On January 30, as part of a flurry of new policies, President Donald Trump signed the “Presidential Executive Order on Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs.” The stated purpose of this order is to reduce the federal regulatory burden on the U.S. economy. The outcome, at least in the short term, is likely to be […]

Many informative articles have been published about options for treating flue gas desulfurization wastewater, but new technologies are rapidly changing the treatment possibilities. This article reviews key economic considerations and introduces an innovative treatment solution that lowers costs and the amount of waste generated. Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater varies widely depending on the source […]

Cooling towers serve the vital role of cooling water for power plant heat exchange equipment. Sustaining excellent system performance is important because a one-degree increase in water temperature can cause a 2% increase in energy usage. Proper maintenance and a few upgrades could improve a cooling tower’s efficiency, while also saving water in the process. […]

Using reclaimed water as a makeup supply for cooling tower systems has become a popular option for reducing impacts on local water resources, but it comes with its own challenges because of its unique

Power generation need not be another source of strain on diminishing freshwater resources. Well-established water reclamation technologies are enabling producers to conserve resources—and money. Meeting the

Risk is inherent in all businesses, but power plants face unique perils that require the right protection. Property and casualty insurance may not be enough; equipment breakdown, business interruption, weather risk transfer, and cyber coverage are just a few examples of insurance that may also be worth considering. The right coverage could mean the difference […]

There’s a new sheriff in town—Washington, D.C., that is. President Donald Trump has taken the reins from Barack Obama, and he’s come out with guns blazing. It’s true—the new administration has wasted little time shaking things up since taking office. While hundreds, if not thousands, of pages have been written by the media about President […]

The boom in renewable energy, spurred by dramatically falling costs, has led some experts and political figures to begin talking seriously about what was once science fiction: A world powered entirely by renewable generation. But is it truly feasible or economic? One series of studies suggests it is—with some important caveats. In the first half […]

Siemens has installed the prototype of its towering 8-MW offshore direct-drive wind turbine at a national test center in Østerild, Denmark, marking the company’s foray into the global race to develop mega–wind turbines. The new offshore turbine was installed on a steel tower at a hub height of 120 meters (m) in late January (Figure […]

Reducing emissions from the electricity sector continues as a primary transformational goal of government policy-makers, and the private and public companies managing electricity generation in Canada. Impressive progress has been made. National Overview Emissions from electricity generation made up just 11% of Canada’s total in 2014. Over 79% of generation is non-emitting: hydropower (63%), nuclear […]