Blog
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Management
Breaking Down Barriers—How Frictionless Procurement Will Enable a Revolution for Industrial Sellers and Buyers
The manner in which industrial products are currently resourced is no longer fit for purpose. In terms of procurement and supply chain complexity, the traditional seller/buyer model perpetuates historic inefficacies in how one company does business with another. On a macro level, it holds back the urgent improvements required in global energy and power infrastructures […]
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Renewables
Renewable Energy for All Seasons
When talking about renewable energy generation, the seasonal nature of these energy sources often raises questions. Will a solar array provide enough power during periods of cloudy weather or during shorter winter days? Can a wind turbine be effective on days with little to no wind? COMMENTARY We know that renewable energy relies on environmental […]
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Solar
Thin-Film Photovoltaic Market: A Burgeoning Arena of Innumerable Opportunities
It was 1839 when prominent French physicist Edmond Becquerel observed that some materials have the ability to create electrical charges. Now, 185 years later, solar has come a long way and will continue to hit new milestones. The International Energy Agency has projected that the growth of renewable energy capacity will be raised by almost […]
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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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Commentary
Reimagining the Wind Energy Industry with Distributed Manufacturing
The energy sector is witnessing a transformation. While the demand for conventional energy sources decreased, use of renewable energy has surged, with a projected worth of green energy set to reach up to $2.172 billion by 2030. Continued success for renewables demands consistency, efficiency, flexibility, speed, and reliability being built to specifications. Additive manufacturing assures […]
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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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Electric Vehicles
Six Key Points About NEVI—the National EV Infrastructure Program
This article provides an update about the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI), detailing its progress, challenges and potential future direction. It offers valuable commentary and insights into the evolving EV charging infrastructure and important things to note when applying for a state NEVI program. As 2024 ramps up, we’re entering the second year of […]
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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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Commentary
Artificial Intelligence Will Help Power America’s Clean Electricity Grids
Most countries will not meet zero-goals by 2050 based on current trajectories. It’s an unfortunate situation that needs to be taken seriously. While there are many factors delaying decarbonization efforts, the lack of clean energy-powered electric grids is perhaps the most significant barrier for nations. The United States is not exempt—despite the recent influx of […]
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Nuclear
The Nuclear Renaissance 2.0
The World Nuclear Exhibition was held in Paris, France, from Nov. 28-30, 2023. Sitting here in France at the World Nuclear Exhibition among 20,000 nuclear stakeholders, it seems a new day for nuclear has arrived. The prospects of carbon-free 24/7 baseload power, a massive workforce and lucrative supply chain means billions of dollars and gigawatts […]
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Commentary
EV Fast Charging Infrastructure Isn’t Growing Fast Enough—Utilities Must Step Up to Accelerate This Critical Infrastructure Buildout
Utilities are just beginning their journeys to speed up deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in reaction to increasing EV penetration. In the U.S., EV sales have risen nearly 50% between 2022 and 2023, now accounting for 8% of total industry sales (the Biden administration has a goal of 50% new vehicle sales comprising zero-emission vehicles by […]
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Commentary
Why Utilities Must Create A Stronger Digital Architecture to Manage the Future Power Grid Amid Climate Challenges
This year, many of us watched with audible gasps as high temperatures shattered records and extreme weather destroyed homes and displaced people across the globe. These uncontrolled events have undoubtedly strained our old, antiquated electric grids, causing outages and downtime. The Biden administration has stepped up with $167 Million in energy grid resilience funding to assist in modernizing these […]
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Commentary
The Electrification of Vehicles in America Is Occurring Rapidly in Bus Fleets
The effort to electrify vehicles is a growing trend sweeping through America. The task is expensive enough to keep it from ever being quick. Still, funding is available from numerous sources and the commitment to accomplish what would once have seemed impossible is obvious. One of the largest vehicle fleets in the country is the […]
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Commentary
How to Cut Energy Costs and Create Efficiencies this Winter
As more businesses consider electrification efforts to reduce their carbon impact, energy decision-makers must not lose sight of the critical role of overall energy efficiency efforts. While electrification upgrades are often more efficient and can reduce overall energy demand for consumers, an increasingly volatile energy market means it’s as important as ever to have an […]
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Energy Security
A New Strategy for EMP Protection of Critical Civilian Infrastructure
The problem of the destructive effects of high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (EMP) on electronic and electrical equipment has been well-known for more than 50 years. All military equipment and critical equipment of special governmental services are reliably protected from such influences. There are many companies on the market that manufacture numerous EMP protection means that meet […]
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Commentary
Germany’s Energy History Is at the Root of Its Current Challenges
Over a year after the start of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Germany is at the heart and center of current debate when it comes to energy dependence. Like most European countries, Germany did not have adequate time to wean off Russia’s rich and steady inflow of natural gas. But the impact of Russia’s abrupt supply […]
