Darrell Proctor is a data analyst and communications professional with years of writing, editing, and analytical experience in the energy sector. He has been part of Pulitzer Prize-winning teams and has more than three decades of management expertise, leading teams in both newsrooms and boardrooms. He's a sought-after speaker and analyst on topics across the spectrum of power generation, energy infrastructure, financial aspects of the industry, and more.
The CEO of Texas-based CPS Energy said March 6 that the utility wants to generate at least 50% of its power from renewable sources by 2040, part of a plan that includes the addition of 550 MW of battery storage, as it looks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. But the city-owned San Antonio […]
SINGAPORE (March 6, 2018) — Modern Energy Management (MEM), a specialist in sourcing, developing, building and operating renewable energy projects in the emerging markets has announced it has been appointed to provide development support at two project sites, totalling 290 MW, in the Philippines and Thailand respectively. MEM will act as technical and commercial advisor […]
Measurement expert signs a string of regional partnerships and launches new online data platform to facilitate global adoption of the Triton Wind Profiler Vaisala, a global leader in environmental and industrial measurement, has signed a succession of new regional partnerships in response to rising global demand for its advanced wind measurement system, the Triton Wind […]
HELSINKI, FINLAND (March 6, 2018) — The technology group Wärtsilä and AGL Energy Limited, one of Australia’s leading integrated energy companies, have signed a contract for a new 211-MW power plant. The deal for the new facility, known as the Barker Inlet Power Station located on Torrens Island near Adelaide, was earlier announced by Wärtsilä […]
DALLAS (March 6, 2018) — Leeward Renewable Energy, LLC today announced that work will soon commence to repower the company’s 15-year-old Mendota Hills Wind Farm (“Mendota”) in Lee County, Illinois. Leeward selected Siemens Gamesa to supply 29 of its SG 2.6-126 wind turbines, which will replace the existing 63 units of legacy Gamesa turbines. Total […]
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has formally docketed an application by Holtec Inc. to construct and operate a consolidated interim storage facility for spent fuel from commercial nuclear power reactors in Lea County, New Mexico. In docketing the application, the NRC has determined the application is sufficiently complete for the staff to begin its detailed safety, […]
Florida regulators on March 1 approved Florida Power & Light’s (FPL’s) plan to build a new $888 million natural gas-fired power plant, replacing an existing gas- and oil-fueled plant on the same site in Dania Beach that is being retired this year. The utility on Thursday also announced the opening of four new solar power […]
ABB Receives Contract to Upgrade, Expand Combined Cycle Plant. A consortium including Doosan Heavy Industries and state-owned construction company PT Hutama Karya has awarded a $40 million contract to ABB to
Damage to the main and emergency spillways of the Oroville Dam in California, triggered in February 2017 by heavy rain that was part of Northern California’s wettest winter in almost 100 years, has brought
Utilities and power plant equipment providers know that maximizing the value of their assets includes keeping them maintained and online. Minimizing downtime is critical, certainly when it comes to keeping the
Analysts who spoke with POWER differ slightly on the numbers, but they all agree that U.S. demand for natural gas for power generation will continue to rise. Supply should not be a problem—domestic
As part of an EU Research Programme in Cooperation with the University of Cyprus, Autarsys Makes the Final Connections to its Energy Storage System (ESS) for Initial Testing BERLIN, GERMANY and NICOSIA, CYPRUS – Autarsys GmbH has delivered and commissioned the first community energy storage system (ESS) in Cyprus. It aims to be a […]
MAHWAH, NJ and WILMINGTON, NC (February 27, 2018) – Radiflow, a provider of cybersecurity solutions for critical infrastructure, and Wireless Data Systems, a nationwide provider of turnkey wireless-based networks for multiple applications including broadband, surveillance, monitoring, private network extensions and more, today announced that the two companies have entered into a value added reseller agreement. Wireless […]
An Indiana utility has confirmed it will close three coal-fired power units, replacing that generation with a proposed natural gas-fired facility along with additional solar power. Evansville, Indiana-based Vectren Corp., a holding company whose assets include Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana-South, on February 20 released its Smart Energy Future strategic plan, designed to reduce Vectren’s […]
GENOA, Italy (February 23, 2018) — The first GT36-S5 model gas turbine produced at Ansaldo Energia’s Genoa production facility was presented to an audience including Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti, Mayor of Genoa Marco Bucci, and Edoardo Rixi, Liguria Regional Administration Economic Development Councillor. Also in attendance was the Archbishop of Genoa, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco. Ansaldo […]
