Aaron Larson
Articles By

Aaron Larson

Aaron Larson is the Executive Editor of POWER, where he has covered the global power generation industry since joining the editorial team in 2013. He oversees editorial operations and budget, and serves as content director for the Experience POWER Conference, where he frequently moderates sessions.

Aaron is the host of The POWER Podcast, with more than 200 episodes featuring in-depth conversations with energy industry leaders, technologists, and policymakers. His work has earned regional and national editorial awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) and the Specialized Information Publishers Association (SIPA), including recognition for best interview, best editorial, and best podcast.

Before entering trade journalism, Aaron spent 13 years in the U.S. Navy nuclear power program, rising to the rank of Chief Petty Officer. He has also worked at commercial nuclear, biomass, and coal-fired power plants in operations, maintenance, safety, financial, and management roles. He holds a Chief A Engineer boiler operator license in Minnesota, a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering technology, and a master's degree with a specialization in finance.

  • COAL POWER Direct—January 8, 2020

    January 8, 2020 Settlement Reached in Largest U.S. Coal Ash Cleanup Duke Energy will save about $1.5 billion in coal ash cleanup costs under a settlement between the utility and environmental and other groups announced Jan. 2 by North Carolina’s Department… Read More Transformative Coal Power Technologies Take Shape The coal power industry acknowledges that […]

  • A Decade of Turmoil: How Nuclear and Coal Have Struggled to Survive

    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 […]

  • Good Water Treatment Systems Need Both Equipment and Chemistry [PODCAST]

    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 […]

  • Top 6 Nuclear Power Achievements of 2019

    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 […]

  • EES Acquires Novinda’s Amended-Silicate Technology for Mercury Control from Utility & Industrial Power Plants

    SANDY HOOK, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Environmental Energy Services, Inc. (EES), a privately held clean energy company utilizing innovative chemistry for energy efficiency, air pollution control, and water treatment for utility and industrial power plants announced today, that it has acquired the exclusive intellectual property rights and all associated assets for Amended-Silicate Technology from Novinda Holdings, Inc. The […]

  • Successfully empowering professionals with sought-after welding qualifications through Work-Based Learning (WBL) opportunities

    The WoW project has proven the concept effectiveness and developed a practical guide to assist other training centers on their initiatives to better leverage Vocational Education and Training (VET) for businesses Porto Salvo, 20 December 2019 – As materials and technologies quickly evolve, welders are required to step up their skillset, as they must perform […]

  • The POWER Interview: What Is Big Data?

    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 […]

  • RED WING TRADESWOMAN BOOT: DESIGNED BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN

    Tradeswoman offers women in the trades enhanced comfort and fit RED WING, Minn. (Dec. 19, 2019) — Red Wing Shoe Company has unveiled the Tradeswoman (models 2328, 2329, 2345, 2346), a new work boot designed for women in the trades, available now. Designed for women in construction, light manufacturing and warehouse or distribution industries, Tradeswoman work […]

  • Recruiting the New Power Workforce [PODCAST]

    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 […]

  • ‘Breakthrough Technology’ Uses Sunlight to Produce Renewable Hydrogen

    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 […]

  • Ownership Shakeup at Colstrip Coal Power Plant

    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 […]

  • COAL POWER Direct—December 11, 2019

    December 11, 2019 EPA Reinterprets ‘Ambient Air,’ Further Tweaks New Source Review  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… Read More Sponsored Content Don't Let Your Efficiency Evaporate Corrosive environments. Costly blowdowns. […]

  • Is Carbon Pricing the Key to a Clean Energy Future? [PODCAST]

    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 […]

  • POWERnews—November 27, 2019

    November 27, 2019 Siemens Delivers World’s First HL-Class Gas Turbine to North Carolina Site Siemens has delivered its first-ever HL-class gas turbine to Duke Energy’s Lincoln County Combustion Turbine generation station, located near Denver, North Carolina. The HL-class gas turbine was derived from proven… Read More ELECTRIC POWER Conference & Exhibition | April 14-17, 2020 […]

  • Experts Share Insight on the Industry at Recent Power Event [PODCAST]

    POWER was at the POWERGEN International exhibition and summit, which was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, Nov. 19–21, 2019. Among the experts we met with at the show were Paul Browning, CEO of Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas; Chris Mieckowski, director of global solutions marketing and strategy with Siemens; Robert Yeager, president of Emerson’s Power […]

  • 6 Takeaways from POWERGEN International 2019

    The POWERGEN International exhibition and summit—one of the world’s largest power-industry events with more than 750 exhibitors—was held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, Nov. 19–21, 2019. POWER was there (Figure 1) to connect with leaders from the industry and report on the latest news from the show. Hot topics […]

  • Siemens Delivers World’s First HL-Class Gas Turbine to North Carolina Site

    Siemens has delivered its first-ever HL-class gas turbine to Duke Energy’s Lincoln County Combustion Turbine generation station, located near Denver, North Carolina. The HL-class gas turbine was derived from proven Siemens H-class technology in what the company calls “an evolutionary development step.” The advanced air-cooled gas turbine is a next-generation design that uses a series […]

