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Nuclear
Massive Electrical and Instrumentation Contract Awarded for Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Project
BGEN, one of the UK’s largest engineering firms, has been awarded an £84 million project by GE Steam Power Systems to provide electrical and instrumentation solutions to Hinkley Point C (HPC), which is a two-unit EPR nuclear power station under construction in Somerset, England. When complete, Hinkley Point C is expected to deliver 7% of […]
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Solar
Clean-Energy Companies Urge Congress to Pass Siting, Permitting, and Transmission Reform
Nearly 200 solar and storage companies sent a letter to congressional leaders on April 17 calling for legislation to improve permitting, project siting, transmission, and public lands access for solar and solar plus storage projects. Market forecasts show that a range of policy and economic outcomes will determine the volume of solar deployment over the […]
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Energy Security
Dependable Backup Power System Provides Peace of Mind for Cheese Business
Cheese Merchants uses close collaboration with Charles Equipment to power its mission to deliver fresh, premium cheese products to vendors across the U.S. Volvo Penta’s D16 engine serves as a key ingredient for standby power systems designed to drive quality and customer service. Cheese Merchants has come a long way since Pasquale Greco founded the […]
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Commentary
Harnessing Wind Power Requires Collaborating Technical Disciplines
Wind power generation stands at the forefront of renewable energy solutions, harnessing the kinetic energy of the wind to produce electricity that ranges from small turbines for individual homes to massive wind farms dotting coastlines and landscapes. However, behind the seemingly simple concept lies a complex integration of various technical disciplines. From civil engineering for […]
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Gas
Mitsubishi Power Supports New Gas-Fired Unit in Hong Kong
Mitsubishi Power, a division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), announced the company has received an order for gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power generation system equipment for Lamma Power Station’s Unit 13. The unit will be built in Hong Kong by The Hongkong Electric Co., Ltd., known as HK Electric. The new turbine has an […]
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T&D
Utility’s Grid Modernization Efforts Leverage Community’s Investment in Fiber-to-the-Home Network
Tantalus Systems, a grid modernization technology company focused on helping utilities harness the power of data, said Bolivar Energy Authority (BEA) selected its Grid Modernization Platform (TGMP) to modernize the utility’s distribution grid. BEA serves Hardeman County and parts of Fayette, Chester, and Madison counties in Tennessee and part of Benton County in Mississippi. TGMP […]
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T&D
ATXI Chosen to Develop Grid Reliability Project in Northern Missouri
Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI), a subsidiary of St. Louis-based Ameren Corp., has been selected by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the regional transmission operator for large parts of the central U.S., to develop a $273 million transmission project across northern Missouri. “We are proud to have won this vital project that will […]
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Solar
Virtual Power Plant Network Supports the Grid and Compensates Customers
Sunnova Energy International Inc., an adaptive energy services company, announced continued investments and expansion to its virtual power plant (VPP) network, providing increased reliability, reduced emissions, and lower costs. With its VPP investments, Sunnova is boosting accessibility in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Texas to enable customers to rapidly access […]
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Energy Storage
Improving Lithium-Ion Batteries with Silicon Anode Technology
From the beginning of the electrification evolution, the U.S. has struggled to keep up with the Chinese battery giants, and has also fallen behind Europe in some battery production and adoption areas. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are not only important for electric vehicles (EVs), but also for energy storage to accommodate intermittent renewables, such as wind […]
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News
Digital Solutions Provide Great Benefits for Cooperative Utilities
Although cooperatives may not have the financial resources of large investor-owned utilities, valuable digital solutions are still within their grasp. Because they have fewer resources to employ, co-ops may
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Energy Storage
Battery Energy Storage Systems: Solutions for Shorter and Longer Durations
As renewable energy capacity increases on power grids, battery energy storage systems become more and more important. While lead battery technology is not new, it is evolving. Advanced lead batteries offer a
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O&M
Critical Importance of Annual Turbine Oil Analysis
Turbines are by far the single most-costly piece of equipment for many energy businesses, which highlights the importance of lubrication for these assets. Although turbine oil could last for more than a
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Electrification
Expanding Access and Growing DER Networks for a Smarter Future Grid
The framework for a better power grid should include distributed energy resources as a key part of the transition. When you think of the energy system of the future, what do you imagine? Ideally, you’d
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Electrification
Leveraging the ‘Electrification of Everything’ to Reduce Carbon Emissions
This commentary from Siemens USA notes how the push for electrification promotes cleaner energy, sustainability, and efficiency. The “electrification of everything” is underway to not only decarbonize, but
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Commentary
Three Steps to Modernize America’s Electric Grid and Unlock the Green Energy Economy
America faces many energy-related challenges going forward, but none is more important than the need to modernize the U.S. electric grid—but right now the permitting process for building out and strengthening America’s power grid is not set up for success. Talk to just about anyone in the energy sector and you’ll hear about projects that […]
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Energy Storage
Advancing Lithium-Ion Battery Technology: The Role of Silane in Silicon-Based Anode Materials
