http://www.powermag.com POWER Mag en-us 2012 Wed, 8 Feb 2012 0:06:30 EST Of the $35.9 billion in loan guarantees awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) since 2009, roughly $26.5 billion have financed nuclear and renewable power projects across the nation through the Section 1703 and 1705 loan guarantee programs.... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/wind/4316.html Wed, 1 Feb 2012 0:00:00 EST A consortium of European developers, with funding from the German federal government, have completed a power plant in Prenzlau, near Berlin, Germany, that uses excess wind energy to convert water into oxygen and hydrogen in a process called hydrolysis, and then uses hydrogen and biogas to generate power and heat.... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/wind/4317.html Wed, 1 Feb 2012 0:00:00 EST A semi-submersible structure supporting a 2-MW wind turbine was towed nearly 350 kilometers (217.5 miles) to water depths of about 35 meters (114.8 feet) into open Atlantic waters and deployed off the coast of Aguçadoura, Portugal, last November.... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/wind/4319.html Wed, 1 Feb 2012 0:00:00 EST Brazil’s power industry has long been dominated by its vast hydro resources, which historically have accounted for over 80% of the country’s generation capacity. With engineering marvels like the massive Itaipú dam and the proposed Belo Monte project, the country is a leader in the development and use of hydroelectricity on a grand scale. But as the 2001 energy crisis proved, dependence on a single source leaves the country vulnerable to severe shortages. Thanks to government programs designed to take advantage of the country’s favorable climate, Brazil is committed to diversifying its energy mix while continuing to maintain a renewable energy focus.... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/wind/4333.html Wed, 1 Feb 2012 0:00:00 EST The POWER editorial staff's picks for the most significant stories of 2011.... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/wind/4227.html Sun, 1 Jan 2012 0:00:00 EST Driven by policies to limit carbon emissions, as well as government subsidies, the share of worldwide nonhydro renewable power is set to grow from just 3% in 2009 to 15% in 2035, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts in its recently released World... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/wind/4244.html Sun, 1 Jan 2012 0:00:00 EST U.S. optimism has been restored by reports of abundant, reasonably priced natural gas to fuel most new generation; however, huge gaps in the fuel delivery system (thousands of miles of pipelines are needed) will soon challenge gas plant development. Meanwhile, the cloud of sovereign debt hangs over all major capital projects in Europe, where the UK moves ahead with new nuclear projects while many of its neighbors shut the door on nuclear and struggle to finance their commitment to renewables.... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/wind/4255.html Sun, 1 Jan 2012 0:00:00 EST The technologies used to generate and distribute electricity will be radically transformed during the coming decade. Amid that change, the power industry must continue to meet customer reliability, safety, and cost-of-service expectations. Achieving the right balance among these often-conflicting goals is the primary focus of every utility. The Electric Power Research Institute is helping utilities achieve that balance with R&D programs for many new and emerging technologies.... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/wind/4256.html Sun, 1 Jan 2012 0:00:00 EST The Five-Year Plan is the expression of the centralized planning goals for China’s economy. The 12th Five-Year Plan, approved by the Chinese Government on March 14, 2011, established many social and economic goals, including significant expansion of the country’s power generation industry in many new directions.... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/wind/4257.html Sun, 1 Jan 2012 0:00:00 EST At home and abroad, U.S. military microgrid and smart grid projects are driven by energy security concerns. The pace of such projects, however, can be slow, and the potential for civilian grids to benefit from lessons learned and technologies developed for these important installations may be limited.... http://www.powermag.com/renewables/solar/4228.html Sun, 1 Jan 2012 0:00:00 EST