Coal
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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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Energy Security
FERC, NERC Reveal Disturbing Details from Winter Storm Elliott Inquiry
Incremental unplanned generation outages triggered during Winter Storm Elliott spiked to 90.5 GW—significantly more than the 61.8 GW during Winter Storm Uri in 2021—representing 13% of the U.S. portion of anticipated resources in the Eastern Interconnection. That finding, one of many disturbing details unveiled by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and North American Electric […]
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Fiction
Marnie Surfaceblow: Bowing Under Pressure
Just because something hasn’t failed doesn’t mean it won’t—especially when an “old dog” of a plant is taught new tricks. Two women wearing personal protective equipment waited impatiently in the
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News and Notes
POWER Digest [September 2023]
Indian USC Coal Plant, First Transnational Power Project, Begins Operation. Indian independent power producer Adani Power on July 12 began full commercial operation of the coal-fired 1,600-MW Godda Ultra
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Energy Security
NERC Identifies Energy Policy as Key Risk to Grid Reliability Amid Evolving Challenges
The North American Reliability Corporation (NERC) will for the first time consider “energy policy” among five significant evolving and interdependent risks to grid reliability. In its latest biennial ERO Reliability Risk Priorities Report, the designated North American Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) identifies energy policy as a new risk priority alongside grid transformation, resilience to extreme […]
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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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Gas
Could SCR Catalyst Technology Adoption Be a Roadmap for Power Plants Seeking Economical and Efficient CO2 Point-Source Solutions?
As the quest to develop a net-zero carbon emissions electricity grid marches on, global entities like the International Energy Agency (IEA) increasingly point to a big role for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). The IEA goes so far as to say reaching net-zero will be nearly impossible without CCUS. Proposed governmental greenhouse gas emissions […]
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History
NRG Energy’s Pivot Amid Power Sector Change
Once a giant pure-play independent power producer, NRG Energy has cultivated a legacy of pioneering business models to withstand waves of change in the power sector. Its latest strategic shift pivots from
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Hydrogen
POWER Digest [August 2023]
Colombian Dam Site of Major Floating Solar Project. A new solar power system that will float on the reservoir at the Urrá Dam in Colombia is designed to demonstrate that hydroelectric stations dealing with
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News and Notes
Busy Week: News and Notes from the Power Industry (July 27, 2023)
A number of companies in the power industry revealed new projects and other interesting developments this week. The following are some the more noteworthy announcements that POWER has been monitoring. BWXT to Provide Nuclear Reactor Engine and Fuel for DARPA Space Project BWX Technologies Inc. (BWXT) announced on July 26 that its reactor and fuel […]
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Press Releases
POWER and Enverus Partner on New Power Industry Data and Insights Tool
Power industry professionals searching for valuable data and insights on U.S. power plants will find a wealth of information in the POWER Plant ID (Intelligence Database) research tool. Data available includes plant locations, capacities, generation types, ownership breakdown, production history, emissions data, and more. HOUSTON/AUSTIN, Texas (July 18, 2023) — POWER, the leading power […]
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Power
Italy Set to Scale Back Remaining Coal-Fired Fleet
Italy could retire most of its remaining coal-fired power plants in the next two years, as government officials work to meet the European Union’s 2030 goal for lower emissions of carbon from the electricity and industrial sectors. Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, commenting on a government document released July 3, said Italy would end the […]
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Trends
Clean Energy Transition Continues Despite Reliability, Supply Chain, and Financial Uncertainty
Although there is a risk of energy shortfalls in parts of the U.S. if extreme summer temperatures materialize, there is no stopping the clean energy transition that is sweeping the nation. Energy storage
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Trends
Digitalization Is Now a Power Sector Imperative: Takeaways from Connected Plant Conference 2023
Digitalization is now so firmly embedded in the power sector that if participants haven’t yet begun their digital journey, they’ve inherently fallen behind. That was a message repeated at the three-day 7th annual Connected Plant Conference (CPC), which took place this week in New Orleans, Louisiana. POWER magazine and Chemical Engineering magazine’s conference this year […]
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Coal
UK Won’t Keep Contingency Coal-Fired Units Online
The UK’s national grid operator has said that the country will not utilize coal-fired power generation even if needed this coming winter, issuing a statement on June 28 that said operators of possible contingency plants will not have them ready for service. The National Grid Electricity Systems Operator (ESO) earlier this month in its early […]
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Energy Security
ERCOT’s Energy Emergency Risk Has Shifted from Late Afternoon to Early Evening