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Commentary
Hydrogen Is the Power of Tomorrow—but We Need to Start Small
Sustainable, efficient, and powerful—many energy experts agree that hydrogen power has the potential to be a major force in the coming years. Hydrogen fuel provides all the convenience and power of fossil fuels (particularly of natural gas) without the carbon dioxide residue. Hydrogen doesn’t require soil-scarring mining projects or deep wells; it’s literally all around us, and can […]
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Legal & Regulatory
New Labor Regulations Could Have Implications for Renewables Developers
Developers of renewable energy projects generally haven’t concerned themselves with the Davis-Bacon Act, the Great Depression-era federal law that mandates the paying of prevailing wages to laborers on public works projects. However, if the Department of Labor (DOL) gets its way, that might soon change. On August 23, 2023, DOL published new Davis-Bacon and Related Acts regulations that contain […]
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Commentary
The Promise and Potential of Sustainable Fuels
In order to meet decarbonization goals and limit the impacts of climate change, national power systems need to reach 100% renewable power generation without delay. Renewables like solar and wind will be needed in vast amounts, alongside flexible technology solutions, such as engine power plants and energy storage, to balance the intermittency of these power […]
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Commentary
Cyberattack Vulnerabilities of Modern Power Systems
Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is crucial to contemporary power systems and is widely used in industry and defense. SCADA are computer-based systems that are used to centrally control, monitor, and analyze activities in industries and power systems. This entails real-time communication over a communication network between a central entity and the local controllers […]
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Commentary
Embracing the Complex Role of Coal in South Africa’s Energy Mix
The path to achieving net zero is intricately tied to addressing the challenges posed by coal consumption. Industrialized nations highlight concerns about coal’s environmental impact, given its emissions of various pollutants that contribute to issues like smog and respiratory problems. These emissions encompass a range of substances, including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, […]
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Commentary
Sustainable Solutions for Residential Homes and Solar’s Increasingly Popular Adoption
As the global push toward sustainable energy gains momentum, solar power stands at the forefront of this transformative movement. There are many sustainable solutions presented by solar energy, the comparative economics against traditional grid power, and the bright future that lies ahead. In just 10 years, renewable energy’s share of U.S. electricity generation has doubled—from […]
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Commentary
Plant Vogtle: Not a Star, but a Tragedy for the People of Georgia
In a recent guest essay entitled “A Star Is Born, as Plant Vogtle Nuclear Expansion Enters Service,” Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols wrote glowingly about Plant Vogtle, the first new reactor to come online in the U.S. in 30 years. He even praised Southern Company for keeping the project going during COVID. But what […]
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Nuclear
A Star Is Born, as Plant Vogtle Nuclear Expansion Enters Service
I was surprised at the surge of emotions I felt as the new Vogtle reactor came online and into commercial operation. The construction of the project was massive—more than 7,000 workers toiled. The project has had delays. Costs for the two-unit expansion at Vogtle soared. But in the end, Plant Vogtle had more lives than a […]
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Commentary
It’s Time to Stop Hiring Climate Tech Talent in the Dark
Anyone who’s ever made hiring decisions knows the real danger of hiring the wrong person. By some estimates, an unsuitable employee can cost a company as much as $240,000, not to mention the collateral damage inflicted on company morale and reduced productivity and achievement. In a world where every decision impacts the bottom line and […]
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Commentary
Transmission for Transition: Solving the South African Energy Crisis Through Logistics
South Africa is in the midst of an energy crisis characterized by electricity shortages, blackouts, and lack of new infrastructure investment. Eskom, the state-owned utility supplying more than 90% of the nation’s electricity, has suffered from operational failures, maintenance issues, and breakdowns at aging, poorly maintained power stations, leading to steady declines in the energy […]
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Solar
The Power of Solar Panel Recycling
Solar power is the most efficient, renewable, and cost-effective source of electricity available today. The industry has consistently and rapidly grown over the past decade, and solar adoption is projected to accelerate over the next 10 years, increasing from 150 GWp installed in 2021, to 650 GWp installed per year in 2030. COMMENTARY Solar also […]
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Commentary
Leveraging the Digital Transformation in Solar O&M
We are currently witnessing the most dizzying pace of technological innovation in our lifetimes, if not ever. Our lives are becoming increasingly more digital, cutting out archaic and inefficient processes and saving time and resources in an impressive fashion. COMMENTARY In solar photovoltaic (PV), this digital shift is also occurring, albeit in a less obvious […]
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Commentary
Zinc Batteries Fare Well in Life Cycle Assessments
As promising zinc-based battery technologies advance, Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) provided by certified, independent third parties can serve as differentiators in the crowded field of energy storage options. Several zinc battery developers have commissioned Boundless Impact Research & Analytics to provide LCAs, systematic analyses of the potential environmental impacts of these emerging clean technologies during […]
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Commentary
Why Powering Up Customer Communications is Crucial for Utility Brands
If you’re a marketer at an energy or water company, you could be forgiven for thinking customers are only interested in brand utility. The clue is in the sector name, after all. But even in an industry where function, service and price are front and centre, brands that overlook the growing importance of customer experience […]