Commentary

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

California’s summertime energy challenges are well-documented. While energy shortfalls appear less likely in 2023, thanks to the series of atmospheric rivers that drenched the Golden State this winter, we

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, […]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April of this year announced proposed regulations to tighten restrictions on tailpipe emissions for light and medium-duty vehicles and greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty vehicles beginning with the 2027 model year. In order to meet the new requirements, the proposed regulations could effectively require automakers to produce zero-emission […]

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 […]

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on July 28 issued a landmark order that reforms the generator interconnection process. The order is in response to a clear need for nationwide improvements due to a rapidly changing resource mix, market forces, and emerging technologies for power generation. Order No. 2023, Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has spurred investment in carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), a key tool for decarbonization, by significantly increasing the tax credit for permanently sequestering carbon dioxide. However, many states lack comprehensive laws necessary for CCS projects to attract investment. That includes Texas, a global energy capital that boasts high storage potential. Regulatory […]

Below freezing at breakfast, sweltering by supper, dramatic swings in weather are no longer the purview of small talk. Predicting, accounting for, and reacting to weather are boardroom agenda items that impact

Electric utilities are looking to green hydrogen as a tool to help alleviate over-congested grids and renewable energy curtailment. But what makes hydrogen “green?” The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will soon issue its much-anticipated guidance on what qualifies for the new green hydrogen tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed last year. The […]

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 […]

In more than one RTO market, aggregators may find themselves in the position of making capacity offers for future delivery periods based on projections of how much aggregated capability they will have available in the future. This presents somewhat of a dilemma, as there are financial incentives to project aggressively. COMMENTARY Capacity revenues may play an […]

Tesla owners pulling up to plug in at specific Supercharger locations in the U.S. will soon be met with an unfamiliar sight: electric vehicles (EVs) from other car companies, parked in and charging at spots previously compatible just for a Tesla. COMMENTARY General Motors, Rivian, and Ford have all recently announced partnerships with Tesla to […]

A modern town without power—shuttered stores, empty parking lots and useless traffic lights—can resemble an eerie, dystopian future where residents struggle to get what they need. This is the short-term reality for localities that have been victims of targeted substation attacks, which have been rising steadily for the past decade. COMMENTARY At best, these widespread […]

Utilities need to modernize their grid infrastructure but face a unique challenge: change is tricky when the stakes are high. Technology is changing faster than ever, from the latest smartphones and devices to automated tools being introduced across industries to ease workloads. For essential mission-critical services such as electric power, failure is not an option. […]

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 […]

In the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, natural gas has emerged as an important but underappreciated energy source to help transition to a lower carbon world. Combining affordability

The world’s energy landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by the increasing demand for resilient, cost-effective, and net-zero sources of energy. Policymakers and regulators now can’t ignore the fundamental role that the energy storage industry is playing in the clean energy transition—stabilizing the grid as more renewable energy assets come online. This recognition is creating huge […]

Severe convective storms, also known as severe thunderstorms, may not generate the same headlines as hurricanes, but these storms can pose a greater threat to inland solar and wind energy projects. The

The need to decarbonize society has never been more apparent. Around the world, governments, corporations, and private citizens are doing what they can to shift to greener energy solutions. At the same time, it is becoming inherently clear that there is no one-size- fits-all solution to make the energy transition a reality. COMMENTARY That said, […]

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 […]

The push for vehicle electrification and renewable energy as catalysts for decarbonization holds immense global potential. Recent studies indicate that the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is projected to skyrocket in the coming years. COMMENTARY According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electric vehicles are expected to make up 60% of total global car sales […]

Over the past few years, climate change coupled with the Biden administration’s push for clean energy alternatives has spurred innovation in the power grid. One growing trend among developers, planners and forward-looking utilities centers on repurposing former brownfields and superfund sites into facilities that produce renewable energy alternatives such as wind and solar energy. The […]

The conversation around lithium demand in the U.S. has been highly focused on surging sales of electric vehicles (EVs), but as we look ahead to the coming years, the real driver will be energy storage systems. COMMENTARY Last year was reported as a record year for battery storage and its rapid growth in the market […]

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 […]

It’s been nearly seven decades since the first nuclear power station began operating. Thanks to digital transformation, this form of energy generation has never been safer—or more efficient. While the