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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 […]
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O&M
Optimizing Turbine Repair Resources
Steam turbines are used in many applications on various scales to drive equipment such as pumps, compressors, and generators. Routine maintenance, as laid out by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is
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Solar
How Electroluminescence and Current-Voltage Characteristics Tools Enhance PV Solar System Performance
Solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation demonstrated the largest absolute growth of all renewable technologies in 2022, surpassing wind for the first time in history, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The IEA has said continuous growth in the economic attractiveness of PV, massive development in the supply chain, and increasing policy support, especially in […]
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Power
Tips for Managing Steam and Water Analysis System Maintenance in Aging Plants
Proper steam and water analysis system (SWAS) maintenance is critical to the operation of any coal, nuclear, or combined cycle power plant, many of which are being forced to ask more of aging equipment. For