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  • RWE Signs PPAs With Meta for Power from Solar Farms

    U.S. renewable energy major RWE announced the signing of two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) that will supply electricity to social media company Meta. The deal is for clean energy from two solar farms with combined generation capacity of 374 MW. The solar facilities are RWE’s 274-MW County Run Solar project in Illinois, and the […]

  • Composite Pole Manufacturer Grows Through Acquisition, Boosting Grid Hardening Capabilities for Utilities

    Creative Composites Group (CCG), a leading manufacturer of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, announced that the group has acquired the assets of Schaumburg, Illinois-based Trident Industries (Trident), a manufacturer of ultra-resilient single- and multi-layer composite poles (Figure 1). This marks CCG’s third acquisition in less than two years. Power demand and storm frequencies are increasing, severely […]

  • NYISO Announces Interconnection Enhancements and Improvements

    The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) has launched a new interconnection process with significant improvements and enhancements, crucial for integrating a high volume of new generation facilities onto the grid. NYISO’s “Cluster Study” process and other improvements were developed in collaboration with stakeholders through the NYISO’s governance process in recent years. Collectively, these enhancements […]

  • Forced Outage Parametric Insurance Solutions for CCGTs

    Combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plants started appearing on a larger scale in the late 1990s and have since then been a very efficient supplier of baseload and lately peaking capacity to the power grids. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently reported that natural gas–fired capacity additions are increasing in the U.S. again […]

  • The Role of FRP Structures in Mitigating Workplace Hazards

    Power companies understand the importance of safety and incorporate many safeguards into plant designs. Yet, the materials used in these defenses also matter, and fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP) is an

  • Achieving Operational Flexibility with Voltage Control

    Using voltage data down to the consumer level is essential for grid optimisation and operational flexibility in the new era of intermittent generation and fast-changing user demand. Power grids were designed

  • Unseen Heroes: Cutting-Edge Sensors Combatting Air Pollution

    There is an urgent need for accurate and efficient emissions monitoring technologies to ensure air pollution is adequately controlled. Infrared spectroscopy and precision infrared filters play a critical role

  • Fighting Scale and Corrosion on Balance of Geothermal Plant Equipment

    There are three main types of geothermal power plants: dry steam plants that send geothermal steam directly from the ground into the turbine, flash steam power plants that convert hot groundwater to steam

  • Ireland’s Energy Strategy Embraces Offshore Wind

    The global wind industry is entering a new phase of accelerated growth as both companies and countries adopt ambitious sustainable energy goals. 2023 was a record year for wind installations, with a 50%

  • Connecting Infrastructure’s Dots to Solve Today’s Urban Management Issues

    Connected infrastructure offers a holistic approach to creating a smarter, greener, and more livable world. More people are moving to urban areas than ever before, even as the impacts of climate change are

  • Making the Case for U.S. Nuclear Power

    We serve as elected utility regulators in Georgia and Arizona. Our states are thriving. Economic opportunities abound. And we need more energy. Both of our states have nuclear reactors, and there is public support to build more of them—if the right deal can be made. But it is not just Georgia and Arizona. Many states […]

  • Colorado Power Provider Will Add 760 MW of Renewable Energy

    Platte River Power Authority’s board of directors approved the utility’s 2024 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) on July 25, including the recommended “optimal new carbon” portfolio that adds 760 MW of new renewable energy projects between now and 2030. “We’ve heard from numerous community members throughout this process and I appreciate how transparent Platte River continues […]

  • Large-Scale ‘Clean Hydrogen’ Project Moves Forward in Germany

    Siemens Energy has been awarded a contract by German utility EWE to supply a 280-MW electrolysis system. The plant in the German city of Emden is expected to go into operation in 2027 and will provide up to 26,000 tons of green hydrogen annually for various industrial applications in the region. If this green hydrogen […]

  • Framatome Will Supply Fuel for VVER Nuclear Reactors in Slovakia

    Framatome and Slovak utility Slovenské elektrárne on July 23 announced the companies have signed a major contract for the long-term supply of nuclear fuel to the Bohunice and Mochovce VVER reactors from 2027. This follows on from the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two companies in May 2023. “This contract marks a new milestone […]

  • DOE Loans Office Will Support Solar, Energy Storage Systems in Puerto Rico

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) on July 18 announced a conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $861.3 million to Clean Flexible Energy, LLC. The money will finance construction of two solar photovoltaic (PV) farms equipped with battery storage, and two standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS), in […]

  • Groups Call For Supplier Action to Decarbonize Digital Infrastructure

    The Governing Body of the iMasons Climate Accord, a program of Infrastructure Masons, is calling on all suppliers serving data centers to support greater transparency in Scope 3 emissions as part of broader efforts to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. Consisting of AWS, Digital Realty, Google, Meta, Microsoft and Schneider Electric, the Governing Body released […]

