolling Back Energy Reform in Mexico appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post 10 Power Sector Insights from the IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2019 appeared first on POWER Magazine.The International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) November 2019–released World Energy Outlook 2019 (WEO2019) is studded with interesting findings about emerging trends in the power sector. Here are 10 from theThe post 10 Power Sector Insights from the IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2019 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post UAE Set to Start First Nuclear Plant; Sweden, Germany Shut Units appeared first on POWER Magazine.The first nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly will come online in early 2020. The report comes one day after Sweden on Dec. 30 shut down one of four reactors at the nation’s largest nuclear plant, closing Unit 2 at the Ringhals facility after more than 40 years of operation. Germany […]The post UAE Set to Start First Nuclear Plant; Sweden, Germany Shut Units appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Good Water Treatment Systems Need Both Equipment and Chemistry [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.Proper water treatment is vital to successful power plant operation. The water treatment system must be designed appropriately, implementing a suitable water chemistry program, and operated and monitored correctly. Having adequate training and utilizing the services of a knowledgeable partner can be invaluable. Three water industry experts from U.S. Water, a Kurita company, were recent […]The post Good Water Treatment Systems Need Both Equipment and Chemistry [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Mixed Reactions to FERC’s Recent MOPR Order from Power Generators appeared first on POWER Magazine.On Dec. 19, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) directed PJM Interconnection to dramatically expand its Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) to nearly all state-subsidized capacity resources, including renewables backed by state portfolio standards. It’s the latest of a series of dramatic revisions to the grid operator’s rule, which essentially functions to provide a minimum […]The post Mixed Reactions to FERC’s Recent MOPR Order from Power Generators appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The Significance of FERC’s Recent PJM MOPR Order Explained appeared first on POWER Magazine.A divided Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a long-awaited order on Dec. 19 in which it directed PJM Interconnection to dramatically expand its Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) to nearly all state-subsidized capacity resources. The order will have a significant impact on PJM’s capacity market. While it was no surprise that the decision immediately […]The post The Significance of FERC’s Recent PJM MOPR Order Explained appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EPA Overrides Subpart D in Newly Proposed Federal Coal Ash Permitting Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.Only “high hazard” CCR units will be subject to immediate compliance deadlines under a newly proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that revises federal permit requirements for the management of coal combustion residuals (CCRs) at power plants. If finalized, the rule will apply to all coal facilities in Indian country and the 48 U.S. states […]The post EPA Overrides Subpart D in Newly Proposed Federal Coal Ash Permitting Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Top 6 Nuclear Power Achievements of the Year appeared first on POWER Magazine.The past year has been filled with firsts for the nuclear power industry. Three power plants sporting first-of-a-kind reactors entered commercial operation, while the first U.S. AP1000 nuclear project reached key milestones on its path to completion. Furthermore, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) granted the first early site permit for a utility to construct […]The post Top 6 Nuclear Power Achievements of the Year appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Minnesota Court Blocks Construction of Gas-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.A Minnesota court on Dec. 23 said a proposed natural gas-fired power plant in neighboring Wisconsin needs more environmental review before construction can proceed, reversing an earlier decision by the state’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that approved the facility. The state Court of Appeals on Monday said state regulators must look at whether the Nemadji […]The post Minnesota Court Blocks Construction of Gas-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Switzerland Closes One of World’s Oldest Nuclear Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.Switzerland on Dec. 20 shut down one of the world’s oldest nuclear power plants, as part of its plan to shutter all its reactors by 2050. Muehleberg Nuclear Power Plant, the smallest of the country’s four remaining plants, began operating in 1972. The 355-MW facility operated by Bernische Kraftwerke AG (BKW) and majority-owned by the […]The post Switzerland Closes One of World’s Oldest Nuclear Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post New Jersey Backs 45 Community Solar Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) on Dec. 20 announced it has approved 45 applications in the first year of its Community Solar Energy Pilot Program. The NJBPU in a statement Friday said the projects, with total generation capacity of 77.61 MW, will be designed by local governments, community