In the midst of the energy transformation taking place around the world, lithium-ion batteries stand as pivotal components for both electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems, demanding momentum in technology advancements to encourage greater adoption. As the race for affordable next-generation batteries intensifies, a seemingly unassuming yet significant component takes center stage: silane. POWER […]
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O&M
AI Spare Parts Search for Maximized Maintenance Efficiency
Maintenance plays a critical role in the energy/utility sector, ensuring the continuous and reliable operation of infrastructure such as power plants, transmission lines, and distribution networks. Regular maintenance activities help prevent equipment failures, minimize downtime, and ensure the safety of workers and the public. In an industry where uninterrupted service is essential for economic and […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Measure Twice, Cut Once—A Roadmap for Enabling VPPs Through Policy and Program Design
Virtual power plants (VPPs), as aggregations of dispatchable distributed energy resources (DERs), can deliver grid services ranging from resource adequacy to reliability at scale—all while making energy more affordable. Yet, despite their merits, the U.S. utility industry is yet to leverage the full potential of these readily available, affordable, customer-sited resources to add flexibility to the grid. Of course, the decision to incorporate […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Get Ready For California’s Three Sweeping New Climate Disclosure Laws
Can a requirement to simply disclose information truly be a big deal? Can a requirement that only applies to big companies, or companies that do business in California, actually impact your small business or your business in another state? Can a requirement that doesn’t take effect until next year or later really require thought and […]
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Cybersecurity
China Has Put America’s Critical Infrastructure in the Crosshairs, We Must Fight Back
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in collaboration, have issued a new advisory about the highly sophisticated Chinese threat actor group known as “Volt Typhoon.” The FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress recently that Volt Typhoon, operating under the direction of the Chinese […]
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Solar
How HIL Testing Supports Grid Reliability and Power Project Success
Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing involves simulation of power plant behavior using the actual site-specific power plant controls before the commissioning stage. HIL testing can benefit all project
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O&M
Auxiliary Boilers Can Reduce Cold-Start Times for CCGTs
Combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) play a critical role in providing power grids with additional electricity, supporting reliability and resilience during periods of high demand. Combined cycle power plants
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Trends
Research and Development Investments Vital for a Clean Energy Future
Several solutions are needed to support deployment of renewable energy and enable continued growth in the use of distributed energy resources. The structure of energy systems everywhere is changing fast
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O&M
Preparing Steam and Water Analysis Equipment for Summer Heat
While the effects of extreme summer weather are one thing, even regular summer weather can wreak havoc on steam and water analysis systems (SWAS) without adequate preparation. Summer sunshine and increased temperatures can bring higher heat loads and increased cycling rates that put even more stress on steam and water sampling and related equipment, greatly […]
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Distributed Generation
Historic Texas Hotel Adds Energy Storage to Replace Diesel
The Sinclair Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, is known as the “world’s first all-digital hotel.” Built in 1930, the building initially served as the headquarters for The Sinclair Oil Company. However, the hotel (Figure 1) has deviated widely from its rich history in fossil fuels, using power-over-ethernet technology, digital electricity, and energy-conserving diesel replacement technology […]
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Commentary
The Possibilities of Recycling Nuclear Fissile Waste
Nuclear energy has long been a topic of debate due to concerns about its environmental impact and the disposal of nuclear waste. However, a paradigm shift is underway that could revolutionize how we view nuclear waste. Not only could recycling nuclear fissile waste reduce the waste generated by current nuclear power plants, but it also […]
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Legal & Regulatory
EU Regulations Restricting Imports of Renewable Natural Gas and Green Hydrogen Derivative Products
The European Commission (EC) is in the process of implementing its “Union database,” or UDB, to track all renewable gases and liquid fuels. Gases and fuels, whether produced in the European Union (EU) or imported, will need to be registered in the UDB if their use in the EU is to be counted toward satisfying […]
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Connected Plant
Distributed Antenna System Solves Power Plant Communications Problem
Collaboration was the main success factor in the deployment of an all-carrier enterprise distributed antenna system (DAS) for a Midwest power plant. The Problem A power plant in the Midwestern U.S. (Figure 1) faced a formidable situation: The obsolescence of 3G cellular technology meant that the plant soon would lose its already unreliable cellular coverage, […]
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Sustainability
Responsive Economic Dispatch: Meeting a New Goal for Power
Customization is what we expect from our coffee order, not something we associate with an electricity plan. But like other industries influenced and motivated by the Internet of Things (IoT) age, the energy industry is having a renaissance that is changing customers’ relationship with power. Customers want their electricity to do more than keep the […]
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Distributed Energy
What Texas Can Learn from Australia—How VPPs Are Saving Renewable Energy
In the face of unprecedented weather events driven by climate change, the global electrical utilities sector is grappling with disruptions, and the state of Texas in particular has been significantly impacted in recent years. From the winter storms of February 2021 to challenges posed by heat events in the summer of 2023, Texas has faced […]