  • EDF Will Bail on Three Nuclear Plants, Exelon Holds the Bag

    Exelon Generation said EDF Group—a French integrated electricity company—is exercising a put option to sell its 49.99% interest in the R.E. Ginna, Nine Mile Point, and Calvert Cliffs nuclear energy facilities. The two companies will now begin negotiations for Exelon to acquire full ownership of the plants. EDF’s involvement in the facilities was through the […]

  • One Nuclear Power Project Delayed; Three Leap Forward

    The long-overdue Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant (NPP) in Finland has been delayed again, but nuclear projects in Russia, Canada, and Iran achieved important milestones in November. New Novovoronezh Unit Enters Commercial Operation Rosatom announced on Nov. 1 that Unit 2 at the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant II entered commercial operation 30 days ahead of […]

  • Air-Gapped Industrial Control Networks: What You Need to Know

    Many networks across a variety of verticals including government, military, financial services, power plants, and industrial manufacturing have been so-called “air-gapped.” This means they are physically and logically isolated from other networks where communication between these networks is not physically or logically possible. This can be a good thing or bad thing depending on your […]

  • COAL POWER Direct—November 6, 2019

    November 6, 2019 EPA Proposes Revisions to Two Obama-Era Rules: Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Coal Ash The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued long-awaited proposed revisions of two 2015 Obama-era rules that apply to effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) for steam electric power plants and coal combustion… Read More Sponsored Content See $500,000 in Savings With […]

  • History of Power Plant Renovation and Modernization in India

    Good infrastructure is an essential component for the economic growth of a country, and power plays a crucial role in infrastructure development. India is home to 18% of the world’s total population, and it uses about 6% of the world’s primary energy. The total power generating capacity from all sources of power in India has […]

  • Oil and Gas Heavyweights Seek Lifeline in Clean Energy and Tech Sectors

    Oilfield service providers are increasingly moving beyond oil and gas development work, and into renewable energy projects, according to a study conducted by Rystad Energy, an independent research and business intelligence company that provides data, tools, analytics, and consultancy services to the global energy industry. In findings released on Oct. 29, Rystad said that oil […]

  • Using Extreme Visibility to Protect Industrial Control Systems [PODCAST]

    What does it mean to have “extreme visibility” in an operational technology (OT) environment? According to Claroty, a New York-based company that offers cybersecurity products for industrial control systems, it’s having the ability to see all assets on a network, knowing what they are, and understanding what functions they perform. The company says the more […]

  • Siemens Opens New Innovation Center in Orlando

    Siemens celebrated the official opening of an innovation center in Orlando, Florida. The only one of its kind in the U.S., it pairs design with manufacturing, robotics, rapid prototyping, scanning, and digital tools. Designed to support the customers of Siemens Gas and Power, it is equipped with the latest digital technologies to make repairs faster […]

  • National Labs Collaborate to Promote Technology Commercialization

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced 12 projects had been selected as part of its Practices to Accelerate the Commercialization of Technologies (PACT) Laboratory Call. The projects will receive about $2.5 million in awards, combined with more than $1 million in cost share “to develop new ways to increase technology commercialization by reducing barriers […]

  • EV-Based Virtual Power Plants Shift Peak Load and Save Money

    A recent study found that electric vehicle (EV) batteries used as a utility virtual power plant (VPP) could shift the entire residential peak load to nighttime hours with only 10% EV market saturation. The research was conducted by Jackson Associates, an Orlando, Florida-based firm that does energy forecasting, data development, and energy-related analysis. The study […]

  • Small Modular Reactors Have High-Level Support

    U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry is headed to Brussels, Belgium, to promote small modular reactor (SMR) concepts to European Union (EU) prospects. Perry will be a featured speaker during the “1st U.S.-EU High-Level Industrial Forum on Small Modular Reactors,” which will be held Oct. 21. “The U.S. and the EU share a […]

  • GAS POWER Direct—October 16, 2019

    <!doctype html> October 16, 2019 GE Unveils New H-Class Gas Turbine—and Already Has a First Order GE recently unveiled the 7HA.03, the newest model in its 2014-launched high-efficiency air-cooled (HA) gas turbine line. The company also announced that Florida Power and… Read More THE BIG PICTURE: Hydrogen Power Hydrogen is emerging as a formidable player […]

  • COAL POWER Direct—October 9, 2019

    <!doctype html> October 9, 2019 NETL: Coal Chemical Looping Combustion Closer to Commercialization Chemical looping combustion (CLC), an advanced coal power technology that could markedly simplify carbon capture at power plants, has moved significantly closer to commercialization, owing to a breakthrough in oxygen… Read More A New Technology for Bottom Ash Conversion Emerges New environmental […]