groups, and private developers. […]The post New Jersey Backs 45 Community Solar Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: NCC Group on Cybersecurity appeared first on POWER Magazine.Reliability and resiliency are buzzwords in today’s world of power generation. The focus is often on valuing those attributes, be it through subsidizing baseload power to make it more economically viable, or through other means. Reliable delivery of electricity, of course, also depends on cyber-resilient systems, at power plants and across the grid. Cyberattacks against […]The post The POWER Interview: NCC Group on Cybersecurity appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: What Is Big Data? appeared first on POWER Magazine.The term “Big Data” is used frequently by tech-savvy power industry professionals, but what does it really mean. To get an insider’s perspective, POWER posed the question to Akshay Patwal, strategic business manager with Siemens Energy. Patwal leads the development and commercialization of digital business transformation projects, using big data platforms and analytics to create […]The post The POWER Interview: What Is Big Data? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NERC: Long-Term Reliability Uncertain Amid Rapid Changes to Bulk Power System appeared first on POWER Magazine.Significant and rapid changes that are reshaping North America’s power sector will likely leave Texas and Ontario, Canada, with supply shortfalls over the next decade, and energy deficiencies could also occur during off-peak conditions in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) area and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) region, the North American Electric Reliability […]The post NERC: Long-Term Reliability Uncertain Amid Rapid Changes to Bulk Power System appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Subsidy-Free Onshore Wind Farm Will Host First Siemens Gamesa 5-MW Turbines appeared first on POWER Magazine.Three first-of-their-kind Siemens Gamesa 5-MW wind turbines will be installed on the island of Thyholm in Denmark at a project that will be operated without subsidies. The company announced on Dec. 19 it has entered into a contract with Torp Vind I/S for the delivery of three SG 5.0-132 models for the 15-MW Torp Vindmoellepark […]The post Subsidy-Free Onshore Wind Farm Will Host First Siemens Gamesa 5-MW Turbines appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Recruiting the New Power Workforce [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.It’s a time of great transition in the power industry. Not only are generation resources changing, but so are the work skills needed to operate and maintain those resources. Meanwhile, a large number of workers are reaching retirement age, leaving open positions that had long been filled by highly experienced staff. And the talent pool […]The post Recruiting the New Power Workforce [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Hitachi Exiting MHPS; MHI Will be Venture’s Sole Owner appeared first on POWER Magazine.Japanese technology conglomerate Hitachi will withdraw from Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS), a joint venture it established in 2014 with another power equipment giant, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), over a dispute stemming from construction of two massive defect-ridden coal plants in South Africa. Under a Dec. 18-announced settlement reached by MHI and Hitachi, Hitachi will […]The post Hitachi Exiting MHPS; MHI Will be Venture’s Sole Owner appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post ‘Breakthrough Technology’ Uses Sunlight to Produce Renewable Hydrogen appeared first on POWER Magazine.HyperSolar Inc. said it has demonstrated a working version of a “large-scale hydrogen unit device” that it expects will lead to the production of full-sized panels for a first-generation (GEN 1) pilot plant. The company said its “breakthrough technology” uses sunlight in a “low-cost photoelectrochemical process” to separate hydrogen from water, producing “clean and environmentally […]The post ‘Breakthrough Technology’ Uses Sunlight to Produce Renewable Hydrogen appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Canadian Company Has Funding for Fusion Demonstration Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.A Canada-based company that wants to commercialize nuclear fusion technology announced Dec. 16 that it raised more than $100 million in its latest round of financing, doubling its financial support. General Fusion, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, is backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The company, which includes investors Bezos Expeditions and Chrysalix Venture Capital, […]The post Canadian Company Has Funding for Fusion Demonstration Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EU Finalizes ‘Green Deal’ for Clean Energy Investment appeared first on POWER Magazine.The European Union (EU) on Dec. 16 announced an agreement among its member states on rules involving the financing of green energy projects. Lawmakers approved a list of technologies and activities that can be classified as green, after disagreement about whether nuclear energy and natural gas should be included. The so-called “Green Deal” is a […]The post EU Finalizes ‘Green Deal’ for Clean Energy Investment appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Joint U.S-Canadian Advanced Nuclear Review May Focus on Terrestrial’s Molten Salt Reactor, NuScale SMR appeared first on POWER Magazine.Terrestrial Energy’s Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR), a 195-MWe Generation IV nuclear technology, and NuScale’s