Modeling from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) suggests an 11% probability of having a load shed issue on a peak day this summer, an official said during a reliability committee meeting on June 19. The Texas grid, which was tested this week by a record-breaking heat wave, issued a weather watch and a […]
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Coal
German Group Plans ‘Green Baseload’ Installation at Major Coal Generation Complex
A leading German energy group has announced plans to create a clean energy hub at what today is an area of coal mines and coal-fired power stations in the eastern part of the country. The strategy from LEAG (Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG) envisions what the company calls a “pure green baseload” complex. LEAG on June […]
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Coal
UK Restarts Coal-Fired Units as Temperatures, Power Demand Rise
Temperatures in the UK recently soared into the high 80s, increasing demand for cooling across Britain and prompting energy company National Grid to call for a restart of a coal-fired power station. Uniper, the German-based energy group, on June 12 said National Grid called for Uniper’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire to begin supplying […]
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Press Releases
America’s Power Statement House Environment Subcommittee Hearing on “Clean Power Plan 2.0: EPA’s Latest Attack On America’s Electric Reliability”
Washington, D.C. (June 6, 2023) – America’s Power President and CEO Michelle Bloodworth issued the following statement regarding today’s House subcommittee hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0. The proposal imposes new carbon regulations on coal- and gas-fired power plants which provide 60% of the nation’s electricity: “For the second […]
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Coal
A Long Time Coming: Rawhide Unit 1 Is Coal Users’ Group Plant of the Year
After years of upgrade and retrofit projects, and a keen focus on safety and continuous improvement, the Coal Users’ Group board of directors selected Platte River Power Authority’s Rawhide Unit 1 as the
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Coal
Reducing Operational Constraints and Emissions by Increasing Flexible Energy Capacity
Today, modern network technology can transform commercial and industrial facilities into power sources that generate, store, and trade clean energy, allowing owners to increase cash flow, achieve
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Sustainability
Five Reasons Why Power Plant Owners Should Consider Repurposing Their Assets
Aging power plants are not necessarily liabilities. Owners must consider all of their options for both sites and equipment before they inadvertently discard valuable assets. The shift toward renewable energies
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Coal
Clean Energy Spending Grows, but Big Investments Continue in Coal and Other Fossil Fuels
The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects investment in clean energy technologies, including “renewable power, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emission fuels, efficiency improvements and end-use renewables and electrification,” to exceed $1.7 trillion in 2023, the most ever. Yet, even as clean energy investments grow, more than $1 trillion is expected to be invested in unabated fossil fuel […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Carbon Capture Key to EPA’s New Power Plant Emissions Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled new greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for the nation’s power plants, moving to require both existing and new facilities to capture emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) for the first time. The rule announced May 11, if implemented, would mean coal- and natural gas-fired power plants would have to […]
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Press Releases
Valmet Converting Coal-Fired Boiler to Pellet-Burning at Finland Plant
May 4, 2023 — Valmet announced it will convert Helen Ltd’s coal-fired district heat boiler to bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) combustion to enable wood pellet firing at the Salmisaari ‘A’ power plant in Helsinki, Finland. The conversion promotes the company’s goal of phasing out coal and at the same time strengthens the construction of a […]
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Connected Plant
Utilizing Data Is Key for Top Grid, Power Plant Performance
The wealth of data available for today’s power generators is supporting more efficient electricity production, and more reliability and resiliency for the grid. There are many reasons utilities and power
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History
Enduring Value: Entergy’s More Than 100-Year-Old Story
One man’s ambition to electrify the Middle South and improve its economic outlook 110 years ago evolved from a handshake for steam from a boiler powered with waste sawdust into Entergy Corp., a
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Trends
POWER Digest [May 2023]
European Grid Operator Secures 22 GW of HVDC Projects. European transmission system operator (TSO) TenneT will lead a charge to install 11 2-GW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems by 2031. A long-term
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Legal & Regulatory
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: An Unconstitutional Interstate Compact?
One of the primary objectives of the powerful anti-fossil fuel lobby over the past two decades has been a federally mandated limit on carbon emissions. But the Supreme Court’s recent decision in West
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Coal
Winter Demand for Coal, Gas Falls Across EU Despite Energy Concerns
An analysis from an energy research group shows European Union (EU) countries burned less coal and natural gas for power generation than in prior years, despite an ongoing energy crisis driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A study from Ember, a think-tank based in the UK, said coal-fired generation in the EU dropped 27 TWh […]