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IIOT Power
DOE Announces New Efforts in Energy Sector Cybersecurity
On May 14, 2018, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability released its Multiyear Plan for Energy Sector Cybersecurity (“Plan”). The Plan is significantly guided by DOE’s 2006 Roadmap to Secure Control Systems in the Energy Sector and 2011 Roadmap to Achieve Energy Delivery Systems Cybersecurity. Taken together with DOE’s […]
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Commentary
Have a Seat: Welcoming Women to the Energy Sector
In addition to the record-breaking number of women running for office, we are also seeing an uptick in women getting involved within the energy sector—an industry long dominated by men. Although the energy sector still remains one of the least gender-diverse sectors, more and more women are creating green energy initiatives, founding renewable energy companies, […]
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O&M
How the Middle East Is Transforming Its Power and Water Industry
Global demand for power and water is accelerating—and the Middle East is no exception. A burgeoning population combined with multiple industrial diversification programs is fueling a boom in power and water projects. During the first three quarters of 2017, about $30 billion of major power contracts and $20 billion of water projects were awarded across […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Upheaval and Innovation in Wastewater Management
Regulatory uncertainty, changing resources, and an industrywide drive to cut costs and boost flexibility and efficiency are among a growing list of challenges that are prompting new approaches to treat power
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Water
Bringing New Life to Industrial Wastewater
As water demand soars in every corner of the world amid widespread drought and water scarcity concerns, recovery and recycling of wastewater is increasingly becoming a valuable solution to alleviate pressures
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Renewables
Power Mix Comes Down to Cost
It’s not a secret that the North American power mix is changing. Renewable energy and natural gas are picking up market share while coal-fired generation shrinks and nuclear power remains stagnant at best
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Renewables
Offshore Wind May Finally Be Here (Really)
New low prices for offshore wind energy projects in Europe have excited policymakers up and down the East Coast about prospects in the U.S. and emboldened some to finally pull the trigger on long-mooted plans
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O&M
Offshore Wind Has Taken Off in Europe
A sharp surge in new, larger offshore wind installations in Europe throughout 2017 dramatically shows the viability of a technology that has truly come of age. As costs fall and generation capacity increases
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IIOT Power
Immersive Visual Environments, Advanced Analytics Drive Operational Optimization
As data volume, variety, and velocity continue to accelerate, power plant operators increasingly encounter situations where 2-D desktop data visualization is insufficient to convey context for advanced
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O&M
Basics of Sound and Noise Propagation
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 22 million people—including nearly all power plant workers—are exposed to potentially damaging noise at work each year in the U.S. Hearing
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Coal
Equipment Showcase: Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems and Gas Analyzers
A continuous emissions monitoring system (CEMS) is required in the U.S. under Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations to continuously collect, record, and report emissions data. CEMS are used to
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Commentary
The Nuclear Waste Impasse Can Only Be Resolved by the Public
The more I review the Yucca Mountain political boondoggle, the more I am convinced the stalemate will have to be resolved through a grassroots public campaign. At the outset of the Yucca startup, the
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Nuclear
Could Advanced Reactor Technology Save the Nuclear Industry?
Constructing a new nuclear power plant is a massive undertaking. It involves years of planning and countless hurdles just to get the necessary regulatory approval to break ground. Once physical work begins
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Coal
German Giants Swap Assets and Reshape Energy Sector
Germany’s electricity sector faced a renewed, violent shakeup in March as two of its biggest utilities, E.ON and RWE, announced a complex asset exchange that experts said points to the death of the
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Renewables
Vattenfall Pioneers Innovative Offshore Wind Foundations
The first commercial-scale suction bucket jacket foundation has been installed at Vattenfall’s 11-turbine European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) in Scotland. The pioneering foundation, which weighs
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O&M
Putting a HALT to Hazardous Hopper Maintenance
Those responsible for the operation or maintenance of thermal plant boilers know there is nothing trivial about hopper ash buildup. At a minimum, plugging can lead to decreased output, unscheduled maintenance
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Connected Plant
Looking to the Cloud for Energy and Power Sector Security
Malware-based attacks against utilities and power plants are increasing six-fold according to a recent federal report. Power plants have become an appealing target because of a lack of detection and monitoring
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Legal & Regulatory
Challenges for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Licensing Accident Tolerant Fuel
After the meltdowns at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March 2011, Congress directed the Department of Energy (DOE) to support development of new fuel designs that could tolerate loss-of-cooling
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Commentary
Turning Hindsight into Foresight for U.S. Energy Infrastructure
A transformation is underway in the energy sector where utility grid infrastructure is evolving to produce more energy from renewable sources and incorporate new advanced grid technologies. Technology concepts such as microgrids, and distributed and district energy help to localize our energy supply and allow us to generate, store, and consume energy in the places […]
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Commentary
Market Barriers Eased for Energy Storage Resources
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) adopted a final rule on February 15 (Order No. 841) that facilitates the direct participation of electric storage resources in centralized markets operated by
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Coal
Gaining Steam: Combined Heat and Power
There are increasing schemes in Europe to use marginally profitable gas-fired power plants to also generate heat for cities, and for good reason. Lausward Power Plant’s Fortuna Unit—POWER’s 2016 Plant of
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Renewables
Williamson College of the Trades Energy Island: Time-Honored Innovation
Williamson College of the Trades’ Power Plant Technology program provides hands-on training for learners within its student-run power plant—known as the “Energy Island.” Through the program, students
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O&M
Advanced Boiler and HRSG Designs Offer Improved Performance
Innovative boiler and heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) designs are improving efficiency, reducing emissions, and lowering maintenance costs. Some well-proven technology, such as circulating fluidized bed
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Technology
Innovative Firefighting Technology Improves Equipment, Personnel Safety
A hybrid fire protection system has the ability to discharge a cloud of hybrid media into protected spaces to extinguish fires without the use of dangerous chemicals. The hybrid cloud is based on cyclonic
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Safety
Operator Qualification and Training for the Power Industry
Skill levels generally differ between plant operator shifts. Further, these differences often cause divides among the shifts that result in unequal divisions of responsibility. Comprehensive, performance-based
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Environmental
Are Energy Companies Practicing Good Product Stewardship?
The Product Stewardship Institute—a consumer advocacy group—defines product stewardship as “the act of minimizing the health, safety, environmental, and social impacts of a product and its packaging
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Gas
Equipment Showcase: Diesel and Gas Generators
Diesel-powered or gas-powered engines are the popular options for those wanting a generator as a prime power or standby, backup power source. A recent report from ResearchAndMarkets.com says the generator
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Renewables
Disaster Preparedness: The Quest for Transformer Resilience
Though critical to the nation’s power grid, large power transformers are some of the most vulnerable components in the system. Armed with a shared determination for resiliency, government, industry, grid
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IIOT Power
The 4M Approach to a Connected Plant
Technology is being incorporated into operations and maintenance schemes at an ever-increasing pace. New digital tools are helping optimize assets, improve performance, and reduce overall costs. Big Data Best
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Coal
Chile to Pursue Dramatic Coal Generation Reduction
Chile joined the ranks of nearly two dozen countries that have announced a phaseout or a moratorium of coal generation, pledging not to continue building coal-fired power plants unless they are equipped with