Biomass

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) latest report on the nation’s power generation inventory expects 32 GW of new capacity will enter commercial service this year, the most in at least at decade. And for the first time in five years, renewable energy sources will not make up the majority of that new generation. Nearly […]

Dual sensor operation with 4 wire sensor connection Automatic redundancy switching for lossless recordings Wide range of hazardous approvals Versatile use in chemical, oil and gas, marine and power generation applications With Sitrans TH320/420 and TR320/420, Siemens introduces a new generation of reliable HART (Highway Addressable Remote Transducer Protocol) temperature transmitters for a wide range […]

As water demand soars in every corner of the world amid widespread drought and water scarcity concerns, recovery and recycling of wastewater is increasingly becoming a valuable solution to alleviate pressures

It’s not a secret that the North American power mix is changing. Renewable energy and natural gas are picking up market share while coal-fired generation shrinks and nuclear power remains stagnant at best

Future regulatory actions issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will treat biomass from managed forests as carbon neutral when used for energy production at stationary sources, an agency policy statement declares. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who revealed the policy statement  on April 23 during a meeting with Georgia forestry leaders, also said the […]

More and more people are finding distributed energy solutions are the answer for their power resource challenges. Distributed energy comes in many forms. Renewables such as solar and wind are top-of-mind when most people think of distributed resources, but natural gas-fired generation is often a good fit too, because it adds reliability to the system […]

A report from groups including the United Nations environmental arm and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) shows renewable energy installations were responsible for 61% of the world’s net power capacity additions in 2017, more than double the new-builds from fossil fuel-powered generation. The Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2018 report, compiled by BNEF, the […]

Steam turbine rotors are susceptible to bending during some operational evolutions, which can lead to excessive vibration and ultimately failure. Rotor bending that results in premature failure of steam turbine blades and other internal components is one of the most serious problems experienced in power plants. The problems often reduce plant availability by limiting generation […]

A water wall boiler tube repair system for biomass boilers that precisely cuts tube panels without a HAZ (heat affect zone) and bevels for superior welding end preps has been introduced by Esco Tool of Holliston, MA. The MILLHOG® Water Wall Boiler Tube Replacement System consists of an APS-438 Air-Powered Saw and Track System that […]

The generating fleets owned by some of the largest companies in the U.S. (ranked here by capacity in 2017) have transformed over the past four years, in some cases dramatically, as total revenues fluctuated. Sources: Fidelity Investments (revenue data standardized by S&P Capital IQ); EIA-860 detailed data; SEC 10-K filings, and company websites. —Copy and artwork by Sonal Patel, a […]

Technology is being incorporated into operations and maintenance schemes at an ever-increasing pace. New digital tools are helping optimize assets, improve performance, and reduce overall costs. Big Data Best

There are increasing schemes in Europe to use marginally profitable gas-fired power plants to also generate heat for cities, and for good reason. Lausward Power Plant’s Fortuna Unit—POWER’s 2016 Plant of

Williamson College of the Trades’ Power Plant Technology program provides hands-on training for learners within its student-run power plant—known as the “Energy Island.” Through the program, students

Innovative boiler and heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) designs are improving efficiency, reducing emissions, and lowering maintenance costs. Some well-proven technology, such as circulating fluidized bed

State regulators in Arizona want the state’s investor-owned utilities to source more of their electricity from renewable sources, and develop more energy storage options, rather than rely on new natural gas-fired generation in the future. State senators, however, voted March 14 to give utilities a way to get around any voter-supported mandates for renewables. The […]

Most engineers and operators know (or should know) that boiler tubes containing deposits create long-term reliability problems for the boiler. Long-term overheating of the metal will result from prolonged operation with heavy tube deposits. The tubes will first bulge and then fail. Because the deposits tend to be widespread, this generally means that large sections of […]

The ability of a coal power plant to accommodate significant changes in fuel quality is often limited by many constraints. When faced with a challenging goal to test torrefied biomass fuel at its Boardman

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 […]

Documents obtained by The Washington Post show the Trump administration is prepared to ask Congress to cut the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) renewable energy and energy efficiency programs by as much as 72% in fiscal year 2019. The newspaper in a January 31 report says Congress likely would not support many of the cuts, but […]

Power plants are designed to operate at their highest efficiency. However, once a plant goes into operation, real life takes over and design outcomes are not always realized, which can seriously hurt a plant’s profitability. That’s why improving plant performance and getting back to design conditions should be every operator’s objective. This quiz is designed to test […]

 A draft law backed by the European Parliament on January 17 proposes to raise the European Union’s (EU’s) renewable targets to 35% by 2030—substantially higher than a 27% target proposed by the European Commission and EU Council. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted 492–88 (with 107 abstentions) to increase the share of renewable sources […]

All power plant equipment has a limited lifetime, but not all components age at the same rate. Some equipment may outlast the useful life of a plant, while other machinery may be replaced more than once

There are many tools available to assist companies as they gain a better grasp on how their energy is being used, and what that means for the goal of efficient energy management. Not all solutions are created

As power plants and substations become more connected, the need for rugged networking equipment built to withstand tough conditions is amplified. The military has already gone through the growing pains, so

News about the rate at which new renewable power capacity is being added to grids around the world has been overshadowed by a remarkable trend that could revolutionize the renewables sector. Over the past few

Southeast Asia offers rich renewable sector opportunities, recently exemplified by Chevron’s multibillion-dollar sale of its Indonesian and Philippines geothermal projects, and the purchase of Equis Energy

Power plants have been blowing soot using essentially the same method for decades. However, technological advances now offer boiler operators a much-improved technique. Rather than running sootblowing systems

Utilities across the country are gearing up for an attack on the power grid November 15 and 16. Thankfully, it’s only a drill. But in the event of an actual emergency, a real physical and cyberattack on the U.S. electricity infrastructure, GridEx IV—a biennial exercise conducted by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC)—will help […]

The PJM Interconnection, the largest regional transmission operator in the U.S., faces many problems: adapting to state policies designed to skew power markets in the face of natural gas and renewable

Power plants are designed to operate at their highest efficiency. Once a plant goes into operation, however, real life takes over and sometimes design outcomes are not regularly realized. Improving plant