small modular reactor (SMR) may be the focus of the first joint technical review by U.S. and Canadian nuclear regulators in a bid to boost their regulatory effectiveness as more advanced reactors and SMRs trundle toward commercialization. Rumina Velshi, president […]The post Joint U.S-Canadian Advanced Nuclear Review May Focus on Terrestrial’s Molten Salt Reactor, NuScale SMR appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Ownership Shakeup at Colstrip Coal Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.NorthWestern Energy said it will file an application with the Montana Public Service Commission for pre-approval to acquire Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE’s) 25% interest in Colstrip Unit 4, which is a 740-MW coal-fired boiler. The price? $1. “Securing more capacity for only a $1 investment is a unique opportunity that helps give us the time […]The post Ownership Shakeup at Colstrip Coal Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: New Directions for GE Digital appeared first on POWER Magazine.In a recent conversation with POWER, GE Digital CEO Pat Byrne discussed why GE made key changes to the lucrative business, streamlining it to focus on four key markets, including electric utilities and power generation. (To learn more about how digitalization is transforming the power industry, register now to attend POWER and Chemical Engineering’s upcoming […]The post The POWER Interview: New Directions for GE Digital appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NRC Issues First Subsequent License Renewals, Extends Nuclear Reactor Life to 80 Years appeared first on POWER Magazine.Marking a major milestone for the U.S. nuclear power sector, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has for the first time issued license renewals that authorize nuclear reactor operation beyond 60 years and up to 80 years. The regulatory body on Dec. 5 issued subsequent license renewals (SLRs) for Units 3 and 4 at Florida Power […]The post NRC Issues First Subsequent License Renewals, Extends Nuclear Reactor Life to 80 Years appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Hydropower Industry Launches Major International Project to Demonstrate Flexibility appeared first on POWER Magazine.In a new attempt to secure a concrete role for the international hydropower industry within the decarbonization movement, several utilities, equipment manufacturers, universities, research centers, and consultancies have scaffolded to demonstrate how modern hydropower plants can provide flexibility to markets that are increasingly inundated by variable generation like wind and solar. On Dec. 10, the […]The post Hydropower Industry Launches Major International Project to Demonstrate Flexibility appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Indiana Utility Will Close Coal-Fired Units Early appeared first on POWER Magazine.Indianapolis Power & Light (IPL) on Dec. 9 announced it will close two of the four coal-fired units at its Petersburg Generating Station in southern Indiana, as the utility continues to move away from coal generation. IPL has been pressured by state political leaders and environmentalists to close the 1,700-MW Petersburg facility, the largest power […]The post Indiana Utility Will Close Coal-Fired Units Early appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Canada Plan to Store Nuclear Waste near Lake Huron Draws U.S. Ire appeared first on POWER Magazine.A group of U.S. lawmakers has asked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reconsider that country’s proposed plan to store its nuclear waste at a site near Lake Huron, northeast of Detroit, Michigan. The site, at Huron-Konloss/South Bruce, in Bruce County, Ontario, is one of two communities chosen by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), […]The post Canada Plan to Store Nuclear Waste near Lake Huron Draws U.S. Ire appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Connecticut Gives Go-Ahead for 804-MW Offshore Wind Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.Vineyard Wind’s 804-MW Park City project was given the go-ahead by Connecticut officials on Dec. 5, with regulators saying Vineyard’s bid in an offshore wind solicitation was “lower than any other publicly announced offshore wind project in North America.” Vineyard Wind competed against other groups in the bidding, including developers backed by Ørsted and Shell. […]The post Connecticut Gives Go-Ahead for 804-MW Offshore Wind Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EPA Reinterprets ‘Ambient Air,’ Further Tweaks New Source Review appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a change to a long-standing policy interpreting “ambient air”—a foundational concept under the Clean Air Act that applies to all types of air pollution, from ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases. While the agency framed the change as part of a suite of actions to reform New Source […]The post EPA Reinterprets ‘Ambient Air,’ Further Tweaks New Source Review appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Report Says Global CO2 Emissions From Coal Down This Year appeared first on POWER Magazine.Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from coal-fired power plants and industrial facilities fell in 2019, according to research published Dec. 3, though overall emissions of CO2 rose due to the increased use of natural gas and oil for power generation and other industrial processes. The new emissions figures were reported by the Global Carbon Project […]The post Report Says Global CO2 Emissions From Coal Down This Year appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Is Carbon Pricing the Key to a Clean Energy Future? [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) has proposed incorporating the social cost of carbon into the wholesale price of electricity. According to an October-released study conducted by the consulting firm Analysis Group, “A carbon price in NYISO’s competitive wholesale power markets can help deliver New York’s clean-energy transition in faster, cheaper, more reliable, more […]The post Is Carbon Pricing the Key to a Clean Energy Future? [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post China Starts Up First Nuclear Cogeneration Project—at AP1000 Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.China has started up its first commercial nuclear cogeneration system, using two newly operational AP1000 reactors at the Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant to heat 700,000 square meters of housing. Shandong Nuclear Power Co. (SDNPC), a subsidiary of State Power Investment Corp. (SPIC), and owner of the Haiyang plant, on Nov. 15 said the first phase […]The post China Starts Up First Nuclear Cogeneration Project—at AP1000 Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Brouillette Takes Over as Energy Secretary appeared first on POWER Magazine.The U.S. Senate on Dec. 2 confirmed Dan Brouillette as the new Secretary of Energy, tapping the former lobbyist for Ford Motor Company to replace Rick Perry, the former Texas governor who stepped down as Department of Energy (DOE) chief after becoming part of the impeachment inquiry into President Trump. Perry’s tenure was marked by […]The post Brouillette Takes Over as Energy Secretary appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post A Review of Global Power-to-Gas Projects To Date [INTERACTIVE] appeared first on POWER Magazine.According to experts from Technical University of Applied Sciences (OTH) in Regensburg, Germany, who recently reviewed the world’s existing power-to-gas (P2G) hydrogen and methane projects, about 143 P2G projects have operated since 1988 in 22 countries. Only 56 hydrogen and 38 methanation projects were active in 2019. While the existing fleet mostly comprises pilot or […]The post A Review of Global Power-to-Gas Projects To Date [INTERACTIVE] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE: The Need for Power Flexibility appeared first on POWER Magazine.In its November 2019–issued World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests that if countries pursue currently stated policies, the combined generation share of wind and solar photovoltaic could surge from 7% today to 24% in 2040. This very steep ramp-up of variable renewables will undoubtedly require an emphatic focus on flexibility—the ability of […]The post THE BIG PICTURE: The Need for Power Flexibility appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Floating Offshore Wind Buoyant on New Developments, Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.Floating offshore wind made a remarkable splash this fall. As two much-watched projects sailed toward construction, optimism about the industry’s accelerated growth was buoyed by projections from theThe post Floating Offshore Wind Buoyant on New Developments, Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post POWER Digest [December 2019] appeared first on POWER Magazine.Israeli Group Supports Construction of 1.3-GW Gas-Fired Plant. The Israeli National Infrastructure Committee on Nov. 4 approved a plan to build Israel’s largest privately run power plant, saying the facilityThe post POWER Digest [December 2019] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Report: Blockchain Not Well-Suited to Transactive Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.Blockchain—a distributed database technology that allows a network of parties to securely transact with each other—has been hailed as a game-changing innovation in the power sector for its potential toThe post Report: Blockchain Not Well-Suited to Transactive Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post International Business: Before You Enter a New Market, Do Your Due Diligence appeared first on POWER Magazine.As an attorney who has spent the majority of his career litigating and settling international commercial disputes, I have experienced several instances where U.S. companies jump at the opportunity to expandThe post International Business: Before You Enter a New Market, Do Your Due Diligence appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Renewable Power Generation on Rise in Turkey appeared first on POWER Magazine.The market for renewable energy in Turkey has been growing since the country enacted a “Renewable Energy Law” in 2005. Progress has been steady and has ramped up in recent years after renewable energyThe post Renewable Power Generation on Rise in Turkey appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Smarter Monitoring for Coal Ash Remediation appeared first on POWER Magazine.Total suspended solids probe can help coal-fired power plants reduce compliance risks and avoid additional sampling. Water plays an essential role in coal ash remediation, but managing that process often comesThe post Smarter Monitoring for Coal Ash Remediation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Unlocking Value at the Grid-Edge: Extending the Reach of the Utility Control Room appeared first on POWER Magazine.Just 10 years ago, the magnitude of behind-the-meter distributed energy resources (DERs) at the edge of the grid was not materially significant. All that has changed, and we’re now at an inflection point: byThe post Unlocking Value at the Grid-Edge: Extending the Reach of the Utility Control Room appeared first on POWER Magazine.