Attention to the potential risks of solar storms to the power sector continues, as the NRC issues a highly unusual grant to a citizen’s rulemaking petition on how solar storms could affect spent fuel powers at nuclear plants.

Selling the value of good customer communications to upper management is not always easy. Positioning it as CEO pain avoidance can go a long way toward that goal.

The news for nuclear the past few years has not been good. But forces lurking in the background are moving to rekindle the nuclear renaissance, as the long-term cost advantages seem certain to beat out much of the competition from renewables.

The increasingly advanced American economy is increasingly in need of a wide variety of minerals—many of which must currently be imported. But regulatory reform and a better understanding of their importance could lead to a renaissance in domestic mineral production.

It’s all well and good to suggest the U.S. needs to be open to all solutions in the pursuit of its energy future, but at some point "try everything" needs to give way to a well-thought plan implementing the best, most cost-effective options.

It’s time to banish a few common terms that are hindering good thinking and obstructing progress in the power sector.

A variety of factors have exerted downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices the past few years. EIA data suggest this may be a long-term spiral, not just a temporary hiccup.

By Kennedy Maize Washington, D.C., March 10, 2013 – What if Congress scheduled a hearing on global warming, then had to cancel it at the last minute because of a severe late winter snow storm? A scene from a bad Hollywood farce? No, that’s what really happened last week. And yes, you are allowed to […]

Bill Gates didn’t mince words last night when sharing with the IHS CERAWeek crowd his thoughts about public support for basic scientific research in the United States.

China will reduce the nation’s carbon emissions and energy use per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by at least 3.7% this year and perform trials for a carbon-trading program, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said in a report on Tuesday. The country would also make "greater efforts to conserve energy" and "reduce the discharge of major pollutants," it’s top economic planner said.

President Obama this week nominated Gina McCarthy, the current assistant administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation, to head the EPA. He also nominated Dr. Ernest Moniz, currently a faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for secretary of energy. Both are expected to face a difficult confirmation process.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit last week reopened and set a relatively expedited briefing schedule for a case in which several states and nuclear utilities have claimed collection of a nuclear waste fee by the Department of Energy (DOE) is unlawful.

Power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) in the U.S. declined to their lowest level since 1990, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said last week.

GE–Hitachi division Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) has reportedly submitted a nonbinding proposal to establish an additional uranium enrichment facility at the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Paducah enrichment site in Kentucky.

A survey of European power utility and consultancy workers conducted by energy information provider Platts last week suggests that regulatory risk and weak wholesale power prices are thought to be at the top the industry’s most significant challenges.

Among the early-stage energy technology projects on display at last week’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Energy Innovation Summit were two from the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) that have the potential to enhance a variety of battery and other power-related applications. POWER shot video demonstrations of these technologies, which are approximately three to five years from commercialization. See if you can figure out which one was inspired by striped toothpaste.

Energy demand in Mexico, according to the Secretary of Energy (SENER), will increase by approximately 4% each year for the next ten years, and with it the potential for private sector growth in the industry. Download the report.

More and more electricity is generated by natural gas. This trend is likely to persist. Hydraulic fracturing technology is increasing domestic supplies and enabling natural gas prices to remain at historic lows.

A pervasive drought in northeast Brazil has dried up power supplies from the region’s hydropower facilities, making the area prone to blackouts and crippling economic growth in one of the country’s emerging agricultural havens.

The use of low-grade coal is becoming synonymous with circulating fluidized bed (CFB) power plants. Although CFB technology may often be a better choice than pulverized coal technology, that is not always the case. Owners and developers need to consider several technical and economic factors before making this decision.

Selected business news and deals in the power generation industry.

Covanta Energy and the City and County of Honolulu recently completed a $300 million expansion of a 20-year-old waste-to-energy (WTE) facility. The plant is now capable of processing up to 3,000 tons of municipal refuse daily, recycling all the metals, and generating up to 90 MW—enough to supply nearly 10% of Oahu’s electricity.