The energy storage sector is taking off its training wheels. And while that may be a good thing, it comes with some risks. Two senior executives in the energy storage industry who spoke to POWER at the Energy Storage North America (ESNA) conference in San Jose, Calif., Sept 30–Oct. 2, described a promising—but challenging—future. John […]

With a warmer winter projected this year, according to recent forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), last year’s record upheavals in the natural gas market appear unlikely to recur. Especially in the eastern and northeastern U.S., this winter should be substantially warmer than 2013–2014, when the Polar Vortex hammered much of the […]

Booming natural gas production, mostly in the Northeast, will continue to confound traditional North American gas market dynamics in the near future, said speakers at the LDC Gas Forum—Rockies and West in Los Angeles Oct. 7-8. “Northeast production is flipping the market on its head,” said Luke Jackson, an energy analyst with Bentek. Gas production […]

If you’re a power sector professional and you haven’t thought much about energy storage, rest assured—you will soon. At least, that’s if the numerous companies working in this field and presenting at the Energy Storage North America (ESNA) conference in San Jose, Calif., this week get their way. But, as Craig Horne, chief strategy officer […]

A coalition of four companies are proposing to build a 2.1-GW, $8 billion project that would comprise the world’s largest wind farm in Wyoming, a huge compressed-air energy storage (CAES) system in Utah, and a 525-mile transmission line that would supply up to 9.2 TWh per year of electricity to Southern California. Pathfinder Renewable Wind […]

In the latest move shaking up the gas turbine business, Siemens agreed to acquire oil and gas services company Dresser-Rand for $7.6 billion in cash. Dresser-Rand manufactures turbines and compressors for the oil and gas sector, and is a major supplier for upstream natural gas firms and pipeline companies. The deal comes after Siemens acquired […]

Three top vice presidents with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and the chief of staff of California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) President Michael Peevey were all fired Sept. 15 over improper communications between the company and the CPUC. Though the emails concerned a pending Gas Transmission and Storage rate case, the dispute has become tied […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Sept. 16 issued design certification for GE Hitachi’s Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR), the company announced. The ESBWR is a Gen-III+ advanced boiling water reactor (BWR) that employs true passive safety systems and a simplified design utilizing natural circulation. These attributes allow the reactor to cool itself […]

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The coal supply picture for Midwest power plants darkened again this summer as deliveries of Powder River Basin (PRB) coal to the region fell for a second consecutive quarter due to unreliable rail service, according to a report by SNL Energy. Midwest generators have been plagued by coal supply issues this year because of ongoing […]