  • SEMA Coalition Encourages Biden Administration to Strengthen Domestic Content Bonus

    The Solar Energy Manufacturers for America (SEMA) Coalition on July 15 submitted comments for consideration to update the domestic content bonus established in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). “The Biden Administration and Congress made a commitment to reshore the entire solar supply chain with the Inflation Reduction Act, but that will not be possible without […]

  • Sinovoltaics Launches BESSential Quality Control Service to Reveal and Correct Battery Pack Defects

    A global group that provides quality assurance for the battery energy storage system (BESS) and solar photovoltaic (PV) industries has launched a battery pack review service designed to improve detection and correction of capacity imbalance issues. Sinovoltaics on July 11 said it has launched its BESSential analysis service, offering 100% battery pack review. The service, […]

  • Clearway Begins Repowering of Texas Wind Farm

    Clearway Energy Group on July 8 said it has closed financing and begun a repowering project for the California-based company’s Cedro Hill wind farm in Webb County, Texas. Clearway said the repowering will boost the wind farm’s generation capacity to 160 MW, from its current 150 MW. Workers will replace the blades and nacelle with […]

  • Sulzer Will Deliver Hot and Cold Molten Salt Pumps for China Solar Project

    A major concentrated solar power (CSP) project in China selected Sulzer, a global fluid engineering company, to supply both the hot and the cold molten salts pumps for the installation. The planned 100-MW solar project will feature technology designed to deliver electricity from solar energy 24 hours a day. Molten salts have been used in […]

  • Group Expects Huge Jump in Global Revenue for Hydrogen-Capable Gas Turbines

    A new report from Guidehouse Insights, the Colorado-based dedicated market intelligence arm of Guidehouse, estimates global revenue for hydrogen-capable gas turbines (HGTs) will grow to more than $7 billion by 2033. The group said HGTs will help to buffer intermittent electricity output from renewable resources, and provide stability for the power grid. The report released […]

  • The Heating Sector: A CO2 Headache or a Hidden Treasure?

    The combination of combined heat and power plants with thermal energy storage and industrial heat pumps provides a sustainable and efficient heating sector option. In recent years there has been a growing

  • Tips for HRSG Maintenance and Upgrade Success

    The heyday of combined cycle plant construction (especially in the U.S.) was at the start of the millennia. Between 2000 and 2005, about 130 GW of natural gas–fired combined cycle plants opened in the U.S.

  • Optimizing Solar Panel Manufacturing Efficiency and Reliability

    Whether you’re a longtime solar panel maker or just embarking on a business plan, it’s easy to overlook some key business considerations. Perhaps you need to design a new warehouse and develop support

  • FERC Adopts Transmission Reform; Commissioner Cries Foul

    There has been a growing consensus in recent years that the transmission planning process must be reformed to ensure reliability in the face of a rapidly changing grid. Despite the need for new transmission to

  • Small Item, Big Impact: Why and How to Prioritize Solar Connector Safety and Performance

    U.S. solar installations saw a banner year in 2023. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), new installs set multiple records, exceeding 30 GWdc of capacity and comprising more than half of the nation’s new generating capacity for the first time. Many cheer this renewable growth; others, whether wary of change or wedded to […]

  • Federal Court Blocks Attempt by Coal Power Plants to Evade Cleaning Up Coal Ash Sites

    The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., on June 28 blocked the coal power industry’s attempt to get out of the requirement that they prevent toxic coal ash from contaminating groundwater. The court affirmed that the EPA regulations established in 2015 already prohibit closing coal ash dumps with ash sitting in groundwater. Industry filed […]

  • Coating Technologies Crucial for Offshore Wind Farms

    Efforts to combat climate change drive the growth of renewable energy technologies as governments and utility companies increase investments in solar and wind installations to meet rising electricity demands. Onshore wind is a well-developed market, while offshore wind is beginning to expand due to its high production efficiency and significant energy production potential. According to […]

  • Tri-State Advances ERP With Unopposed Settlement Filing

    Colorado electric cooperative Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is proposing aid to coal communities in its service territory as part of an unopposed comprehensive settlement of the first phase of  the group’s recent Electric Resource Plan (ERP). The company on June 27 said the filing is an important milestone in the energy transition of the […]

  • Ampion, Wendy’s Announce Community Solar Deal for Restaurants

    Community solar provider Ampion Renewable Energy is partnering with The Wendy’s Company to help Wendy’s restaurants source renewable energy. Nearly 100 company-operated restaurants and nearly 40 franchise restaurants in New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts are now enrolled in Ampion+, a product that helps organizations reduce energy costs and secure Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that substantiate […]