CHICAGO (February 22, 2018) —Uptake, the industrial data science and artificial intelligence (AI) software company, today announced that Pattern Energy Group Inc. (Nasdaq & TSX: PEGI) will pilot Uptake’s wind software. Pattern Energy, the seventh largest wind operator in the U.S., will pilot the predictive analytics software at its Logan’s Gap Wind farm in Comanche County, […]
A 200-MW solar power plant is being planned at a 2,000-acre site near Warner Robins, Georgia, a project that at present would be the largest standalone solar facility in the U.S. Southeast. First Solar, a Tempe, Arizona-based global provider of photovoltaic (PV) systems, announced the project on February 21. The plant already has a power […]
PARIS (February 22, 2018) — Saft is building an alliance with other European partners to launch an ambitious program of research, development and industrialization for new generations of batteries focusing on advanced high-density Li-ion and Solid-State technology. The program addresses all market segments, such as electro-mobility (EV, e-Bus, Railway, Marine, Aviation), energy storage (ESS) and […]
CHICAGO, IL AND IRVINE, CA (February 21, 2018) — Invenergy, North America’s largest independent, privately-held renewable energy company, and NarrativeWave, an Irvine-based Internet of Things software company, announced a three-year agreement. Invenergy will use NarrativeWave’s software to optimize its fleet of wind turbines and other renewable energy assets. The announcement follows a successful 60-day pilot, […]
Coal-fired power generation has taken another punch, as Consumers Energy—which along with DTE Energy supplies most of Michigan’s power—has announced it will phase out coal burning over the next two decades, with a plan to generate at least 40% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2040. Patti Poppe, Consumers’ president and CEO, made the […]
The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP) province in India has announced an agenda to reform the region’s energy sector, starting with the phase-out of older state-owned thermal power plants, as Indian provinces work toward a goal of providing reliable electricity on a consistent basis to more of the country’s population. Shrikant Sharma, the UP […]
A business group geared toward sustainable energy says renewable sources of energy for the first time are generating nearly as much power as the entire fleet of U.S. nuclear reactors. The Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), along with Bloomberg New Energy Finance, on February 15 released the sixth edition of its Sustainable Energy in […]
LAKE MARY, Florida (February 14, 2018) — Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) celebrated its first win in Brazil for the technical selection of its M501 JAC Gas Turbine for the Vale Azul II Project. The plant, which will have a contracted output of 466MW in combined cycle, was selected in the A-6 Brazilian Electricity Auction […]
Siemens Energy Implements 3D Virtual Maintenance Trainers for Large-Scale Gas Turbine Power Plant Technology Orlando, FL (February 14, 2018) – The DiSTI Corporation, the world’s leading provider of 3D virtual training solutions, announces delivery of its first 3D Virtual Maintenance Training (VMT) solution for Siemens Energy, Inc. that was developed using DiSTI’s VE Studio Development […]
PALM DESERT, California (February 13, 2018) — The biggest ongoing challenges for manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) modules are the loss of efficiency, limited vitality, and a drop in the conversion from kilowatt peak (kWp) to actual kilowatt hours (kWh). Photovoltaic Graphene Matrix Technology or “PV Graf” shatters the mold of traditional BUS BAR PV technology […]
February 14, 2018—GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), Holtec International and SMR Inventec, LLC (SMR, LLC), today announced a collaboration to advance the SMR‐160, a single loop, 160 MWe pressurized light water reactor based on existing light water technologies. In a Memorandum of Understanding, the companies have agreed to enter into a […]
HELSINKI, Finland (February 13, 2018) — Greensmith Energy, a part of the Wärtsilä technology group, was selected by Origis Energy USA to provide advanced energy storage integrated with solar photovoltaic (PV) in Sterling, Massachusetts. The resultant hybrid system will allow the PV installation to better handle peak loads and provide secure, reliable electricity supply to the […]
The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2019 budget request released February 12 asks for more money to support fossil fuel-based power systems, but seeks funding below current levels for other energy initiatives, including renewable energy and energy efficiency. The energy funding is part of a $4.4 trillion budget that features large increases in military spending, along […]
The budget bill passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in the early hours of February 9 extends a host of tax credits for energy technologies, including provisions to help the Vogtle nuclear expansion in Georgia as well as U.S. carbon-capture projects. The legislation also provides support for renewable energy, including for small wind […]
GLEN ALLEN, Virginia (February 7, 2018) — Four of Old Dominion Electric Cooperative’s (ODEC) member-owners filed applications with the State Corporation Commission (SCC) on January 30, 2018, to implement community solar pilot programs. A&N, Mecklenburg, Northern Neck, and Rappahannock Electric Cooperatives will establish three-year pilot programs to provide community solar subscriptions to their member-consumers, pending SCC […]